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A 'roundel' in heraldry is any circular shape; in military use it is an emblem of nationality employed on military aircraft and air force flags, generally round and consisting of concentric rings of different colors.

Contents

Heraldry

Use on military aircraft

In pop culture

Roundels of national air forces

Roundels of former national air forces

Corporate Usage

References

See also

External links

Heraldry

In heraldry, a ''roundel'' is a circular charge. ''Roundels'' are among the oldest charges used in coats of arms, dating from at least the twelfth century. Roundels in British heraldry have different names depending on their tincture (colour). Thus, while a roundel may be blazoned by its tincture, e.g., ''a roundel vert'' (literally "a roundel green"), it is more often described by a single word, in this case ''pomme'' (literally "apple", from the French).

'metals'		'colours'					'neutral'
bezant ''coin''	plate ''silver''	hurt ''berry''	torteau ''cake''	pellet ''gunshot''	pomme ''apple''	golpe ''wound''	fountain ''fountain''

In French blazon, a roundel of either metal (''or'' or ''argent'') is a ''besant'', and a roundel of any colour (dark tincture) is a ''torteau'', with the tincture specified.
One special example of a named roundel is the 'fountain'. This is depicted as ''a roundel barry wavy argent and azure''. That is, it is not filled in a single tincture, but with alternating horizontal wavy bands of blue and silver (or white). Because the fountain consists equally of parts in a light and a dark tincture, its use is not limited by the rule of tincture as are the other roundels.

In their earliest uses, roundels were often strewn (''semy'') upon the field of a coat of arms, a design with as many names as there are tinctures. For example, a field ''semy of roundels argent'' could be called ''platy''; a field ''semy of roundels sable'' could be called ''pellety''. The precise number and placement of the roundels in such cases were usually left to the discretion of the artist.
Because of their long use and simple outline, roundels are accorded status as a subordinary charge by most heraldic writers.
The term ''roundel'' also describes a circular shield used for heraldic display (as opposed to other forms such as the more common escutcheon or lozenge). An example of arms borne on a roundel is the Coat of Arms of Nunavut.

Use on military aircraft

The first use of a roundel on military aircraft was during the First World War by the French Air Service. The chosen design was the French national cockade, which consisted of a blue-white-red emblem mirroring the colours of the Flag of France. Similar national cockades were designed and adopted for use as aircraft roundels by their allies. The British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) abandoned their original painted Union Flags because they looked too much like the German cross and the British soldiers in the trenches had shot at them mistaking them for German aircraft. Instead, British aircraft roundels were eventually designed to use the French colours in reverse, red-white-blue from center to rim, after a short period of using a red-rimmed white circle that closely resembled the roundel, used to this day, by Denmark. This red-white-blue from center to rim roundel design was subsequently adopted by British Imperial air forces with a maple leaf (RCAF), kangaroo (RAAF), and kiwi (RNZAF). During WWI, roundels based on national cockade colours were subsequently adopted by the air forces of other countries, including the U.S. Army Air Service.
During the Second World War, the red inner circle of RAF-based roundels on planes based in the Asia-Pacific was painted white or light blue, so they would not be confused for the Hinomaru red circle on Japanese planes, still used by the self-defense forces of Japan to this day.

In recent decades, "low-visibility" roundels have been used, especially on active combat types. Low-visibility roundels usually have subdued, low-contrast colors or stenciled outlines.

In pop culture

★ The roundel, especially the RAF's, has been associated with British pop art of the 1960s, appearing in paintings by Jasper Johns. It became part of the pop consciousness after British rock group The Who started to wear RAF roundels (and Union Flags) as part of their stage apparel at the start of their career. Subsequently it came to symbolise Mods and the Mod Revival.

★ Some of Paul Weller's material involves the use of a roundel in psychedelic colours.

★ Ben Harper's album Fight For Your Mind uses roundels from several nation's air forces as graphics in the liner notes.

★ In the British television series ''Dr. Who'', roundels litter the walls of the Doctor's TARDIS.

Roundels of national air forces

Roundels of former national air forces

For roundels of other former roundels of air forces go to List of air forces.

Corporate Usage

Some corporations and other organizations also make use of roundels in their branding, employing them as a trademark, or logo, for example the famous roundel of the London Underground:

References

Flags:Through The Ages And Around The World, , Whitney, Smith, McGraw Hill, ,

See also

★ 'List of air forces' (contains more examples)

★ 'Cockade'

★ Tincture (heraldry)

★ Bezant

★ Goutte

★ Aircraft recognition

External links

★ Roundels of the World for a more complete gallery.

★ Canadian Military Aircraft Roundels has a section on the history of roundels.

★ History of the RAF roundel