RAF Heraldry Trust

Since 1936 badges have been approved for many RAF formations. The approved artwork has usually been returned to the unit concerned, and no central record kept. Suppliers of badges have kept their own outline drawings in black, with annotations specifying colours.

In 1996, Mary Denton, an artist with family RAF connections, initiated the RAF Heraldry Trust to reproduce and archive all the badges. Each badge is being illuminated in colour on goatskin parchment using gouache paint (water-colour pigments held with glue) and gold leaf. Accompanying text gives heraldic details, motto, and date-of-issue, plus dates when the unit was formed and disbanded. Scrolled battle honours surround the badge.

The reference artwork is being held by the library of the RAF College, Cranwell. By the year 2000 the first 200 badges had been completed, and it is expected that the complement of nearly 1600 will take 10 years to finish. Eventually it is hoped to make them available in electronic form on a CD ROM or its derivative.

Associations and members are invited to sponsor the painting of a badge at the cost of £87.

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This page was last updated on 26th October, 2006