An Air force ensign is a

flag A flag is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular or quadrilateral) with a distinctive design and colours. It is used as a symbol, a signalling device, or for decoration. The term ''flag'' is also used to refer to the graphic design empl ...

used by a national

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

. With the creation of independent air forces in the first half of the 20th century, a range of distinguishing flags and ensigns were adopted. Such flags may often feature a

roundel A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...

in the national colours. Notable examples include: *

Royal Air Force Ensign The Royal Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal Air Force. The ensign has a field of air force blue with the United Kingdom's flag in the canton and the Royal Air Force's roundel in the middle of the fly. ...

Royal Australian Air Force Ensign The Royal Australian Air Force Ensign is used by the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Air Force Cadets in Australia and overseas. It is based on the Australian national flag, with the field changed to Air Force blue, and the south ...

Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign The Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Ensign has an air force blue field defaced with the Canadian Flag in the canton and the current Royal Canadian Air Force round ...

Royal New Zealand Air Force Ensign The Royal New Zealand Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The ensign has a field of air force blue with the Union Jack in the canton and the Royal New Zealand Air Force's roundel in ...

Air force flags

Some countries, such as the United States, designate their national air force standards as flags not ensigns. See the

Flag of the United States Air Force The flag of the United States Air Force was introduced in 1951 and consists of the U.S. Air Force's crest and shield, which itself comprises 13 white stars and the Department of the Air Force's coat of arms on a field of blue. The 13 stars repre ...

for an example.

References

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