battle flag symbols

runningdeer · 05-15-09, 09:51 PM

Hi all.

I am working on some memorial skins for the American fleet boats. After googling for battle flags I liked these symbols the best. I got these from an Asian site that I could not translate.

I need to know the exact meaning of the symbols. It seems to me that the ones with red stripes would be battle ships and the others different types of merchants?

I am skinning my boat (Balao) that I am currently using in a campaign. The boat was the USS KETE. Not an outstanding kill record, but had sunk 3 Maru's.

I would like to know for sure which merchant symbol symbolizes the Maru's that were sunk. If you look really close, the merchants have differences. Also would the parachute symbolize rescuing survivors?

Thank you all for your time & help.

Stealhead · 05-15-09, 10:15 PM

Good luck with that each sub had a diffrent system of symbols for some odd reason there where several diffrent ones most used a full jap ensign or full jap national falg for a destroyed warship or merchant( the "rising sun" flag is the Ensign or the naval flag warship) and an unfilled sun to show a damaged vessel.This one looks a little made up to me as they usualy did not show anymore than a flag and if they included a ship outline they did not alter them like this one has just a generic one for marus and warships.You say it sunk 3 merchants but they have 10 merchants with broken backs here looks like they are trying to show what type of ship it was as one looks like a tanker while others look like a standard split decker.Unless you are trying to make a kill flag for your Kete using this style. Id take a look at the Barbs kill flag or another good one was the Halibut hers had fish and they had either a ensign or a regular Jap flag. Some ships had an ensign and the national flag on either side of thier subs kill flag and under the respective falg there went an outline of the type of vessel sunk. The parachute must stand for a completed lfeguard mission many subs used a life ring to show this type of mission.There where diffrent ways to design these flags unless you really like this one Id do a little more looking around there are better designs than this one out there.

Peto · 05-15-09, 11:10 PM

Yep. The Kete got 3 marus all on the same day (April 10, 45). Most battle flags I've seen just use a Rising Sun for warships and the generic Japanese flag for merchants. There are a couple I've seen which add a CV(E) silhouette to indicate a carrier though...

Interesting choice in boat

. Why did you select the Kete?

runningdeer · 05-15-09, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peto

Yep. The Kete got 3 marus all on the same day (April 10, 45). Most battle flags I've seen just use a Rising Sun for warships and the generic Japanese flag for merchants. There are a couple I've seen which add a CV(E) silhouette to indicate a carrier though...

Interesting choice in boat

. Why did you select the Kete?

Well...until recently I didn't know much of anything about the American fleet boats other than the role they played in WWII. When I started skinning I wanted to be somewhat accurate. So I googled Balao boats, because I'm in one, and had to start somewhere. I saw that the KETE was built in my home town area...also respected the fact that 87 men were lost going back to Midway for rearming, etc., and the more info & images I found the more I kinda got stuck on it. I realize that there were more famous or successful boats but just wanted to get off the ground with any one of them really. I don't recall seeing any mention of the KETE on subsim, just the more well known ones.

Wikipedia has been very helpful, leading me to other links & resources.

I am trying to make my own battle flag for the KETE. After only finding insignias for it. Also, just for my own use, I thought I might add my own kills as I progress through my career(s).

I come from an Army family, my Mother & Father served in the army during the Korean and Vietnamese wars. I've always been interested in WWII. But before SH4 I mostly followed the ground forces and the ground war. Even after playing SH4 for some time...I have much to learn.

Thank you for your time n stuff

.

snakeyez · 05-16-09, 10:15 AM

Take a look here:

http://usssealion.com/sealion/battle_flags.htm

I'd say very few used special symbols, most used just meatballs for merchants, rising suns for warships.

runningdeer · 05-16-09, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeyez

Take a look here:

http://usssealion.com/sealion/battle_flags.htm

I'd say very few used special symbols, most used just meatballs for merchants, rising suns for warships.

Thank you vm...excellent link, it somehow slipped by me in my googling.

Also, I read about your grandfather at the site you created about him. Excellent memorial. He was a great man.

Peto · 05-18-09, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runningdeer

I saw that the KETE was built in my home town area...

So

... Does that mean you're a Packer fan?

runningdeer · 05-18-09, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peto

So

... Does that mean you're a Packer fan?

"Go pack"

.

