1918 : RAF FOUNDED:
On April 1, 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF) is formed with the
amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air
Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British navy and
army as a separate military service with its own ministry.
In April 1911, eight years after Americans Wilbur and Orville Wright
made the first flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft,
an air battalion of the British army's Royal Engineers was formed at
Larkhill in Wiltshire. The battalion consisted of aircraft, airship,
balloon, and man-carrying kite companies. In December 1911, the
British navy formed the Royal Naval Flying School at Eastchurch, Kent.
In May 1912, both were absorbed into the newly created Royal Flying
Corps, which established a new flying school at Upavon, Wiltshire, and
formed new airplane squadrons. In July 1914, the specialized
requirements of the navy led to the creation of RNAS.
One month later, on August 4, Britain declared war on Germany and
entered World War I. At the time, the RFC had 84 aircraft, and the
RNAS had 71 aircraft and seven airships. Later that month, four RFC
squadrons were deployed to France to support the British Expeditionary
Force. During the next two years, Germany took the lead in air
strategy with technologies like the manual machine gun, and England
suffered bombing raids and frustration in the skies against German
flying aces such as Manfred von Richthofen, "The Red Baron." Repeated
German air raids led British military planners to push for the
creation of a separate air ministry, which would carry out strategic
bombing against Germany. On April 1, 1918, the RAF was formed along
with a female branch of the service, the Women's Royal Air Force. That
day, Bristol F.2B fighters of the 22nd Squadron carried out the first
official missions of the RAF.
By the war's end, in November 1918, the RAF had gained air superiority
along the western front. The strength of the RAF in November 1918 was
nearly 300,000 officers and airmen, and more than 22,000 aircraft. At
the outbreak of World War II, in September 1939, the operational
strength of the RAF in Europe had diminished to about 2,000 aircraft.
In June 1940, the Western democracies of continental Europe fell to
Germany one by one, leaving Britain alone in its resistance to Nazi
Germany. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler planned an invasion of Britain and
in July 1940 ordered his powerful air force--the Luftwaffe--to destroy
British ports along the coast in preparation. The outnumbered RAF
fliers put up a fierce resistance in the opening weeks of the Battle
of Britain, leading the Luftwaffe commanders to place destruction of
the British air fleet at the forefront of the German offensive. If the
Germans succeeded in wiping out the RAF, they could begin their
invasion as scheduled in the fall.
During the next three months, however, the RAF successfully resisted
the massive German air invasion, relying on radar technology, more
maneuverable aircraft, and exceptional bravery. For every British
plane shot down, two Luftwaffe warplanes were destroyed. In October,
Hitler delayed the German invasion indefinitely, and in May 1941 the
Battle of Britain came to an end. British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill said of the RAF pilots, "Never in the field of human
conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
By the war's end in 1945, the strength of the RAF was nearly one
million personnel. Later, this number was reduced and stabilized at
about 150,000 men and women.
history.com/tdih.do
On April 1, 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF) is formed with the
amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air
Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British navy and
army as a separate military service with its own ministry.
In April 1911, eight years after Americans Wilbur and Orville Wright
made the first flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft,
an air battalion of the British army's Royal Engineers was formed at
Larkhill in Wiltshire. The battalion consisted of aircraft, airship,
balloon, and man-carrying kite companies. In December 1911, the
British navy formed the Royal Naval Flying School at Eastchurch, Kent.
In May 1912, both were absorbed into the newly created Royal Flying
Corps, which established a new flying school at Upavon, Wiltshire, and
formed new airplane squadrons. In July 1914, the specialized
requirements of the navy led to the creation of RNAS.
One month later, on August 4, Britain declared war on Germany and
entered World War I. At the time, the RFC had 84 aircraft, and the
RNAS had 71 aircraft and seven airships. Later that month, four RFC
squadrons were deployed to France to support the British Expeditionary
Force. During the next two years, Germany took the lead in air
strategy with technologies like the manual machine gun, and England
suffered bombing raids and frustration in the skies against German
flying aces such as Manfred von Richthofen, "The Red Baron." Repeated
German air raids led British military planners to push for the
creation of a separate air ministry, which would carry out strategic
bombing against Germany. On April 1, 1918, the RAF was formed along
with a female branch of the service, the Women's Royal Air Force. That
day, Bristol F.2B fighters of the 22nd Squadron carried out the first
official missions of the RAF.
By the war's end, in November 1918, the RAF had gained air superiority
along the western front. The strength of the RAF in November 1918 was
nearly 300,000 officers and airmen, and more than 22,000 aircraft. At
the outbreak of World War II, in September 1939, the operational
strength of the RAF in Europe had diminished to about 2,000 aircraft.
In June 1940, the Western democracies of continental Europe fell to
Germany one by one, leaving Britain alone in its resistance to Nazi
Germany. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler planned an invasion of Britain and
in July 1940 ordered his powerful air force--the Luftwaffe--to destroy
British ports along the coast in preparation. The outnumbered RAF
fliers put up a fierce resistance in the opening weeks of the Battle
of Britain, leading the Luftwaffe commanders to place destruction of
the British air fleet at the forefront of the German offensive. If the
Germans succeeded in wiping out the RAF, they could begin their
invasion as scheduled in the fall.
During the next three months, however, the RAF successfully resisted
the massive German air invasion, relying on radar technology, more
maneuverable aircraft, and exceptional bravery. For every British
plane shot down, two Luftwaffe warplanes were destroyed. In October,
Hitler delayed the German invasion indefinitely, and in May 1941 the
Battle of Britain came to an end. British Prime Minister Winston
Churchill said of the RAF pilots, "Never in the field of human
conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
By the war's end in 1945, the strength of the RAF was nearly one
million personnel. Later, this number was reduced and stabilized at
about 150,000 men and women.
history.com/tdih.do
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