Independent Air Force

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This article is about the RAF's World War I formation. For general information on air forces which are independent of army or navy control, see air force.

The Independent Air Force (IAF), later known as the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force, was a World War I strategic bombing force which was part of the British Royal Air Force and used to strike against German railways, aerodromes and industrial centres without co-ordination with the Army or Navy.

1 Establishment
2 Composition
3 Actions
4 References

[edit] Establishment

Following the success of the VIII Brigade in bombing Germany, the British Government decided that it should be expended into an independent force.^[1] The forthcoming creation of the Independent Air Force was announced on 13 May 1918 and its General Officer Commanding was to be Major-General Trenchard who had recently stepped down as Chief of the Air Staff. Trenchard had only agreed to serve as GOC after he received criticism for resigning his position as professional head of the RAF during a time of war.[1]

The Independent Air Force came into being on 6 June 1918 with its headquarters in situated near Nancy in France.

[edit] Composition

The Independent Air Force consisted of nine squadrons of aircraft which were equipped with:^[2]

de Havilland DH4s
de Havilland DH9s and de Havilland DH.9As
Handley Page 0/400s
Royal Aircraft Factory FE2bs
Sopwith Camels for escort duties

[edit] Actions

During the last five months of World War I, Independent Air Force aircraft dropped a total of 550 tons of bombs, including 390 tons of bombs dropped by night.^[2]

[edit] References

^ Taylor, John; Moyes, P J R (1968). Pictorial History of the RAF. Shepperton, Surrey, England: Ian Allan Ltd, 16,17.
^ ^a ^b British Military Aviation in 1918 - Part 2 RAF Museum. Retieved 14 March 2008