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Aircraft Markings (Oman)

2:3 from the Shipmate Flagchart website
Flag adopted 1995?

Description
Jack
Naval Security Force

See also:

External links:

Royal Air Force of Oman website

Description

Since 1959 , the royal air force of Oman (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanat Oman) has had five markings, according to Cochrane & Elliott (1998). I must admit that I couldn't find all of them in photos, and I think that the last two (which are really fin flashes) are used side by side with a third fin flash which is the national flag.

According to Cochrane & Elliott (1998) the first roundel was like the Japanese (red disc with white border) and the fin flash was a white shield charged with the national emblem in red (a mirror of a later flash). Those markings were in use between 1959-1965

In 1965 a new marking was adopted. The roundel was charged also with the national emblem (as on Air Force Flag 1970-1995. The fin flash reversed its colors and consisted of a red shield and white emblem.

In 1970, a green border replaced the white, and wings were added to the emblem. The fin flash was removed.

In 1977, the roundel was removed and the previous fin flash became the sole marking.

In 1983, the color of the shield was changed to light blue.

All the above is based on Cochrane & Elliott (1998).

Wheeler (1986) reported the blue shield and the national flag both as fin flashes. He also reported the some aircraft are using the old red shield.

Photos of the national flag being used as fin flash can be seen at http://www.airliners.net/open.file/468818/L/ and http://www.airliners.net/open.file/339253/L/. A photo of the red shield can be found at http://www.airliners.net/open.file/190425/L/ (photo taken in 1961 when, according to Cochrane & Elliott (1998) it was a white shield....) and http://www.rob.clubkawasaki.com/jas26.jpg (photo taken in 1972 when, according to Cochrane & Elliott (1998) this fin flash was not in use anymore....)

http://www.scramble.nl/om.htm shows at the top the red shield with two photos, one with blue and one with red (Strikemaster served 1968-2000, Jaguar serving since 1977)

Seems to be a complex story.

Dov Gutterman, 21 June 2004