South African airforce markings

Last modified: 2001-03-09 by jarig bakker
Keywords: south africa | airforce | fin flash | roundel |
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• South African fin flash
• South African Roundel

• South Africa
• South Africa Air Force Ensigns

South African fin flash

I have some doubt about former ZA fin flash.  In one source it appears as the RAF flash (horizontal r-w-b) as AU and NZ. In another source the red is replaced by orange. In this photo its look like green (or greyish blue) and orange. Was the fin flash  changed with the flag ?
Dov Gutterman, 12 Oct 1999

The South African air force did use the RAF fin flash as other former colonies (AU,NZ,CA) . AU and NZ are using it even now. It is possible that the different sources show different fin flashes eras. It seems that until the flag was changed a blue-white-orange fin flash was used, but it is possible that it was changed too with the flag.
Dov Gutterman, 18 Oct 1999

South African roundel

Not the camouflage version, but the standart  SAAF roundel in use between 1957-1994 which shows the springbok on a represantation of Cape Town fort. It replaced the former 1947-1957 roundel (the RAAF/RNZAF type with springbok
and orange instead of red). In 1994 the springbok was replaced by an eagle.
Dov Gutterman, 8 Aug 2000

The SAAF flags shown on FOTW show the roundel's background as blue. Was the blue version not used on aircraft?
Theodore Leverett, 8 Aug 2000

If you check the photo, you will see that the roundel background is dark blue. The roundel was in darker shade than the one in FOTW, since the SAAF is not using only 16 colors gifs
Dov Gutterman, 8 Aug 2000