Royal Australian Air Force Ensign

The Royal Australian Air Force Ensign is used by the Royal Australian Air Force in Australia and overseas. It is based on the Australian national flag, with the field changed to Air Force blue, and the southern cross tilted clockwise to make room for the RAAF roundel inserted in the lower fly quarter. The roundel is a red leaping kangaroo on white within a dark blue ring. The ensign was proclaimed as a Flag of Australia under section 5 of the Flags Act on 6 May 1982. [cite web | title=Air Force Ensign| work=Ausflag site| url=http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/air.html | accessdaymonth=2 August | accessyear=2005 ]

The southern cross is tilted so that Gamma Crucis stays in the same position as for the Australian National Flag and that Alpha Crucis is moved along the x-axis towards the hoist by one-sixth of the width of the flag. This results in the axis being rotated 14.036° clockwise around Gamma Crucis and each star is rotated in this way, [cite web | title=Royal Australian Air Force Flags| work=Flags of the World | url=http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/au%5Eairfe.html | accessdaymonth=24 January | accessyear=2006 ] although the constellation as a whole is not simply rotated.

History

approved the change to the current flag. [cite web | title=1998 Special Article - The Australian Flag | publisher=ABS| work=Year Book Australia | url=http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/04387DFF36DBE761CA2569DE001FB2C4 | accessdaymonth=2 August | accessyear=2005 ]

Although the flag is only flown by the RAAF, dispensation was granted to New Lambton Public School, NSW on 1995-05-18 to fly the RAAF ensign. This was in recognition of the school's involvement with the RAAF during World War II, when it was requestioned by the government and used as "No. 2 Fighter Sector Headquarters". New Lambton Public School is currently the only school in Australia with permission to fly the RAAF ensign. [cite web |url=http://www.newlambton.ps.education.nsw.gov.au/RAAF%20Ensign.htm |title=RAAF Ensign |author=New Lambton Public School |accessdate=2007-08-16 Contains excerpt of letter from Air Vice-Marshal Bob Richardson, 1995-05-18]

References