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Air Force (Malta)

Air Force Roundels and Fin Flashes

See also:

Malta

Other sites:

Flags, Symbols and their Use at the Maltese Government Official Website

Air Force Roundels and Fin Flashes

British Malta Royal Air force roundel 1947-1964

images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

Malta Air wing of armed forces roundel 1973-1980

images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

This is a roundel marked 1 representing the 1st regiment.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

Cochrane & Elliott (1998) reported three markings for Malta. The first was the First Regiment of the Armed Forces of Malta as seen at http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/malta/roundel1.gif. This website reports:

"1973-1980 & 1988-1992 The first marking carried by the Helicopter Flight was the insignia of the First Regiment of the Armed Forces of Malta. This was a roundel of red over blue with a white '1' in the centre. The main marking was displayed on the fuselage sides of the helicopters. No tail marking was carried. In 1980 the unit became part of the Malta Task Force and adopted the marking given below. On 1 May 1988 the unit reverted to the command of the First Regiment and the original marking, although some helicopters now also carried the Maltese national flag as a tail marking."

http://www.flightlinemalta.com/aviationinmalta/AFM-AirSquadron reports it from 1976: "Shortly after their return to Malta [in 1976] the Regiment's colours were repainted to the five machines, these consisting of red-and-blue, horizontally divided, roundel with a white '1' in its centre. When equipped with floats, these had 'AFM Patrol' in large yellow letters along their sides."

Dov Gutterman, 20 June 2004

Malta Air wing of armed forces roundel 1980-1992

images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

This is a roundel that describes TF representing the task force.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

The second roundel was the Malta Task Force (http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/malta/roundel2.gif) with the report:

"1980-1988
On 1st April 1980 the Helicopter Flight became part of the Malta Task Force and adopted a new roundel of a white over red disc with the letters 'TF' in black. No tail markings were carried. The main marking was displayed on the fuselage sides of the helicopters."

http://www.flightlinemalta.com/aviationinmalta/AFM-AirSquadron: "Another important change took place on the 1st April, 1980, when the 1st regiment and certain other units of the AFM were placed under a separate command designated as the Task Force, of which the Helicopter Flight has since formed part. The former markings of the 1st Regiment on the Bell 47Gs and Jet ranger were replaced by the new command's red-and-white roundel with the letters 'TF' (Task Force) in black in its centre."

Dov Gutterman, 20 June 2004

Malta Air wing of armed forces roundel & fin flash 1992-

images by Nozomi Kariyasu, 5 July 2024

From the Maltese Government Official Website:

Maltese Military Roundel
Maltese military aircraft shall on the wings and fuselage carry a roundel, consisting of George Cross proper fimbriated in red in the centre of a white disc, within a red disc.

Maltese Military Flash
Maltese military aircraft shall carry a rudder or fin flash consisting of two equal vertical strips, one white and the other red with the white leading and bearing across its top third a George Cross proper fimbriated in red.

Santiago Dotor, 28 November 2000

A note in Album des Pavillons 2000 says that the national flag is painted on the fin.
Željko Heimer, 31 May 2002

On the Malta Department of Information booklet Struzzjonijiet Dwar L-uzu ta'bnadar ("Instructions on the Use of Flags") dated 1992, both the jack and the aircraft markings have that 'For Gallantry' inscription.
Armand Noel du Payrat, 28 November 2000

I would like to point out that in the aircraft roundel the red disc with the white disc superimposed upon it is in the ratio of 150 to 75. That means there is a white disc of 75 diameter upon an red disc of 150. The George Cross is in the centre of the white disc and its ratio complete with fimbriation is 66. (...) I was responsible for the design of the roundel, so you may be certain of the relative official dimensions, but in all honesty the actual roundel that gets painted on the aircraft may vary somewhat!
Adrian Strickland, 5 February 2001

The current roundel was introduced in 1992. http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/malta/maltaf-nat-markings.htm reports:
"1992-present
In February 1992 a new roundel was introduced, featuring the national colours of red and white with a (red outlined) black representation of the George Cross in the centre. The national flag remained as the fin flash. The main marking is normally displayed on the fuselage sides of the helicopters, and in the standard six positions on aircraft. The first aircraft to carry this marking were the newly delivered Cessna O-1Es. The version on the Bulldog appears to have a slightly smaller George Cross in proportion to the overall size of the roundel. Aircraft do not carry service titles."

http://www.flightlinemalta.com/aviationinmalta/AFM-AirSquadron: "In 1992 the insignia of the Air Squadron fleet was changed into a conventional red/white roundel with the George Cross in the centre."
Dov Gutterman, 20 June 2004