I just bought "Pearl Harbor" for my daughter and while watching it I noticed that the B-25s and P-40s had the WWI type star. My question is when did the US go over to the more modern emblem (star and band/stripe)

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I just bought "Pearl Harbor" for my daughter and while watching it I noticed that the B-25s and P-40s had the WWI type star. My question is when did the US go over to the more modern emblem (star and band/stripe)

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Brian, this site will answer almost all your questions regarding US aircraft insignia, although it is a USN history, it mirrors the USAAF/USAF marking history as well.
HTH
Rob
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq2-1.htm

The star and dot emblem was in use at least into 1942. I've seen pics of naval a/c that still had that emblem at least as late as Midway. The decision was made in '42 that the red dot in the star could be confused with the 'Hino-maru' emblem of the Japanese (the "meatball"), so initially the dot was dropped. Sometime in '43, the wings were added to the star. The red strip was a post-war addition. Hope this helps!

yea i know they were used only until 1942 because the red dot resenmbuled a japanese meatball

Hi there

I always thought that US aircraft carried a red/blue/white (outer to inner) roundel during WWI and that the star emblem came later...

Can anyone set me straight?

Cheers

Rowan