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N0KFQ > TODAY 01.04.16 16:16l 78 Lines 3624 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 89271_N0KFQ
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Subj: Today in History - Apr 1
Path: IW8PGT<HB9CSR<IK2XDE<IK6ZDE<I0OJJ<N6RME<N0KFQ
Sent: 160401/1415Z 89271@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.4.65
1918
RAF founded
On April 1, 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF) is formed with the
amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval
Air Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British
navy and army as a separate military service with its own
ministry.
In April 1911, eight years after Americans Wilbur and Orville
Wright made the first flight of a self-propelled,
heavier-than-air aircraft, an air battalion of the British army's
Royal Engineers was formed at Larkhill in Wiltshire. The
battalion consisted of aircraft, airship, balloon, and
man-carrying kite companies. In December 1911, the British navy
formed the Royal Naval Flying School at Eastchurch, Kent. In May
1912, both were absorbed into the newly created Royal Flying
Corps, which established a new flying school at Upavon,
Wiltshire, and formed new airplane squadrons. In July 1914, the
specialized requirements of the navy led to the creation of RNAS.
One month later, on August 4, Britain declared war on Germany and
entered World War I. At the time, the RFC had 84 aircraft, and
the RNAS had 71 aircraft and seven airships. Later that month,
four RFC squadrons were deployed to France to support the British
Expeditionary Force. During the next two years, Germany took the
lead in air strategy with technologies like the manual machine
gun, and England suffered bombing raids and frustration in the
skies against German flying aces such as Manfred von Richthofen,
"The Red Baron." Repeated German air raids led British military
planners to push for the creation of a separate air ministry,
which would carry out strategic bombing against Germany. On April
1, 1918, the RAF was formed along with a female branch of the
service, the Women's Royal Air Force. That day, Bristol F.2B
fighters of the 22nd Squadron carried out the first official
missions of the RAF.
By the war's end, in November 1918, the RAF had gained air
superiority along the western front. The strength of the RAF in
November 1918 was nearly 300,000 officers and airmen, and more
than 22,000 aircraft. At the outbreak of World War II, in
September 1939, the operational strength of the RAF in Europe had
diminished to about 2,000 aircraft.
In June 1940, the Western democracies of continental Europe fell
to Germany one by one, leaving Britain alone in its resistance to
Nazi Germany. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler planned an invasion of
Britain and in July 1940 ordered his powerful air force-the
Luftwaffe-to destroy British ports along the coast in
preparation. The outnumbered RAF fliers put up a fierce
resistance in the opening weeks of the Battle of Britain, leading
the Luftwaffe commanders to place destruction of the British air
fleet at the forefront of the German offensive. If the Germans
succeeded in wiping out the RAF, they could begin their invasion
as scheduled in the fall.
During the next three months, however, the RAF successfully
resisted the massive German air invasion, relying on radar
technology, more maneuverable aircraft, and exceptional bravery.
For every British plane shot down, two Luftwaffe warplanes were
destroyed. In October, Hitler delayed the German invasion
indefinitely, and in May 1941 the Battle of Britain came to an
end. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said of the RAF
pilots, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by
so many to so few."
By the war's end in 1945, the strength of the RAF was nearly one
million personnel. Later, this number was reduced and stabilized
at about 150,000.
73, K.O. n0kfq
N0KFQ @ N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
E-mail: kohiggs@gmail.com
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