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Russian Air Force

Last modified: 2024-11-23 by rob raeside
Keywords: air force | sun: rays throughout | error | propeller |
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Russian Air Force flag image by Mikhail Revnivtsev, 7 June 2004
See also:

Description of the flag

On official web-site of Ministry of Defence of Russian Federation (this page) is official images of flags of Army (Land forces) and Air Force, authorized by the order of Minister of Defence on June, 5, 2004

The flag of Air forces represents a rectangular bilateral cloth of blue color. In the center of flag — is image crossed silver apropeller and an antiaircraft gun on silver soaring wings. From the center of flag to corners and edges 14 extending yellow beams miss, the width of each of which at edges of a flag makes 1/12 his width. Four beams are directed to corners of flag, two — to the middle of the top and bottom edges of flag, and the others — are in regular intervals distributed in intervals between them. The attitude of width of a flag to his length — two three. The attitude of width of wingspan to length of a flag — one to two.

Mikhail Revnivtsev, 7 June 2004


Previous flag, 2000-2004 (?)

Russian Air Force flag image by Nikolay Khimenkov and António Martins, 13 June 2000

On 12 June I saw this flag on TV. At the centre of the flag is the Air Force’s emblem — twoheads eagle with Órossed propeller and sword.
Nikolay Khimenkov, 13 June 2000

This image was made assuming that the background is gyronny of 28 pieces, being divided in equiangular “sectors” of approx. 13°. I further interpreted the image as having four rays touching each of the two vertical edges of the flag, which delivered the unusual ratio of ≅12:25 — or rather 1 : sin(2pi/7).
António Martins, 26 May 2000

Incorrect depiction

Russian Air Force flag image by António Martins and Steve Stringefellow, 16 May 2000

According to the “Russian Aviation Page” (image mirrored here), the new Russian Air Force flag features a double-headed eagle (as appeares on the current Russian coat-of-arms) at the centre, and this flag has no sun-disc.
Miles Li, 12 September 1998

On 12 June I saw this flag on TV. The emblem at the centre of the flag is the Air Force’s emblem, not Russia’s coat-of-arms.
Nikolay Khimenkov, 13 June 2000


Previous flag, 1992-1999 (?)

old Russian Air Force flag image by Jaume Ollé and António Martins, 29 May 2000

Since the end of the Soviet Union the Russian Air Force retained the previous flag, except that the hammer and sickle (but not the red star!) was removed.
Miles Li, 09 April 1998


Aeronautic Flag, 1894-1917

Aeronautic Section image by Dave Martucci, 24 November 1999

This is perhaps the first russian air ensign, published in 1904 in the official Album Shtandartov [bLv04]. It is the flag of the Aeronautic Section of the Imperial Russian Navy, bearing the badge of that service, an upright anchor with wings. In 1924, the Soviet Union adopted a similar design for its Air Force.
Dave Martucci, 24 November 1999

The Aeronautic Flag/Ensign illustrated in the 1917 National Geographic [gmc17], for use by Imperial Russia was in use from 1894-1917. The same flag was used was used by both the Army’s Aeronautic/Balloon Unit and the Imperial Russian Navy. Officially the Russians classified it as a miscellaneous flag, making it the de facto oldest single aeronautic flag used by nation’s un-combined military and naval air forces.
Jim Ferrigan, 13 April 2003


Air Fleet Department 1910

image by H B, 11 May 2012


Aircraft Markings before the Russian Revolution

Russia Air force roundel & fin flash 1915-1916

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

 

Russia Air force roundel & fin flash 1915-1916

Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024
Sources: Military Aircraft Insignia of the World 1998 & 2014 [c2e98]

 

Russia Air force roundel & fin flash 1916-1917

Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024
Sources: Military Aircraft Insignia of the World 1998 & 2014 [c2e98]

 

Soviet Russia Air force roundel & fin flashes

See page of Soviet aircraft markings for markings during the USSR.

Russian aircraft markings after 1992

Russia Air force roundel & fin flash 1992-2010

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

Air force (fighters, bombers, attack aircrafts) used red stars on both their wings and tails in 1990s too.
But military cargo aircraft used the flag on the tail and did not use stars. They did it before 2010 and do it now.

"Air Code of the Russian Federation" (1997) said: "2.1.1. The image of the State Flag of the Russian Federation shall be displayed on military transport aircraft used for flights outside the Russian Federation,
2.1.2. Signs of state affiliation established by the Government of the Russian Federation shall be displayed on state aviation aircraft used for military, border, police, customs services, as well as for mobilization and defense tasks".

Government adopted stars for military and border services and flag for police and customs services.
Victor Lomantsov, 23 August 2024

Russia Air force roundel & fin flash 2010-2013

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

The Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation (Prime Minister) Mr. Vladimir Putin signed, on March 4, 2010, the decree # 127 ending the ambivalence about the colors and shape of the Russian aircraft markings once and for all: http://government.ru/ru/gov/results/9678/. To see it in the full, "official", splendor, click, please on the box "DOC" in the lower right corner. The above information was first provided to the RussoVex ml by "Solyaris" on March 12, 2010.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 1 April 2010

The current and valid resolution:
Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation of March 4, 2010 N 127 "On signs of state affiliation on aircraft of state aviation"
https://base.garant.ru/197674/

Based on this resolution the blue bordered red star is the official, adopted and used since 2010.
Zoltan Horvath, 23 August 2024

Russian Air Force starimage by Zoltan Horvath, 23 August 2024

The fin flash is the stretched natonal flag with a grey shadow, attcahed as ru^fin10.png

The resolution was amended twice (in 2011 and 2016), but the symbols remained unchanged.
Zoltan Horvath, 23 August 2024

Russian Air Force star image by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

I found a photo of MIG-29 with national flag design with a grey shadow
Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

Russia Air force roundel 2013-

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

In 2013 the Minister of Defence decided that the tricoloured stars are too unmasking. Since 2013 the Air Force started to use decreased red stars with a red border and sometimes '' transparent" stars with thin red outline. But the new resolution is not adopted yet.
Victor Lomantsov, 23 August 2024

Russia Air force low visibility roundel

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024

See also:


Chechen Republic Air force roundel & fin flash 1993-1994

Russian Air Force star  Russian Air Force star images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 22 August 2024


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