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

Indonesian - Aircraft Markings

Last modified: 2024-08-31 by zachary harden
Keywords: indonesia | roundel |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors



See also:


General background

Indonesia has three air arms - each one with its own roundel:

Jawatan Penerbangan (Aviation Div. of People's Security Army) was formed in 10 Oct. 1945 and became Angkatan Udara Republik Indonesia (Air Force of the Indonesian Republic) on 9 April 1946. Its current name Tetara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (Indonesian Armed Forces-Air Force) was adopted on 5 Oct. 1971. Homepage at http://www.tni-au.mil.id/default.asp

The first roundel was adopted in 1946 and was use until 1949 (Cochrane & Elliott, 1998) and consisted of a disc separated to top red and bottom white and horizontal rudder stripes of red-white. See photo at http://members.tripod.com/~imogiri/aircraft/jap2.jpg

Cochrane & Elliott (1998) reported a second roundel in use in 1949-1954 as white disc with red ring (same as Danish roundel) and fin flash of vertical red-white stripes.

In 1954 it was replaced by the current roundel - a white pentagon bordered red and "national" fin flash. See photos at http://www.airliners.net/open.file/159065/L/,
and http://www.scramble.nl/mil/6/tniau/gfx/KT1B.gif.

The naval air arm - "Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut" was formed on 17 June 1956 as "Dinas Penerbangan Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia" and got its current name on 5 Oct. 1971. Its marking is basically the same as the air force but the roundel is charged with an anchor. See http://www.scramble.nl/mil/6/tniau/gfx/HU411detail370.jpg.

The army aviation "Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Darat" was formed on 14 November 1959 as Dinas Penerbangan Angkatan Darat (Army Aviation Service) and renamed in 1974. The army homepage is at http://www.mabesad.mil.id/. The army aviation also use the same roundel but charged with a 5-pointed star.
Wheelock (1986) shows the star in gold and Cochrane & Elliott (1998) shows it in black.....and black it is.

Dov Gutterman, 17 June 2004

Starting in 1954 based on the Decree of the Chief of Air Force No. 8/5/Pen/KS/1954 dated January 21, 1954, the identification mark or nationality mark of AURI aircraft was changed to a red and white pentagon. The decree explained, among other things, that the pentagon which signifies Pancasila (five principles) is placed on: 1. The left and right sides of the aircraft body between the letters and numbers of the registration number. 2. Above the left wing of the aircraft. 3. Above and below the right wing of the aircraft. As seen in the picture of this aircraft, starting on April 9, 1954 (coinciding with the commemoration of the eighth anniversary of AURI) this nationality mark of AURI aircraft began to be used. Since then until now the nationality mark of AURI aircraft is in the form of a red and white pentagon. Source: Merdeka, March 1954. Collection of Old Newspapers, National Library of Indonesia (SKJIL-Team).
Located and machine translated by Zachary Harden, 30 August 2024

Army

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

There are variants that had the star colored gold instead of black.


Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Air Force

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Navy

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024


Historical markings

[Ed note: Most of the images/sources come from https://www.drareg.nl/Markeringen/Landen/indonesie1942-1945.htm]

Dutch East Indies Air Force roundel 1939-1942

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Pembela Tanah (PETA) air force roundel

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Indonesia 1945-1946

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Dutch East Indies Air force roundel & fin flash 1945-1947

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

After Japan's defeat, the Dutch returned to Indonesia.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Indonesian Air force roundel & fin flash 1946-1949

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

The Indonesian Air force used a roundel with the lower half of the red circle roundel of the remaining Japanese aircraft repainted white.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024

Indonesia Air force roundel & fin flash 1949-1954

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024


Fin Flash

[Fin flash of Indonesia]
by Dov Gutterman, 8 February 2000

Indonesia has used its national flag as a fin flash since 1954. However between 1949-1954 it was used in a vertical form.


Low-Vis

For the Indonesia aircraft markings, there are versions for low visibility. Judging from this photograph, it is the regular roundel (pentagon-shaped) with the black outline replacing the red and the white section becoming transparent. The case is the same for the army and naval air units. However, the national flag/fin flash is in full color.
Zachary Harden, 05 February 2019

Each roundel has a low-visibility version; the outer pentagon is colored black and the inside color is removed and made transparent. Each of the service symbols for the army and navy do not change color.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 15 June 2024