Akula4745 · 05-18-09, 05:17 PM

I used the USN_Kill_Flag_Kit to setup my conning tower. Dang if I can remember where I downloaded it tho... (PSD format). The end results are below:

Akula4745

runningdeer · 05-18-09, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akula4745

I used the USN_Kill_Flag_Kit to setup my conning tower. Dang if I can remember where I downloaded it tho... (PSD format). The end results are below:

Akula4745

Wow Akula...that looks fantastic. I'll google for the kit.

Thanx, I think this is it: http://battleflags.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1301 .

I really like the look of your tower...thanx for showing it to me. And at the above site I saw how some guys just keep applying kills, one tower was just covered. Maybe I'll do something like that too.

runningdeer · 05-18-09, 09:33 PM

I play American campaigns. Using TMO 1.7 and RSRD.

Is it possible for me to make my way to European waters to hunt for German targets? Or would I make the voyage for nothing?

I thought it would be great to get a German destroyer or merchant so i could add a Kriegsmarine kill flag to my tower.

Thanx.

Akula4745 · 05-19-09, 11:22 AM

runningdeer - you need to get the PSD file for Adobe Photoshop (if you have it) - it makes it so much easier. If you cannot find it I could email it to ya... plus I have a template for positioning of the insignia too.

Just PM me your email addy if you want it.

Akula4745

Stealhead · 05-19-09, 12:52 PM

You can always get the Barbs kill flag mod for your sub at some point eariler in the war before Fluckey was in command she sank a German tanker I belive at any rate the Barb did sink a german merchant and had a Nazi flag. I am sure a few other subs also sank some German ships but very few US Navy subs did youd have to have a Brit sub they got many more.What would be nice is if you could have the small kill flags for each seprate ship that where flown from the sheers when coming into home port those often had the ensign of meatball with a ship siloute on the other side.Seeing as the subs obviously would not have had a kill flag painted on the ship when in actual use unless at the end of the war. The killflag mod is nice and all I just dont want that huge thing on my tower personaly, also I find the rate that one can sink ships in SH4 to be too easy when compared to real life. You can pull off what the very best subs did in thier entire service in just a few patrols.That being said I do like runningdeers idea to make his own kill flag lets you make your own personal touch if you want something done the way you like may as well do it yourself.On a side note since we are talking about kills has anyone else noticed with TMO 1.7 that sometimes when you get the raido messages from other subs kills or statius that the sub you are in will show up? That is always funny to me when I will still be heading my patrol zone and suddenly I get a message that we sank x ships returing to base! Once I even got a raido message that my sub was missing and presumed lost. I guess the game dose not remove those messages when they relate to the same name sub.

Akula4745 · 05-20-09, 07:51 AM

runningdeer - an email is on its way to you now!

Akula4745

snakeyez · 05-20-09, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runningdeer

Thank you vm...excellent link, it somehow slipped by me in my googling.

Also, I read about your grandfather at the site you created about him. Excellent memorial. He was a great man.

Thank you for the kind words.

That link is something relatively new. A sub vet is/was compiling an online collection of battle flags for as many submarines as he can find.

05-15-09, 09:51 PM	#1
runningdeer Frogman Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Huntley, IL Posts: 305 Downloads: 142 Uploads: 1	battle flag symbols Hi all. I am working on some memorial skins for the American fleet boats. After googling for battle flags I liked these symbols the best. I got these from an Asian site that I could not translate. I need to know the exact meaning of the symbols. It seems to me that the ones with red stripes would be battle ships and the others different types of merchants? I am skinning my boat (Balao) that I am currently using in a campaign. The boat was the USS KETE. Not an outstanding kill record, but had sunk 3 Maru's. I would like to know for sure which merchant symbol symbolizes the Maru's that were sunk. If you look really close, the merchants have differences. Also would the parachute symbolize rescuing survivors? Thank you all for your time & help. __________________

05-15-09, 11:10 PM	#3
Peto Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The details of my life are quite inconsequential Posts: 1,049 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Yep. The Kete got 3 marus all on the same day (April 10, 45). Most battle flags I've seen just use a Rising Sun for warships and the generic Japanese flag for merchants. There are a couple I've seen which add a CV(E) silhouette to indicate a carrier though... Interesting choice in boat . Why did you select the Kete? __________________ If your target has a 30 degree AOB, the range from his base course line equals the current range divided by 2.

05-16-09, 10:15 AM	#5
snakeyez Last Man Down Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 242 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	Take a look here: http://usssealion.com/sealion/battle_flags.htm I'd say very few used special symbols, most used just meatballs for merchants, rising suns for warships. __________________ SUBMARINEMUSEUMS.ORG - These are the submarines in your neighborhood! Get involved, they need you. Doyle Blalock - the life of my WWII submarine veteran grandfather. Drum228.org - devoted to the Gato-class museum sub USS Drum (SS-228) complete with war patrol reports, historical info, and restoration progress.

