300AC-US-012 - B-29 Markings of the 73rd Bombardment Wing
(479th thru 500 th Bomber Squadrons) - WW II -

Sheet 300AC-US-012 presents markings for the 73rd Bombardment Wing of the U.S.A.A.F., all four bombardment groups, e.g. 497th thru 500th.  The squadrons of these groups were the first to engage the Japanese home islands from the newly acquired, hard won, air bases in the southwest Pacific, in the concentrated bombing effort of the years late1944 - 1945.  Used in conjunction with Sheet 300AC-US-011 (national insignias), this sheet provides both early and late individual aircraft markings for the last year of the war.  This change is easily seen with the application of the almost twelve foot high group identification letter on the tails of the group's B-29s in April-May 1945.  The earlier style group/aircraft markings were much smaller and difficult to see over a distance greater than 3/4 of a mile.  The rapid assembly and identification of the group's aircraft was necessary for the raids formation and composition.  B-29 flight formations were not as tight as those of the 8th AF in the ETO, but group cohesion was essential for the greatest results.  Markings for the four bombardment groups feature three of the early and three for the later appearances for each of the respective groups.  Each sheet $6.70