From CCCP- to RA-

Aviation Airlines
1

As I’ve studied various Soviet-built planes over the years (Tupolev, Ilyushin, Yakovlev, etc), I always noticed someting strange.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the registrations changed from CCCP to RA, the new Russian flag is painted over the Soviet flag, yet it is never fully covered. Is there any reason for this, or am I just going nuts? Hundreds of photos I’ve seen are all the same way: with a piece of the old Soviet flag (albeit in grey) sticking out from beneath the new Russian flag.

Perhaps this is an homage to the old days?

2

The issue was that the proportions of the Soviet and Russian flags were different. The Soviet flag is 1:2 (it’s twice as wide as it is tall) while the Russian flag is 2:3. This meant that the decals couldn’t be exactly the same size.

3

It’s not the old Soviet flag or any other. Because the Russian flag’s top stripe (fess) is white it would blend into the white paint so a gray ‘shadow’ is added for emphasis.