Hans von Hammer

: the early war zeros did not have a yellow/orange edge on the wing - that came when they switched to green. Also the national marking on early war planes normally lacked a white circle.

Regarding the last, does it mention that the underside honimaru were without the white border, or is that a given, regardless of upper camouflage color scheme?

As for the yellow leading edges, I always understood that to be a distinction between IJN and IJA markings, as the leading edge-colors were IFF markings...

Yes the leading edge yellow/orange bands were indeed IFF markings. But IIRC, they were applied toboth IJAAF and IJNAF aircraft. Again, IIRC, the white borders were added to the Hinomaru on green IJNAF aircraft to increase their visability/contrast against the green background. But in forward areas this border was often overpainted to reducee the visability/contrast. Early War Green IJN aircraft did not have the white border, and the lower wing Hinomarus did not. A whiteband or square background for the Hinomaru was used for the same purposes on aircraft operating in the Japan islands after the Doolittle raid.

EBergerud

Should also add that there are two errors: the early war zeros did not have a yellow/orange edge on the wing - that came when they switched to green. Also the national marking on early war planes normally lacked a white circle. This was one reason why I painted my own on the Val I just built - pics on post in "Aviation" made two days ago.

Eric

(1) It is my understanding that current research suggests that the first use of yellow leading edge IFF panels on IJN carrier aircraft dates to sometime between Aug and Oct 1942(i.e. after Eastern Solomons but before Santa Cruz).

http://japaneseaircraft.multiply.com/photos/album/88/SANTA_CRUZ_ISLANDS#

(2)

http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/ryan/a6m2_and_a6m3_secondary_markings.htm

"A6M2s built by Nakajima can generally be distinguished by the addition of a white surround to the fuselage hinumaru. However, it should be noted that this feature was only introduced in the summer (July?) of 1942. Thus the first 148+ Nakajima built Zeros are rather less easily differentiated from those built by Mitsubishi."

Thankee for the clarifications. That said, if you look around the web you will see a number of early war model Japanese planes showing either an IFF stripe on the leading edge or a white circle around the national markings or both. The Val I did was the "Midway" version so its decals had the white circle. I would have masked and painted my own anyway because I want to learn how to do it, but the pictures on the Japanese Aircraft website ( cited by coogrfan) showed a plain jane red. Powerful symbol though. And it did its job: many vets I interviewed a few years back remember the "meatball" when it showed up in person. No quibble about IJAAF planes wearing the IFF - I built a Ki-84 and a 72 scale Oscar and they both wear one.

Stik: I gotta ask. What does IIRC stand for?

Eric

IIRC = If I recall correctly.