Why Indian aircrafts have Italian flag painted on their tails ?

[kseeker]

Ok, I asked this question in this thread however, that particular thread has it's own specific topic and I wouldn't want to derail that thread; hence, creating a new one !

Why Indian aircrafts have Italian flag painted on their tails ?

Italian flag

Flag painted on Tejas


Moreover, Italian flag on our ACs are bothering me

I understand that, it's IAF std scheme ! However, what's the rationale behind those (flag/emblem) colours ? Any thoughts ?

@Ray, @Decklander, @p2prada, @pkroyal, @pmaitra, @W.G.Ewald, @Kunal Biswas

 

[sayareakd]

To confused PAF & PLAAF, what else..........lol.

On serious side, check the color again, you will know the difference.

 

[Sridhar]

The Air Force ensign, different from the Air Force Colours, is blue in colour, containing the National Flag in the first quadrant and a roundel consisting of the colours of the National Flag i.e. saffron, white and green in the centre. This ensign was adopted in 1951 .

Official website of Indian Air Force

 

[Ray]

That is the Indian flag.

However, the colours are wrong side.

I have asked the IAF chaps many a time, but I have got no suitable answer.

Correct horizontal and vertical display of the flag

IAF Fin Flash

 

[pkroyal]

Ok, I asked this question in this thread however, that particular thread has it's own specific topic and I wouldn't want to derail that thread; hence, creating a new one !

Why Indian aircrafts have Italian flag painted on their tails ?

Italian flag

Flag painted on Tejas


Moreover, Italian flag on our ACs are bothering me

I understand that, it's IAF std scheme ! However, what's the rationale behind those (flag/emblem) colours ? Any thoughts ?

@Ray, @Decklander, @p2prada, @pkroyal, @pmaitra, @W.G.Ewald, @Kunal Biswas

We all are aware of how the swastika, slowly crept into the talons of the German eagle and finally as a Cap Badge .
Hope the Italian waitress, does not presume us to be naive, serve her pasta in Tihar for this affront.
Does this beauty ( AC) have an Italian engine / connection ??
Our colours are Kesari ( saffron),white & green & not damn red etc.
the flight Cdr needs a tap on his nut.
the wing co owes a bottle of beer to the entire Squadron ( no eye for detail)

 

[kseeker]

To confused PAF & PLAAF, what else..........lol.

Good one

On serious side, check the color again, you will know the difference.

Yes, if one observes keenly, there's a bit of colour difference. But that, doesn't clarify my doubt either

Even if we consider our flag, we have horizontal stripes

Why did IAF remove, Ashok Chakra from our flag and rotated it 90 deg clockwise ?

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Some Interesting find, May interest you ..

Note the Ashok Chakra and the colors side.

It was not used to be like what is now ..

===========

I am not political, But this is not new but since 70s & 80s ..

Ok, I asked this question in this thread however, that particular thread has it's own specific topic and I wouldn't want to derail that thread; hence, creating a new one !

Why Indian aircrafts have Italian flag painted on their tails ?

Italian flag

Flag painted on Tejas


i understand that, it's IAF std scheme ! However, what's the rationale behind those (flag/emblem) colours ? Any thoughts ?

@Ray, @Decklander, @p2prada, @pkroyal, @pmaitra, @W.G.Ewald, @Kunal Biswas

That is the Indian flag.

However, the colours are wrong side.

I have asked the IAF chaps many a time, but I have got no suitable answer.

Correct horizontal and vertical display of the flag

IAF Fin Flash

 

[ladder]

Ok, I asked this question in this thread however, that particular thread has it's own specific topic and I wouldn't want to derail that thread; hence, creating a new one !

Why Indian aircrafts have Italian flag painted on their tails ?

Italian flag

Flag painted on Tejas


Moreover, Italian flag on our ACs are bothering me

I understand that, it's IAF std scheme ! However, what's the rationale behind those (flag/emblem) colours ? Any thoughts ?

@Ray, @Decklander, @p2prada, @pkroyal, @pmaitra, @W.G.Ewald, @Kunal Biswas

A piece of history

France[edit]


French Nieuport 10 during the First World War
The first use of national insignia on military aircraft was before the First World War by the French Aéronautique Militaire which mandated the application of roundels in 1912.[1] The chosen design was the French national cockade, which consisted of a blue-white-red emblem mirroring the colours of the flag of France. In addition, the rudders of the aircraft were painted the same colours in vertical stripes. Similar national cockades were designed and adopted for use as aircraft roundels by the air forces of other countries, including the U.S. Army Air Service.[1]

Military aircraft insignia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

India follows the same principle. ( no documentary evidence with me)

1. Indian flag in vertical stripes ( rotated anticlockwise direction).
2. The mirror image of the vertical stripes.

This gives you the present day fin flash of IAF.

