1920-Present
Like Colombia's, Ecuador's flag is based on the Gran Colombia flag and its colours are said to symbolise the country's natural recources (yellow), the sky and the sea (blue) and the blood shed by the patriots (red). It appears on military aircraft and helicopters as a fin flash or rudder stripes, and the roundels, often applied on the wings only, have the same colours in proportions directly related to those of the flag. The Ecuadorian Air Force is using the same roundel from its begining. The sole change was by removing the roundel from the fuselage and keep it only on the wings in the late 1940'. Most aircraft have the serial number applied on the fin, while most helicopters have the serial number applied on the fuselage with the prefix FAE. The service title "Fuerza Aérea Equatoriana" is displayed on the fuselage sides of aircraft and helicopters.