509th_Composite_Group USAAF_unit_identification_aircraft_markings

509th s straight flush in livery of 444th bg.

the 509th composite group, sent tinian drop atomic bomb, assigned 313th bomb wing. consisting of single squadron, tail marking circle outline around arrowhead pointing forward, while flying combat missions fifteen b-29 s used tail markings of other groups , wings security measure. richard h. campbell, in silverplate bombers, reports xxi bomber command feared japanese survivors on tinian observing 509th operations, had been quite extensive before august 1, , reporting them clandestine radio tokyo. (pg. 219, chapter 3 note 6)

the 509th repainted tail identifier of 4 xxi bomber command groups in combat, , altered victor numbers avoid misidentification actual aircraft bearing numbers. new victor numbers 82, 89, 90, , 91, carried markings of 6th bomb group (circle r); victors 71, 72, 73, , 84 of 497th bomb group (large ); victors 77, 85, 86, , 88 of 444th bomb group (triangle n); , victors 83, 94, , 95 of 39th bomb group (square p).