Air Force Roundel
The current version of the Royal Australian Air Force Roundel was formally adopted on 2 July 1956. The roundel consists of a white inner circle with a red kangaroo in motion surrounded by a royal blue circle. The kangaroo always faces left, except when used on aircraft or vehicles, when the kangaroo should always face the front.
When the Royal Australian Air Force was formed on 31 March 1921, it adopted the existing red, white and blue roundel of the (British) Royal Air Force to identify its aircraft. However, during World War 2, the inner red circle was removed after a No. 11 Squadron Catalina was mistaken for a Japanese aircraft by a US Navy Wildcat in the Pacific Theatre.
After the war, a range of alternatives were proposed, including the Southern Cross, a boomerang, a sprig of wattle and the red kangaroo in motion. Because of the kangaroo, the Air Force Roundel is readily recognised worldwide as the symbol of the Royal Australian Air Force and has been displayed with pride ever since.
Copyright
Copyright restrictions apply to the use of any Royal Australian Air Force logo. They are protected nationally and internationally by the Defence Act 1903, Trade Marks Act 1995 and the Chester Herald Act 1939.
For information on the use of Air Force badges, logos and images, see Air Force Brand Management.