Timeline of the Royal Air Force
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| Royal Air Force air component of the British Armed Forces |
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1900-1918: The origins of the Royal Air Force
- 1901
- 29 October - The Aero Club of Great Britain is established. In the following years many early military pilots were trained by members of the Club.
- 1905
- 27 April - Sapper Moreton of the British Army's Balloon Section is lifted 2,600 ft (792 m) by a kite at Aldershot under the supervision of the kite's designer, Samuel Cody.
- 1908
- Samuel Cody completes the first powered flight in the UK at Farnborough.
- 1909
- The Aero Club establishes the first British flying ground near Leysdown in Kent.
- 2 May - John Moore-Brabazon becomes the first Englishman to make an officially recognized aeroplane flight in England.
- 1910
- The Aero Club moves its flying from Leysdown to the nearby Eastchurch.
- June - Charles Rolls becomes the first Englishman to fly across the Channel.
- 1911
- 1 April - Air Battalion, Royal Engineers formed at Larkhill.
- December - The Royal Naval Flying School formed at Eastchurch, Kent.
- 1912
- 13 April - The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) is established by Royal Warrant. An Air Committee to liaise between the Admiralty and the War Office is also created.
- 13 May - RFC assume control of Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers and the Naval Air Service.
- 19 June- Central Flying School (CFS) is formed at Upavon.
- 1914
- 1 July - Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) formed by splitting airship squadrons away from the RFC
- September - The first RNAS aircraft squadrons formed. 1 Squadron RNAS at Antwerp, 2 Squadron RNAS at Eastchurch, 3 Squadron RNAS at St. Pol, France.
- 1916
- 15 February - The Joint War Air Committee is established to co-ordinate the activities of the RFC and RNAS.
- 15 May - The Air Board replaces the ineffective Joint War Air Committee.
- 12 December - RFC expands to 106 front-line squadrons and 95 reserve and training squadrons.
- 1917
- 29 November - The Air Force (Constitution) Act passed, providing for creation of an Air Force and an Air Ministry.
1918-1939: The inter-war years and policing the Empire
- 1918
- 2 January - The Air Ministry comes into being with Lord Rothermere as Secretary of State for Air. Major-General Sir Hugh Trenchard becomes the first Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).
- 1 April
- The Royal Air Force is formed by amalgamating the RFC and RNAS.
- First operational mission by the RAF carried out by 22 Squadron
- Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) formed.
- 3 June - The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Force Cross (AFC), Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), Air Force Medal (AFM) are constituted.
- 6 June - The Independent Air Force, the RAF's strategic bombing force, is formed.
- June - Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service formed.
- 19 September to 1 October - Battle of Megiddo. The RAF's Palestine Brigade plays a key role in the British victory over the Ottoman Empire, including the destruction of the Ottoman Seventh Army.
- 11 November - At the end of the First World War, the RAF was the largest air force in the world with 27,333 officers, 263,837 other ranks, 22,647 aircraft, 103 airships, 133 front-line squadrons, 15 flights and 270 aerodromes overseas, 55 front-line squadrons, 75 training squadrons/depots, 401 aerodromes at home and 25,000 WRAF members.
- 1919
- August - RAF officer ranks are introduced.
- 1920
- January to February - The defeat of the "Mad Mullah". The beginnings of colonial air control as RAF aircraft acting with the Somaliland Camel Corps in British Somaliland overthrow the Dervish leader.
- 5 February - The RAF College Cranwell is established.
- WRAF disbanded.
- 1921
- 1 October - RAF military control of Mesopotamia begins.
- 1922
- 1 October - RAF Iraq Command is formed.
- 1925
- March to May - Pink's War. The RAF carries out its first independent air action, bombing and strafing the mountain strongholds of Mahsud tribesmen in Waziristan.
- 1928
- 23 December - The Kabul Airlift. The world's first air evacuation is carried out by the RAF when the British Legation in Kabul is flown to safety.
- 1932
- 1936
- 14 July - The UK's air defences are reorganised into four commands: Bomber Command, Fighter Command, Coastal Command and Training Command.
- 1938
- 1 April - Maintenance Command is formed.
- 1 November - Balloon Command is formed.
1939-1945: World War II
For RAF WWII air operations, see List of air operations during the Battle of Europe.
- 1939
- 24 August - The Advanced Air Striking Force is formed in preparation for operations on the Continent
- 3 September - Following the UK's declaration of war on Germany, the RAF conducts photographic reconnaissance of the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven.
- 29 November - RAuxAF spitfires shoot down an He 111 bomber over Lothian, the first German aircraft to be shot down over the UK in World War II.
- Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) instituted.
