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RAF History

The Royal Air Force is the oldest independent air force and has been defending the British skies for more than 100 years. In this hub, you'll find details about the history of the RAF, including the founding of the air force, key Second World War operations, and RAF squadrons and sections.

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Operation Market Garden – 75 years on

Seventy-five years ago today thousands of troops began to be dropped behind enemy lines during the Second World War in one of its largest airborne assaults.

17 September 2019
History and heritage
World War Two

"Abandon aircraft chaps"

Navigator John 'Jack' Lott had just celebrated his 25th birthday weeks before the D-Day landings, sadly this was the last birthday he would ever celebrate.

3 June 2019
D-Day news
World War Two

Spearheading the attack on Fortress Europe

Spearheading the attack on Normandy was just the start of Geoff Packham's extraordinary experience as the end of the war approached.

2 June 2019
D-Day news
World War Two

Airmen of the Great Escape remembered 75 years on

What makes the Great Escape from North Compound, Stalag Luft III in March 1944 so remarkable? The sheer audacity of the incarcerated airmen, their ambition and the scale…

25 March 2019
The Great Escape news

"The plan was for 200 men to get out"

In an interview with the late RAF veteran Jack Lyon, he explains how the PoWs at Stalag Luft III were split into three groups as they carefully planned their escape.

11 March 2019
The Great Escape news
World War Two

"Something's afoot!"

Former Flight Lieutenant Jack Lyon, 96, was 25 when he entered Stalag Luft III's north compound. He became involved in the Great Escape after being moved from the east…

6 March 2019
The Great Escape news
World War Two

The founding of the Royal Air Force

The RAF was founded on 1st April 1918, when the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) were merged in response to the events of the First World War. The newly created RAF was the most powerful air force in the world, with over 20,000 aircraft and 300,000 personnel. At the end of the First World War, the RAF was reduced in size and took on the task of policing the British Empire using air power. However, it then underwent rapid expansion prior to, and during, the Second World War.

Key Second World War operations

During the Second World War, the RAF was responsible for the aerial defence of Britain, as well as the strategic bombing of Germany. RAF squadrons also provided tactical support to the British Army around the world. The Battle of Britain was a defining operation for the RAF, who held off the Luftwaffe in one of the most complex ongoing air campaigns in history, during the summer of 1940.

Royal Air Force Squadrons and Sections

The RAF is made up of squadrons that can fly aircraft or be ground based, covering a diverse range of roles, such as combat, training, reconnaissance, and equipment testing. Sections include the RAF regiments, a specialist corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942 with the aim to respond to a wide range of threats, whenever and wherever necessary.