Timeline of the Royal Air Force
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[edit] 1900-1918
- 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.
- 1911
- 1 April - Air Battalion, Royal Engineers formed at Larkhill.
- December - The Royal Naval Flying School formed at Eastchurch, Kent.
- 1912
- 13 April - Royal Flying Corps (RFC) formed.
- 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.
- 12 December 1916 - RFC expands to 106 front-line squadrons and 95 reserve and training squadrons.
- 29 November 1917 - The Air Force (Constitution) Act passed, providing for creation of an Air Force and an Air Ministry.
- 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.
- 13 May - The Independent Force, RAF is created as the worlds first air force not controlled by an army or navy.
- 3 June - The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Force Cross (AFC), Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), Air Force Medal (AFM) are constituted.
- June - Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service formed.
- 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.
[edit] 1918-1939
- 1920
- 5 February - The RAF College Cranwell is established.
- 1921
- 1 October - RAF military control of Mesopotamia begins.
- 1925
- March to May - The RAF carries out its first independent air action, bombing and strafing the mountain strongholds of Mahsud tribesmen in Waziristan.
- 1928
- 23 December - 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.
[edit] 1939-1945
- 1939
- 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 - RAF spitfires shoot down an He 111 bomber over Lothian, the first German aircraft to be shot down over the UK.
- 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.
- 1945
- 22 February - Allied Air Forces launch Operation Clarion, a concerted effort to destroy German transportation within 24 hours.
[edit] 1945-1990
- 1949
- 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.
[edit] 1990-present
- 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.
