02/28/2007. Remarks by Jack McKillop: "This is aircraft number 4 of Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3), Saratoga Air Group, serving in the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) ca. 1940. All aircraft of the Saratoga Air Group had the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces painted white; the Navy discontinued the use of all tail colours to indicate the carrier assignment on February 26, 1941.
The white vertical stripe under the rear cockpit indicates that this aircraft was assigned to the second section of the squadron. Each section had a unique colour applied to the stripe and the engine cowling. Aircraft 4 was flown by the section leader and the entire cowling was painted white. It was struck off charge at NAS Jacksonville, October 31, 1944."
Read the type remarks on page 11712.