CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs skin-theme-clientpref-day mf-expand-sections-clientpref-0 mf-font-size-clientpref-small mw-mf-amc-clientpref-0" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>Royal Flying Corps - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js skin-theme-clientpref-day mf-expand-sections-clientpref-0 mf-font-size-clientpref-small mw-mf-amc-clientpref-0";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy","wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"431336bf-9c99-4774-beaf-35af91544462","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Royal_Flying_Corps","wgTitle":"Royal Flying Corps","wgCurRevisionId":1256997189,"wgRevisionId":1256997189,"wgArticleId": 233670,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Royal_Flying_Corps","wgRelevantArticleId":233670,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{"levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFMode":"stable","wgMFAmc":false,"wgMFAmcOutreachActive":false,"wgMFAmcOutreachUserEligible":false,"wgMFLazyLoadImages":true,"wgMFEditNoticesFeatureConflict":false,"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgMFIsSupportedEditRequest":true,"wgMFScriptPath":"", "wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":80000,"wgRelatedArticlesCompat":[],"wgCentralAuthMobileDomain":true,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgSectionTranslationMissingLanguages":[{"lang":"ace","autonym":"Acèh","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ady","autonym":"адыгабзэ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"alt","autonym":"алтай тил","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"am","autonym":"አማርኛ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ami","autonym":"Pangcah","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"an","autonym":"aragonés","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ang","autonym":"Ænglisc","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ann","autonym":"Obolo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"anp","autonym":"अंगिका","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ary","autonym":"الدارجة","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"arz","autonym":"مصرى","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"as","autonym":"অসমীয়া","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ast","autonym":"asturianu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"av","autonym":"авар","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"avk","autonym":"Kotava","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"awa","autonym": "अवधी","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ay","autonym":"Aymar aru","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"az","autonym":"azərbaycanca","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"azb","autonym":"تۆرکجه","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"ba","autonym":"башҡортса","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ban","autonym":"Basa Bali","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bar","autonym":"Boarisch","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bbc","autonym":"Batak Toba","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bcl","autonym":"Bikol Central","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bdr","autonym":"Bajau Sama","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"be","autonym":"беларуская","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bew","autonym":"Betawi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bg","autonym":"български","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bho","autonym":"भोजपुरी","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bi","autonym":"Bislama","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bjn","autonym":"Banjar","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"blk","autonym":"ပအိုဝ်ႏဘာႏသာႏ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bm","autonym":"bamanankan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bn","autonym":"বাংলা","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bo", "autonym":"བོད་ཡིག","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bpy","autonym":"বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"br","autonym":"brezhoneg","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bs","autonym":"bosanski","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"btm","autonym":"Batak Mandailing","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"bug","autonym":"Basa Ugi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"cdo","autonym":"閩東語 / Mìng-dĕ̤ng-ngṳ̄","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ce","autonym":"нохчийн","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ceb","autonym":"Cebuano","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ch","autonym":"Chamoru","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"chr","autonym":"ᏣᎳᎩ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ckb","autonym":"کوردی","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"co","autonym":"corsu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"cr","autonym":"Nēhiyawēwin / ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐍᐏᐣ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"crh","autonym":"qırımtatarca","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"cu","autonym":"словѣньскъ / ⰔⰎⰑⰂⰡⰐⰠⰔⰍⰟ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"cy","autonym":"Cymraeg","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"dag","autonym" :"dagbanli","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"dga","autonym":"Dagaare","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"din","autonym":"Thuɔŋjäŋ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"diq","autonym":"Zazaki","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"dsb","autonym":"dolnoserbski","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"dtp","autonym":"Kadazandusun","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"dv","autonym":"ދިވެހިބަސް","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"dz","autonym":"ཇོང་ཁ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ee","autonym":"eʋegbe","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"el","autonym":"Ελληνικά","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"eml","autonym":"emiliàn e rumagnòl","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"eo","autonym":"Esperanto","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"et","autonym":"eesti","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"eu","autonym":"euskara","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fat","autonym":"mfantse","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ff","autonym":"Fulfulde","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fj","autonym":"Na Vosa Vakaviti","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fo","autonym":"føroyskt","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fon","autonym":"fɔ̀ngbè","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"frp","autonym":"arpetan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"frr", "autonym":"Nordfriisk","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fur","autonym":"furlan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"fy","autonym":"Frysk","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gag","autonym":"Gagauz","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gan","autonym":"贛語","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gcr","autonym":"kriyòl gwiyannen","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gl","autonym":"galego","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"glk","autonym":"گیلکی","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"gn","autonym":"Avañe'ẽ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gom","autonym":"गोंयची कोंकणी / Gõychi Konknni","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gor","autonym":"Bahasa Hulontalo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gpe","autonym":"Ghanaian Pidgin","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gu","autonym":"ગુજરાતી","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"guc","autonym":"wayuunaiki","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gur","autonym":"farefare","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"guw","autonym":"gungbe","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"gv","autonym":"Gaelg","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ha","autonym":"Hausa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hak","autonym":"客家語 / Hak-kâ-ngî","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"haw", "autonym":"Hawaiʻi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hi","autonym":"हिन्दी","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hif","autonym":"Fiji Hindi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hr","autonym":"hrvatski","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hsb","autonym":"hornjoserbsce","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ht","autonym":"Kreyòl ayisyen","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hu","autonym":"magyar","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hy","autonym":"հայերեն","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"hyw","autonym":"Արեւմտահայերէն","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ia","autonym":"interlingua","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"iba","autonym":"Jaku Iban","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ie","autonym":"Interlingue","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ig","autonym":"Igbo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"igl","autonym":"Igala","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ilo","autonym":"Ilokano","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"io","autonym":"Ido","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"is","autonym":"íslenska","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"iu","autonym":"ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ / inuktitut","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"jam","autonym":"Patois","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"jv","autonym":"Jawa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang" :"ka","autonym":"ქართული","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kaa","autonym":"Qaraqalpaqsha","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kab","autonym":"Taqbaylit","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kbd","autonym":"адыгэбзэ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kbp","autonym":"Kabɩyɛ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kcg","autonym":"Tyap","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kg","autonym":"Kongo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kge","autonym":"Kumoring","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ki","autonym":"Gĩkũyũ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kk","autonym":"қазақша","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kl","autonym":"kalaallisut","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"km","autonym":"ភាសាខ្មែរ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kn","autonym":"ಕನ್ನಡ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ko","autonym":"한국어","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"koi","autonym":"перем коми","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"krc","autonym":"къарачай-малкъар","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ks","autonym":"कॉशुर / کٲشُر","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"ku","autonym":"kurdî","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kus","autonym":"Kʋsaal","dir": "ltr"},{"lang":"kv","autonym":"коми","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"kw","autonym":"kernowek","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ky","autonym":"кыргызча","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lad","autonym":"Ladino","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lb","autonym":"Lëtzebuergesch","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lez","autonym":"лезги","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lg","autonym":"Luganda","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"li","autonym":"Limburgs","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lij","autonym":"Ligure","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lld","autonym":"Ladin","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lmo","autonym":"lombard","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ln","autonym":"lingála","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lo","autonym":"ລາວ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lt","autonym":"lietuvių","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ltg","autonym":"latgaļu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"lv","autonym":"latviešu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mad","autonym":"Madhurâ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mai","autonym":"मैथिली","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"map-bms","autonym":"Basa Banyumasan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mdf","autonym":"мокшень","dir":"ltr"},{ "lang":"mg","autonym":"Malagasy","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mhr","autonym":"олык марий","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mi","autonym":"Māori","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"min","autonym":"Minangkabau","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mk","autonym":"македонски","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ml","autonym":"മലയാളം","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mn","autonym":"монгол","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mni","autonym":"ꯃꯤꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mnw","autonym":"ဘာသာမန်","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mos","autonym":"moore","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mr","autonym":"मराठी","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mrj","autonym":"кырык мары","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mt","autonym":"Malti","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mwl","autonym":"Mirandés","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"my","autonym":"မြန်မာဘာသာ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"myv","autonym":"эрзянь","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"mzn","autonym":"مازِرونی","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"nah","autonym":"Nāhuatl","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nan","autonym": "閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gú","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nap","autonym":"Napulitano","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nb","autonym":"norsk bokmål","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nds","autonym":"Plattdüütsch","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nds-nl","autonym":"Nedersaksies","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ne","autonym":"नेपाली","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"new","autonym":"नेपाल भाषा","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nia","autonym":"Li Niha","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nl","autonym":"Nederlands","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nn","autonym":"norsk nynorsk","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nqo","autonym":"ߒߞߏ","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"nr","autonym":"isiNdebele seSewula","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"nso","autonym":"Sesotho sa Leboa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ny","autonym":"Chi-Chewa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"oc","autonym":"occitan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"om","autonym":"Oromoo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"or","autonym":"ଓଡ଼ିଆ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"os","autonym":"ирон","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pa","autonym":"ਪੰਜਾਬੀ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pag", "autonym":"Pangasinan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pam","autonym":"Kapampangan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pap","autonym":"Papiamentu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pcd","autonym":"Picard","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pcm","autonym":"Naijá","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pdc","autonym":"Deitsch","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pms","autonym":"Piemontèis","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"pnb","autonym":"پنجابی","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"ps","autonym":"پښتو","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"pwn","autonym":"pinayuanan","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"qu","autonym":"Runa Simi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rm","autonym":"rumantsch","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rn","autonym":"ikirundi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ro","autonym":"română","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rsk","autonym":"руски","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rue","autonym":"русиньскый","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rup","autonym":"armãneashti","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"rw","autonym":"Ikinyarwanda","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sa","autonym":"संस्कृतम्","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sah","autonym":"саха тыла","dir":"ltr" },{"lang":"sat","autonym":"ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sc","autonym":"sardu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"scn","autonym":"sicilianu","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sco","autonym":"Scots","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sd","autonym":"سنڌي","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"se","autonym":"davvisámegiella","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sg","autonym":"Sängö","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sgs","autonym":"žemaitėška","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sh","autonym":"srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"shi","autonym":"Taclḥit","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"shn","autonym":"ၽႃႇသႃႇတႆး ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"si","autonym":"සිංහල","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sk","autonym":"slovenčina","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"skr","autonym":"سرائیکی","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"sm","autonym":"Gagana Samoa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"smn","autonym":"anarâškielâ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sn","autonym":"chiShona","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"so","autonym":"Soomaaliga","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sq","autonym":"shqip","dir": "ltr"},{"lang":"sr","autonym":"српски / srpski","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"srn","autonym":"Sranantongo","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ss","autonym":"SiSwati","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"st","autonym":"Sesotho","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"stq","autonym":"Seeltersk","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"su","autonym":"Sunda","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"sw","autonym":"Kiswahili","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"szl","autonym":"ślůnski","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ta","autonym":"தமிழ்","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tay","autonym":"Tayal","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tcy","autonym":"ತುಳು","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tdd","autonym":"ᥖᥭᥰ ᥖᥬᥲ ᥑᥨᥒᥰ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"te","autonym":"తెలుగు","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tet","autonym":"tetun","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tg","autonym":"тоҷикӣ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"th","autonym":"ไทย","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ti","autonym":"ትግርኛ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tk","autonym":"Türkmençe","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tl","autonym":"Tagalog","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tly","autonym": "tolışi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tn","autonym":"Setswana","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"to","autonym":"lea faka-Tonga","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tpi","autonym":"Tok Pisin","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"trv","autonym":"Seediq","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ts","autonym":"Xitsonga","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tt","autonym":"татарча / tatarça","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tum","autonym":"chiTumbuka","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tw","autonym":"Twi","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ty","autonym":"reo tahiti","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"tyv","autonym":"тыва дыл","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"udm","autonym":"удмурт","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ur","autonym":"اردو","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"uz","autonym":"oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"ve","autonym":"Tshivenda","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"vec","autonym":"vèneto","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"vep","autonym":"vepsän kel’","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"vi","autonym":"Tiếng Việt","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"vls","autonym":"West-Vlams","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"vo","autonym":"Volapük","dir":"ltr"},{"lang": "vro","autonym":"võro","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"wa","autonym":"walon","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"war","autonym":"Winaray","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"wo","autonym":"Wolof","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"wuu","autonym":"吴语","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"xal","autonym":"хальмг","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"xh","autonym":"isiXhosa","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"xmf","autonym":"მარგალური","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"yi","autonym":"ייִדיש","dir":"rtl"},{"lang":"yo","autonym":"Yorùbá","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"yue","autonym":"粵語","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"za","autonym":"Vahcuengh","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"zgh","autonym":"ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ ⵜⴰⵏⴰⵡⴰⵢⵜ","dir":"ltr"},{"lang":"zu","autonym":"isiZulu","dir":"ltr"}],"wgSectionTranslationTargetLanguages":["ace","ady","alt","am","ami","an","ang","ann","anp","ar","ary","arz","as","ast","av","avk","awa","ay","az","azb","ba","ban","bar","bbc","bcl","bdr","be","bew","bg","bho","bi","bjn","blk","bm","bn","bo","bpy","br","bs","btm","bug","ca","cdo","ce", "ceb","ch","chr","ckb","co","cr","crh","cs","cu","cy","da","dag","de","dga","din","diq","dsb","dtp","dv","dz","ee","el","eml","eo","es","et","eu","fa","fat","ff","fi","fj","fo","fon","fr","frp","frr","fur","fy","gag","gan","gcr","gl","glk","gn","gom","gor","gpe","gu","guc","gur","guw","gv","ha","hak","haw","he","hi","hif","hr","hsb","ht","hu","hy","hyw","ia","iba","ie","ig","igl","ilo","io","is","it","iu","ja","jam","jv","ka","kaa","kab","kbd","kbp","kcg","kg","kge","ki","kk","kl","km","kn","ko","koi","krc","ks","ku","kus","kv","kw","ky","lad","lb","lez","lg","li","lij","lld","lmo","ln","lo","lt","ltg","lv","mad","mai","map-bms","mdf","mg","mhr","mi","min","mk","ml","mn","mni","mnw","mos","mr","mrj","ms","mt","mwl","my","myv","mzn","nah","nan","nap","nb","nds","nds-nl","ne","new","nia","nl","nn","nqo","nr","nso","ny","oc","om","or","os","pa","pag","pam","pap","pcd","pcm","pdc","pl","pms","pnb","ps","pt","pwn","qu","rm","rn","ro","rsk","rue","rup","rw","sa","sah","sat","sc","scn","sco", "sd","se","sg","sgs","sh","shi","shn","si","sk","skr","sl","sm","smn","sn","so","sq","sr","srn","ss","st","stq","su","sv","sw","szl","ta","tay","tcy","tdd","te","tet","tg","th","ti","tk","tl","tly","tn","to","tpi","tr","trv","ts","tt","tum","tw","ty","tyv","udm","ur","uz","ve","vec","vep","vi","vls","vo","vro","wa","war","wo","wuu","xal","xh","xmf","yi","yo","yue","za","zgh","zh","zu"],"isLanguageSearcherCXEntrypointEnabled":true,"mintEntrypointLanguages":["ace","ast","azb","bcl","bjn","bh","crh","ff","fon","ig","is","ki","ks","lmo","min","sat","ss","tn","vec"],"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q943118","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false,"wgMinervaPermissions":{"watchable":true,"watch":false},"wgMinervaFeatures":{"beta":false, "donate":true,"mobileOptionsLink":true,"categories":false,"pageIssues":true,"talkAtTop":true,"historyInPageActions":false,"overflowSubmenu":false,"tabsOnSpecials":true,"personalMenu":false,"mainMenuExpanded":false,"echo":true,"nightMode":true},"wgMinervaDownloadNamespaces":[0]};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.minerva.styles":"ready","skins.minerva.content.styles.images":"ready","mediawiki.hlist":"ready","skins.minerva.codex.styles":"ready","skins.minerva.icons":"ready","skins.minerva.amc.styles":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","mobile.init.styles":"ready","ext.relatedArticles.styles":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready","ext.wikimediaBadges":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","mediawiki.page.media","ext.scribunto.logs","site","mediawiki.page.ready","skins.minerva.scripts", "ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","ext.popups","mobile.init","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.relatedArticles.readMore.bootstrap","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.entrypoints.mffrequentlanguages","ext.cx.entrypoints.languagesearcher.init","mw.externalguidance.init","ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession","wikibase.sidebar.tracking"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.relatedArticles.styles%7Cext.wikimediaBadges%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cmediawiki.hlist%7Cmobile.init.styles%7Cskins.minerva.amc.styles%7Cskins.minerva.codex.styles%7Cskins.minerva.content.styles.images%7Cskins.minerva.icons%2Cstyles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=minerva"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=minerva"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=minerva"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.4"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#eaecf0"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/1200px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/800px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="800"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/640px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="640"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, user-scalable=yes, minimum-scale=0.25, maximum-scale=5.0"> <meta property="og:title" content="Royal Flying Corps - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="manifest" href="/w/api.php?action=webapp-manifest"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-Royal_Flying_Corps rootpage-Royal_Flying_Corps stable issues-group-B skin-minerva action-view skin--responsive mw-mf-amc-disabled mw-mf"><div id="mw-mf-viewport"> <div id="mw-mf-page-center"> <a class="mw-mf-page-center__mask" href="#"></a> <header class="header-container header-chrome"> <div class="minerva-header"> <nav class="navigation-drawer toggle-list view-border-box"> <input type="checkbox" id="main-menu-input" class="toggle-list__checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false" aria-labelledby="mw-mf-main-menu-button"> <label role="button" for="main-menu-input" id="mw-mf-main-menu-button" aria-hidden="true" data-event-name="ui.mainmenu" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet toggle-list__toggle"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--menu"></span> <span></span> </label> <div id="mw-mf-page-left" class="menu view-border-box"> <ul id="p-navigation" class="toggle-list__list"> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--home" href="/wiki/Main_Page" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--home"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Home</span> </a> </li> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--random" href="/wiki/Special:Random" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--die"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Random</span> </a> </li> <li class="toggle-list-item skin-minerva-list-item-jsonly"> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--nearby" href="/wiki/Special:Nearby" data-event-name="menu.nearby" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--mapPin"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Nearby</span> </a> </li> </ul> <ul id="p-personal" class="toggle-list__list"> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--login" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Royal+Flying+Corps" data-event-name="menu.login" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--logIn"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Log in</span> </a> </li> </ul> <ul id="pt-preferences" class="toggle-list__list"> <li class="toggle-list-item skin-minerva-list-item-jsonly"> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--settings" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:MobileOptions&returnto=Royal+Flying+Corps" data-event-name="menu.settings" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--settings"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Settings</span> </a> </li> </ul> <ul id="p-donation" class="toggle-list__list"> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--donate" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserRedirector?utm_source=donate&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_campaign=C13_en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en&utm_key=minerva" data-event-name="menu.donate" data-mw="interface"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--heart"></span> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Donate</span> </a> </li> </ul> <ul class="hlist"> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--about" href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" data-mw="interface"> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">About Wikipedia</span> </a> </li> <li class="toggle-list-item "> <a class="toggle-list-item__anchor menu__item--disclaimers" href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer" data-mw="interface"> <span class="toggle-list-item__label">Disclaimers</span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> <label class="main-menu-mask" for="main-menu-input"></label> </nav> <div class="branding-box"> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page"> <span><img src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" alt="Wikipedia" width="120" height="18" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"/> </span> </a> </div> <form action="/w/index.php" method="get" class="minerva-search-form"> <div class="search-box"> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"/> <input class="search skin-minerva-search-trigger" id="searchInput" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"> <span class="search-box-icon-overlay"><span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--search"></span> </span> </div> <button id="searchIcon" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet skin-minerva-search-trigger"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--search"></span> <span>Search</span> </button> </form> <nav class="minerva-user-navigation" aria-label="User navigation"> </nav> </div> </header> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <div class="banner-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="pre-content heading-holder"> <div class="page-heading"> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Flying Corps</span></h1> <div class="tagline"></div> </div> <ul id="p-associated-pages" class="minerva__tab-container"> <li class="minerva__tab selected"> <a class="minerva__tab-text" href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" rel="" data-event-name="tabs.subject">Article</a> </li> <li class="minerva__tab "> <a class="minerva__tab-text" href="/wiki/Talk:Royal_Flying_Corps" rel="discussion" data-event-name="tabs.talk">Talk</a> </li> </ul> <nav class="page-actions-menu"> <ul id="p-views" class="page-actions-menu__list"> <li id="language-selector" class="page-actions-menu__list-item"> <a role="button" href="#p-lang" data-mw="interface" data-event-name="menu.languages" title="Language" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet language-selector"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--language"></span> <span>Language</span> </a> </li> <li id="page-actions-watch" class="page-actions-menu__list-item"> <a role="button" id="ca-watch" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Royal+Flying+Corps" data-event-name="menu.watch" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet menu__item--page-actions-watch"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--star"></span> <span>Watch</span> </a> </li> <li id="page-actions-edit" class="page-actions-menu__list-item"> <a role="button" id="ca-edit" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit" data-event-name="menu.edit" data-mw="interface" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet edit-page menu__item--page-actions-edit"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>Edit</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav>  <div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="content"> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><script>function mfTempOpenSection(id){var block=document.getElementById("mf-section-"+id);block.className+=" open-block";block.previousSibling.className+=" open-block";}</script><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><section class="mf-section-0" id="mf-section-0"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the computer game, see <a href="/wiki/Flying_Corps" title="Flying Corps"><i>Flying Corps</i></a>.</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><p>The <b>Royal Flying Corps</b> (<b>RFC</b>) was the air arm of the <a href="/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British Army</a> before and during the <a href="/wiki/First_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="First World War">First World War</a> until it merged with the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Naval Air Service">Royal Naval Air Service</a> on 1 April 1918 to form the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a>. During the early part of the war, the RFC supported the British Army by <a href="/wiki/Artillery" title="Artillery">artillery</a> co-operation and <a href="/wiki/Aerial_reconnaissance" title="Aerial reconnaissance">photographic reconnaissance</a>. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with <a href="/wiki/Luftstreitkr%C3%A4fte" title="Luftstreitkräfte">German</a> pilots and later in the war included the <a href="/wiki/Strafing" title="Strafing">strafing</a> of enemy <a href="/wiki/Infantry" title="Infantry">infantry</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bunker" title="Bunker">emplacements</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Bombing" class="mw-redirect" title="Bombing">bombing</a> of German <a href="/wiki/Military_airbase" class="mw-redirect" title="Military airbase">military airfields</a> and later the <a href="/wiki/Strategic_bombing" title="Strategic bombing">strategic bombing</a> of German industrial and transport facilities. </p><table class="infobox" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Royal Flying Corps</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/220px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="220" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/330px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg/440px-RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3024" data-file-height="3024"></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Active</th><td class="infobox-data">13 April 1912–1 April 1918</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Disbanded</th><td class="infobox-data">merged with <a href="/wiki/RNAS" class="mw-redirect" title="RNAS">RNAS</a> to become <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF), 1918</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Country</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600"></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Allegiance</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/King_George_V" class="mw-redirect" title="King George V">King George V</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Branch</th><td class="infobox-data"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="13" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg/46px-Flag_of_the_British_Army.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="710" data-file-height="406"></span></span> </span><a href="/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British Army</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Size</th><td class="infobox-data">3,300 aircraft (1918)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Motto(s)</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Latin_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Latin language">Latin</a>: <i lang="la"><a href="/wiki/Per_ardua_ad_astra" title="Per ardua ad astra">Per Ardua ad Astra</a></i><br>"Through Adversity to the Stars"</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Wars</th><td class="infobox-data">First World War</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Notable<br>commanders</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/David_Henderson_(general)" class="mw-redirect" title="David Henderson (general)">Sir David Henderson</a><br><a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard,_1st_Viscount_Trenchard" title="Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard">Hugh Trenchard</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Insignia</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Roundel</th><td class="infobox-data"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:RAF_type_A_roundel.