Swallowtail (flag)

Swallowtail flag shape

A barn swallow in flight. Note the shape of its tail

In flag terminology, a swallowtail is either

1. a V-shaped cut in a flag that causes the flag to end in two points at the fly; or
2. any flag that has this V-shaped cut.

The name comes from the forked tail that is a common feature of the swallow species of birds.

• 
  Alfa flag (nautical signal flag for "A")
• 
  Naval ensign of Poland
• 
  Naval ensign of Germany
• 
  Flag of the Vietnamese Pure Land Buddhist Laity Association
• 
  House flag of Socony-Vacuum Oil Company

Variants

Double-pointed

Common in the Nordic countries, this swallowtail flag contains a vertical section in the centre of the fly.

• 
  Naval ensign of Denmark
• 
  State flag of Iceland
• 
  Presidential standard of Iceland

Swallowtail with tongue

Also common in the Nordic countries, the swallowtail flag contains a third tail (the "tongue") between the other two tails.

• 
  Naval ensign of Sweden
• 
  Naval ensign of Norway
• 
  Naval ensign of Finland
• 
  Naval ensign of Estonia

Triangular swallowtail

The triangular swallowtail is the shape of the flag of the American state of Ohio, ^[1] as well as of some burgees, private signals and pennants of the International Code of Signals (ICS).

• 
  State flag of Ohio
• 
  Burgee of the Detroit Yacht Club
• 
  International signal flag for "group"

Guidon

A guidon is the general name given to a small swallowtail flag. Guidons are used to represent military units and are displayed on vehicles attached to a particular unit. In some countries (such as the United States), guidons do not necessarily have a swallow tail.

The military use of the guidon originated from the flags used by cavalry units in Europe. A variant of the guidon, the hussar cut, was used by German cavalry regiments. Instead of a straight V-shaped cut, the swallowtail in a hussar cut flag is curved.

• 
  Guidon of the USA 7th Cavalry Regiment (19th century)
• 
  Prussian cavalry standard with hussar cut (18th century)

References

1. Scullin, Katy (17 May 2024). "A Swallowtail What? The History of Ohio's State Flag -". Ohio Memory. Ohio History Connection.