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Brazilian Air Force Officers' Flags

Oficiais da Força Aérea Brasileira

Marechal do Ar
Tenente-Brigadeiro
Major-Brigadeiro
Brigadeiro
Coronel
Tenente-Coronel
Major
Capitão
Note on Sources

Marechal do Ar

Air Marshal

by Joseph McMillan

Divided vertically, blue hoist with a winged sword surrounded by the stars of the Cruzeiro do Sul (Southern Cross); fly divided horizontally into five green and golden yellow stripes. Marechal do Ar equates to Marechal (Field Marshal) in the Brazilian Army, a five star rank now awarded only in wartime. On each of these flags the use of varying numbers of stripes to indicate rank matches the use of the Brazilian Army, at least in WWII period.
Joseph McMillan, 29 April 2001

Tenente-Brigadeiro do Ar

Lieutenant Air Brigadier

by Joseph McMillan

Tenente-Brigadeiro equates to General do Exército (General of the Army) in the Brazilian Army, the four star rank. Hoist blue with winged sword and four stars arranged as in the Cruzeiro do Sul but without the small star (Epsilon crucis) near the center of the cross; fly four green and yellow stripes.
Joseph McMillan, 29 April 2001

Major-Brigadeiro do Ar

Major Air Brigadier

by Joseph McMillan

Major-Brigadeiro equates to General de Divisão (Division General) in the Brazilian Army, wearing three stars but the equivalent of a major general in other armies, like a French général de division. Hoist blue with winged sword and three stars, one above and one on either side of the handle of the sword; fly three green and yellow stripes.
Joseph McMillan, 29 April 2001

Brigadeiro do Ar

Air Brigadier (Flying)

by Joseph McMillan

Hoist blue with winged sword and one star on each side of the handle; fly divided green over yellow.
Joseph McMillan, 29 April 2001

Brigadeiro-Médico

Medical Brigadier

by Joseph McMillan

The flags with the winged sword are for line (aviation) officers only; staff officers (intendence, medical, etc) use the same patterns but with their branch insignia in place of the winged sword. For medical officers, for example, the device is a sword with a snake coiled around it.
Joseph McMillan, 29 April 2001

Coronel de Aviação

Colonel

by Joseph McMillan

Tenente-Coronel de Aviação

Lieutenant Colonel

by Joseph McMillan

Major de Aviação

Major

by Joseph McMillan

Capitão de Aviação

Captain

by Joseph McMillan

Note on Sources

The main source for these flags is the booklet published by the Ministério da Aeronáutica, Dimensões e Modelos de Bandeiras, Insígnias e Sinais em Uso na Aeronáutica do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro: Imprensa Nacional, 1944). They are also shown in slightly different form at an Unofficial Força Aérea Brasileira website. Although the images on the website as well as the plates in the booklet appear to show 2:3 proportions, the text of the booklet is clear that they should be (or should have been?) 3:4.
Joe McMillan, 29 April 2001