Beginning in January 1945, US Navy A/C were marked with geometric shapes to distinguish carrier assignments. (I believe they were called 'G' codes) The vertical arrow was for CV-17 Bunker Hill aircraft, no matter what type or squadron. The geometric markings lasted only until summer of 1945 when replaced by more easily described letter codes. The yellow cowl was painted on Allied aircraft for Japanese home island attacks. In some photographs, the markings are rather hastily and sloppily applied, especially A/C from the Essex, and some of the yellow cowls. The yellow cowl is a 'friendly' distiguishing marking similar to the Allied invasion stripes for Europe in June of 1944 or the yellow roundel surround for Operation Torch - North Africa.
It is hard to describe some of the other Navy geometric markings (that is one reason they didn't last long), but some of the carrier codes are: Essex/double triangle; Hornet/large square checker; Independence/small square checkerboard; Yorktown/diagonal white area on tail - right triangle on wings; Franklin/vertical diamond on tail - horizontal diamond on wings; Bennington/triangular 'up' arrow... and so on...
Regards,
JimBob
US Navy A/C markings
Navy markings
Aha! 
I found a page in a book with the Navy aircraft markings by carrier, as described above. Curious markings; I can see why they didn't last long.
JimBob
<img src="http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7618 ... ngs1th.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
I found a page in a book with the Navy aircraft markings by carrier, as described above. Curious markings; I can see why they didn't last long.
JimBob
<img src="http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/7618 ... ngs1th.jpg" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" />
