V Gruppo, 132° Reggimento Artiglieria Emblem

The emblem of V Gruppo, 132° Reggimento Artiglieria (5th Group, 132nd Artillery Regiment) Royal Italian Army. The 5th Group took part in the battles of El Alamein, where, despite their limited numbers, they proved very defensively capable. In the early stages of 1942, the 5th Group used this cannon-bearing tortoise as their emblem, effectively encapsulating their slow but well-armed and armored nature, along with the desert environment they operated in. It was painted low on the sides of the casemate on their Semovente da 75/18 SPGs, before being replaced with the standard battery markings.

3rd Bomb Squadron Emblem, CACW

The emblem of the 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing (Provisional). The 3rd Squadron was the final bomb squadron to be formed during World War 2, in February 1944. It was jointly commanded by Major Lee Hsueh-yen and Colonel John A. Hilger, and boasted a formidable combat record for its relatively short operational period. The emblem was designed by John Hinrichs Jr, the supply officer of the squadron. It prominently depicts a skunk in front of the rising sun, along with a peg on its nose to keep it safe from its own defense mechanism. It was derived from the motto of the squadron, “Spray and Pray,” which reflected their combat duties of strafing Japanese positions with their heavily armed B-25 aircraft. They operated several Mitchell variants, with the emblem often painted to the sides of the nose towards the front.

Trompe La Mort Inscription

Trompe La Mort Inscription, French Army. The inscription is an Old-French saying, directly translated as “To Cheat Death,” but idiomatically “Daredevil” would be more appropriate as a contemporary interpretation. A catalyst for its popularity is the 1835 novel Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac, where the phrase appears as a nickname for one of the characters. It has something of a lineage in regards to military vehicles as well, first appearing on a Schneider CA1 AFV in the First World War. As direct inspiration, the inscription has also appeared on several more modern tanks in the French Army. This stenciled example was painted on the turret sides of a Leclerc MBT towards the rear.

"Some Chicken" Marking

“Some Chicken” marking, No. 43 Squadron, RAAF. The squadron was formed in Queensland, Australia on May 1st 1943. It exclusively operated the PBY-5 Catalina, and primarily took part in reconnaissance, mine laying, and anti-shipping duties. The inscription comes from a quote from Winston Churchill; after France fell in 1940, a French general remarked, "In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken." In December 1941, Churchill retorted with “some chicken,” in relation to the Commonwealth’s continued defiance against the Axis powers in an address to the Canadian parliament. It was painted under the front window on Catalina A24-65 OX-H. The chick may have also had a clockwork key on the back of its head, though photo evidence of this element is interpretive.

107 Squadron (OTU) Emblem

The emblem of 107 Squadron’s Operational Training Unit, IAF. 107 Squadron was formed in February 1953 at the Ramat David airbase, as a response to the rapid expansion of the IAF, which necessitated swift and effective training for new pilots. The squadron was equipped with at least 39 Mk IX Spitfires, and successfully trained 21 fighter pilots between 1953 and 1954. The squadron operated in this form until 1956 when the Spitfires were retired, but would later reform as a Meteor and Ouragan squadron several years later. The emblem of the OTU depicts a tiger in silhouette leaping over the IAF insignia, and was often painted behind and below the engine exhaust on several of the squadron’s Spitfires.

"Kohlenklau" Emblem, Pzjr.Abt. 561

An emblem of Panzerjäger-Abteilung 561 (561st Tank Destroyer Battalion), Wehrmacht. This marking depicts the “Kohlenklau” (Coal Thief), a German propaganda character used to encourage citizens to conserve energy and resources during the war. The campaign was launched in late 1942 and resulted in many posters and publications; the character even featured in a 1944 animation as well as a board game. The emblem was a personal marking of Marder II commander Helmut Kohlke, likely chosen due to the similarity between the name of the character and his surname. The face of the Kohlenklau was painted on both sides of his Marder, on the upper casemate towards the front.

301st Tactical Fighter Squadron Emblem (7th Air Wing)

The tail marking of the 301st Tactical Fighter Squadron, JASDF. The squadron was formed provisionally on August 1st 1972, and was formally activated as the 301st on October 16th 1973 as part of the 7th Air Wing. Having a frog as the tail marking fell into place quite naturally. It was based on one of the many frog species that inhabit the surrounding area of the Hyakuri Airbase, and linguistically shares a fitting sentiment for pilots. The Japanese word for frog (蛙) is phonetically the same as the phrase “to return” (帰る) spoken as ka-eh-ru, which turned frogs into symbols of good luck and safe return. The seven stars on the scarf represent the 7th Air Wing, though as the squadron has been attached to several wings, there are other variants with fewer stars. It was painted on the tail of the F-4EJ Phantoms of the squadron, under the diagonal formation light strip.

DESRON 9 Emblem

The emblem of Destroyer Squadron 9, United States Navy. The squadron was first formed in 1920 with early four-piper destroyers, and operated until 1930 when it was decommissioned temporarily. It was later reactivated in 1937, equipped with Porter and Somers class destroyers, including USS Davis, Moffett and Somers, and saw action in both the Atlantic and Pacific. The squadron took part in many operations after the Second World War as well, including the Korean War and Desert Storm, and currently operates the Arleigh Burke-class. The badge of the squadron prominently portrays naval military strength and honor, with the famous phrase “En garde” conveying the sentiment “get ready to fight!”.

Personal Marking of Grigori Kogrushev, 168 IAP

The personal marking of Grigori Aleksandrovich Kogrushev, 168 IAP (168th Fighter Aviation Regiment), Soviet Air Force. Grigori boasted a distinguished career in the air force, commanding the 11th, 172nd, and 168th regiments during the Second World War. Aside from flying the I-16 during the Spanish Civil War, he primarily piloted Yak fighters, and shot down a total of six aircraft, with two being shared. On June 13th, 1944, he transitioned to the Yak-9B fighter-bomber, which he would fly until the end of the war. His personal ace of hearts marking was painted under the engine exhausts towards the front on his Yak-9B, serial number 12153100.

BRIG 5 Emblem

The Emblem of 5th Brigade, Norwegian Army. The 5th Brigade was a Type 78 infantry brigade attached to the Øst-Oppland Defence District, which also used the same emblem but with a red background. The badge was created in the early 1980s by Major General Thorbjørn Bergersen, and depicts a Birkebeiner warrior. They are most well known for an event in 1206, where two Birkebeiners skied the infant Prince Haakon to safety through a blizzard during the Norwegian civil war, who would go on to become the king of Norway. These exploits cemented the warriors in culture and history, and make for a desirable subject for a military badge. There is limited information to suggest that the marking was painted on the brigade's M113 and M109 vehicles; it was more commonly seen as a shoulder patch.