IJNAF carrier based aircraft identification & marking

source: - Krysztof Zalewski: "Japonskie lotnictwo pokladowe", Lampart, Warszawa, Poland 1998

Aircraft Identification

1) April 1941 - 14.7.1942

a) alphanumeric code

A	II	111
Carrier Division large block letter in latin alphabet	Ship Roman digits	three digit aircraft indetification - 1st digit = aircraft type: 1 - fighting 2 - dive bomber 3 - horizontal bomber - 2nd-3rd digit = individual aircraft number

b) additional tail color stripes identification

CarDiv1:	Akagi: AI, one red stripe Kaga: AII, two red stripes
CarDiv2	Sorju: BI, one blue stripe Hirju: BII, two blue stripes
CarDiv3	Hosho: CI Zuiho: CII
CarDiv4	Rjudzo: DI, one yellow stripe Shoho: DII, two yellow stripes Taijo: DIII, three yellow stripes Dzunjo: DII (after Shoho sinking in battle of Coral Sea)
CarDiv5	Shokaku: EI, one white stripe Zuikaku: EII, two white stripes

2) 14.7.1942 - October 1942

alphanumeric codes and color stripes principally retained, after Midway loses changed ships assignment to Carrier Divisions:

CarDiv1:	Shokaku: EI, 1 white stripe Zuikaku: EII, 2 white stripes Zuiho: EIII, 3 white stripes
CarDiv2	Hijo: DI, 1 yellow stripe Dzunjo: DII, 2 yellow stripes Rjudzo: DIII, 3 yellow stripes
without assignment without stripes	Unjo: CI Taijo: CII

3) October 1942 - April 1943

alphanumeric codes retained, color stripes abolished
change only in CarDiv1: letter E replaced by I
changes was applied probably as much as after battle of Santa Cruz where CarDiv1 aircraft still have letter E

4) April 1943 - beginning of 1944

CarDiv1:	Shokaku: A1-1 Zuikaku: A1-2 Zuiho: A1-3
CarDiv2	Hijo: A2-1 Dzunjo: A2-2 Rjuho: A2-3
CarDiv3	Citose: A3-1 Cijoda: A3-2

5) beginning of 1944 - July 1944

reduced differences between IJN carrier and land based air units
for each CarDiv created one air group (kokutai) according to land based units

three digit code:

- 1st digit = aircraft type:
3 = carrier aircraft
- 2nd digit = CarDiv
- 3rd digit = Ship

retained system of individual aircraft numbers

CarDiv1 (601st kokutai):	Taiho: 311 Zuikaku: 312 Shokaku: 313
CarDiv2 (652nd kokutai)	Dzunjo: 321 Hijo: 322 Rjuho: 323
CarDiv3 (653rd kokutai)	Citose: 331 Cijoda: 332 Zuiho: 333

later aborted first digit 3 indicating carrier aircraft:

CarDiv1 (601st kokutai):	Taiho: 11 Shokaku: 12 Zuikaku: 13
CarDiv2 (652nd kokutai)	Dzunjo: 21 Hijo: 22 Rjuho: 23
CarDiv3 (653rd kokutai)	Zuiho: 31 Citose: 32 Cijoda: 33

6) after battle of Philippine Sea in June 1944

numerical code changed to kokutai number and individualní aircraft number, above this was ship serial number without regardless of CarDiv organisation:

CarDiv1:

Zuikaku:

1
653

CarDiv2: dissolved

CarDiv3:

Zuiho	2 653
Citose	3 653
Cijoda	4 653

CarDiv4:

Ise	634
Hijuga	634

Functional marking

Commanding officers aircraft was identified by rudder or fuselage color stripes. Usually was yellow, white or red. Carrier or land based designation not tu make any difference.

1 stripe	section commander - shotai (3-4 aircraft)
2 stripes	squadron commander - daitai (15-27 aircraft)
3 stripes	air group commander - hikotai (40-50 aircraft or every aircraft onboard carrier)
4 stripes	kokutai or campaign commander