JDK
September 12, 2004 at 4:51 pm

RAF fin flashes. Obvious? Easy?

After the recent debate on the RAF fin flashes and how any fule shuld kno which way around they should go, here’s Maarvin’s pic of two Shuttleworth interwar trainers. Notice anything?

Thanks to Maarvin for the pic!

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

2,888

Send private message

By: Papa Lima - 12th September 2004 at 22:56

I for one don’t wish to revere the French cockade (for very good personal reasons), but I don’t mind reversing it!

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

7,646

Send private message

By: JDK - 12th September 2004 at 22:31

What is the purpose of having a fin flash? I lose count of the amount of times I have heard people remarking that it must be French because it has the flag on it

Well, the RFC (later, thus, RAF) Roundel was just the French roundel revered in colours – because the Union Flag for Great Britain looked like the German Cross at a distance… So they aren’t completely wrong! Many nations tail markings were the critical bit and the other item (roundel or equivalent) was the minor player. Have a look at the pre- W.W.II US, Italian, Nazi German markings to see that point.

Cheers!

Member for:

19 years 1 month

Posts:

2,462

Send private message

By: ALBERT ROSS - 12th September 2004 at 16:56

Yes, they’re BOTH correct as they swapped the fin flash colours around on RAF aircraft in tyhe ’30s.