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| BrazilBrazilian Navy
1918 to Present
Wings | 
Rudder |
|
Example: Focke-Wulf Fw.58 Weihe
Brazilian Army
1920 to 1934
Wings | 
Rudder |
|
The Brazilian military aviation started as an additional resource of Brazilian Army
and Navy. The adopted insignia was formed by three concentric circles in the national
colours applied in four positions on wings. In both forces the airplanes showed these
colours repeated in the rudder, applied in inverse order for Army and Navy airplanes. The
first airplane used by Navy was received in 1918, Army received the first units during
1920.
1934 to 1941
Wings | 
Rudder |
|
During 1934 the Brazilian Army changed the markings for the typical stars with the
four colours of Brazilian flag, and colours in rudder was reduced to Green/Yellow bands.
However several airplanes still remains with the former markings after that change.
Example: Vultee A-19 (V-11)/BSh-1
Brazilian Air Force
1941 to 1944
Wings | 
Rudder |
|
In 1941 was created the Brazilian Air Force, and due this all airplanes in service in
Navy and Army was transferred to Air Force. The Brazilian Army leave the service with any
kind of airship, but Navy brings all their airplanes maintaining the right of operating
rotative wings machines.
The Brazilian Air Force airplanes maintained the markings as
these were used by Army: Star insignia in four positions on wings and Green/Yellow band on
rudder (no insignia on fuselage).
Wings (Variant) | 
Wings (Variant) | 
Wings (Variant) | 
Wings (Variant) |
|
Example: Consolidated PBY Catalina
Example: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk/Kittyhawk/Tomahawk
The main source of Brazilian Air Force was USAF due this, several airplanes was
received using USAF insignia and many times the application of Brazilian markings was done
without a standard style, many variations could be found during the period of pre-WW2.
1944 to 1945 (at war)
Wings (type A) | 
Wings (type B) |
|
With the participating of Brazil in WW2 aside allied forces in Europe, some
modifications were adopted to avoid mistakes with identification of the Brazilian aircraft
by allied anti-aircraft stations.
In the Europe the expeditionary force using the P-47D used a stylized variant of USAF
insignia applying the colored Brazilian stars over the white stars of USAF insignia (type
B), sometimes painting the blue circle and white bar around the already applied Brazilian
stars (type A). This insignia was used with USAF style four positions: fuselage sides and
above port and below starboard wing.
Example: Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
1946 to Present
Wings | 
Wings (narrow style) | 
Fin flag | 
Fin flag (narrow style) |
|
After the war the Brazilian Air Force returned with the standard insignia, sometimes
with the 'narrow' style, but the 'wide' style was firm as definitive. The entire painted
rudder in Green/Yellow was being substituted by a small Green/Yellow flag applied on the
fin.
Example: Embraer AMX
Example: Gloster Meteor
Wings (in 2000) | 
Wings (since 2004) | 
Fin flag |
|
During 2000 the first shots of a low visibility insignia was done, sometimes
transforming the colourful star into a Black version applied on the camouflage pattern.
Today the Brazilian Air Force stars to convert the standard camouflage to a Green/Gray
disruptive pattern, and the insignia was modified to a low visibility design using the same
colours - FS34092/FS36176.
by Felipe C.Miranda (FCM Decals)
Last update: 03/12/2005 |