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/RAF_type_A_roundel.svg/100px-RAF_type_A_roundel.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/RAF_type_A_roundel.svg/150px-RAF_type_A_roundel.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/RAF_type_A_roundel.svg/200px-RAF_type_A_roundel.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602"></a></span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right: 1em;">Flag</th><td class="infobox-data"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/150px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png" decoding="async" width="150" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/225px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/300px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>At the start of World War I the RFC, commanded by Brigadier-General <a href="/wiki/David_Henderson_(British_Army_officer)" title="David Henderson (British Army officer)">Sir David Henderson</a>, consisted of five squadrons – one <a href="/wiki/Observation_balloon" title="Observation balloon">observation balloon</a> squadron (RFC No 1 Squadron) and four aeroplane squadrons. These were first used for aerial spotting on 13 September 1914 but only became efficient when they perfected the use of <a href="/wiki/Wireless" title="Wireless">wireless communication</a> at <a href="/wiki/Aubers_Ridge" class="mw-redirect" title="Aubers Ridge">Aubers Ridge</a> on 9 May 1915. <a href="/wiki/Aerial_photography" title="Aerial photography">Aerial photography</a> was attempted during 1914, but again only became effective the next year. By 1918, photographic images could be taken from 15,000 feet and were interpreted by over 3,000 personnel. <a href="/wiki/Parachute" title="Parachute">Parachutes</a> were not available to pilots of heavier-than-air craft in the RFC – nor were they used by the RAF during the First World War – although the Calthrop Guardian Angel parachute (1916 model) was officially adopted just as the war ended. By this time parachutes had been used by balloonists for three years. <sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBeckett2014256_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBeckett2014256-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <sup id="cite_ref-Lee_1968_pp.219-225_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lee_1968_pp.219-225-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 17 August 1917, South African General <a href="/wiki/Jan_Smuts" title="Jan Smuts">Jan Smuts</a> presented a report to the War Council on the future of <a href="/wiki/Aerial_warfare" title="Aerial warfare">air power</a>. Because of its potential for the 'devastation of enemy lands and the destruction of industrial and populous centres on a vast scale', he recommended a new air service be formed that would be on a level with the Army and Royal Navy. The formation of the new service would also make the under-used men and machines of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) available for action on the <a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_I)" title="Western Front (World War I)">Western Front</a> and end the inter-service rivalries that at times had adversely affected aircraft procurement. On 1 April 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to form a new service, the Royal Air Force (RAF), under the control of the new <a href="/wiki/Air_Ministry" title="Air Ministry">Air Ministry</a>. After starting in 1914 with some 2,073 personnel, by the start of 1919 the RAF had 4,000 <a href="/wiki/Military_aircraft" title="Military aircraft">combat aircraft</a> and 114,000 personnel in some 150 squadrons. </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none"><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Origin_and_early_history"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Origin and early history</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="#Ranks_in_the_RFC"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Ranks in the RFC</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="#Aircraft"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Aircraft</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="#Structure_and_growth"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Structure and growth</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="#Squadrons"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Squadrons</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="#Wings"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Wings</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#Brigades"><span class="tocnumber">4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Brigades</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="#Stations"><span class="tocnumber">4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Stations</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-9"><a href="#Canada"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Canada</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-10"><a href="#Other_locations"><span class="tocnumber">4.4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Other locations</span></a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-11"><a href="#First_World_War"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">First World War</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="#1914%E2%80%9315:_Initial_actions_with_the_British_Expeditionary_Force"><span class="tocnumber">5.1</span> <span class="toctext">1914–15: Initial actions with the British Expeditionary Force</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="#Markings"><span class="tocnumber">5.2</span> <span class="toctext">Markings</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="#Roles_and_responsibilities"><span class="tocnumber">5.3</span> <span class="toctext">Roles and responsibilities</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-15"><a href="#Wireless_telegraphy"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Wireless telegraphy</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-16"><a href="#Photo-reconnaissance"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Photo-reconnaissance</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-17"><a href="#Artillery_observation"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.3</span> <span class="toctext">Artillery observation</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-18"><a href="#Covert_operations"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.4</span> <span class="toctext">Covert operations</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-19"><a href="#Aerial_bombardment"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.5</span> <span class="toctext">Aerial bombardment</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-20"><a href="#Ground_attack_%E2%80%93_army_support"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.6</span> <span class="toctext">Ground attack – army support</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-21"><a href="#Home_defence"><span class="tocnumber">5.3.7</span> <span class="toctext">Home defence</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-22"><a href="#Saint-Omer"><span class="tocnumber">5.4</span> <span class="toctext">Saint-Omer</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-23"><a href="#Trenchard_in_command_in_France"><span class="tocnumber">5.5</span> <span class="toctext">Trenchard in command in France</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-24"><a href="#1916%E2%80%931917"><span class="tocnumber">5.6</span> <span class="toctext">1916–1917</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-25"><a href="#Italy"><span class="tocnumber">5.7</span> <span class="toctext">Italy</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-26"><a href="#Other_theatres_of_operations"><span class="tocnumber">5.8</span> <span class="toctext">Other theatres of operations</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-27"><a href="#1918"><span class="tocnumber">5.9</span> <span class="toctext">1918</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-28"><a href="#Amalgamation_with_the_RNAS"><span class="tocnumber">5.10</span> <span class="toctext">Amalgamation with the RNAS</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-29"><a href="#Recruitment_and_training"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Recruitment and training</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-30"><a href="#Parachutes"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Parachutes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-31"><a href="#End_of_the_war"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">End of the war</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-32"><a href="#Commanders_and_personnel"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Commanders and personnel</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-33"><a href="#Commanders"><span class="tocnumber">9.1</span> <span class="toctext">Commanders</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-34"><a href="#Some_members_of_the_RFC"><span class="tocnumber">9.2</span> <span class="toctext">Some members of the RFC</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-35"><a href="#Militarily_prominent"><span class="tocnumber">9.2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Militarily prominent</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-3 tocsection-36"><a href="#Otherwise_prominent"><span class="tocnumber">9.2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Otherwise prominent</span></a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-37"><a href="#Fictional_representations_of_the_RFC"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">Fictional representations of the RFC</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-38"><a href="#Novels_and_short_stories"><span class="tocnumber">10.1</span> <span class="toctext">Novels and short stories</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-39"><a href="#Film_and_TV"><span class="tocnumber">10.2</span> <span class="toctext">Film and TV</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-40"><a href="#Games"><span class="tocnumber">10.3</span> <span class="toctext">Games</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-41"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-42"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-43"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">13</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-44"><a href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">14</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(1)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Origin_and_early_history">Origin and early history</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origin and early history" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-1 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-1"> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg/220px-Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="121" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1090" data-file-height="600"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 121px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg/220px-Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="121" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg/330px-Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg/440px-Royal_Flying_Corps_cap_badge.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Royal Flying Corps Sweetheart Brooch</figcaption></figure> <p>With the growing recognition of the potential for aircraft as a cost-effective method of reconnaissance and artillery observation, the <a href="/wiki/Committee_of_Imperial_Defence" title="Committee of Imperial Defence">Committee of Imperial Defence</a> established a sub-committee to examine the question of military aviation in November 1911. On 28 February 1912 the sub-committee reported its findings which recommended that a flying corps be formed and that it consist of a naval wing, a military wing, a central flying school and an aircraft factory. The recommendations of the committee were accepted and on 13 April 1912 <a href="/wiki/King_George_V" class="mw-redirect" title="King George V">King George V</a> signed a royal warrant establishing the Royal Flying Corps. The <a href="/wiki/Air_Battalion_Royal_Engineers" title="Air Battalion Royal Engineers">Air Battalion</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Engineers" title="Royal Engineers">Royal Engineers</a> became the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps a month later on 13 May. </p><p>The Flying Corps' initial allowed strength was 133 officers, and by the end of that year it had 12 manned <a href="/wiki/Balloon" title="Balloon">balloons</a> and 36 <a href="/wiki/Aeroplane" class="mw-redirect" title="Aeroplane">aeroplanes</a>. The RFC originally came under the responsibility of Brigadier-General <a href="/wiki/David_Henderson_(British_Army_officer)" title="David Henderson (British Army officer)">Henderson</a>, the Director of Military Training, and had separate branches for the Army and the Navy. Major <a href="/wiki/Frederick_Sykes" title="Frederick Sykes">Sykes</a> commanded the Military Wing<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and Commander <a href="/wiki/Charles_Samson" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles Samson">C R Samson</a> commanded the Naval Wing.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Royal_Navy" title="Royal Navy">Royal Navy</a>, however, with priorities different from those of the Army and wishing to retain greater control over its aircraft, formally separated its branch and renamed it the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Naval Air Service">Royal Naval Air Service</a> on 1 July 1914, although a combined central flying school was retained. </p><p>The RFC's motto was <i><a href="/wiki/Per_ardua_ad_astra" title="Per ardua ad astra">Per ardua ad astra</a></i> ("Through adversity to the stars"). This remains the motto of the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a> (RAF) and other Commonwealth air forces. </p><p>The RFC's first fatal crash was on 5 July 1912 near <a href="/wiki/Stonehenge" title="Stonehenge">Stonehenge</a> on <a href="/wiki/Salisbury_Plain" title="Salisbury Plain">Salisbury Plain</a>; Captain <a href="/wiki/Eustace_Loraine" title="Eustace Loraine">Eustace B. Loraine</a> and his observer, Staff Sergeant R.H.V. Wilson, flying from <a href="/wiki/Larkhill_Aerodrome" class="mw-redirect" title="Larkhill Aerodrome">Larkhill Aerodrome</a>, were killed. An order was issued after the crash stating "Flying will continue this evening as usual", thus beginning a tradition. </p><p>In August 1912, RFC Lieutenant <a href="/wiki/Wilfred_Parke" title="Wilfred Parke">Wilfred Parke</a> RN became the first aviator to be observed to recover from an accidental spin when the <a href="/wiki/Avro_G" class="mw-redirect" title="Avro G">Avro G</a> cabin biplane, with which he had just broken a world endurance record, entered a spin at 700 feet above ground level at Larkhill. Four months later, on 11 December 1912, Parke was killed when the Handley Page monoplane in which he was flying from Hendon to Oxford crashed. </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(2)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Ranks_in_the_RFC">Ranks in the RFC</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Ranks in the RFC" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-2 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-2"> <table border="1" class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="2"><b>RFC Ranks, Military Wing (13 April 1912)</b><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </th></tr> <tr> <th><b>Rank</b></th> <th><b>Appointments</b> </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Major-General" class="mw-redirect" title="Major-General">Major-General</a> [1917]</td> <td><a href="/w/index.php?title=Division_Commander&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Division Commander (page does not exist)">Division Commander</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Brigadier-General" class="mw-redirect" title="Brigadier-General">Brigadier-General</a> [1915]</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Brigade_Commander" class="mw-redirect" title="Brigade Commander">Brigade Commander</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Lieutenant-Colonel" class="mw-redirect" title="Lieutenant-Colonel">Lieutenant-Colonel</a> [1914]</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Wing_Commander" class="mw-redirect" title="Wing Commander">Wing Commander</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Major_(rank)" title="Major (rank)">Major</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Squadron_Commander" class="mw-redirect" title="Squadron Commander">Squadron Commander</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Captain" title="Captain">Captain</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Flight_Commander" class="mw-redirect" title="Flight Commander">Flight Commander</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Recording_Officer&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Recording Officer (page does not exist)">Recording Officer</a>, Equipment Officer, Transport Officer </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Lieutenant" title="Lieutenant">Lieutenant</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Pilot" class="mw-redirect" title="Pilot">Pilot</a>, <a href="/wiki/Air_observer" title="Air observer">Observer</a>, Recording Officer, Armament Officer, Equipment Officer, Wireless Officer </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/2nd_Lieutenant" class="mw-redirect" title="2nd Lieutenant">2nd Lieutenant</a></td> <td>Pilot-in-Training, Pilot; Observer-in-Training, Observer </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Cadet" title="Cadet">Cadet</a></td> <td>Pilot in Training; Observer in Training </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Warrant_Officer" class="mw-redirect" title="Warrant Officer">Warrant Officer</a> I [1915]</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Sergeant_Major" class="mw-redirect" title="Sergeant Major">Sergeant Major</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Warrant Officer II [1915]</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Quartermaster_Sergeant" class="mw-redirect" title="Quartermaster Sergeant">Quartermaster