Chronology of the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force roundel
from 1930 to Present
1930
February 28, 1930, the KMT Air Force reconnaissance plane O2U-4 pirates was forced landing due to fuel exhaustion, only to be siezed by the Red Army. Coated with a red star, the plane was named "Lenin" after the Russian leader.
The "Lenin"
1936
In Xinjang, an aviation school was founded by the Red Army
using Polikarpov R-5, I-15, I-16 as its aircraft
Polikarpov R-5 bearing the Xinjang aviation school roundel
1944
the Red Army aircraft during the KMT-CPC cooperation
In 1944, during the KMT-CPC alliance against the Japanese, a Tachikawa Ki54 aircraft was seized from the enemy in North China and used as its aircraft. On the tail, the emblem of the KMT was painted while at the fuselage a defaced Japanese imperial Army Air Service roundel signifying the Red Army.
1946-1947
In the Northeast, the Red Army used the KMT emblem as its roundel from 1946-1947 in aircraft seized by the Japanese during the war.
Tachikawa Ki-55 seized by the Red Army in Manchuria, also used by the Aviation school
1947-1949
In order to avoid confusion with the KMT ,1947-1950 aircraft of all kinds bearing the KMT emblem are replaced by a new Red Army emblem logo shown on the fuselage. Mainly used in the Northeast aviation school, the typical models are: Kawasaki Ki54, Mitsubishi Ki30, Mitsubishi Ki46, Nakajima Ki43, Tachikawa Ki55.
Japanese aircraft used by the Red Army
1945-1949
The Peoples Liberation Army Air Force was founded by the Red Army in its struggle against the KMT. The emblem consisted of the latter aviation school roundel in the Northeast, consisted of ex-Japanese Ki.79b Ki.79a.
1946-1950
This was the first marked "August" the word of the PLAAF roundel, but with curved edges of the star. Typical models were: Kawasaki Ki45, Mitsubishi Ki30, Mitsubishi Ki46, Mitsubishi Ki51, Tachikawa Ki55.
1946-1949
Similar to the present roundel, used in seized enemy aircraft and newly arrived Soviet jets.
MiG-15 used by the PLAAF
1949-Present
The present roundel of the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
First used in 1949 in P-5 aircraft seized from the KMT.
P-5 Aircraft used by the PLAAF, also used in the first National Day parade in Beijing 1949.