05-18-09, 05:17 PM	#9
Akula4745 Convicted Ship Killer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Just out of sight... plotting your course and speed Posts: 846 Downloads: 371 Uploads: 1	I used the USN_Kill_Flag_Kit to setup my conning tower. Dang if I can remember where I downloaded it tho... (PSD format). The end results are below: Akula4745 __________________ Akula4745 "If you sit by the river long enough... the body of your enemy will float by -- SunTzu"

05-18-09, 09:33 PM	#11
runningdeer Frogman Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Huntley, IL Posts: 305 Downloads: 142 Uploads: 1	Kriegsmarine flag I play American campaigns. Using TMO 1.7 and RSRD. Is it possible for me to make my way to European waters to hunt for German targets? Or would I make the voyage for nothing? I thought it would be great to get a German destroyer or merchant so i could add a Kriegsmarine kill flag to my tower. Thanx. __________________

05-15-09, 10:15 PM	#2
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Good luck with that each sub had a diffrent system of symbols for some odd reason there where several diffrent ones most used a full jap ensign or full jap national falg for a destroyed warship or merchant( the "rising sun" flag is the Ensign or the naval flag warship) and an unfilled sun to show a damaged vessel.This one looks a little made up to me as they usualy did not show anymore than a flag and if they included a ship outline they did not alter them like this one has just a generic one for marus and warships.You say it sunk 3 merchants but they have 10 merchants with broken backs here looks like they are trying to show what type of ship it was as one looks like a tanker while others look like a standard split decker.Unless you are trying to make a kill flag for your Kete using this style. Id take a look at the Barbs kill flag or another good one was the Halibut hers had fish and they had either a ensign or a regular Jap flag. Some ships had an ensign and the national flag on either side of thier subs kill flag and under the respective falg there went an outline of the type of vessel sunk. The parachute must stand for a completed lfeguard mission many subs used a life ring to show this type of mission.There where diffrent ways to design these flags unless you really like this one Id do a little more looking around there are better designs than this one out there.

05-19-09, 11:22 AM	#12
Akula4745 Convicted Ship Killer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Just out of sight... plotting your course and speed Posts: 846 Downloads: 371 Uploads: 1	runningdeer - you need to get the PSD file for Adobe Photoshop (if you have it) - it makes it so much easier. If you cannot find it I could email it to ya... plus I have a template for positioning of the insignia too. Just PM me your email addy if you want it. Akula4745 __________________ Akula4745 "If you sit by the river long enough... the body of your enemy will float by -- SunTzu"

05-19-09, 12:52 PM	#13
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	You can always get the Barbs kill flag mod for your sub at some point eariler in the war before Fluckey was in command she sank a German tanker I belive at any rate the Barb did sink a german merchant and had a Nazi flag. I am sure a few other subs also sank some German ships but very few US Navy subs did youd have to have a Brit sub they got many more.What would be nice is if you could have the small kill flags for each seprate ship that where flown from the sheers when coming into home port those often had the ensign of meatball with a ship siloute on the other side.Seeing as the subs obviously would not have had a kill flag painted on the ship when in actual use unless at the end of the war. The killflag mod is nice and all I just dont want that huge thing on my tower personaly, also I find the rate that one can sink ships in SH4 to be too easy when compared to real life. You can pull off what the very best subs did in thier entire service in just a few patrols.That being said I do like runningdeers idea to make his own kill flag lets you make your own personal touch if you want something done the way you like may as well do it yourself.On a side note since we are talking about kills has anyone else noticed with TMO 1.7 that sometimes when you get the raido messages from other subs kills or statius that the sub you are in will show up? That is always funny to me when I will still be heading my patrol zone and suddenly I get a message that we sank x ships returing to base! Once I even got a raido message that my sub was missing and presumed lost. I guess the game dose not remove those messages when they relate to the same name sub. Last edited by Stealhead; 05-19-09 at 01:07 PM.

05-20-09, 07:51 AM	#14
Akula4745 Convicted Ship Killer Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Just out of sight... plotting your course and speed Posts: 846 Downloads: 371 Uploads: 1	runningdeer - an email is on its way to you now! Akula4745 __________________ Akula4745 "If you sit by the river long enough... the body of your enemy will float by -- SunTzu"