Sergeant</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Flight_Sergeant" class="mw-redirect" title="Flight Sergeant">Flight Sergeant</a></td> <td>Chief Mechanic </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Sergeant" title="Sergeant">Sergeant</a></td> <td>Armourer, Fitter, Rigger, Gear Mechanic </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Corporal" title="Corporal">Corporal</a></td> <td>Fitter, Rigger </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Air_Mechanic" class="mw-redirect" title="Air Mechanic">Air Mechanic 1st Class</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Armourer" title="Armourer">Armourer</a>, <a href="/wiki/Oxy-fuel_welding_and_cutting" title="Oxy-fuel welding and cutting">Acetylene Welder</a>, <a href="/wiki/Blacksmith" title="Blacksmith">Blacksmith</a>, <a href="/wiki/Coppersmith" title="Coppersmith">Coppersmith</a>, <a href="/wiki/Tinsmith" title="Tinsmith">Tinsmith</a>, Engine Fitter, Gear Mechanic, Aircraft <a href="/wiki/Rigger_(industry)" title="Rigger (industry)">Rigger, Electrician</a>, <a href="/wiki/Magneto" title="Magneto">Magneto</a>-Repairer, Fitter, <a href="/wiki/Machinist" title="Machinist">Machinist</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sailmaker" title="Sailmaker">Sailmaker</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>(<a href="/wiki/Lance_Corporal" class="mw-redirect" title="Lance Corporal">Lance Corporal</a>)</td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Air Mechanic 2nd Class</td> <td>Armourer, Acetylene Welder, Blacksmith, Coppersmith, Tinsmith, Engine Fitter, Gear Mechanic, Aircraft Rigger, Electrician, Magneto-Repairer, Fitter, Machinist, Sailmaker </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Private_1st_Class" class="mw-redirect" title="Private 1st Class">Private 1st Class</a></td> <td><a href="/wiki/Driver_(rank)" title="Driver (rank)">Driver</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td>Air Mechanic 3rd Class</td> <td>Armourer, Acetylene Welder, Blacksmith, Coppersmith, Tinsmith, Engine Fitter, Gear Mechanic, Aircraft Rigger, Electrician, Magneto-Repairer, Fitter, Machinist, Sailmaker </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/Private_(rank)" title="Private (rank)">Private</a> 2nd Class</td> <td>Driver </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"> <tbody><tr style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width: 100%"> <th>Rank group </th> <th colspan="10">General / flag officers </th> <th colspan="6">Senior officers </th> <th colspan="8">Junior officers </th></tr> <tr style="text-align:center;"> <th rowspan="2"><b><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><noscript><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 23px;height: 15px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="23" data-height="15" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></span></span></span> Royal Flying Corps</b><br>(1912–April 1918) </th> <td colspan="4" rowspan="2"> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-8.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Lieutenant-General"><noscript><img alt="Lieutenant-General" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="128" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="80" data-file-height="204"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 128px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg.png" data-alt="Lieutenant-General" data-width="50" data-height="128" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-8.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-7.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Major-General"><noscript><img alt="Major-General" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="128" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="80" data-file-height="204"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 128px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg.png" data-alt="Major-General" data-width="50" data-height="128" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OF-7.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1922)_OF-6.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Brigadier"><noscript><img alt="Brigadier" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="128" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="80" data-file-height="204"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 128px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg.png" data-alt="Brigadier" data-width="50" data-height="128" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1922%29_OF-6.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-5.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Colonel"><noscript><img alt="Colonel" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg.png" data-alt="Colonel" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-5.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-4.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Lieutenant-Colonel"><noscript><img alt="Lieutenant-Colonel" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg.png" data-alt="Lieutenant-Colonel" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-4.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-3.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Major"><noscript><img alt="Major" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg.png" data-alt="Major" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-3.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-2.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Captain"><noscript><img alt="Captain" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg.png" data-alt="Captain" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-2.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="3"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-1b.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Lieutenant"><noscript><img alt="Lieutenant" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg.png" data-alt="Lieutenant" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1b.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="3"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1902-1920)_OF-1a.svg" class="mw-file-description" title="Second Lieutenant"><noscript><img alt="Second Lieutenant" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="103" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="260" data-file-height="533"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 103px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg/50px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg.png" data-alt="Second Lieutenant" data-width="50" data-height="103" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg/75px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg/100px-British_Army_%281902-1920%29_OF-1a.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="12"> </td></tr> <tr style="text-align:center;"> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Lieutenant_general" title="Lieutenant general">Lieutenant-general</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Major_general" title="Major general">Major-general</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Brigadier_general" title="Brigadier general">Brigadier-general</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Colonel" title="Colonel">Colonel</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Lieutenant_colonel" title="Lieutenant colonel">Lieutenant colonel</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Major_(rank)" title="Major (rank)">Major</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Captain_(armed_forces)" title="Captain (armed forces)">Captain</a> </td> <td colspan="3"><a href="/wiki/Lieutenant" title="Lieutenant">Lieutenant</a> </td> <td colspan="3"><a href="/wiki/2nd_lieutenant" class="mw-redirect" title="2nd lieutenant">2nd lieutenant</a> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <table style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"> <tbody><tr style="background-color:#CCCCCC; text-align:center;"> <th>Rank group </th> <th colspan="22">Senior NCOs </th> <th colspan="6">Junior NCOs </th> <th colspan="8">Enlisted </th></tr> <tr style="text-align:center;"> <th rowspan="2"><b><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><noscript><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="15" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 23px;height: 15px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="23" data-height="15" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/35px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg/45px-Flag_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></span></span></span> Royal Flying Corps</b><br>(1912–April 1918) </th> <td colspan="6"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OR-9a.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="128" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="80" data-file-height="204"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 128px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="128" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-9a.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OR-7.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="123" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="83" data-file-height="204"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 123px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="123" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-7.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="1"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="62" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="913" data-file-height="1140"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 62px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="62" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg/75px-RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg/100px-RFC_Quartermaster_Sergeant.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="1"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="76" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="913" data-file-height="1384"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 76px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="76" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg/75px-RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg/100px-RFC_Flight_Sergeant.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="12"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:RFC_Sergeant.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/RFC_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Sergeant.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="56" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="913" data-file-height="1024"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 56px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/RFC_Sergeant.svg/50px-RFC_Sergeant.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="56" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/RFC_Sergeant.svg/75px-RFC_Sergeant.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/RFC_Sergeant.svg/100px-RFC_Sergeant.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span><hr> </td> <td colspan="4"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OR-3.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="127" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="75" data-file-height="191"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 127px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg/50px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="127" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg/75px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg/100px-British_Army_%281920-1953%29_OR-3.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="2"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg/50px-RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="56" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="913" data-file-height="1024"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 50px;height: 56px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg/50px-RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg.png" data-width="50" data-height="56" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg/75px-RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg/100px-RFC_Air_Mechanic_1st_Class.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a></span> </td> <td colspan="8"><b>No insignia</b><hr> </td></tr> <tr style="text-align:center;"> <td colspan="6"><a href="/wiki/Warrant_Officer_(United_Kingdom)#British_Army" class="mw-redirect" title="Warrant Officer (United Kingdom)">Warrant officer class I</a> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Warrant_Officer_(United_Kingdom)#British_Army" class="mw-redirect" title="Warrant Officer (United Kingdom)">Warrant officer class II</a> </td> <td colspan="1"><a href="/wiki/Quartermaster_sergeant" title="Quartermaster sergeant">Quartermaster sergeant</a> </td> <td colspan="1"><a href="/wiki/Flight_sergeant" title="Flight sergeant">Flight sergeant</a> </td> <td colspan="12"><a href="/wiki/Sergeant" title="Sergeant">Sergeant</a> </td> <td colspan="4"><a href="/wiki/Corporal" title="Corporal">Corporal</a> </td> <td colspan="2">Air mechanic 1st class </td> <td colspan="6">Air mechanic 2nd class </td> <td colspan="2">Air mechanic 3rd class </td></tr></tbody></table> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(3)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Aircraft">Aircraft</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Aircraft" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-3 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-3"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps" title="List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps">List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg/220px-Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="149" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1800" data-file-height="1218"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 149px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg/220px-Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="149" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg/330px-Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg/440px-Sopwith_F-1_Camel_2_USAF.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Camel" title="Sopwith Camel">Sopwith Camel</a></figcaption></figure> <p>Aircraft used during the war by the RFC included: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aircraft_Manufacturing_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Aircraft Manufacturing Company">Airco</a> <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.2" title="Airco DH.2">DH 2</a>, <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">DH 4</a>, <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH_5" class="mw-redirect" title="Airco DH 5">DH 5</a>, <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.6" title="Airco DH.6">DH 6</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.9" title="Airco DH.9">DH 9</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armstrong-Whitworth" class="mw-redirect" title="Armstrong-Whitworth">Armstrong-Whitworth</a> <a href="/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth_F.K.8" title="Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8">F.K.8</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Avro_504" title="Avro 504">Avro 504</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bristol_Aeroplane_Company" title="Bristol Aeroplane Company">Bristol</a>'s <a href="/wiki/Bristol_Scout" title="Bristol Scout">Bristol Scout</a> single-seat fighter, <a href="/wiki/Bristol_F.2" class="mw-redirect" title="Bristol F.2">F2A</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bristol_F.2" class="mw-redirect" title="Bristol F.2">F2B</a> Fighter two-seaters</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Handley_Page_Aircraft_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Handley Page Aircraft Company">Handley Page</a> <a href="/wiki/Handley_Page_Type_O" title="Handley Page Type O">O/400</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Martinsyde_G.100" title="Martinsyde G.100">Martinsyde G.100</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morane-Saulnier_Bullet" class="mw-redirect" title="Morane-Saulnier Bullet">Morane-Saulnier Bullet</a> Biplane Parasol</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societe_Anonyme_des_Etablissements_Nieuport" class="mw-redirect" title="Societe Anonyme des Etablissements Nieuport">Nieuport</a> <a href="/wiki/Scout_(aircraft)" title="Scout (aircraft)">Scout</a> <a href="/wiki/Nieuport_17" title="Nieuport 17">17</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nieuport_24" title="Nieuport 24">24</a>, <a href="/wiki/Nieuport_27" title="Nieuport 27">27</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Establishment" title="Royal Aircraft Establishment">Royal Aircraft Factory</a> <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.2" title="Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2">B.E.2a, B.E.2b, B.E.2c, B.E.2e</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.12" title="Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12">B.E.12</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_F.E.2" title="Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2">F.E.2b</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_F.E.8" title="Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8">F.E.8</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_R.E.8" title="Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8">R.E.8</a>, <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5" title="Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5">S.E.5a</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Aviation_Company" title="Sopwith Aviation Company">Sopwith Aviation Company</a> <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_1%C2%BD_Strutter" title="Sopwith 1½ Strutter">1½ Strutter</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Pup" title="Sopwith Pup">Pup</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Triplane" title="Sopwith Triplane">Triplane</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Camel" title="Sopwith Camel">Camel</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Snipe" title="Sopwith Snipe">Snipe</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Dolphin" title="Sopwith Dolphin">Dolphin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/SPAD_S.VII" title="SPAD S.VII">SPAD S.VII</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vickers" title="Vickers">Vickers</a> <a href="/wiki/Vickers_F.B.5_Gunbus" class="mw-redirect" title="Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus">FB5</a></li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(4)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Structure_and_growth">Structure and growth</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Structure and growth" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-4 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-4"> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="138" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="503"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 138px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="138" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg/330px-The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg/440px-The_Royal_Flying_Corps_1912_-_1918_HU67895.