1-300 WWII French Fin Flash Decals
WWII French Fin Flash — 1-300 Scale Decals
This 1-300 scale decal sheet provides WWII French Fin Flash markings for aircraft miniatures representing the nation, service and period associated with the marking.
Decal Information
The sheet includes WWII French Fin Flash 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
Nation: France
Service: French military aviation
Time Period: World War II
Primary Marking: Tricolor Fin Flash / National Identification Marking
Typical Aircraft: Period-appropriate French military aircraft
Primary Theater: France / Europe / North Africa
Conflict / Era: World War II
Historical Information
France had been using national aircraft markings since 1912, when the blue-white-red roundel was officially introduced. By the beginning of World War II, French military aircraft generally combined the familiar tricolor roundels on the wings and fuselage with matching national colors on the tail. On typical pre-Armistice aircraft, the rudder stripes were arranged blue forward, white in the center, and red toward the trailing edge.
The tricolor rudder was especially prominent during the Battle of France in 1939–1940, appearing on many of the best-known aircraft of the Armée de l’Air. Examples included the Morane-Saulnier MS.406, Dewoitine D.520, Bloch MB.152, Curtiss H-75, Potez 63 series, and numerous French bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and trainers. The D.520, for example, carried standard French roundels together with the national tricolor on the rudder.
After the June 1940 Armistice, French aircraft markings became considerably more complicated. Aircraft serving with the Vichy French forces retained French national markings but gradually received additional recognition features, including red-and-yellow striping on the engine cowling and portions of the tail. As a result, the exact appearance of the fin and rudder can vary greatly depending on the aircraft, unit, theater, and date being represented.