- 1940
- 16 May - Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding writes his letter to the Air Ministry which results in no further aircraft squadrons, earmarked for home defence, being sent to France.
- 10 July - The Battle of Britain begins.
- 13 August - Adlertag (Eagle Day). The Luftwaffe's attempts to gain air superiority over Britain fail, with the balance of aircraft losses being strongly in the RAF's favour.
- 1941
- 15 May - The maiden flight of first British jet aircraft, the Gloster E.28/39.
- 20 July - Ferry Command is formed.
- 24 December - The Avro Lancaster enters service with the RAF.
- 1942
- 30 May - Over 1,000 bombers set out to raid Cologne, severely damaging the city.
- 1 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Essen, however many crews mistakenly bomb other cities.
- 25 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Bremen, severely damaging the city and successfully bombing the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory.
- 1943
- 5 March - In an effort to decimate the German industrial base, Bomber Command begins bombing the Ruhr region.
- 25 March - Transport Command is formed by redesignating Ferry Command.
- 16 May - Aircraft of 617 Squadron set out on Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid. The Mohne and Eder dams are breached.
- 18 November - This is the first night of a four-month bombing campaign against Berlin.
- 1944
- 24 March - RAF and Dominion Air Force personnel are murdered by the Gestapo after the "great escape" from Stalag Luft III Prisoner of War Camp.
- 6 June - D-Day commences. Diversions supplied by Avro Lancasters of 101 Squadron operating the ABC radio jamming equipment. Reconnaissance photographs were supplied by Spitfires of 16 Squadron.
- 1945
- 22 February - Allied Air Forces launch Operation Clarion, a concerted effort to destroy German transportation within 24 hours.
1945-1990: The Cold War years
- 1948
- 28 June 1948 to 30 September 1949 - The RAF conducts Operation Plainfare, the British contribution to the Berlin Airlift.
- June - The RAF conducts Operation Firedog against Malayan terrorists during the Malayan Emergency. Two Spitfires of No. 60 Squadron fly the first offensive mission on 6 July, destroying an enemy base at Perak. Involvement continues until 1960.
- 1949
- 1953
- Avro Lincoln squadrons flying out of RAF Eastleigh conduct anti-Mau Mau operations in Kenya. Operations continue until 1955.
- 1956
- 31 October - Canberras fly reconnaissance sorties and bomb Egyptian airfields on the opening night of Suez War's air campaign.
- 1958
- 3 November - Signals Command is formed.
- 1967
- 1 August - Air Support Command is formed by redesignating Transport Command
- 1968
- 30 April - Strike Command is formed from Fighter Command and Bomber Command.
- 28 November - Coastal Command is absorbed into the newly created Strike Command.
- 1969
- 1 January - Signals Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
- 1972
- 1 September - Air Support Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
- 1982
- 30 April - Operation Black Buck. Vulcan bombers set out from RAF Ascension Island on the first of six raids against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands.
- 1986
- 8 January - RAF Marine Branch disbanded.
1990-present: Expeditionary operations
- 1990
- RAF fighters based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior to the Gulf War
- 1991
- 16 January to 11 April - During the Gulf War, RAF aircraft fight in the air battle over Kuwait and Iraq.
- The RAF begins Operations Resonate North and Resonate South, the British contribution to the Allied efforts to enforce the Iraqi no-fly zones. These operations continue for over a decade.
- 1993
- RAF Tornado F3s and AWACS aircraft contribute to NATO's operation to restrict airspace movements over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Operation Deny Flight. The operation continues until late 1995.
- 1998
- 16 December - Operation Desert Fox. RAF Tornados and USAF F-117s bomb military targets in Iraq.
- 2001
- 9 October - During the third day of Operation Veritas, RAF aircraft commenced the provision of air-to-air refuelling, reconnaissance and surveillance support to US aircraft operating over Afghanistan.
- 2004
- September - A detachment of six RAF Harriers from Joint Force Harrier was based at Kandahar Airfield to support colilition ground forces.[1]
- 30 October – 31 December - Four Tornado F3s deployed to Lithuania for the British rotation as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing.[2]
- 2005
- RAF deployed to Indonesia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster to provide aid relief support and transport
- 2006
- July - Three Chinook helicopters of 27 Squadron deployed to RAF Akrotiri to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon.
- 2007
- April - Strike Command and Personnel and Training Command merge to form Air Command.
See also
References
- ↑ "Ministry of Defence | Fact Sheets | Operations Factsheets | Operations in Afghanistan: Background Briefing 1". 2009-10-26. Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- ↑ Hansard, 14/12/04
Royal Air Force website timeline
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