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Post by steve on May 24, 2011 16:15:45 GMT 12
I understand that the RNZAF, RAAF and RAF modified the standard British RAF roundel to avoid confusion with the centre red and the Japanese rising sun. Please correct me if I am wrong the fleet air arm applied bars to their roundel like the RNZAF pacific aircraft while Australia just removed the red centre. Was this decision deliberate or just occurred as a easy repaint of existing United States aircraft meant just painting over their blue star. In other words was NZs method a reflection of their supply line from the US or a means of demonstrating a independent RNZAF.
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Post by shorty on May 24, 2011 21:46:16 GMT 12
The bars were added because it was found that the shape was more significant to recognition than the colour.
The two factors which influenced the changes were the use of the red disc marking - the "Hinomaru"- as the Japanese national marking, and the adoption of white bars by the Americans as additions to their national star marking. The possibility that the red centre of the British roundel might be mistaken for a Hinomaru (particularly by US forces which were not necessarily familiar with British markings) led to several changes which consisted mainly of either reducing the size of the red or replacing it with blue. The adoption of white bars to produce a national marking very similar to the US national marking, was reflection of the growing integration of the allied forces in the Pacific theatre.
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