1-300 RCAF ARC text – Black & White Decals
These 1-300 RCAF / ARC Text decals reproduce the bilingual identification markings carried by modern aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Each sheet contains equal quantities of RCAF and ARC lettering, with equal amounts printed in black and white to provide suitable contrast against different aircraft camouflage and paint schemes. The markings are designed to be positioned on either side of the Canadian roundel as RCAF – Roundel – ARC.
Decal Information
The sheet includes RCAF ARC text – Black & 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: Latin America & Canada Service: 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 Royal Canadian Air Force was established in 1924 and served under that name through World War II, the Korean War, and much of the Cold War. In 1968, Canada's three military services were unified into the Canadian Armed Forces, and the air service eventually became known as Air Command. In 2011, the historic name Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was officially restored as part of a broader effort to recognize Canada's military heritage.
As part of that restoration, the RCAF introduced an updated aircraft identification scheme. Beginning in 2016, Canadian military aircraft started receiving bilingual fuselage markings incorporating both “RCAF”, for Royal Canadian Air Force, and “ARC”, for the French Aviation royale canadienne. The lettering was placed alongside the Canadian roundel, producing the standardized arrangement RCAF – Roundel – ARC.
The markings were introduced gradually as aircraft underwent scheduled maintenance and repainting rather than requiring the entire fleet to be repainted at once. The first aircraft reported with the new livery was a King Air B200 at 8 Wing Trenton in 2016. The bilingual identification has since become a characteristic feature of modern RCAF aircraft.
The RCAF/ARC titles can be seen on a wide variety of Canadian military aircraft, including fighters, transports, maritime patrol aircraft, trainers, and helicopters. Depending on the aircraft's finish and the location of the marking, either black or white lettering may be required for adequate contrast.
