Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: soldier151 on February 15, 2011, 12:46:04 am

Title: Serious Question - Royal Navy Flags, Sizes
Post by: soldier151 on February 15, 2011, 12:46:04 am
Hi Guys,
I am looking for the sizes of the Flags/Ensigns carried and flown by Royal Navy Craft.
With over 5.500 members out there some must know what size Ensign is flown by an MTB, by a Destoyer,
Cruiser, Battleship or Aircraft carrier.  They can;t all carry the same size.  If an MTB carried say a 4foot by 2 foot ensign, this would be totally lost on a Battleship.  There must be a standard issue size depending on the size of the ship.   I have searched the net and can't find anything stating the sizes issued to the various craft of the Royal Navy.  Your HELP is very much needed.
Thank you
Soldier151
Title: Re: Serious Question - Royal Navy Flags, Sizes
Post by: Netleyned on February 15, 2011, 06:40:53 am
Geoff AKA Pugwash might have an answer being an ex-RN flag wagger :-))
Don't forget they also had Battle Ensigns which were four or five times the size of the
standard size plus different sizes for flying on ensign staffs and yardarms.

Ned
Title: Re: Serious Question - Royal Navy Flags, Sizes
Post by: DickyD on February 15, 2011, 07:59:20 am
Will this help ?

Knicked from http://www.westbourne-model.co.uk/scale-flags-of-great-britain-513-0.html
Title: Re: Serious Question - Royal Navy Flags, Sizes
Post by: pugwash on February 15, 2011, 09:53:39 am
Chris the size of ensign and union jack was dictated by the type of ship and the day of the week.
Start with a boats ensign - it is a size 2 and measures 18 inches by 3 feet.  These measurements are correct because I've just measured the boats ensign in my den.
the white ensign is always one size bigger than the union jack flown  i.e. frigate/destroyer type would fly size 8 ensign and size 6 jack on weekdays and size 10 ensign and 8
jack on a sunday (in harbour)  A carrier would fly asize 10 ensign size 8 jack weekdays and size 12 ensign and size 10 jack (if not bigger - never served on carriers so not sure)
A size 8 ensign is 6 ft by 12 ft  so a 10 would be 7 1/2 ft by 15ft,  etc etc.  the sizes only go up in even numbers
If we were at sea we would only fly a size 4 or 6 as a sea ensign often flown from the masthead gaff (if fitted) or a stump mast  as shown on the attached photo
the ensign is just aft of the seacat director.

Geoff
Title: Re: Serious Question - Royal Navy Flags, Sizes
Post by: soldier151 on February 16, 2011, 12:45:27 am
Thanks Guys for your rapid responses, great to see that there are serious modellers out there.
Hope I can return the favour in the future
Regards Soldier151
A Lifeboat Freak