Does anyone know who we contact at the Ivory Towers regarding having a new squadron crest approved?
There is a Special Projects Officer that deals with this. Will PM you when I’ve found details.
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Could you also PM me, we are looking at a new Sqn crest too
Thanks
Why get a crest (badge for the pedants)approved?
Just make one and use it as long as it’s in the same style and colour scheme of the ATC crest. Some general rules of thumb with regards to the “picture” are they shouldn’t contain a corporate symbol (Like 230Sqn and Tiger beer), number (Like 6 Sqn RAF) or a rip off of somebody elses design then there’s no issue.
I wouldn’t bother.
[quote=“the fixer” post=4605]Why get a crest (badge for the pedants)approved?
Just make one and use it as long as it’s in the same style and colour scheme of the ATC crest. Some general rules of thumb with regards to the “picture” are they shouldn’t contain a corporate symbol (Like 230Sqn and Tiger beer), number (Like 6 Sqn RAF) or a rip off of somebody elses design then there’s no issue.
I wouldn’t bother.[/quote]
The formal ‘approval’ process involves the College of Arms and it will cost you around £500 if they do all your artwork; less if you just register a design with them. The bonus of involving the College is that they ensure nobody else pinches your design and that you’re not trying to pinch someone elses!
However, the Special Projects Officer at HQAC will pretty much do that for you as well. He’ll ‘register’ within the ACO and he’ll also advise you on whether you can use certain designs (heraldically correct) and whether the design is used by someone else.
Unfortunately, there are lots of Badges around that look like the dogs breakfast! They use incorrect styles, such as the Royal crown and laurel leaves around the badge; they ‘borrow’ someone elses Badge(some ATC Sqns who have the same number as an RAF Sqn simply ‘adopt’ the centrepiece) or they just look scruffy and unprofessional.
HQAC have recognised that Sqns like to have badges, but they need to be of a certain standard and that’s what the Special Projects Officer will do for you.
I would have thought that if HQAC were that bothered they would provide a suitable template that could be edited in regular ‘office’ type software. But as they haven’t the assumption has to be, they aren’t overly concerned.
Our crest was created long before there was any sort or thought about standardisation and has been scanned and used for many things ever since. No one has to my knowledge complained or commented.
I wonder if our OC at the time ever got our new one registered/approved.
Something tells me he didn’t bother cause he knew it would be bounced back :whistle:
[quote=“Jonay1990” post=4613]Something tells me he didn’t bother cause he knew it would be bounced back :whistle:[/quote]Didn’t you used to have a bridge and a fish?
Yes, but he didnt like it.
So pretty much stole 617’s logo and changed the dam into a bridge.
[quote=“glass half empty 2” post=4612]I would have thought that if HQAC were that bothered they would provide a suitable template that could be edited in regular ‘office’ type software. But as they haven’t the assumption has to be, they aren’t overly concerned.
Our crest was created long before there was any sort or thought about standardisation and has been scanned and used for many things ever since. No one has to my knowledge complained or commented.[/quote]
I don’t think it’s that they aren’t concerned, they have bigger fish to fry. Clearly, appointing a Special Projects Officer for this very issue means that they are taking interest. I agree that they should ideally provide some sort of template and basic guidance as, unfortunately, many people across the organisation don’t understand the significance of all the constituent parts of a Badge and consequently, most do as they have always done, exactly as they please!
What?
“Office-type” software? Do you want a load of badges which contain clip art? There’ a reason why you need to use professional products such as Photoshop/Corel, and that’s to make a quality product which can be use din multiple formats, not just a 5cm tall crest which when scaled up looks like a pile the dog made.
[quote=“Operation Nimrod” post=4624]What?
“Office-type” software? Do you want a load of badges which contain clip art? There’ a reason why you need to use professional products such as Photoshop/Corel, and that’s to make a quality product which can be use din multiple formats, not just a 5cm tall crest which when scaled up looks like a pile the dog made.[/quote]
100% agree!! And that’s why there are lots of dog’s dinner Badges!!
