WW2 USAAF Markings Question

[AeroplaneDriver]

I must admit to being a bit in the dark regarding some of hte details of USAAF (and most other) WW2 markings.  

Can anyone tell me the significance of the red outlined US national insignia vs. the blue outlined version?  

Thanks!

[Brian da Basher]

The red outlined markings were only used from July to September, 1943. The red was then overpainted with blue as U.S. gunners in the Pacific had a tendency to fire on anything red.

Brian da Basher

[AeroplaneDriver]

Thanks Brian!

[Jennings]

To add a bit...

The 1919-1942 US roundel was a blue circle with a white star and a red 'meatball' in the center.  In mid-1942 the red dot was removed to prevent anyone shooting a a "Japanese" airplane by accident (or design).  The plain blue circle/white star remained in effect until mid-1943.  Many trial designs were floated for a new national insignia, which was thought necessary because it was felt that the plain blue circle wasn't distinctive or visible enough.  The bars were added, and a border placed around the whole thing.  At first the border was red, which made great sense, as the red is a big part of the US flag.  Some (by no means all) Navy and Air Forces units in the Pacific complained about the reintroduction of red, although I suspect this may have been a few individuals rather than large groups.  So in September of '43 the red border was replaced with blue.  As mentioned above, the red border was only in effect officially from July thru September of 1943, although examples were seen in serivce (especially in Europe) well into late 1944.  The red reappeared as bars inside the white bars in 1947.

J

[AeroplaneDriver]

Thanks for the quick history lesson J.  That's going to make my future US whifs more 'accurate'!