From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
British military emblem
The
badge of the Royal Air Force
is the
heraldic emblem
used to represent the
Royal Air Force
(RAF). It features an eagle superimposed on a circlet, which is surmounted by a crown.
Description
[
edit
]
The badge was based on a design by a
tailor
at
Gieves Ltd
of
Savile Row
in London. It was first used in August 1918, and the original circlet showed a
garter
and
buckle
. The present plain circlet dates from 26 January 1923 when the badge was registered at the
College of Arms
and, it being noted that the garter and buckle were heraldically incorrect, a substitution was made.
[1]
In
heraldic
terms, the badge is
blazoned
as: "In front of a circle inscribed with the motto
Per Ardua Ad Astra
and ensigned by the Imperial Crown an eagle volant and affronte head lowered and to the sinister."
[2]
Although there have been debates among airmen over the years about whether the bird was originally meant to be an albatross or an eagle, the consensus is that it was always an eagle.
[1]
When the badge was issued by the College of Arms in 1923, they described the bird as being an eagle.
[3]
The badge is depicted on the iron gates at the ceremonial entrance to the
Royal Air Force College Cranwell
, at the entrance to the
Air Forces Memorial
in Surrey, and on the
Polish War Memorial
in London. It was also featured on the reverse of a special series of
£2 coins
minted in 2018 to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force.
-
The RAF badge on Cranwell's gates
-
The RAF badge at the Air Forces Memorial
-
The RAF badge on the Polish War Memorial
Related badges
[
edit
]
Numerous
Commonwealth
air forces have adopted badges that are directly based upon the RAF badge, whilst several other countries' air forces have adopted badges with similar imagery. Several are shown below.
Current
[
edit
]
Former
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
"Cranwell Heraldry Part One: The Royal Air Force Badge".
The Heraldry Gazette
(97). Slough: The Heraldry Society: 2. September 2005.
ISSN
0437-2980
.
- ^
Air Ministry Orders A.666/49, 15 September 1949
- ^
Smith, Peter C. (1974).
Royal Air Force squadron badges
(1 ed.). St. Ives [Cambs.]: Balfour Publications. p. 12.
ISBN
0-85944-012-5
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
|
formations
and units
| |
---|
branches and
components
| |
---|
reserve forces
| |
---|
equipment
| |
---|
personnel
| |
---|
appointments
| |
---|
symbols and uniform
| |
---|
associated civil
organisations
| |
---|
|