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Flag Top

Flag, three vertical stripes, blue white red.

Today, the blue-white-red flag is sometimes sported on the tail of non camouflaged aircraft, or under a stylized form on the 'civilian' transport aircraft (DC-8, Airbus, Mystère 20...). The blue stripe is always facing forwards ; on the starboard side, the flag appears red-white-blue.

Roundel Top

Roundel, three concentric stripes, blue white red, yellow border.

The french roundel is the same since the beginning of the history of the french military aviation, with the exception of the border. This yellow border, inspired by that of the Royal Air Force, appeared in 1945. The roundel is identical for all the components ; only the markings 'ARMEE DE L'AIR' (Air Force), 'MARINE' (Navy), 'armée de TERRE' (Army), 'GENDARMERIE' (French Military Police Force), 'DOUANES FRANCAISES' (Customs), Centre d'Essais en Vol' (Flight Tests Centre) ou 'Sécurité Civile' differentiate the aircraft.

Fin flash Top

Flag, three vertical stripes, blue white red.

The blue-white-red national flag was also used as a fin flash, painted on the rudder. On combat aircraft and camouflaged aircraft, this use was progressively abandoned between the late 60s and the early 70s.

Variations Top

Roundel, three concentric stripes, blue white red.

The yellow border is deteted on front line aircraft.

 

Roundel, three concentric stripes, bleu white red, black anchor, yellow border.

Roundel of the Naval Aviation, also nicknamed 'fish-hook roundel'. There were numerous variants of the anchor design, essentially in the past : full or stamped, with or without the rope, variable size. The marking 'MARINE' appeared from 1977 of the aircraft.

 

White stylized sword over a blue white red stylized shield, white globe with blue meridians and parallels in the background. Marking Armée de Terre.

Aircraft of ALAT (Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre : Army Light Aviation) sport the logo of the Army on the tail. Some have a simplified version, with only the sword and the shield.
Photo JP : http://tagazous.free.fr/affichage.php?photographe=JP.

 

Roundel, three concentric stripes, bleu white red, black anchor.

Variant without yellow stripe, painted on the first line or camouflaged aircraft.

 

Roundel, three concentric stripes, bleu white red, black anchor, low visibility.

Low-visibility roundel sported by the Rafales M.

 

Blue triangle over orange background.

This insignia of Sécurité Civile is sported in addition to the french roundel. One can find a variant on a russian fire-fighter modified Ilyoushine Il-76.
Photo by Stéphane Sibot : www.canadairs.com.

 

The aircraft of the French Customs Service carry a sober delevery, adorned with blue-white-red ornaments, the french flag of the fin, and the marking 'DOUANES FRANCAISES'. They are registered in the F-Zxxxx series, assigned to state owned aircraft.

Former Top

Red crossed Navy anchors.

Crossed anchors used as only identification markings (without any roundel or flag) from 1958 to 1961 in Algeria on the H-21s and H-34s helicopters of the French Navy.

Ambiguities Top

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