Roundel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This is a page about the insignia/symbol. For other uses, see roundel (disambiguation).
A roundel in heraldry is any circular shape; in military use it is a distinctive, mostly round insignia or identifying emblem, commonly painted today on military aircraft to indicate which nation's air force or navy they belong to. However, some corporations and other organizations also make use of roundels in their branding, employing them as a trademark, or logo, such as the famous roundels of BMW, ICI, and the London Underground.
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[edit] 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 word).
| 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 a case was usually left to the discretion of the artist.
Because of their long use and simple outline, the roundels are accorded status as a subordinary charge by most heraldic writers.
The term roundel is also used to describe 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.
[edit] Use on military aircraft
The first use of a roundel on military aircraft was during the First World War by the French Air Force. 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. Instead, British aircraft roundels were designed to use the French colours in reverse, red-white-blue. This 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 red circle on Japanese planes.
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.
[edit] In pop culture
- The roundel, especially the RAF's has been used by 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 used a roundel from an impoverished African nation as a graphical representation for each song. Harper has continued to use roundel inspired artwork in particlular in his artwork.
[edit] Examples of roundels
See Roundels of the World for a more complete gallery.
 United Kingdom (low visibility) |
 The coat of arms of Gabon includes three roundels across the top |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Roundels of the World
- Canadian Military Aircraft Roundels has a section on the history of roundels.
- History of the RAF roundel
