ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Invasion stripes

Invasion stripes are long lines painted on airplanes, usually in black and white colors. These stripes were used during the Second World War to help identify friendly planes from enemy planes. The stripes were painted on the planes that were involved in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Imagine you are playing a game of war with your friends. Your team is dressed in one color and the other team is dressed in another color. Now imagine that one day, the other team decides to dress up in the same color as your team. It will be difficult for you to tell which one of your friends is on your team and which one is not, right? This is exactly what happened to the pilots during the Second World War. They found it difficult to tell apart their planes from the enemy planes.

To solve this problem, they came up with the idea of painting stripes on their planes. These stripes were called invasion stripes. The stripes were painted on the wings, tail, and the body of the aircraft. They were painted in black and white colors because these colors were easy to see and helped to create a strong contrast. The black and white stripes made it easier for the pilots to recognize their planes from the enemy planes.

The invasion stripes were first used on the planes that were involved in the D-Day invasion of Normandy in 1944. This was one of the most famous battles of the Second World War. The invasion stripes helped to prevent friendly fire accidents, where a pilot mistakenly shoots down a friendly plane.

Today, invasion stripes are still used on some military planes during certain missions. The stripes have become a symbol of the courage and bravery of the soldiers who fought in the Second World War.