1-300 French Army – armée de TERRE – White Decals
These 1-300 French Army “armée de TERRE” decals reproduce the distinctive white identification lettering carried by many helicopters of the Aviation légère de l’Armée de terre (ALAT)—French Army Aviation. Usually applied prominently along the tail boom, the marking provided a clear visual distinction between helicopters operated by the French Army and aircraft belonging to France’s other military aviation services.
Decal Information
The sheet includes French Army – armée de TERRE – White markings suitable for use on 1-300 scale aircraft miniatures.
They are printed on clear-background waterslide decal paper. They need to be individually cut out. Apply over a properly prepared and gloss-coated model surface using normal waterslide-decal techniques.
Key Historical Details
Region / Nation: French
Service: French Military Aviation
Time Period: Period Appropriate to the Marking
Primary Marking: Aircraft Identification Markings
Scale: 1-300
Application: Historically appropriate aircraft and aviation subjects
Historical Information
The ALAT was officially created on November 22, 1954, evolving from the French Army’s artillery observation aviation units. Originally centered around light observation aircraft, it rapidly embraced the helicopter and developed into a major battlefield aviation force capable of reconnaissance, troop transport, fire support, anti-tank operations, medical evacuation, and tactical air mobility.
The “armée de TERRE” identification marking was introduced in 1981 specifically to better distinguish French Army aircraft from those of the French Air Force. On the SA330 Puma, the French Army ordered the inscription placed in white on both sides of the tail boom. Contemporary ALAT records show the same marking beginning to appear on the Gazelle and Alouette III in May 1981, usually accompanied by repositioning of the French roundel to make room for the new lettering.
The unusual typography itself became a characteristic feature of French Army helicopters: the words “armée de” appeared in smaller lowercase lettering while “TERRE” appeared in larger capital letters. Against the dark olive green and later three-color Central European camouflage schemes worn by ALAT helicopters, the white lettering provided a highly visible service-identification marking.
These markings became closely associated with classic French Army helicopter types such as the SA330 Puma, SA341/342 Gazelle, and Alouette III. These aircraft served extensively with French forces during the Cold War and in overseas operations throughout Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, and other regions. The ALAT has participated in virtually every major French military deployment since its creation, including operations in Algeria, the Gulf War, the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Libya, and the Sahel.
Marking practices did vary by aircraft, camouflage scheme, and operational deployment. For example, some Gazelles operating in Afghanistan had both their “armée de TERRE” titles and national roundels removed, while modern Tiger attack helicopters generally do not carry the traditional tail-boom inscription. Wargamers seeking strict historical accuracy should therefore check photographs of the particular aircraft and period being represented.
