Mods beware…

This reminds me of the New Zealand Rugby Union who decided to trademark the Silver Fern emblem. However, that emblem was worn by almost every other national team in New Zealand, from netball to league to cricket. And it is also used by many brands such as butter. It is a national icon. There was outcry, but from memory, they were allowed to go ahead. This was to protect their merchandise being ripped off by the Asian knock-off factories.

No Melv, it is the RAF. Quote from article in first post:
“The Royal Air Force has registered several trademarks including the Roundel”

They have commercial partners who will use the symbol including the RAF Museum shop.

Fairy Snuff

It still won’t stand up in court (as the actress said to the Bishop)

Some of you seem to be missing one point. It is not the RAF, according to the first post, that are trademarking this but the RAF Museum. They are not even the original legitimate users of the roundel (which was copied from the French with the colours reversed) and so they have no place claiming this.

This is like the city of New York trying to trademark the skyline (they did). The thing is that the view is only seen from new jersey or Ellis Island so the ‘view’ is not Manhattan’s but New Jerseys! Equally a part of that trademarked view was the WTC and that has now gone. There also used to be a fundemental in copyright that you could not copyright the light that was reflected from something, so therefore you cannot prevent people photographing skylines.

But then copyright is a mess.

MH

No problem for us modellers … the decal-manufactures will just provide a big blue circle decal for applying on the airplane´s wings, and also a smaller red one … like some of them do this with the swastikas in their German versions of the kits …

I am sure that archers will want a say in this too… They must have been using that design (and others – watch out France and Belgium!) for centuries!

Flood

I think the idea has come about to help raise funds for the RAF Museum, which I have no problem with at all – as long as some commonsense is applied.

Bickering nicely

So where do those like artists, flightsim developers, RC & plastic modellers and those who paint their Warbirds in RAF schemes stand?

Will have to pay a royalty for using it?

All seems a bit daft to me. 🙁

Maybe they have a special exemption and it’s aimed at preventing commercial organisations from using it like Steve says. :confused:

Cheers

Paul

I would imagine it’s a move designed to stop commercial organisations from using the image. “Legitimate” users of the symbol, ie other air forces, would probably find themselves being asked to pay a nominal blanket fee, say one pound or one dollar, for unlimited use of the trademark. Probably just the MoD’s way of safeguarding against any future counter action by the likes of Lambretta, who may, in this litigious world of ours, be tempted to sue the MoD for using Lambretta’s symbol… 😉

The red-white-blue roundel, and also the red-blue roundel, are not just the roundel of the RAF, they are the roundel of the British Empire – something as redundant as their idea.

Sounds bit pathetic to me the Roundel has always had at least a dual identity and to have it trademarked as belonging to the RAF now would seem to be to be over 40years late.
I am just wondering if we will be forced to scrap any albums etc that already have the roundel on them 😀 .
With so many other Airforces also using it i feel they should be proud that this roundel is so universal,I can understand if they wanted to trademark squadron badges but even then whats the point,The RAF duty is to serve the country and thats what our taxes go on so i guess we all own the roundel and Squadron badges.

Hang on, that same roundel has been used by several other Air Forces too. RNZAF, RAAF, RCAF…. How can they have exclusive rights to it?

Ridiculous idea. Imagine the money wasted in bureaucratic government circles to come up with this nonsense.

they MOD were defeated in the courts in Jan after sueing a clothing manufacturer over the use of the roundel.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3393485.stm

maybe the trademark move is their way around this

Ken

I agree Damien, isn’t it a bit like Arsenal Football Club placing a copyright on the Gunners logo to prevent souvenir companies copying the same on to their products. I believe the Gunners logo goes as far back as The Woolwich Arsenal in the 19th c though.

It would be interesting to hear what the legal definition on Copyright is on something that has been in the public domain since 1918 without infringement.

I recall a couple of years ago Posh Spice Beckham trying to prevent Peterborough United FC from using the name The Posh, she lost her case.

Does this mean operators of ex-RAF aircraft have to put ™ next to all their roundels?

Can’t wait to see who’s small faces that will put a kink in. Some will be in a jam alright.

Does this mean that the group THE WHO supporters might have to place a Crown Copyright mark next to the roundel?