^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Rank Flags

Circa 1955

See also:

This system of flags, peculiar to Canada, was based on the rank stripes worn on the cuffs of the officers.

Air Chief Marshal (equivalent to a general): three narrow stripes and one broad stripe

Air Marshal (equal. to a lieutenant general): two narrow stripes and one broad stripe

Air Vice Marshal (equal. to a major general): one narrow stripe and one broad stripe

Air Commodore (equal. to a brigadier): one broad stripe

contributed by Jennifer

Group Captain (equal. to a colonel): four narrow stripes

Wing Commander (equal. to a lieutenant colonel): three narrow stripes

Source: Flags of All Nations, Vol. II (HMSO, 1958)
Miles Li, 31 October 2003

The red stripes referring to the four rings he had on his jacket or shoulder slip-ons, and in the air force Group Captains (or Colonels as I believe they are now known in that branch of the Canadian Defence Force) have rank flags. It¹s not quite the same as the British RAF model, but the colours are. We have a much more complex system of thick and thin bars on two different shapes of flag, enough to drive anyone mad! I¹ve always thought that there must be some connection between parallel lines and those who like to fly if you ever see the rings on a Marshal of the RAF you¹ll go cross-eyed trying to count them (including the gaps between them there are 19 in total, count them: thick black, thick pale blue, thick black, RAF blue, thin black, thin pale blue, thin black, RAF blue, thin black, thin pale blue, thin black, RAF blue, thin black, thin pale blue, thin black, RAF blue, thin black, thin pale blue, thin black!)

The equivalent flag today would be a strangely shaped white one with a Canadian flag in the corner and the badge of the officers command in the fly, but I think only Group Captain¹s who have certain commands would get a flag.
Graham Bartram, 29 October 2003