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Norway - air force roundel

Last modified: 2006-09-23 by phil nelson
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[Roundel - Norway]by Ivan Sache

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Roundel

White disc, fimbriated blue. In the disc, the Norwegian 'pennant' (red triangle with three thin white-blue-white bands in the middle).
Ivan Sache, 16 June 1997

 

A note about the design: The thickness of the white and blue parts should be in the same relationship as in the Norwegian national flag - that is the blue part should be twice as thick as the white parts.

I also checked with a history of the air force (Tom Arheim et al.: Fra Spitfire til F-16: Luftforsvaret 50 ar 1944-1994, Oslo, 1994), and found some more facts. The roundel was introduced in 1945. A variant had an extra white ring outside the blue one. From 1987 new regulations required the roundel to be outlined in black only, but this had not been put into effect when the book was published. It was said that the roundel in the national colours was to be reintroduced.
Jan Oskar Engene, 28 June 1997

 

The Luftforsvaret was formed in 1912 as Haerens Flyvevaaben and became part of Flyvapnenes Felleskommando (unified command of navy and air force) on 4 April 1941. During WWII, two Norwegian squadrons (331 and 332) were part of the RAF. In mainland Norway a collaborating force operated between 1942-1942 as Hirdens Flykorps. Restored on 10 November 1944 as Luftforsvaret it changed its name on 1 July 1957 to Kongelige Norske Flyvapen (Flyvapenet) and on 10 December 1959 to Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret.
Source: Luftforsvaret homepage

The Naval air arm was formed in 1912 as Marinens Flyvevaaben and its pilots operated in RAF squadron 330 during WWII. Coast guard aviation (Kystvakten) was formed in 1980. Planes use the same roundel with proper inscription.
Source: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/518214/L/

Military Aircraft Insignia of the World reported that between 1915-1941, RNAF markings were wing tips and vertical rudder stripes in red-white-blue-white-red (3:1:1:1:3). See http://www.luftfart.museum.no/Engelsk/Exhibitions/Images/CVDB.jpg Those rudder stripes were used on RAF planes of Norwegian squadrons since 1944 together with small national flag on the fuselage (flag from formiing).

In 1945 the current roundel was adopted.

In late 1941 the Quisling regime organized Hirdens Flyavdeling (see Norwegian Nazi party - Hirdmarinen, which in 1942 became the Hirdens Flykorps. Its gliders carried the Youth Hird (Unghirden) emblem on black plate as tail insignia. See article: "Hirdens Flykorps 1941-45" (outside link).

Reference (all are links outside FOTW):

Photos:

Dov Gutterman, 21 June 2004