It's not the Italian flag.

 

[Ray]

Mirror image it might be, but it goes against the manner in which the Indian colours are to be displayed when draped in the vertical plane.

 

[kseeker]

Mirror image it might be, but it goes against the manner in which the Indian colours are to be displayed when draped in the vertical plane.

I agree with Ray Sir. Instead of Green, White and Saffron, IAF should have adopted Saffron, White, Green and Chakra as well as it used to be earlier, ref pics posted by @Kunal Biswas.

 

[Decklander]

We have Italian flag as Vatican is our capital ask RAGA aka Raul Vinci and his mother.

 

[ladder]

I agree with Ray Sir. Instead of Green, White and Saffron, IAF should have adopted Saffron, White, Green and Chakra as well as it used to be earlier, ref pics posted by @Kunal Biswas.

A fin flash is part of the national markings of the military aircraft of a number of countries.
In addition to the insignia displayed on the wings and fuselage, usually in the form of roundels, an additional marking known as a fin flash may also be displayed on the fin or rudder.[1]
A fin flash often takes the form of vertical, horizontal or slanted stripes in the same colours as the main insignia and may be referred to as rudder stripes if they appear on the rudder instead of the fin, as with the Armee de l'Air of France. Alternatively, a national flag or a roundel may be used.
Images shown below are as they appear on the left side of the aircraft (i.e. with the left side of the fin flash leading) - in cases where there are no asymmetrical details such as coats of arms or text that cannot be reversed, the image may be reversed for the right side, such as with the Royal Air Force fin flash to keep the same side forward much as with a flag. When a national flag is used, the left side of the aircraft is often the back side of the flag as it is normally flown. Exceptions include the pre-ww2 German Third Reich, which used stripes on the right side of the fin and rudder and the swastika on a red band on the left side of the aircraft.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_flash

 

[kseeker]

When a national flag is used, the left side of the aircraft is often the back side of the flag as it is normally flown.
Fin flash - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is it a De facto standard ? No ! right ? Why do we always need to follow europeans ? Can't we define our own set of rules ?

 

[Ray]

IAF fin flash

Irish Air Corps Fin Flash

Italian Air Force Fin Flash

 

[kseeker]

IAF fin flash

Irish Air Corps Fin Flash

It's hard to differentiate those colours when one is flying !

 

[rugved]

Because we have an Italian godmother ruling over us from the last 10 years, soon to be taken over by her Italian son. (-__-)

 

[aerokan]

.....

A noob question for the pilots.. Does the aircraft have mirrors so that the pilot can see what plane they passed?

Assuming that a pilot is flying perpendicularly to the friendly aircraft and has a full view of the symbol from the rear-view mirror, it certainly will come up as saffron, white and green. Maybe Friend or Foe identification of old times when in the middle of the war perhaps!! :cool2:

 

[W.G.Ewald]

That is the Indian flag.

However, the colours are wrong side.

I have asked the IAF chaps many a time, but I have got no suitable answer.

Correct horizontal and vertical display of the flag

IAF Fin Flash

So the answer to @kseekers question is: it's a fin flash, not a flag.

 

[Decklander]

A noob question for the pilots.. Does the aircraft have mirrors so that the pilot can see what plane they passed?

Assuming that a pilot is flying perpendicularly to the friendly aircraft and has a full view of the symbol from the rear-view mirror, it certainly will come up as saffron, white and green. Maybe Friend or Foe identification of old times when in the middle of the war perhaps!! :cool2:

We have convex mirrors placed on our canopy rim for rear view. We have to keep situational awareness of all ac around us as it is difficult to distinguish the ac from rear view mirror only. The roundal and flag does give out the nationality of the ac but we go more by the ac shape and size. Problem comes when similar ac are engaged in combat from both sides and than it gets bad like in case of F-7s and Mig-21. This is true only for WVR combat, for BVR, only IFF is of help.

 

[The Messiah]

It's hard to differentiate those colours when one is flying !

The irish are good people.