On the first day of April 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) merged to form the Royal Air Force (RAF), the oldest air force in the world. This air force went on for the next one hundred years from its humble beginnings to inspire Winston Churchill to utter those memorable words - Never in the field of human conflict have so many, owed so much to so few. - after the Battle of Britain in 1944, when a relatively small air force denied Nazi Germany the air superiority it needed to invade the British Isles. This was a most significant turning point in WW2. I am proud to salute the RAF and wish its current members a happy birthday. I hope you will join in with me. Thanks!
Perhaps you might explain the relationship between the land and sea based versions? Harrier angled deck carrier Gloster meteor Mosquito Spitfire Hurricane Sea Fury - sunk the Italian Navy and nailed the Bismarck Bob Wilson
Happy Birthday RAF!!! 1 April is also the officially observed birthday of the US Navy's CPO. Ah.......Bob.....didn't a Fairy Swordfish cripple Bismarck? I think that she was ultimately sunk by a destroyer....which is one of the reasons that I've always admired HM's Royal Navy!!! Cripple the ship with an obsolete biplane and sink it with a tin can! Well done.... I think that the same aircraft also participated in the Italian raid as well. The Swordfish was clearly obsolete in the opening days of WW-II, but the spunky little biplane remained in serial production through 1944 and remained in front line service until after the war in Europe. Fun fact: There was also a radar-equipped version of this obsolete, fabric covered biplane....
The Fairy Swordfish were operating from RAF Station Luqa on the island of Malta in the Med. For its historic efforts in the Mediterranean theater in WW2 the island was awarded the Victoria Cross, the British highest military award for Valor in the face of the enemy. It may officially be known as Malta VC. Since the developer on modern warfare, hand to hand combat is less common nowadays and the possibility of the award continuing is unlikely letting to the stringent tests applied to those recommended. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Cross&ved=2ahUKEwiIxoKSrpvaAhVGI1AKHVwNDTUQFjAiegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw32hncw6y434Y323tnFM8wi This may give you some idea, but my personal knowledge is limited and I've only ever seen one in a museum. Anecdotally, whilst serving in Aden one noncommissioned holder of the VC was there during my tour of duty. The Garrison Sergeant Major always snapped up a smart salute for him whenever their paths crossed. Now that's what I call respect!
There are several events, people, or inventions without which, the war would have been lost. Churchill was one, imho, and the RAF was another. Happy 100th birthday to the RAF. I'd hate to think what would have happened to the world if not for those courageous pilots and their amazing Spitfires.
America's Medal of Honor is patterned after the VC, with many of the same customs honors and traditions. Of course, we do not have the panache of fabricating our medals from the cascabels of captured enemy cannon, but that's the Brits for you! Fun fact: Contrary to popular myth, there's no regulation in any of the US Armed forces that require ossifers or enlisted to render hand salutes to those awarded a MOH. However (comma!) it's a universally accepted tradition that's assiduously observed........the best kind of honor!
I believe the salute is only mandated to recognise Head of State etc, Commissioned officer, or the quarter deck for RN since Nelson. But as they used to say..... If it moves, salute it. If it didn't move, paint it!
Yes!!! There were a lot of non-Brits involved in the RAF during WWII too - WIKI is a bit vague, but says as "flying at least one authorized, operational sortie with an eligible unit during the period between 10 July to 31 October 1940" (is this the Battle of Britain) - 2353 British pilots and 573 Non-UK pilots.
One was John Gillespie Magee, Jr: High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air... Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark or even eagle flew -- And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. Bob Wilson
Eagle Squadrons Wiki may be a bit off on the number cited above, although the Eagle Squadrons were probably more of a thing after the Battle of Britain than before. A few American citizens were probably illegal immigrants in Canada and were counted among the RCAF's participants as well as in other nations. As always, history is lost without context. As excellently noted by the RAF museum's page, under US law it is (*was) illegal for a citizen to join the armed forces of a foreign nation. US flyers therefore had quite an incentive to 'go native.' Our 32nd President, most often referred to simply by his initials....FDR, was and IS a very controversial person politically.....not unlike one or two of HM's Prime Ministers that I can think of. However (comma!) I give FDR FULL and nearly SOLE credit for saving the United States. Twice! He used a dash of Socialism to quell a dalliance with Communism that we were involved with in the early 30's, and he shepherded a massive buildup of US forces, particularly Naval Forces in the 1930's while America was constrained by isolationism, economic upheaval, and treaties like the Washington Naval Treaty. If FDR bent the law by........say...."encouraging" some of our flyers to be outsourced, then he utterly shattered the law with Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers in China!! One must remember that even with the leavening of foreign troops.....the phrase "They Stood Alone" is still quite appropriate, and if I'm justified in giving FDR credit for twice saving the United States, then equal credit must be given to Great Britain in general, and probably her PM particularly for saving Western Civilization. (*) edit. Cannot determine if it is still illegal, and "serving" has various meanings.......e.g. liaisons, schools, etc...
…c'mon, chaps! let's hear it for Alan Pollock! Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident - Wikipedia Here's the rest of the story: Jever Steam Laundry - 4 Sqn personnel Pollock 004
