Battle Colors (1): Insignia and Aircraft Markings of the Eighth Air Force in World War II

It is not the intention of this work to attempt to answer every question concerning the Eighth Air Force during World War Two. It is safe to say that the information contained within the confines of these pages is neither unique nor previously unpublished. What is novel about this work is the manner in which the selected information has been organized and presented to the reader. The purpose of this book is to fill what was perceived as a void that previously existed in available material dealing with a specific aspect of the U.S. Eighth Air Force. What I hope I have provided the reader with is an easy to use reference tool that relies primarily upon visual images rather than text to clarify the organizational structure of the greatest war time air armada ever assembled.
Visual images provided the means by which this massive organization was able to coordinate its efforts in the air. It was thus concluded that an emphasis on visuals would be the logical means with which to tell this particular aspect of the Eighth AF story. Hopefully, this effort will be of use to anyone with an interest in the subject of the Eighth, whether that interest be casual or scholastic in nature.
The focus of this work is confined to the principle combat bombardment groups whose duties entailed overt tactical and strategic operations against Hitler's 'Festung Europa'. Omitted in this study are any number of 'special operations' Heavy Bomber units whose duties fell outside the scope of normal combat operations. Also omitted are the legions of support units assigned to each Army Air Force group. Although the contribution these units made in the successful prosecution of the war against Germany was indispensable, they never the less fall outside the main focus of this volume.