Brazilian Naval Force Command Pennants (original) (raw)

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Captain Commanding a Force

Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra Comandante de Força

image by Željko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons, 2000

Triangular blue pennant with 21 white stars as in the Cruzeiro and with white slanted anchor in lower hoist quarter. The stars are arranged 3 above, 3 below, 5 to hoist and 9 to fly of the central star. This agrees with MB Ceremonial.
Željko Heimer, 25 March 2001

Commander or Lieutenant Commander Commanding a Force

Capitão-de-Fragata ou Capitão-de-Corveta Comandante de Força

image by Željko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons, 2000

The same flag in shape of trapezoid. The fly size seems to be about 1/3 of the hoist. The flag is used by the other two higher officer ranks under the captain, those being commander and Lieutenant Commander (or, in the "French" system of ranks [as used by Brazil--ed.] these would be Captain of Frigate and Captain of Corvette).
Željko Heimer, 25 March 2001

Senior Commander Present Afloat

Comandante Mais Antigo Presente Embarcado (COMAPEM)

image by Željko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons, 2000

The triangular Cruzeiro, as for a captain commanding a force, without the anchor and with a star in the upper fly quarter. This agrees with MB Ceremonial, from which we learn that this is only used for senior officers if they hold rank of higher officers (captain, commander, or lieutenant commander). There are special designs for the senior commander present afloat if the COMAPEM is an admiral.
Željko Heimer, 25 March 2001

Higher Officer Pennant

Flâmula de Oficial Superior

image by Željko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons, 2000

Long triangular white pennant with single blue star. Ratio seems to be about 1:7~. I guess that this flag replaces the masthead pennant when either the senior commander present afloat pennant or a senior admiral's flag are hoisted elsewhere on the ship. The MB Cerimonial mentions the flag, too.
Željko Heimer, 25 March 2001

The terminology for these flags is quite different. The flag referred to in MB Cerimonial as the flag or pennant of COMAPEM, which stands for _Comandante mais antigo presente embarcado,_or senior commander present afloat, is hoisted "only in the ship in which the most senior (antigo) officer is found." By contrast, this white pennant is described as "hoisted in small boats (embarcacões miúdas) that are carrying a higher officer (oficial supérior, not mais antigo) in uniform, being lowered as soon as the officer disembarks. That sounds to me like a pennant flown in the bow to indicate the presence of a captain, commander, or lieutenant commander--grades which are designated as "higher officers" as opposed to either admirals (oficiais gerais) or intermediate officers and subalterns (lieutenants). It seems clear from MB Ceremonial that the white pennant with one blue star is not a substitute for the warship or commissioning pennant.
_Joseph McMillan,_12 June 2001

Captain of the Ports

Capitão dos Portos

image by Željko Heimer

Source: Album des Pavillons, 2000

The triangular Cruzeiro without any other charge. In agreement with MB Ceremonial.
Željko Heimer, 25 March 2001