During WW2, IFF(Identification Friend or Foe) was only used to identify aircraft.
As far as submarine vs. PBY identification. I'm reading "Red Scorpion: the war patrols of the USS Rasher". They were somewhere off Australia and used an Aladis Lamp and signal flares to identify themselves. The PBY turned to attack anyway, and the USS Rasher dove deep and avoided the incoming depth bombs. Another time, she was successful in showing who she was using the same method.
So, word to the wise, incoming planes are NEVER friendly.
|