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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.

A Victoria Cross on the first day of battle at the Somme

Having paid for his own flying lessons just three years before the Battle of the Somme, Welshman Lionel Rees had no idea what lay ahead of him on the first day of the…

1 July 2016
Battle of the Somme news
World War One

The danger of flight

Serving as aircrew in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was one of the most dangerous roles in the First World War.

30 June 2016
Battle of the Somme news
World War One

The battle waged from above

In the week before the land battle began of the Battle of the Somme, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) had been tasked with maintaining air superiority, gathering…

29 June 2016
Battle of the Somme news
World War One

Before the attack

The Battle of the Somme began on 1 July 2016, as thousands of British troops climbed out of their trenches and into the barbed wire and machine gun fire of No Man's Land.

28 June 2016
Battle of the Somme news
World War One

The humble Hurricane – 80 years old

November 1935 – the moment an iconic aircraft took to the skies for the first time – the Hawker Hurricane.

13 November 2015
Aircraft
History and heritage

"I have never forgotten my comrades"

The late Hurricane pilot Sqn Ldr Tony Pickering never forgot those he flew alongside during the Battle of Britain.

18 September 2015
Battle of Britain news

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.