The Royal Air Force (the royal air force in English, generally shortened in RAF ) is the Air force the United Kingdom. Its currency (motto) is " Per Ardua AD Astra" who would mean " With ardor until the cieux".

Created on April 1st 1918, becoming the 1st air force independent of the world, it succeeds the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service , the two units having been gathered.

The First World War

Royal Air Force is the heiress of Royal Flying Corps, its name changed in April 1918. Its principal hunters were the Sopwith Camel and the SE.5a. The insular position of the island founded the doctrines to come from the strategic bombardment.

The Second world war

She played a considerable part at the time of the Second world war and in particular at the time of the Bataille of England, where its resistance, consolidated by the technical asset that the Radar S British represented, made it possible the the United Kingdom not to lose the control of the airs which had been essential to the Wehrmacht for any attempt at invasion of British Isles.

Royal Air Force contributed to pressurize the areas of the Germany which were with its range. The most massive bombardments were those of Hamburg (operation '' Gomorrah ''), Berlin and of Dresden, cities which underwent considerable damage.

The RAF of the time was divided into three great commands, the Fighter Command (command of Hunting), the Bomber Command (command of the Bombardment) and the Coastal Command (coastal command). On the other hand the Fleet Air ARM did not form part of the RAF but of the Royal Navy . The basic unit as well drives out some as in bombardment was the squadron , corresponding to the French group. The will squadrons were often gathered in wings (squadrons) or in groups (regiments) in the important bases. The will squadrons of hunting were divided into flights (escadrilles), themselves divided into patrols of three then four apparatuses.

Battle of France

Although not very known the French general public, the British air effort was important in the Bataille of France.

At May 10th, 1940, the RAF had 416 planes including 92 hunters and 192 bombers on the French soil.

At May 30th, 35 hunters (out of 650 had by the United Kingdom) and 40 bombers (out of 286) was in France.

It lost 959 planes and have 1.526 killed, wounded and disappeared (losses slightly higher than those of the French Air force) and asserts 940 victories (vraisemblement around 500 victories) and 3.968 tons of released bombs.

Royal Air Force To bend Command

The crews of bombers of this command had very heavy losses. On: 89119 men of crews: 48876 were killed including 450 among: 10510 captive facts. On the whole, only 27% of manpower survived a turn of 30 operations.

: 12726 planes were destroyed including 928 with the drive.

Squadrons "français" Second world war

  • Group of hunting Ile-de-France, the 340th “Free French” Squadron
  • Group of hunting Alsace, the 341th “Free French” Squadron
  • Group of bombardment Lorraine, the 342th Squadron

Post-war period

The XXIe Century

Personalities

  • Douglas Bader: pilot, squadron leader, hero of the Battle of England
  • Leonard Cheshire: pilot of bombers, official British observer during the bombardment of Nagasaki and founder of charitable organizations
  • Roald Dahl: ace of the second world war, more known for its stories for children
  • Hugh Dowding: chief of the Fighter Command during the Battle of England
  • Guy Gibson: it carried out the raid of the " Prejudice Busters" in 1943, which led to the destruction of two dam of the Ruhr
  • Ray Hanna: pilot, instructor, leader of the Red Arrows, collector of Warbird S
  • Johnnie Johnson: pilot holding the British record of the number of air victories during the second world war
  • Peter Townsend: ace of the battle of England, its idylle with the Princesse Margaret of the United Kingdom caused controversy
  • Hugh Trenchard: founder of Royal Air Force
  • Frank Whittle: pilot and father of aviation with reaction

Current equipment and future

External bonds

  • Official site of Royal Air Force
  • Page on Bending it off Command into 39/45
  • Military aircraft the Royal Air Force
  • Royal Air Force, 1939-1945, primary sources
  • Women in the armed forces

Simple: Royal Air Force

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