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>RFC <a href="/wiki/Bleriot_XI" class="mw-redirect" title="Bleriot XI">Bleriot XI</a> monoplanes at Netheravon, 1914</figcaption></figure> <p>On its inception in 1912 the Royal Flying Corps consisted of a Military and a Naval Wing, with the Military Wing consisting of three squadrons each commanded by a major. The Naval Wing, with fewer pilots and aircraft than the Military Wing, did not organise itself into squadrons until 1914; it separated from the RFC that same year. By November 1914 the Royal Flying Corps, even taking the loss of the Naval Wing into account, had expanded sufficiently to warrant the creation of <a href="/wiki/Wing_(air_force_unit)" class="mw-redirect" title="Wing (air force unit)">wings</a> consisting of two or more squadrons. These wings were commanded by lieutenant-colonels. In October 1915 the Corps had undergone further expansion which justified the creation of <a href="/wiki/Brigade" title="Brigade">brigades</a>, each commanded by a <a href="/wiki/Brigadier_general_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="Brigadier general (United Kingdom)">brigadier-general</a>. Further expansion led to the creation of <a href="/wiki/Division_(military)" title="Division (military)">divisions</a>, with the Training Division being established in August 1917 and <a href="/wiki/RFC_Middle_East" class="mw-redirect" title="RFC Middle East">RFC Middle East</a> being raised to divisional status in December 1917. Additionally, although the Royal Flying Corps in France was never titled as a division, by March 1916 it comprised several brigades and its commander (Trenchard) had received a promotion to major-general, giving it in effect divisional status. Finally, the air raids on London and the south-east of England led to the creation of the <a href="/wiki/London_Air_Defence_Area" title="London Air Defence Area">London Air Defence Area</a> in August 1917<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> under the command of <a href="/wiki/Edward_Ashmore_(British_Army_officer)" title="Edward Ashmore (British Army officer)">Ashmore</a> who was promoted to major-general. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Squadrons">Squadrons</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Squadrons" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Royal_Flying_Corps_squadrons" title="List of Royal Flying Corps squadrons">List of Royal Flying Corps squadrons</a></div> <p>Two of the first three RFC squadrons were formed from the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers: <i>No. 1 Company</i> (a balloon company) becoming <a href="/wiki/No._1_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 1 Squadron RAF">No. 1 Squadron, RFC</a>, and <i>No. 2 Company</i> (a 'heavier-than-air' company) becoming <a href="/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAF">No. 3 Squadron, RFC</a>. A second heavier-than-air squadron, <a href="/wiki/No._2_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 2 Squadron RAF">No. 2 Squadron, RFC</a>, was also formed on the same day. </p><p><a href="/wiki/No._4_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 4 Squadron RAF">No. 4 Squadron, RFC</a> was formed from No. 2 Sqn in August 1912, and <a href="/wiki/No._5_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 5 Squadron RAF">No. 5 Squadron, RFC</a> from No. 3 Sqn in July 1913. </p><p>By the end of March 1918, the Royal Flying Corps comprised some 150 squadrons. </p><p>The composition of an RFC squadron varied depending on its designated role, although the commanding officer was usually a major (in a largely non-operational role), with the squadron 'flights' (annotated A, B, C etc.) the basic tactical and operational unit, each commanded by a captain. A 'recording officer' (of captain/lieutenant rank) would act as intelligence officer and adjutant, commanding two or three <a href="/wiki/Non-commissioned_officer" title="Non-commissioned officer">NCOs</a> and ten other ranks in the administration section of the squadron. Each flight contained on average between six and ten pilots (and a corresponding number of observers, if applicable) with a senior sergeant and thirty-six other ranks (as fitters, riggers, metalsmiths, armourers, etc.). The average squadron also had on complement an equipment officer, armaments officer (each with five other ranks) and a transport officer, in charge of twenty-two other ranks. The squadron transport establishment typically included one car, five light tenders, seven heavy tenders, two repair lorries, eight motorcycles and eight trailers.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Wings">Wings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Wings" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Wings_of_the_Royal_Air_Force" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Wings of the Royal Air Force">List of Wings of the Royal Air Force</a></div> <p>Wings in the Royal Flying Corps consisted of a number of <a href="/wiki/Squadron_(aviation)" title="Squadron (aviation)">squadrons</a>. </p><p>When the Royal Flying Corps was established it was intended to be a joint service. Owing to the <a href="/wiki/Interservice_rivalry" title="Interservice rivalry">rivalry</a> between the <a href="/wiki/British_Army" title="British Army">British Army</a> and Royal Navy, new terminology was thought necessary in order to avoid marking the Corps out as having a particularly Army or Navy ethos. Accordingly, the Corps was originally split into two wings: a Military Wing (i.e. an army wing) and a Naval Wing. By 1914, the Naval Wing had become the Royal Naval Air Service, having gained its independence from the Royal Flying Corps. </p><p>By November 1914 the Flying Corps had significantly expanded and it was felt necessary to create organizational units which would control collections of squadrons; the term "wing" was reused for these new organizational units. </p><p>The Military Wing was abolished and its units based in Great Britain were regrouped as the <a href="/w/index.php?title=Administrative_Wing_RFC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Administrative Wing RFC (page does not exist)">Administrative Wing</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The RFC squadrons in France were grouped under the newly established <a href="/wiki/1st_Wing_RFC" class="mw-redirect" title="1st Wing RFC">1st Wing</a> and the <a href="/wiki/2nd_Wing_RFC" class="mw-redirect" title="2nd Wing RFC">2nd Wing</a>. The 1st Wing was assigned to the support of the <a href="/wiki/First_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="First Army (United Kingdom)">1st Army</a> whilst the 2nd Wing supported the <a href="/wiki/Second_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Second Army (United Kingdom)">2nd Army</a>. </p><p>As the Flying Corps grew, so did the number of wings. The <a href="/w/index.php?title=3rd_Wing_RFC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="3rd Wing RFC (page does not exist)">3rd Wing</a> was established on 1 March 1915 and on 15 April the <a href="/wiki/5th_Wing_RFC" class="mw-redirect" title="5th Wing RFC">5th Wing</a> came into existence. By August that year the <a href="/w/index.php?title=6th_Wing_RFC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="6th Wing RFC (page does not exist)">6th Wing</a> had been created and in November 1915 a <a href="/w/index.php?title=7th_Wing_RFC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="7th Wing RFC (page does not exist)">7th Wing</a> and <a href="/w/index.php?title=8th_Wing_RFC&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="8th Wing RFC (page does not exist)">8th Wing</a> had also been stood up. Additional wings continued to be created throughout World War I in line with the incessant demands for air units. The last RFC wing to be created was the 54th Wing in March 1918, just prior to the creation of the RAF.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Following the creation of brigades, wings took on specialised functions. Corps wings undertook artillery observation and ground liaison duties, with one squadron detached to each army corps. Army wings were responsible for air superiority, bombing and strategic reconnaissance. United Kingdom based forces were organised into home defence and training wings. By March 1918, wings controlled as many as nine squadrons.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2017)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Brigades">Brigades</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Brigades" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Royal_Flying_Corps_brigades" title="List of Royal Flying Corps brigades">List of Royal Flying Corps brigades</a></div> <p>Following Sir David Henderson's return from France to the War Office in August 1915, he submitted a scheme to the Army Council which was intended to expand the command structure of the Flying Corps. The Corps' wings would be grouped in pairs to form brigades and the commander of each brigade would hold the temporary rank of <a href="/wiki/Brigadier-general" class="mw-redirect" title="Brigadier-general">brigadier-general</a>. The scheme met with <a href="/wiki/Herbert_Kitchener,_1st_Earl_Kitchener" title="Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener">Lord Kitchener</a>'s approval and although some staff officers opposed it, the scheme was adopted.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the field, most brigades were assigned to the army. Initially a brigade consisted of an army wing and corps wing; beginning in November 1916 a balloon wing was added to control the <a href="/wiki/Observation_balloon" title="Observation balloon">observation balloon</a> companies. Logistics support was provided by an army aircraft park, aircraft ammunition column and reserve lorry park. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Stations">Stations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Stations" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>All operating locations were officially called "Royal Flying Corps Station <i>name</i>". A typical Squadron may have been based at four Stations – an Aerodrome for the HQ, and three Landing Grounds, one per each <a href="/wiki/Flight_(military_unit)" title="Flight (military unit)">flight</a>. Stations tended to be named after the local railway station, to simplify the administration of rail travel warrants. </p><p>Typically a training airfield consisted of a 2,000 feet (610 m) grass square. There were three pairs plus one single hangar, constructed of wood or brick, 180 feet (55 m) x 100 feet (30 m) in size. There were up to 12 canvas <a href="/wiki/Bessonneau_hangar" title="Bessonneau hangar">Bessonneau hangars</a> as the aircraft, constructed from wood, wire and fabric, were liable to weather damage. Other airfield buildings were typically wooden or <a href="/wiki/Nissen_hut" title="Nissen hut">Nissen huts</a>. </p><p>Landing Grounds were often L-shaped, usually arrived at by removing a hedge boundary between two fields, and thereby allowing landing runs in two directions of 400–500 metres (1,300–1,600 ft). Typically they would be manned by only two or three airmen, whose job was to guard the fuel stores and assist any aircraft which had occasion to land. Accommodation for airmen and pilots was often in tents, especially on the Western Front. Officers would be billeted to local <a href="/wiki/Country_house" class="mw-redirect" title="Country house">country houses</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or commandeered <a href="/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau" title="Château">châteaux</a> when posted abroad, if suitable accommodation had not been built on the Station. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="169" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="800" data-file-height="614"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 169px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="169" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg/330px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg/440px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_the_First_World_War_Q70556.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>General view of Waddington Aerodrome taken from the air, looking north-west. 11 February 1918</figcaption></figure> <p>Landing Grounds were categorised according to their lighting and day or night capabilities: </p> <ul><li>First Class Landing Ground – Several buildings, hangars and accommodation.</li> <li>Second Class Landing Ground – a permanent hangar, and a few huts.</li> <li>Third Class Landing Ground – a temporary <a href="/wiki/Bessonneau_hangar" title="Bessonneau hangar">Bessonneau hangar</a></li> <li>Emergency (or Relief) Landing Ground – often just a field, activated by telephone call to the farmer, requesting he move any grazing animals out.</li> <li>Night Landing Grounds would be lit around the perimeter with <a href="/wiki/Gas_light" class="mw-redirect" title="Gas light">gas lights</a> and might have a flarepath laid out in nearby fields.</li></ul> <p>Stations that were heavily used or militarily important grew by compulsorily purchasing extra land, changing designations as necessary. Aerodromes would often grow into sprawling sites, due to the building of headquarters/administration offices, <a href="/wiki/Mess" title="Mess">mess</a> buildings, fuel and weapon stores, wireless huts and other support structures as well as the aircraft hangarage and repair facilities. Narborough and Marham both started off as Night Landing Grounds a few miles apart. One was an RNAS Station, the other RFC. Narborough grew to be the largest aerodrome in Britain at 908 acres (367 ha) with 30 acres (12 ha) of buildings including seven large hangars, seven motorised transport (MT) garages, five workshops, two coal yards, two Sergeants' Messes, three <a href="/wiki/Aircraft_dope" title="Aircraft dope">dope</a> sheds and a <a href="/wiki/Guardhouse" title="Guardhouse">guardhouse</a>. Marham was 80 acres (32 ha). Both these Stations are now lost beneath the present <a href="/wiki/RAF_Marham" title="RAF Marham">RAF Marham</a>. Similarly, Stations at Easton-on-the-Hill and Stamford merged into modern day <a href="/wiki/RAF_Wittering" title="RAF Wittering">RAF Wittering</a> although they are in different counties. </p> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps_airfields" title="Royal Flying Corps airfields">Royal Flying Corps airfields</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Canada">Canada</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Canada" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps_Canada" title="Royal Flying Corps Canada">Royal Flying Corps Canada</a> was established by the RFC in 1917 to train aircrew in Canada. Air Stations were established in southern Ontario at the following locations: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Camp_Borden" class="mw-redirect" title="Camp Borden">Camp Borden</a> 1917–1918</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Armour_Heights_Field" title="Armour Heights Field">Armour Heights Field</a> 1917–1918 (pilot training, School of Special Flying to train instructors)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Leaside_Aerodrome" title="Leaside Aerodrome">Leaside Aerodrome</a> 1917–1918 (Artillery Cooperation School)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Long_Branch_Aerodrome" title="Long Branch Aerodrome">Long Branch Aerodrome</a> 1917–1918</li> <li>Curtiss School of Aviation (flying-boat station with temporary wooden hangar on the beach at <a href="/wiki/Hanlan%27s_Point" class="mw-redirect" title="Hanlan's Point">Hanlan's Point</a> on <a href="/wiki/Toronto_Island" class="mw-redirect" title="Toronto Island">Toronto Island</a> 1915–1918; main school, airstrip and metal hangar facilities at Long Branch)</li> <li>Camp Rathbun, <a href="/wiki/Deseronto" title="Deseronto">Deseronto</a> 1917–1918 (pilot training)</li> <li>Camp Mohawk (now <a href="/wiki/Tyendinaga_(Mohawk)_Airport" title="Tyendinaga (Mohawk) Airport">Tyendinaga (Mohawk) Airport</a>) 1917–1918 – located at the Tyendinaga Indian Reserve (now <a href="/wiki/Mohawks_of_the_Bay_of_Quinte" class="mw-redirect" title="Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte">Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory</a>) near <a href="/wiki/Belleville,_Ontario" title="Belleville, Ontario">Belleville</a> 1917–1918 (pilot training)</li> <li>Hamilton (Armament School) 1917–1918</li> <li>Beamsville Camp (School of Aerial Fighting) 1917–1918 – located at 4222 Saan Road in <a href="/wiki/Beamsville,_Ontario" title="Beamsville, Ontario">Beamsville, Ontario</a>; hangar remains and property now used by Global Horticultural Incorporated</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Other_locations">Other locations</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Other locations" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/St-Omer" class="mw-redirect" title="St-Omer">St-Omer</a>, France 1914–1918 (headquarters) – now <a href="/w/index.php?title=Saint-Omer-Wizernes_Airport&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Saint-Omer-Wizernes Airport (page does not exist)">Saint-Omer-Wizernes Airport</a> and site of <a href="/w/index.php?title=British_Air_Services_Memorial&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="British Air Services Memorial (page does not exist)">British Air Services Memorial</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ismailia" title="Ismailia">Ismailia</a>, Egypt (training – No. 57 TS, 32 (Training) Wing HQ) – now <a href="/wiki/Al_Ismailiyah_Air_Base" class="mw-redirect" title="Al Ismailiyah Air Base">Al Ismailiyah Air Base</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aboukir" class="mw-redirect" title="Aboukir">Aboukir</a>, Egypt 1916–1918 (training – No. 22 TS & No. 23 TS, 20 (Training) Wing HQ)</li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abu_Sueir&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Abu Sueir (page does not exist)">Abu Sueir</a>, Egypt 1917–1918 (training – No. 57 TS & No. 195 TS) – now <a href="/wiki/Abu_Suwayr_Air_Base" class="mw-redirect" title="Abu Suwayr Air Base">Abu Suwayr Air Base</a>, also used by <a href="/wiki/RAF" class="mw-redirect" title="RAF">RAF</a> during <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=El_Ferdan&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="El Ferdan (page does not exist)">El Ferdan</a>, Egypt (training – No. 17 TDS)</li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=El_Rimal&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="El Rimal (page does not exist)">El Rimal</a>, Egypt 1917–1918 (training – No. 19 TDS) – later as <a href="/wiki/RAF_El_Amiriya" title="RAF El Amiriya">RAF El Amiriya</a> and now abandoned (after World War II)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Camp_Taliaferro" title="Camp Taliaferro">Camp Taliaferro</a>, North Texas, USA 1917–1918 (training) – sites now either residential development or commercial/industrial parks</li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(5)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="First_World_War">First World War</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: First World War" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-5 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-5"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1251242444">.mw-parser-output .ambox{border:1px solid #a2a9b1;border-left:10px solid #36c;background-color:#fbfbfb;box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+link+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+style+.ambox,.mw-parser-output .ambox+.mw-empty-elt+link+link+.ambox{margin-top:-1px}html body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .ambox.mbox-small-left{margin:4px 1em 4px 0;overflow:hidden;width:238px;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em}.mw-parser-output .ambox-speedy{border-left:10px solid #b32424;background-color:#fee7e6}.mw-parser-output .ambox-delete{border-left:10px solid #b32424}.mw-parser-output .ambox-content{border-left:10px solid #f28500}.mw-parser-output .ambox-style{border-left:10px solid #fc3}.mw-parser-output .ambox-move{border-left:10px solid #9932cc}.mw-parser-output .ambox-protection{border-left:10px solid #a2a9b1}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-text{border:none;padding:0.25em 0.5em;width:100%}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image{border:none;padding:2px 0 2px 0.