[quote=“glass half empty 2” post=4612]I would have thought that if HQAC were that bothered they would provide a suitable template that could be edited in regular ‘office’ type software. But as they haven’t the assumption has to be, they aren’t overly concerned.
Our crest was created long before there was any sort or thought about standardisation and has been scanned and used for many things ever since. No one has to my knowledge complained or commented.[/quote]
I think Cygnus is right, if there is an approval method, it appears that they do care. The fact that very few people know about him shows it needs better publicity.
In doing ours again, I notice among the existing squadrons there is very little consensus, which is a shame. Some crests are clearly copy and paste jobs of the Corps Crest, and as such have no indents for the squadron numbers, there is no standard position for the unit name or ‘Air Training Corps’, some having the name in the top half, others the bottom. Finally, there is perhaps the worst problem, which is ATC units with RAF Crest backgrounds. Which just isn’t right.
Anywho, with these issues in mind I have on offer a very high resolution blank squadron crest. With indents for squadron numbers, and ‘Air Training Corps’ in the bottom. The font is Times New Roman, so anyone can input the name to match using Paint or better. (DJRice, fancy it for the library?)
I approached the Squadron association of the wartime squadron we share a number with. The surviving members were more than willing and happy to grant us permission to use the same design for the ATC squadron.
I approached the project officer at HQAC to authorise our crest, he liked the deign and for the sum of about £250 would register it with a Heraldry body ( cannot remember the name of it). We would get a professionally produced copy of our crest.
I did not take up the offer.
We have a good quality image that has been used on letterheads and minibus livery.
[quote=“397k” post=4634]I approached the Squadron association of the wartime squadron we share a number with. The surviving members were more than willing and happy to grant us permission to use the same design for the ATC squadron.
I approached the project officer at HQAC to authorise our crest, he liked the deign and for the sum of about £250 would register it with a Heraldry body ( cannot remember the name of it). We would get a professionally produced copy of our crest.
I did not take up the offer.
We have a good quality image that has been used on letterheads and minibus livery.[/quote]
So is that all it is? Because we won’t be spending any money on it. But does he keep records of them all?
Personally, I detest Times New Roman. It’s just such a boring typeface.
I’ve always used Flareserif 821 as a nice, close alternative to the hand drawn type of the original ATC badge.
It’s free too.
http://fontscore.com/fonts/Flareserif-821-BT_17879.html
Whilst I’m at it…
For the ATC badge colours I use:
Red - Pantone 032.
Dark yellow/gold - Pantone 124.
Light yellow/gold - Pantone 109.
If anyone’s interested…
[quote=“wdimagineer2b” post=4638]Personally, I detest Times New Roman. It’s just such a boring typeface.
I’ve always used Flareserif 821 as a nice, close alternative to the hand drawn type of the original ATC badge.
It’s free too.
http://fontscore.com/fonts/Flareserif-821-BT_17879.html
Whilst I’m at it…
For the ATC badge colours I use:
Red - Pantone 032.
Dark yellow/gold - Pantone 124.
Light yellow/gold - Pantone 109.
If anyone’s interested…[/quote]
That is close, I may have to trial that…
I didn’t go for a solid colour this time round, instead I copied the shining gold effect which the fancy Corps crest uses. I don’t know well that will embroider, but it looks great on paper.
[quote=“Baldrick” post=
So is that all it is? Because we won’t be spending any money on it. But does he keep records of them all?[/quote]
To answer your questions, my understanding is Yes.
Yes that is all it is about but I think with a view to try and standardise and yes I do believe he keeps them.
What happens other than that I do not know
Can anyone kindly confirm the bit in the middle, is it ok to have it non-white background?
New squadron’s has primarily one colour.
[quote=“5432golf” post=4642]Can anyone kindly confirm the bit in the middle, is it ok to have it non-white background?
New squadron’s has primarily one colour.[/quote]
It’s fine. I know other units have squadron colours which they use as background for the crest image. 9F is a good example.
Other than heraldic rules, I don’t think there are many restrictions on what you can put inside the crest. That’s up to the unit. What needs standardising is the outline.