Wondering if anyone knows when the rectangular Orange and Pink (reversible) air recognition panels started being used.

I'm doing some Cold War tanks and wanted to add some color. I remember in operation Desert Storm everything had these on them, but I'm wondering when hey started being used and were common place.

Don't know when they started but air recognition panels were in use by US in WW2.

For example: http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35169N.html
http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35169BL.html
http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35169R.html
http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35169Y.html

Yes they were standard. Or else a Thunderbolt might come visiting you in a bad way. Either single or combo panels were dictated each day. Kinda like the new "password"

That's pretty cool to see. Thanks.

I'm specifically looking for when the relatively modern one was used. I'm wondering about mid the early '70's USAEUR /Cold War and Reforger genre.

I can't tell you when the modern VS-17 panels (and I understand there are other sizes) came into service, but I have two, one dated "03/03", and the other "91-FEB-11". I procured both of mine from Army-Navy Surplus stores, so they've been used since before ODS.

HTH

Thanks for the info. 1991 puts me into late Cold War. I just found some pics in my Tankograd Reforger books from 1973 with some Panels - not the VS -17, but large rectangles - large enough to almost cover the fording plane of an M113. However seeing how it's only placement is on the front of the vehicles I'm thinking it might just be some part of the IFF for war game purposes.

I was a M60A1/A3 Tanker in Germany from 1980 to 1983 and we had those marking panels, 1 each per tank. They were stored inside the turret. Its been a long time ago, but "I" can't remember too many that they were ever used.

As Roy points out, the signal panels have been in common use in the US military since WWII. Those were developments of signal panels and flags from the 30's, which were in turn, development of flags in use by the military ever since there were militaries.

I don't know the date when the US military changed from the multi-colored panels used in WWII (white reversible to blue, yellow, orange, or cerise) to the single two-color reversible panels - orange and cerise. This change must have occurred not later than the mid-60's and possibly earlier. The two-color VS-17 panel was in use during the Vietnam war.

The use and particular day recognition codes for the US military signal panels have always been contained in a section of the standard Signal Operating Instructions (SOI) and various supplements (like the SOF SAVSERSUP).

I don't think it was fairly common to see them in use in training by ground forces in the 70's and 80's mostly because most unit exercises didn't contain intensive air-ground components. The exceptions would be for those units that trained regularly with air assets.

I know the VS-17 panel was available and in use during the 1960's in Vietnam. When I joined the US Army in 1978, we had and used them.

The early panels (old ones still on-hand from before my enlistment) were heavier nylon and had blackened metal grommets (that were laced with parachute cord) to use to tie them down. There was an OD pocket sewed along one short edge that the panel was rolled-folded into when not in use. The later panels replaced these grommets with sewn-on nylon tape tie-downs and were made from a lighter weight nylon which allowed them to be folded much smaller. The panels issued in the 90's did away with the OD stowage pocket and were made from a still lighter weight nylon. (All of these were the same standard size and colors, just made of different weights of nylon.)

So, the visual signal panels were definitely in use by the US military during the entire Cold War period and would have been used to mark friendly positions and vehicles according to the SOI in effect at the time.

Thanks guys! Exactly what I was looking for.