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-imageright{border:none;padding:2px 0.5em 2px 0;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-empty-cell{border:none;padding:0;width:1px}.mw-parser-output .ambox .mbox-image-div{width:52px}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .ambox{margin:0 10%}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .ambox{display:none!important}}</style><table class="box-More_citations_needed_section plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Special:EditPage/Royal Flying Corps">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a> in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">May 2011</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg/220px-Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="268" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1368" data-file-height="1669"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 268px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg/220px-Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="268" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg/330px-Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg/440px-Royal_Flying_Corps_poster.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Recruiting poster</figcaption></figure> <p>The RFC was also responsible for the manning and operation of observation balloons on the <a href="/wiki/Western_Front_(World_War_I)" title="Western Front (World War I)">Western front</a>. When the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived in France in August 1914, it had no observation balloons and it was not until April 1915 that the first balloon company was on strength, albeit on loan from the French Aérostiers. The first British unit arrived 8 May 1915, and commenced operations during the Battle of Aubers Ridge. Operations from balloons thereafter continued throughout the war. Highly hazardous in operation, a balloon could only be expected to last a fortnight before damage or destruction. Results were also highly dependent on the expertise of the observer and was subject to the weather conditions. To keep the balloon out of the range of artillery fire, it was necessary to locate the balloons some distance away from the front line or area of military operations. However, the stable platform offered by a kite-balloon made it more suitable for the cameras of the day than an aircraft. </p><p>For the first half of the war, as with the land armies deployed, the French air force vastly outnumbered the RFC, and accordingly did more of the fighting. Despite the primitive aircraft, aggressive leadership by RFC commander <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard" class="mw-redirect" title="Hugh Trenchard">Hugh Trenchard</a> and the adoption of a continually offensive stance operationally in efforts to pin the enemy back led to many brave fighting exploits and high casualties – over 700 in 1916, the rate worsening thereafter, until the RFC's nadir in April 1917 which was dubbed '<a href="/wiki/Bloody_April" title="Bloody April">Bloody April</a>'. </p><p>This aggressive, if costly, doctrine did however provide the Army <a href="/wiki/General_Staff" class="mw-redirect" title="General Staff">General Staff</a> with vital and up-to-date intelligence on German positions and numbers through continual photographic and observational reconnaissance throughout the war. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1914–15:_Initial_actions_with_the_British_Expeditionary_Force"><span id="1914.E2.80.9315:_Initial_actions_with_the_British_Expeditionary_Force"></span>1914–15: Initial actions with the British Expeditionary Force</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: 1914–15: Initial actions with the British Expeditionary Force" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>At the start of the war, numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5 Squadrons were equipped with aeroplanes. No. 1 Squadron had been equipped with balloons but all these were transferred to the Naval Wing in 1913; thereafter No. 1 Squadron reorganised itself as an 'aircraft park' for the British Expeditionary Force. The RFC's first casualties were before the Corps even arrived in France: Lt Robert R. Skene and Air Mechanic Ray Barlow were killed on 12 August 1914 when their (probably overloaded) plane crashed at <a href="/wiki/Netheravon" title="Netheravon">Netheravon</a> on the way to rendezvous with the rest of the RFC near <a href="/wiki/Dover" title="Dover">Dover</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Raleigh_vI_p286_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Raleigh_vI_p286-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Skene had been the first Englishman to perform a loop in an aeroplane. </p><p>On 13 August 1914, 2, 3, and 4 squadrons, comprising 60 machines, departed from Dover for the <a href="/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_I)" title="British Expeditionary Force (World War I)">British Expeditionary Force</a> in France and 5 Squadron joined them a few days later. The aircraft took a route across the <a href="/wiki/English_Channel" title="English Channel">English Channel</a> from Dover to <a href="/wiki/Boulogne-sur-Mer" title="Boulogne-sur-Mer">Boulogne</a>, then followed the French coast to the Bay of the <a href="/wiki/Somme_(river)" title="Somme (river)">Somme</a> and followed the river to <a href="/wiki/Amiens" title="Amiens">Amiens</a>. When the BEF moved forward to <a href="/wiki/Maubeuge" title="Maubeuge">Maubeuge</a> the RFC accompanied them. On 19 August the Corps undertook its first action of the war, with two of its aircraft performing aerial <a href="/wiki/Reconnaissance" title="Reconnaissance">reconnaissance</a>. The mission was not a great success; to save weight each aircraft carried a pilot only instead of the usual pilot and observer. Because of this, and poor weather, both of the pilots lost their way and only one was able to complete his task. </p><p>On 22 August 1914, the first British aircraft was lost to German fire. The crew – pilot <a href="/wiki/Second_Lieutenant" class="mw-redirect" title="Second Lieutenant">Second Lieutenant</a> Vincent Waterfall and observer Lt. Charles George Gordon Bayly, of 5 Squadron – flying an <a href="/wiki/Avro_504" title="Avro 504">Avro 504</a> over Belgium, were killed by infantry fire.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Jackson_Avro_p56_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Jackson_Avro_p56-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Also on 22 August 1914, Captain <a href="/wiki/Lionel_Charlton" title="Lionel Charlton">L E O Charlton</a> (observer) and his pilot, Lieutenant Vivian Hugh Nicholas Wadham, made the crucial observation of the 1st German Army's approach towards the flank of the British Expeditionary Force. This allowed the BEF Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Sir John French to realign his front and save his army around Mons. </p><p>Next day, the RFC found itself fighting in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Mons" title="Battle of Mons">Battle of Mons</a> and two days after that, gained its first air victory. On 25 August, Lt C. W. Wilson and <a href="/wiki/Euan_Rabagliati" title="Euan Rabagliati">Lt C. E. C. Rabagliati</a> forced down a German <a href="/wiki/Rumpler_Taube" class="mw-redirect" title="Rumpler Taube">Etrich Taube</a>, which had approached their aerodrome while they were refuelling their Avro 504. Another RFC machine landed nearby and the RFC observer chased the German pilot into nearby woods. After the <a href="/wiki/Great_Retreat" title="Great Retreat">Great Retreat</a> from Mons, the Corps fell back to the <a href="/wiki/Marne_(river)" title="Marne (river)">Marne</a> where in September, the RFC again proved its value by identifying <a href="/wiki/Alexander_von_Kluck" title="Alexander von Kluck">von Kluck's</a> <a href="/wiki/1st_Army_(German_Empire)" title="1st Army (German Empire)">First Army's</a> left wheel against the exposed French flank. This information was significant as the First Army's manoeuvre allowed French forces to make an effective counter-attack at the <a href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_the_Marne" title="First Battle of the Marne">Battle of the Marne</a>. </p><p>Sir <a href="/wiki/John_French,_1st_Earl_of_Ypres" title="John French, 1st Earl of Ypres">John French</a>'s (the British Expeditionary Force commander) first official dispatch on 7 September included the following: "I wish particularly to bring to your Lordships' notice the admirable work done by the Royal Flying Corps under Sir David Henderson. Their skill, energy, and perseverance has been beyond all praise. They have furnished me with most complete and accurate information, which has been of incalculable value in the conduct of operations. Fired at constantly by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout. Further, by actually fighting in the air, they have succeeded in destroying five of the enemy's machines." </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Markings">Markings</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Markings" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg/180px-RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg.png" decoding="async" width="180" height="180" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="602" data-file-height="602"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 180px;height: 180px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg/180px-RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg.png" data-width="180" data-height="180" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg/270px-RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg/360px-RAF_type_A_roundel_pre1929.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>The regulation RFC roundel national insignia in use in late 1915</figcaption></figure> <p>Early in the war RFC aircraft were not systematically marked with any <a href="/wiki/Military_aircraft_insignia" title="Military aircraft insignia">national insignia</a>. At a squadron level, <a href="/wiki/Union_Flag" class="mw-redirect" title="Union Flag">Union Flag</a> markings in various styles were often painted on the wings (and sometimes the fuselage sides and/or rudder). However, there was a danger of the large red <a href="/wiki/St_George%27s_Cross" class="mw-redirect" title="St George's Cross">St George's Cross</a> being mistaken for the German <i><a href="/wiki/Eisernes_Kreuz" class="mw-redirect" title="Eisernes Kreuz">Eisernes Kreuz</a></i> (iron cross) marking, and so of RFC aircraft being fired upon by friendly ground forces. By late 1915, therefore, the RFC had adopted a modified version of the <a href="/wiki/Cockade_of_France" title="Cockade of France">French cockade</a> (or <a href="/wiki/Roundel" title="Roundel">roundel</a>) marking, with the colours reversed (the blue circle outermost). In contrast to usual French practice, the roundel was applied to the fuselage sides as well as the wings. To minimise the likelihood of "friendly" attack, the rudders of RFC aircraft <a href="/wiki/Fin_flash" class="mw-redirect" title="Fin flash">were painted</a> to match the French, with the blue, white and red stripes – going from the forward (rudder hingeline) to aft (trailing edge) – of the <a href="/wiki/Flag_of_France" title="Flag of France">French tricolour</a>. Later in the war, a "night roundel" was adopted for night flying aircraft (especially <a href="/wiki/Handley_Page_O/400" class="mw-redirect" title="Handley Page O/400">Handley Page O/400</a> heavy bombers), which omitted the conspicuous white circle of the "day" marking. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Roles_and_responsibilities">Roles and responsibilities</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Roles and responsibilities" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Wireless_telegraphy">Wireless telegraphy</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Wireless telegraphy" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Later in September, 1914, during the <a href="/wiki/First_Battle_of_the_Aisne" title="First Battle of the Aisne">First Battle of the Aisne</a>, the RFC made use of wireless telegraphy to assist with artillery targeting and took aerial photographs for the first time.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Photo-reconnaissance">Photo-reconnaissance</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Photo-reconnaissance" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>From 16,000 feet a photographic plate could cover some 2 by 3 miles (3.2 km × 4.8 km) of front line in sharp detail. In 1915 Lieutenant-Colonel JTC Moore-Brabrazon designed the first practical aerial camera. These semi-automatic cameras became a high priority for the Corps and photo-reconnaissance aircraft were soon operational in numbers with the RFC. The camera was usually fixed to the side of the fuselage, or operated through a hole in the floor. The increasing need for surveys of the western front and its approaches, made extensive aerial photography essential. Aerial photographs were exclusively used in compiling the British Army's highly detailed 1:10,000 scale maps introduced in mid-1915. Such were advances in aerial photography that the entire Somme Offensive of July–November 1916 was based on the RFC's air-shot photographs. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Artillery_observation">Artillery observation</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Artillery observation" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>One of the initial and most important uses of RFC aircraft was observing artillery fire behind the enemy front line at targets that could not be seen by ground observers. The fall of shot of artillery fire were easy enough for the pilot to see, providing he was looking in the right place at the right time; apart from this the problem was communicating corrections to the battery. </p><p>Development of procedures had been the responsibility of No 3 Squadron and the Royal Artillery in 1912–13. These methods usually depended on the pilot being tasked to observe the fire against a specific target and report the fall of shot relative to the target, the battery adjusted their aim, fired and the process was repeated until the target was effectively engaged. One early communication method was for the flier to write a note and drop it to the ground where it could be recovered but various visual signalling methods were also used. This meant the pilots had to observe the battery to see when it fired and see if it had laid out a visual signal using white marker panels on the ground. </p><p>The Royal Engineers' Air Battalion had pioneered experiments with wireless telegraphy in airships and aircraft before the RFC was created. Unfortunately the early transmitters weighed 75 pounds and filled a seat in the cockpit. This meant that the pilot had to fly the aircraft, navigate, observe the fall of the shells and transmit the results by morse code by himself. Also, the wireless in the aircraft could not receive. Originally only a special <i>Wireless Flight</i> attached to No. 4 Squadron RFC had the wireless equipment. Eventually this flight was expanded into No. 9 Squadron under Major <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Dowding" title="Hugh Dowding">Hugh Dowding</a>. However, in early 1915 the Sterling lightweight wireless became available and was widely used. In 1915 each corps in the BEF was assigned a RFC squadron solely for artillery observation and reconnaissance duties. The transmitter filled the cockpit normally used by the observer and a trailing wire antenna was used which had to be reeled in prior to landing. </p><p>The RFC's wireless experiments under Major Herbert Musgrave, included research into how wireless telegraphy could be used by military aircraft. However, the most important officers in wireless development were Lieutenants Donald Lewis and Baron James in the RFC HQ wireless unit formed in France in September 1914. They developed both equipment and procedures in operational sorties. </p><p>An important development was the Zone Call procedure in 1915. By this time maps were 'squared' and a target location could be reported from the air using alphanumeric characters transmitted in Morse code. Batteries were allocated a Zone, typically a quarter of a mapsheet, and it was the duty of the RFC signallers on the ground beside the battery command post to pick out calls for fire in their battery's Zone. Once ranging started the airman reported the position of the ranging round using the clock code, the battery adjusted their firing data and fired again, and the process was repeated until the pilot observed an on-target or close round. The battery commander then decided how much to fire at the target. </p><p>The results were mixed. Observing artillery fire, even from above, requires training and skill. Within artillery units, ground observers received mentoring to develop their skill, which was not available to RFC aircrew. There were undoubtedly some very skilled artillery observers in the RFC, but there were many who were not and there was a tendency for '<a href="/wiki/Optimism_bias" title="Optimism bias">optimism bias</a>' – reporting rounds as being on target when they were not. The procedures were also time-consuming. </p><p>The ground stations were generally attached to heavy artillery units, such as Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Batteries, and were manned by RFC wireless operators, such as Henry Tabor.