Austrian Air Force (1927–1938)

The Austrian Air Force (Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte) of the interwar period began as a paramilitary organisation (1927) and was secretly built up by the government before union with Germany (1938).

In 1927 the paramilitary Heimwehr organisation set up an air corps using Austrian, British and Italian aircraft (dissolved after the Anschluss in 1938).

The Bundesheer began secretly equipping flying clubs in Vienna-Aspern and Graz-Thalerhof with Italian-built aircraft (Fiat Ansaldo and Caproni).

In 1936, flight engineer Rosner from the Graz-Thalerhof base won the competition for designing a new national emblem, which was introduced in the same year.

The white, equilateral triangle with the point facing downwards in a red disc was a completely new design and had (other than the flag or coats of arms) no prior basis.