--- In fl...@yahoogroups.com, Colin Dobson <spiritofoxf...@...> wrote:
>
> On this subject, I see the background colour of the Australian Civil
> Air Ensign is also to be changed:
More precisely, Clay has sent a proposed replacement image in which the
colour is changed. The editor will have to make a decision on the matter,
and should appreciate any further details or helpful discussion.
> I reproduce the whole of that section here, as I think it should go on
> the relevant FotW page. This section refers to the earlier
> Commonwealth Gazette No.39 of March 4, 1948, which is the piece of
> secondary legislation changing the colour of the stars, according to
> my source (3) below from yellow to white - this source reference is
> also not listed on the FotW page, yet apparently it has been there
> since 1999 **but it must have come from somewhere in the first
> instance and not just been made up by the contributor** (my emphasis).
>
> Despite my best endeavours, I haven't been able to find the Gazette of
> 04 March 1948 online, although Australian legal sources are usually
> very comprehensive in the information in this regard, they obviously
> haven't gone that far back yet. Therefore, if there is anyone who
> might have a copy on this list, or is passing by Canberra any time
> soon and feels like looking it up, I for one, would be interested to
> know if the Australian legislation actually (1) makes any reference to
> colour shades - or like the New Zealand legislation just says "light
> blue" (2) makes any reference to the background colour as being "RAF
> Blue". My source (3) below would seem to imply that it is RAF Blue,
> but its depictions of the flag are a lighter shade of blue.
>
> A number of contemporary depictions of this flag, albeit some in
> graphic form, show the background colour closer to that of the António
> Martins-Tuválkin version of 1999, ie what we have now, rather than Air
> Force blue. Please see my source references, below, for the
> appropriate URLs.
It may be worth noting that the RAAF Ensign itself is often displayed with
a "generic light blue". The proclamation of the RAAF Ensign under the
Flags Act says simply "sky blue". However, it is not necessary to leave
Sydney to look up the relevant Gazette No 39, 1948 (nor to leave England,
but the difference in scale is significant!). The notification there
reads:
<blockquote>
THE CIVIL AIR ENSIGN OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
It is notified for general information that the design and colours of the
Civil Air Ensign, referred to in Statutory Rules 1947, No.
112--Regulations under the /Air Navigation Act/ 1920-1947--regulation 11
(2), are as follows:--
(i) The attached diagram of the Civil Air Ensign (Drawing Civil Aviation
X-50, Issue No. 2) is an authoritative design in respect of the
proportions and positions of the stars &c., shown therein.
(ii) The Civil Air Ensign is of light (Royal Air Force) blue quartered by
a dark blue cross edged with white. The Union Flag occupies the upper
quarter next the staff, and the seven-pointed Commonwealth star occupied
the quarter immediately below. In the "fly", or half of the flag farther
from the staff, is a representation of the constellation of the Southern
Cross. All stars are in white.
2. The notification , dated 11th April, 1935, published in /Commonwealth
of Australia Gazette/, No. 30, dated 6th June 1935, is hereby cancelled.
ARTHUR S. DRAKEFORD
Minister of State for Civil Aviation
30th September 1947.
<blockquote>
Included in the Gazette is a very detailed construction sheet. Unlike the
New Zealand case, the dark blue cross itself is 1/10 the width of the fly,
with fimbriations 1/3 of its width, leading to a total width for the
cross+fimbriations of 1/6 the width of the fly, rather than 1/5. The Union
Jack is constructed following hte usual rules in a 5:11 canton. The
Commonwealth Star has, as in the national flag, an outer diameter 3/5 the
width of the Union Jack. (Of course, in this case, this is not the same as
the 3/10 of the fly specified in the Flags Act.)
The stars of the Southern Cross are tilted 45 degrees, so that Alpha and
Gamma lie on the line from the lower fly corner to the centre of the top
of the flag. They definitely have points pointing in that direction,
although to the casual glance, the difference between pointing this way
and pointing up in 7-pointed stars is not that significant. Say this line
is 'A' and it contains a point 'B', the centre of the southern cross. Then
the centre of each star is given as:
Alpha: 1/3 of the width of the fly from B along A towards the lower fly.
Beta: 1/4 the width of the fly from A towards the bottom of the flag along
a line at right angles to A, meeting A 1/16 the width of the fly from B
towards the top of the flag.
Gamma: 1/3 of the width of the fly from B along A towards the top of the
flag.
Delta: 2/9 the width of the fly from A towards upper fly along a line at
right angles to A meeting A 1/16+1/15 the width of the fly from B towards
the top of the flag.
Epsilon: 1/10 the width of the fly from A towards upper fly along a line
at right angles to A, meeting A 1/24 the width of the fly from B towards
the lower fly.
Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta have outer diameters 1/7 the width of the fly
and are 7 pointed, Epsilon has outer diamter 1/12 the width of the fly and
is five pointed. All stars (including the Commonwealth Star) have inner
diameters 4/9 their outer diameter. This means that the Southern Cross is
identical to that in the national flag, except for the tilt and the
movement of the centre of the cross (B) from the centre of the fly towards
the lower fly corner. It is not exactly clear where B is. It could be 1/16
thh width of the fly from the centre, so that the line from the centre of
Beta meets A in the centre of the fly, but it looks similarly close to the
point which makes the centre of Epsilon fall vertically in the centre of
the main cross. Either way, the placement is obviously intended to ensure
that Epsilon is in the cross and all the others are clear of it.
The next question is what about the previous notification from 1935? It
reads:
<blockquote>
CIVIL AIR ENSIGN OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
1. It is notified, for general information, that an Ensign called the
"Civil Air Ensign" of the Commonwealth of Australia has been established
and is to be recognized as the proper national colours to be flown by the
aircraft, and the air transport undertakings, and at the aerodromes
referred to below.
2. The Civil Air Ensign is of light (Royal Air Force) blue quartered by a
dark blue cross edged with white. The Union Flag occupies the upper
quarter next the staff, and the seven-pointed Commonwealth star occupies
the quarter immediately below. In the "fly", or half of hte flag further
from the staff, is a representation of the constellation of the Southern
Cross. All stars are in yellow.
3. The attached diagram of the Civil Air Ensign is an authoritative design
in respect of the proportions and positions of the stars &c., shown
thereon.
4. This distinctive Ensign may be flown--
(a) by civil aircraft registered in the Commonwealth of Australia;
(b) by air transport undertakings which own such aircraft on, or in
proximity to, buildings used by such undertakings for the purposes of air
transport;
(c) at aerodromes situated in the Commonwealth and in the Territories
administered by the Commonwealth which are Government civil aerodromes or
aerodromes licensed under the Air Navigation Regulations 1921.
5. The Civil Air Ensign may be so flown as aforesaid subject to any
directions, issued from time to time by the authority of the Minister for
Defence.
EARLE PAGE
Acting Prime Minister.
11th April, 1935.
<blockquote>
The attached diagram is issue No.1 of X-50, and the only difference is
that is contains the line "All Stars are in Yellow", which, of course, in
the later issue is amended to white.
Photos (of varying quality) are available on request.
--
Jonathan Dixon,
Sydney, NSW, Australia
j.p.dixon @ qmul.ac.uk
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