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These wireless operators had to fend for themselves as their squadrons were situated some distance away and they were not posted to the battery they were colocated with. This led to concerns as to who had responsibility for them and in November 1916 squadron commanders had to be reminded "that it is their duty to keep in close touch with the operators attached to their command, and to make all necessary arrangements for supplying them with blankets, clothing, pay, etc" (Letter from Headquarters, 2nd Brigade RFC dated 18 November 1916 – Public Records Office AIR/1/864) </p><p>The wireless operators' work was often carried out under heavy artillery fire in makeshift dug-outs. The artillery batteries were important targets and antennas were a lot less robust than the guns, hence prone to damage requiring immediate repair. As well as taking down and interpreting the numerous signals coming in from the aircraft, the operator had to communicate back to the aircraft by means of cloth strips laid out on the ground or a signalling lamp to give visual confirmation that the signals had been received. The wireless communication was one way as no receiver was mounted in the aircraft and the ground station could not transmit. Details from: <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.tabor.org.uk/HTT%20Diary%20intro.htm">"Henry Tabor's 1916 War Diary"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Henry+Tabor%27s+1916+War+Diary&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tabor.org.uk%2FHTT%2520Diary%2520intro.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span> </p><p>By May 1916, 306 aircraft and 542 ground stations were equipped with wireless. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Covert_operations">Covert operations</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Covert operations" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>An unusual mission for the RFC was the delivery of spies behind enemy lines. The first mission took place on the morning of 13 September 1915 and was not a success. The plane crashed, the pilot and spy were badly injured and they were both captured (two years later the pilot, Captain T.W. Mulcahy-Morgan escaped and returned to England). Later missions were more successful. In addition to delivering the spies the RFC was also responsible for keeping them supplied with the <a href="/wiki/Carrier_pigeon" class="mw-redirect" title="Carrier pigeon">carrier pigeons</a> that were used to send reports back to base. In 1916, a Special Duty Flight was formed as part of the Headquarters Wing to handle these and other unusual assignments.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (October 2020)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Aerial_bombardment">Aerial bombardment</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Aerial bombardment" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The obvious potential for aerial bombardment of the enemy was not lost on the RFC, and despite the poor payload of early war aircraft, bombing missions were undertaken. Front line squadrons (at the prompting of the more inventive pilots) devised several methods of carrying, aiming and dropping bombs. Lieutenant Conran of No 3 Squadron attacked an enemy troop column by dropping hand grenades over the side of his cockpit; the noise of the grenades caused the horses to stampede. At No 6 Squadron, Captain <a href="/wiki/Louis_Strange" title="Louis Strange">Louis Strange</a> managed to destroy two canvas-covered trucks with home-made petrol bombs. </p> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg/220px-Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="72" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="394"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 220px;height: 72px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg/220px-Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg" data-width="220" data-height="72" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg/330px-Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg/440px-Cooper_20_pound_Aerial_Bomb_AWM.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>An inert 20 lb Cooper bomb, like those used on the Courtrai raid</figcaption></figure> <p>In March 1915 a bombing raid was flown, with Captain Strange flying a modified <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_B.E.2#B.E," title="Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2">Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c</a>, to carry four 20 lb <a href="/wiki/Cooper_bombs" title="Cooper bombs">Cooper bombs</a> on wing racks released by pulling a cable fitted in the cockpit. Attacking <a href="/wiki/Courtrai" class="mw-redirect" title="Courtrai">Courtrai</a> railway station. Strange approached from low level and hit a troop train causing 75 casualties. The same day Captain Carmichael of No 5 Squadron dropped a 100 lb bomb from a <a href="/wiki/Martinsyde_S1" class="mw-redirect" title="Martinsyde S1">Martinsyde S1</a> on the railway junction at <a href="/wiki/Menen" title="Menen">Menin</a>. Days later, Lieutenant <a href="/wiki/William_Barnard_Rhodes-Moorhouse" title="William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse">William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse</a> of No 2 Squadron was posthumously awarded the <a href="/wiki/Victoria_Cross" title="Victoria Cross">Victoria Cross</a> after bombing Courtrai station in a BE2c. </p><p>In October 1917 No 41 Wing was formed to attack strategic targets in Germany. Consisting of No 55 Squadron (<a href="/wiki/Airco_DH.4" title="Airco DH.4">Airco DH.4</a>), No 100 (<a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_F.E.2" title="Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2">Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b</a>) and No 16 (Naval) Squadron (<a href="/wiki/Handley_Page_Type_O" title="Handley Page Type O">Handley Page 0/100</a>) the wing was based at <a href="/wiki/Ochey" title="Ochey">Ochey</a> commanded by Lt Colonel <a href="/wiki/Cyril_Newall" class="mw-redirect" title="Cyril Newall">Cyril Newall</a>. Its first attack was on <a href="/wiki/Saarbr%C3%BCcken" title="Saarbrücken">Saarbrücken</a> on 17 October with 11 DH-4s and a week later nine Handley Page O/100s carried out a night attack against factories in Saarbrücken, while 16 F.E.2bs bombed railways nearby. Four aircraft failed to return. The wing was expanded with the later addition of Nos 99 and 104 Squadrons, both flying the DH-4 into the <a href="/wiki/Independent_Air_Force" title="Independent Air Force">Independent Air Force</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Ground_attack_–_army_support"><span id="Ground_attack_.E2.80.93_army_support"></span>Ground attack – army support</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Ground attack – army support" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Aircraft were increasingly engaged in ground attack operations as the war wore on, aimed at disrupting enemy forces at or near the front line and during offensives. While formal tactical bombing raids were planned and usually directed at specific targets, ground-attack was usually carried out by individual pilots or small flights against targets of opportunity. Although the fitted machine guns were the primary armament for ground attack, bomb racks holding 20 lb Cooper bombs were soon fitted to many single-seat aircraft. Ground attack sorties were carried out at very low altitude and were often highly effective, in spite of the primitive nature of the weaponry involved, compared with later conflicts. The moral effect on ground troops subjected to air attack could even be decisive. Such operations became increasingly hazardous for the attacking aircraft, as one hit from small arms fire could bring an aircraft down and troops learned <a href="/wiki/Deflection_shooting" class="mw-redirect" title="Deflection shooting">deflection shooting</a> to hit relatively slow moving enemy aeroplanes. </p><p>During the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Messines_(1917)" title="Battle of Messines (1917)">Battle of Messines</a> in June 1917, Trenchard ordered the British crews to fly low over the lines and strafe all available targets. Techniques for Army and RFC co-operation quickly evolved and improved and during the <a href="/wiki/Third_Battle_of_Ypres" class="mw-redirect" title="Third Battle of Ypres">Third Battle of Ypres</a> over 300 aircraft from 14 RFC squadrons, including the Sopwith Camel, armed with four 9 kg (20 lb) bombs, constantly raided enemy trenches, troop concentrations, artillery positions and strongholds in co-operation with tanks and infantry. </p><p>The cost to the RFC was high, with a loss rate of ground attack aircraft approaching 30 per cent. The first British production armoured type, the <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Salamander" title="Sopwith Salamander">Sopwith Salamander</a>, did not see service during the First World War. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Home_defence">Home defence</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Home defence" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>In the UK the <b>RFC Home Establishment</b> was not only responsible for training air and ground crews and preparing squadrons to deploy to France, but providing squadrons for home defence, countering the German <a href="/wiki/German_strategic_bombing_during_World_War_I" class="mw-redirect" title="German strategic bombing during World War I">Zeppelin raids and later Gotha raids</a>. The RFC (and the Royal Naval Air Service) initially had limited success against the German raids, largely through the problem of locating the attackers and having aircraft of sufficient performance to reach the operating altitude of the German raiders. </p><p>With the bulk of the operational squadrons engaged in France few could be spared for home defence in the UK. Therefore, training squadrons were called on to supply home defence aircraft and aircrews for the duration of the war. Night flying and defence missions were often flown by instructors in aircraft deemed worn-out and often obsolete for front-line service, although the pilots selected as instructors were often among the most experienced in the RFC. </p><p>The RFC officially took over the role of Home Defence in December 1915 and at that time had 10 permanent airfields. By December 1916 there were 11 RFC home defence squadrons: </p> <table border="1" class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th><i>Squadron</i></th> <th><i>Aircraft</i></th> <th><i>Base</i> </th></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._33_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 33 Squadron RAF">33 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>FE2</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Gainsborough,_Lincolnshire" title="Gainsborough, Lincolnshire">Gainsborough</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._36_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 36 Squadron RAF">36 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12, FE2</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Seaton_Carew" title="Seaton Carew">Seaton Carew</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._37_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 37 Squadron RAF">37 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE12, FE2</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Woodham_Mortimer" title="Woodham Mortimer">Woodham Mortimer</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._39_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 39 Squadron RAF">39 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Woodford_Green" title="Woodford Green">Woodford Green</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._43_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 43 Squadron RAF">43 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>1½ Strutter</td> <td><a href="/wiki/RAF_Northolt" title="RAF Northolt">Northolt</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._50_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 50 Squadron RAF">50 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Harrietsham" title="Harrietsham">Harrietsham</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._51_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 51 Squadron RAF">51 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Hingham,_Norfolk" title="Hingham, Norfolk">Hingham</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._75_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 75 Squadron RAF">75 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>Avro 504NF</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Goldington" title="Goldington">Goldington</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._76_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 76 Squadron RAF">76 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Ripon" title="Ripon">Ripon</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._77_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 77 Squadron RAF">77 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12</td> <td><a href="/wiki/RAF_Turnhouse" title="RAF Turnhouse">Turnhouse</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td><a href="/wiki/No._78_Squadron_RAF" title="No. 78 Squadron RAF">78 (Home Defence)</a></td> <td>BE2, BE12</td> <td><a href="/wiki/Hove" title="Hove">Hove</a> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Saint-Omer">Saint-Omer</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Saint-Omer" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>As the war moved into the period of the mobile warfare commonly called the <a href="/wiki/Race_to_the_Sea" title="Race to the Sea">Race to the Sea</a>, the Corps moved forward again. The RFC arrived in <a href="/wiki/Saint-Omer" title="Saint-Omer">Saint-Omer</a> on 8 October 1914, and a headquarters was established at the aerodrome next to the local race course. Over the next few days the four squadrons arrived, and for the next four years Saint-Omer was a focal point for all RFC operations in the field. Although most squadrons only used Saint-Omer as a transit camp before moving on to other locations, the base grew in importance as it increased its logistic support to the RFC. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Trenchard_in_command_in_France">Trenchard in command in France</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: Trenchard in command in France" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard_as_commander_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps_in_France" title="Hugh Trenchard as commander of the Royal Flying Corps in France">Hugh Trenchard as commander of the Royal Flying Corps in France</a></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Hugh_Trenchard,_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg/150px-Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg" decoding="async" width="150" height="246" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="250" data-file-height="410"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 150px;height: 246px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg/150px-Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg" data-width="150" data-height="246" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg/225px-Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Hugh_Trenchard%2C_1st_Viscount_Trenchard.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Trenchard in the uniform of the Royal Flying Corps</figcaption></figure> <p><a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard,_1st_Viscount_Trenchard" title="Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard">Hugh Trenchard</a> was the commander of the Royal Flying Corps in France from August 1915 until January 1918. Trenchard's time in command was characterised by three priorities. First was his emphasis on support to and co-ordination with ground forces. This support started with reconnaissance and artillery co-ordination and later encompassed tactical low-level bombing of enemy ground forces. While Trenchard did not oppose the strategic bombing of Germany in principle, he opposed moves to divert his forces on to long-range bombing missions as he believed the strategic role to be less important and his resource to be too limited. Secondly, he stressed the importance of morale, not only of his own airmen, but more generally the detrimental effect that the presence of an aircraft had upon the morale of opposing ground troops. Finally, Trenchard had an unswerving belief in the importance of offensive action. Although this belief was widely held by senior British commanders, the RFC's offensive posture resulted in the loss of many men and machines and some doubted its effectiveness.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1916–1917"><span id="1916.E2.80.931917"></span>1916–1917</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: 1916–1917" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>Before the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme" title="Battle of the Somme">Battle of the Somme</a> the RFC mustered 421 aircraft, with 4 kite-balloon squadrons and 14 balloons. These made up four brigades, which worked with the four British armies. By the end of the Somme offensive in November 1916, the RFC had lost 800 aircraft and 252 aircrew killed (all causes) since July 1916, with 292 tons of bombs dropped and 19,000 Recce photographs taken. </p><p>As 1917 dawned, the Allied Air Forces felt the effect of the German Air Force's increasing superiority in both organisation and equipment (if not numbers). The recently formed <i><a href="/wiki/Jastas" class="mw-redirect" title="Jastas">Jastas</a></i>, equipped with the <a href="/wiki/Albatros_Flugzeugwerke" title="Albatros Flugzeugwerke">Albatros</a> fighter, inflicted very heavy losses on the RFC's obsolescent aircraft, culminating in Bloody April, the nadir of the RFC's fortunes in World War I. </p><p>To support the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_(1917)" title="Battle of Arras (1917)">Battle of Arras</a> beginning on 9 April 1917, the RFC deployed 25 squadrons, totalling 365 aircraft, a third of which were fighters (scouts). The British lost 245 aircraft with 211 aircrew killed or missing & 108 as prisoners of war. The German Air Services lost just 66 aircraft from all causes. </p><p>By the summer of 1917, the introduction of the next generation of technically advanced combat aircraft (such as the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Aircraft_Factory_S.E.5" title="Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5">SE5</a>, <a href="/wiki/Sopwith_Camel" title="Sopwith Camel">Sopwith Camel</a> and <a href="/wiki/Bristol_F.2_Fighter" title="Bristol F.2 Fighter">Bristol Fighter</a>) ensured losses fell and damage inflicted on the enemy increased. </p><p>Close support and battlefield co-operation tactics with the British Army were further developed by November 1917, when low-flying fighter aircraft co-operated highly effectively with advancing columns of tanks and infantry during the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Cambrai_(1917)" title="Battle of Cambrai (1917)">Battle of Cambrai</a>. </p><p>1917 saw 2,094 RFC aircrew killed in action or missing. