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Cuba - Flags for Use at Sea

Last modified: 2009-10-02 by dov gutterman
Keywords: cuba | naval jack |
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Cuba in Flaggenbuch 1939

Flaggenbuch [gfb39] shows under 'Kuba' the following flags:
- Standard of the State President. (see: 'Former Presidential flag').
- National flag, also used as war and civil ensign.
- Naval Jack, similar to jack currently in use.
- Flag of the 4 September 1939.
- Ensign of the State Secretary for War and Navy. Similar to the flag attributed to 'Secretary of Navy', but without star. Considering a flag height of 24, the height of the anchor is 12, the outer blue border has a width of 2 and the white inner border a width of 1.
- Ensign of the Chief of Naval Staff. Similar to the preceding one but forked, so that the main field (excluding the forked part) is a square, and without the white inner border.
- Ensign of the Chief of a Naval District. Similar to the ensign currently in use.
- The five triangular ensigns currently in use, with the same allocations.
- Masthead pennant, similar to the one currently in use.
- Ensign of the Observation and Guidance Vessels.
- Ensign for Doctor on Duty.
- Quarantine flag, slightly different from Quarantine Flag sent by Željko: the anchor and cross are blue, the star white, and theemblem is skewed to the fly.
- Pilot Flag: white P on a black field.
Ivan Sache, 10 June 2001


Naval Jack

(2:3)
image by Željko Heimer, 3 June 2001

White over blue with a red first quarter containing a white star. Proportions are 2:3. The flag was originally used during an unsuccessful rebellion against Spanish rule in 1868-78.
Source: Pedersen, 1971 [ped71].
Pascal Vagnat
, 2 May 1996

From Album 2000 [pay00] - Jack (2:3) - White over blue bicolour with red centon with white star in the center. Construction details provided by the figure explain how the flag is both horizontally and vertically divided in halves. The star apears of the same size as the one emploed on the national flag (i.e. in circle of diameter 3/10 hoist).
Željko Heimer, 3 June 2001

Neubecker was writing nearly 70 years ago, however this is just to remind you that (despite its age) the 1939 Flaggenbuch was correct (according to official statistics) regarding the size of the star on the National Flag of Cuba and the Album 2000 wrong, and that there seems to be a similar disparity (but in reverse) on the Naval Jack.
As in the Album there are no figures given for the star in the Flaggenbuch, but it is illustrated at 1/4 of flag width as opposed to the 3/10 mentioned above.
Christopher Southworth, 19 July 2009

See also: Cuba - Historical Flags - Céspedes Flag (1868)


Masthead Pennant


image by Željko Heimer, 3 June 2001

From Album 2000 [pay00] - Masthead pennant - Blue over white long pennant (ratio shown about 1:17.5) with red equilateral trangle with white star at hoist.
Željko Heimer, 3 June 2001


Observation and Guidance Vessels


image by Ivan Sache, 10 June 2001

Ensign of the observation and guidance vessels. A white swallow-tailed ensign with three black discs in triangle (2 + 1)
Note: Ensign might be obsolete.
Source: Flaggenbuch [gfb39].
Ivan Sache , 5 May 2000


Quarantine Flag


image by Željko Heimer, 6 June 2001

National Geographic, 1917 [geo17], show only four Cuban flags (as figures 469-473):
No. 469 is Cuba Quarantine.
Is it obsolete? any further info on this curious flag?
Željko Heimer, 6 June 2001


Pilot Flag


image by Ivan Sache, 10 June 2001

Flaggenbuch [gfb39] show Pilot flag: white P on a black field.
Ivan Sache, 10 June 2001

Here is a photo taken on 7 June at Havana Port. The flag is used in the port by some authorities. It is hoisted on ships and in certain office in Customs biuldings.
Maikel Arista-Salado. 8 June 2006


Doctor on Duty Flag


image by Ivan Sache , 5 May 2000

Flag of a doctor on duty: A black "red cross" on a white field.
Note: Flag might be obsolete.
Source: Flaggenbuch [gfb39].
Ivan Sache , 5 May 2000