Why Are Some Flags Painted Backwards on Airplanes?

For a country as patriotic as the United States, displaying the American flag carries significant responsibility. To ensure the flag is flown respectfully, the U.S. Flag Code advises a series of protocols, including proper storage, orientation, and position. One should never, for example, let the flag touch the ground.

Yet some airplanes appear to violate proper flag standards by depicting it backwards on the aircraft, with the canton, or star-filled rectangle, on the right instead of the left.

This is being done on purpose, and for a good reason: That very same Flag Code demands it.

According to the National Air and Space Museum, American flags depicted on aircraft and spacecraft must always appear as though they are flying forward. It’s easy enough to visualize: Instead of a plane, think about that same “backward” flag being mounted on a flagpole. You wouldn’t attach it on the stripe side. You’d tether it to the pole using the canton side. Since an aircraft is moving forward, the flag would then begin billowing on the opposite side of the pole. If you look at it from the right, it would appear to be reversed. If you looked at it from the left, it would look normal.

On planes, the flag will usually be reversed only on the right, or starboard, side. On the left, it will appear with the canton on the left.

This same rule applies to military uniforms, as well. Look at an Army member and you’ll note the flag is reversed on their arm. For regulation purposes, both the soldier and the plane are the flagpoles: the flags are displayed as they would appear facing opposition from the wind.

While the American flag is easy enough to identify even when it’s a mirror image of itself, not all flags enjoy the same versatility. Ireland’s flag (green, white, orange) looks like that of the West African country of Côte d’Ivoire (orange, white, green) when painted backwards because it then matches the color scheme of the latter.

The Flag Code was first adopted in 1923 and became law during World War II. Among its mandates are that no other flag shall be flown above it, save for a United Nations flag (and only at UN headquarters in New York); flags on cars should be affixed to poles, not draped over hoods or trunks; and while you can fly it upside-down, it should only be in moments of extreme distress.

The Flag Code is voluntary, meaning that breaking it won’t result in any federal fines or other legal consequences. One's patriotism, however, might be called into question.

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