Royal Rhodesian Air Force

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The former name of the Rhodesian Air Force. Formed initially in 1935 under the name Rhodesian Regiment Air Unit as a territorial unit, the first regular servicemen with the unit went to Britain for ground crew training in 1936. Its first pilots were awarded their flying wings on 13 May 1938. The reservists were called up early August 1939 and were posted to Canada by the 28th of that month. On 19 September 1939, the Air Unit officially becomes the Southern Rhodesia Air Force, and Air Unit flights become No.1 Squadron. By April the following year, they were absorbed within the British Royal Air Force proper and redesignated 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron. On 1 June 1941, the Southern Rhodesian Women's Auxiliary Air Services came in to being. British Royal Airforce 44 Squadron and 266 Squadron were also asigned the name 'Rhodesian'. Rhodesians fought in many of the theatres of World War II, the most notable of those in the contemporary era being Ian Smith who, after being shot down over Italy behind enemy lines, was able to avoid capture and return to Allied lines.

With the creation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in 1953, Rhodesia received its first jets, the de Havilland Vampire. An air arm of the armed forces was created with a distinctive roundel of its own. The RAF roundel (sign) was adapted to display three small assegais in black and white vertically across the red centre. The assegais represented the three territories making up the Federation, namely Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. (Note: the Union Jack was displayed in the canton and not the Federal flag.) On 15 October 1954 the air arm was officially designated as the Royal Rhodesian Air Force.

The national insignia of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, created in September 1953, was basically a British roundel with three vertical assegai spears superimposed upon it. The three spears represented the three components of the federation - Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. This new marking was displayed above and below each wing, and on the fuselage. The fin flash remained unchanged see [1].

Fin flash was RAF type A.

[edit] Rhodesian Air Force (1970-1979)

During the "Emergency" The air force consisted of no more than 2,300 personnel and those only 150 of those were pilots. These pliots were qualified to fly all the aircraft within the air force so were often involved in combat missions and being rotated through the various units so as to give rest to the airmen who would otherwise be constantly on active service.

In March 1970, when Rhodesia declared herself a republic, the prefix "Royal" was dropped and the Service's name became the Rhodesian Air Force. A new air force roundel was adopted in the new Rhodesian colours of green and white containing a lion (in gold) and tusk in the centre of the white. The new air force ensign was taken into use on 5 April 1970. The new flag contained the Rhodesian flag in the canton with the roundel in the fly on a light blue field.

On 1 March 1970, Rhodesia became a Republic, and a new national insignia, ( prefix "Royal" in the name being dropped) featuring the Rhodesian Lion was introduced. This marking was displayed in the usual six positions, together with a green/white/green fin flash.

Fin flash is with narrow white stripe as in RAF type C. A detailed photograph can been seen at [2] and a photograph with the ensign at [3]. It seems that the lion always pointed to the plane's nose. Looking at [4], the lion looks more "goldish" and not outlined in black as shown here see [5].

[edit] Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Air Force (1979-1980)

In June 1979, the short-lived Zimbabwe-Rhodesia government of Bishop Muzorewa was installed and the air force flag was the only military flag to be changed to coincide with the change in the national flag. The roundel remained the same. Steven Shea, 15 July 1997 In the last year of the Rhodesian War and the first few years of Zimbabwe's independence, no national insignia of any sort were carried on Air Force aircraft. This was legal as long as the aircraft did not fly outside of the country's borders.

Following the independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980, the air force was renamed the Air Force of Zimbabwe and adopted a new emblem being a Bateleur eagle in flight. The new air force flag retains the light blue field and has the Zimbabwe flag in the canton with the air force emblem in gold in the fly.

The roundel of the Zimbabwe Air Force is concentric circles of the national colours, viz white, black, red, yellow and green. A yellow Zimbabwe Bird is also placed on the fuselage and wings.

The aircraft fin flash on starboard side is an illustration of the Great Zimbabwe Bird turned towards the front of the aircraft. The national flag is painted on the port side.

In 1982, a new post-independence marking was introduced, featuring a yellow Zimbabwe bird sitting on the walls of Great Zimbabwe. This marking was displayed on the fin of the aircraft or on the fuselage of helicopters. No wing markings were displayed.

In 1994, a new roundel was introduced, featuring the national colours in concentric rings. Initially, the roundel was used in association with the 'Zimbabwe Bird' tail marking used previously, but this was soon replaced by the national flag. The main marking is normally displayed above and below each wing and on each side of the fuselage.

Those are the markings at [6], [7], [8] and [9].

However, this seems to be changed, and today the Zimbabwe Bird is also used as fin flash as shown at: [10], [11] and [12]. (See also [13] [14]).

[edit] External links

Air Force of Zimbabwe [15].

Rhodesian Air Force Pictorial [16]

Rhodesian Air Force and Rhodesian civil aircraft photographs and info. [17]

The Rhodesian Air Force [18]

Rhodesian and South African Military History - An extensive collection of histories and analysis of Rhodesian and South African military operations, to the early 1980's [19]

Insignia and flags Sources: Flags and Symbols of Rhodesia, 1890-1980 (SAVA Journal 5/96) by R Allport. [all96] Steven Shea, 15 July 1997