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Italy">Italy</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: Italy" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The disastrous defeat of the Italian Army by Austro-Hungarian and German forces in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Caporetto" title="Battle of Caporetto">Battle of Caporetto</a> led to the transfer of 3 RFC Sopwith Camel fighter squadrons (28, 45 and 66), two two-seater squadrons (34 and 42, with RE8s) and No. 4 Balloon Wing to the Italian Front in November 1917. No. 139 Squadron (Bristol Fighters) were added in July 1918. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Other_theatres_of_operations">Other theatres of operations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Other theatres of operations" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>RFC Squadrons were also deployed to the Middle East and the Balkans. In July 1916 the Middle-East Brigade of the RFC was formed under the command of Brigadier General <a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Salmond" title="Geoffrey Salmond">W G H Salmond</a>, concentrating RFC units based in Macedonia, Mesopotamia, Palestine and East Africa under one unified command. In the Middle East units had to make do with older, often obsolete equipment before being given more modern aircraft. The <a href="/wiki/Palestine_Brigade_RAF" title="Palestine Brigade RAF">Palestine Brigade</a> of the RFC was formed in October 1917 to support General Allenby's ground offensive against the Ottomans in Palestine. </p><p>Despite their relatively small numbers the RFC gave valuable assistance to the Army in the eventual defeat of Ottoman forces in <a href="/wiki/Palestine_(region)" title="Palestine (region)">Palestine</a>, Trans <a href="/wiki/Jordan" title="Jordan">Jordan</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mesopotamia" title="Mesopotamia">Mesopotamia</a> (Iraq). </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="1918">1918</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: 1918" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/German_Spring_Offensive" class="mw-redirect" title="German Spring Offensive">German Offensive</a> in March 1918 was an all-out effort to win the war before the German economy collapsed from the pressures exerted on it by the Royal Navy's blockade and the strains of war.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the weeks following the launch of the attack, RFC crews flew unceasingly, with all types of aircraft bombing and strafing ground forces, often from extremely low level, meantime also bringing back vital reports of the fluid ground fighting. </p><p>The RFC contributed significantly to slowing the German advance and ensuring the controlled retreat of the Allied Armies did not turn into a rout. The battle reached its peak on 12 April, when the newly formed RAF dropped more bombs, and flew more missions than any other day during the war. The cost of halting the German advance was high however, with over 400 aircrew killed and 1000 aircraft lost to enemy action. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Amalgamation_with_the_RNAS">Amalgamation with the RNAS</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=28" title="Edit section: Amalgamation with the RNAS" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <p>On 17 August 1917, General <a href="/wiki/Jan_Smuts" title="Jan Smuts">Jan Smuts</a> presented <a href="/w/index.php?title=Smuts_report&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Smuts report (page does not exist)">a report</a> to the War Council on the future of air power. Because of its potential for the 'devastation of enemy lands and the destruction of industrial and populous centres on a vast scale', he recommended a new air service be formed that would be on a level with the Army and Royal Navy. Pilots were seconded to the RFC from other regiments and could return when they were no longer able to fly but in a separate service this would be impossible. The formation of the new service would make underused RNAS resources available for the Western Front, as well as ending the inter-service rivalry that at times had adversely affected aircraft procurement. </p><p>On 1 April 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to form the Royal Air Force, under the control of a new <a href="/wiki/Air_Ministry" title="Air Ministry">Air Ministry</a>. After starting in 1914 with some 2,073 personnel, by the start of 1919 the RAF had 4,000 combat aircraft and 114,000 personnel. </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(6)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Recruitment_and_training">Recruitment and training</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=29" title="Edit section: Recruitment and training" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-6 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-6"> <p>Many pilots were initially seconded to the RFC from their original regiments by becoming an observer. Some RFC ground crew (often NCO's or below) also volunteered for these flying duties as they then received supplementary flying pay. There was no formal training for observers until 1917 and many were sent on their first sortie with only a brief introduction to the aircraft from the pilot. Once they were certified as fully qualified, the observer was awarded the coveted half-wing brevet. When it had been awarded this could not be forfeited, so it essentially amounted to a decoration. Originally in the RFC, as in most early air forces, the observer was nominally in command of the aircraft with the pilot having the role of a "<a href="/wiki/Chauffeur" title="Chauffeur">chauffeur</a>". In practice, this was reversed at an early stage in the RFC, so that the pilot normally commanded the aircraft. Most operational two seaters of the period did not have dual controls (an exception was the <a href="/wiki/F.K._8" class="mw-redirect" title="F.K. 8">F.K. 8</a>), so that the death or incapacity of the pilot normally meant an inevitable crash – but nonetheless many observers gained at least rudimentary piloting skills, and it was very common for experienced observers to be selected for pilot training. </p><p>Applicants for aircrew generally entered the RFC as a cadet via the depot pool for basic training. The cadet would then generally pass on to the <a href="/wiki/No_1_School_of_Military_Aeronautics" class="mw-redirect" title="No 1 School of Military Aeronautics">School of Military Aeronautics</a> at either Reading or Oxford. Following this period of theoretical learning the cadet was posted to a Training Squadron, either in the UK or overseas. </p><p>Colonel <a href="/wiki/Robert_Smith-Barry" title="Robert Smith-Barry">Robert Smith-Barry</a>, a former CO of 60 Squadron, appalled at the high fatality rate during training in 1915–16 and the poor standard of newly trained pilots, formulated a comprehensive curriculum for pilot training, and with the agreement of Trenchard, returned to the UK to implement his training ethos at <a href="/wiki/Gosport" title="Gosport">Gosport</a> in 1917. The immediate effect was to halve fatalities in training. The curriculum was based on a combination of classroom theory and dual flight instruction. Students were not to be discouraged from potentially dangerous manoeuvres but were exposed to them in a controlled environment so that the student could learn to safely rectify errors of judgement. </p><p>Dual flying training usually weeded out those not suitable for flying training (approximately 45% of the initial class intake) before the remaining cadets were taught in the air by an instructor ( initially a 'tour-expired' pilot sent for a rest from an operational squadron in France, without any specific training on how to instruct). After flying 10 to 20 hours dual instruction, the pupil would be ready to 'go solo'. </p><p>In May 1916 pilots under instruction were further trained for fighting in the air. Schools of Special Flying were set up at <a href="/wiki/Turnberry_(golf_course)" title="Turnberry (golf course)">Turnberry</a>, <a href="/wiki/Marske-by-the-Sea" title="Marske-by-the-Sea">Marske</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Sedgeforth&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Sedgeforth (page does not exist)">Sedgeforth</a>, <a href="/w/index.php?title=Feiston&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Feiston (page does not exist)">Feiston</a>, <a href="/wiki/East_Fortune" title="East Fortune">East Fortune</a> and <a href="/wiki/Ayr" title="Ayr">Ayr</a>, where finished pilots could simulate combat flying under the supervision of veteran instructors.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During 1917 experienced pilots were redeployed from the <a href="/wiki/Sinai_and_Palestine_campaign" title="Sinai and Palestine campaign">Sinai and Palestine campaign</a> to set up a new flying school and train pilots in <a href="/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a> and staff <a href="/wiki/Central_Flying_School_RAAF" title="Central Flying School RAAF">another</a> in <a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Seven Training Squadrons were eventually established in Egypt at five Training Depot Stations. </p><p>In 1917, the American, British, and Canadian Governments agreed to join forces for training. Between April 1917 and January 1919, <a href="/wiki/CFB_Borden" title="CFB Borden">Camp Borden</a> in Ontario hosted instruction on flying, wireless, air gunnery and photography, training 1,812 RFC Canada pilots and 72 for the United States. Training also took place at several other Ontario locations. </p><p>During winter 1917–18, RFC instructors trained with the <a href="/wiki/Aviation_Section,_US_Signal_Corps" class="mw-redirect" title="Aviation Section, US Signal Corps">Aviation Section, US Signal Corps</a> on three airfields in the United States accommodating about six thousand men, at <a href="/wiki/Camp_Taliaferro" title="Camp Taliaferro">Camp Taliaferro</a> near <a href="/wiki/Fort_Worth,_Texas" title="Fort Worth, Texas">Fort Worth, Texas</a>. Training was hazardous; 39 RFC officers and cadets died in Texas. Eleven remain there, reinterred in 1924 at a <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_War_Graves_Commission" title="Commonwealth War Graves Commission">Commonwealth War Graves Commission</a> cemetery where a monument honours their sacrifice. </p><p>As the war drew on the RFC increasingly drew on men from across the <a href="/wiki/British_Empire" title="British Empire">British Empire</a> including South Africa, Canada and Australia. As well as individual personnel, the separate <a href="/wiki/Australian_Flying_Corps" title="Australian Flying Corps">Australian Flying Corps</a> (AFC) deployed Nos <a href="/wiki/No._1_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 1 Squadron RAAF">1</a>, <a href="/wiki/No._2_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 2 Squadron RAAF">2</a>, <a href="/wiki/No._3_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 3 Squadron RAAF">3</a> and <a href="/wiki/No._4_Squadron_RAAF" title="No. 4 Squadron RAAF">4</a> Squadrons AFC (which the RFC referred to as 67, 68, 69 and 71 Squadrons). Over 200 Americans joined the RFC before the United States became a combatant.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (February 2016)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> Eventually Canadians made up nearly a third of RFC aircrew.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (February 2016)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Although as the war progressed and training became far safer, by the end of the war, some 8,000 had been killed while training or in flying accidents.<sup id="cite_ref-ReferenceA_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-ReferenceA-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(7)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Parachutes">Parachutes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=30" title="Edit section: Parachutes" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-7 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-7"> <p>Parachuting from balloons and aircraft, with very few accidents, had been a popular "stunt" for several years before the war. In 1915 inventor <a href="/wiki/Everard_Calthrop" title="Everard Calthrop">Everard Calthrop</a> offered the RFC his patented parachute. On 13 January 1917, Captain <a href="/wiki/Clive_Franklyn_Collett" title="Clive Franklyn Collett">Clive Collett</a>, a New Zealander, made the first British military parachute jump from a heavier-than-air craft. The jump, from 600 feet, was successful but although parachutes were issued to the crews of observation balloons, the higher authorities in the RFC and the Air Board were opposed to the issuing of parachutes to pilots of heavier-than-air craft. It was felt at the time that a parachute might tempt a pilot to abandon his aircraft in an emergency rather than continuing the fight. The parachutes of the time were also heavy and cumbersome, and the added weight was frowned upon by some experienced pilots as it adversely affected aircraft with already marginal performance. It was not until 16 September 1918 that an order was issued for all single-seater aircraft to be fitted with parachutes, and this did not eventuate until after the war.<sup id="cite_ref-Lee_1968_pp.219-225_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lee_1968_pp.219-225-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(8)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="End_of_the_war">End of the war</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=31" title="Edit section: End of the war" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-8 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-8"> <p>At the end of the war there were 5,182 pilots in service (constituting 2% of total RAF personnel). In comparison, the casualties from the RFC/RNAS/RAF for 1914–18 totalled 9,378 killed or missing, with 7,245 wounded. Some 900,000 flying hours on operations were logged, and 6,942 tons of bombs dropped. The RFC claimed some 7,054 German aircraft and balloons either destroyed, sent 'down out of control' or 'driven down'.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources"><span title="This citation requires a reference to the specific page or range of pages in which the material appears. (January 2019)">page needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p>Eleven RFC members received the Victoria Cross during the First World War. Initially the RFC did not believe in publicising the victory totals and exploits of their <a href="/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">aces</a>. Eventually, however, public interest and the newspapers' demand for heroes led to this policy being abandoned, with the feats of aces such as Captain <a href="/wiki/Albert_Ball" title="Albert Ball">Albert Ball</a> raising morale in the service as well as on the "home front". More than 1000 airmen are considered as "aces" (see <a href="/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_flying_aces_from_the_British_Empire" title="List of World War I flying aces from the British Empire">List of World War I flying aces from the British Empire</a>). However, the British criteria for confirming air victories were much lower than those from Germany or France, and do not meet modern standards (see <a href="/wiki/Aerial_victory_standards_of_World_War_I" title="Aerial victory standards of World War I">Aerial victory standards of World War I</a>). </p><p>For a short time after the formation of the RAF, pre-RAF ranks such as Lieutenant, Captain and Major continued to exist, a practice that officially ended on 15 September 1919. For this reason, some early RAF memorials and gravestones show ranks that no longer exist in the modern RAF. A typical example is <a href="/wiki/James_McCudden" title="James McCudden">James McCudden</a>'s grave, though there are many others. </p> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(9)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Commanders_and_personnel">Commanders and personnel</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=32" title="Edit section: Commanders and personnel" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-9 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-9"> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg/170px-Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="205" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="664" data-file-height="800"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 170px;height: 205px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg/170px-Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg" data-width="170" data-height="205" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg/255px-Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg/340px-Trenchard_at_GHQ.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Maj Gen H M Trenchard in 1917, by <a href="/wiki/William_Orpen" title="William Orpen">William Orpen</a></figcaption></figure> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Commanders">Commanders</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=33" title="Edit section: Commanders" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Royal_Flying_Corps_generals" title="List of Royal Flying Corps generals">List of Royal Flying Corps generals</a></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><noscript><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg/170px-Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="223" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="587" data-file-height="770"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 170px;height: 223px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg/170px-Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg" data-width="170" data-height="223" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg/255px-Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg/340px-Lt_Gen_Sir_David_Henderson.jpg 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></a><figcaption>Lt Gen Sir David Henderson, during the latter part of the War</figcaption></figure> <p>The following had command of the RFC in the Field: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Major_General" class="mw-redirect" title="Major General">Major General</a> Sir <a href="/wiki/David_Henderson_(general)" class="mw-redirect" title="David Henderson (general)">David Henderson</a>, 5 August 1914 – 22 November 1914</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Colonel_(United_Kingdom)" title="Colonel (United Kingdom)">Colonel</a> <a href="/wiki/Frederick_Sykes" title="Frederick Sykes">F H Sykes</a>, 22 November 1914 – 20 December 1914<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>Major General Sir <a href="/wiki/David_Henderson_(general)" class="mw-redirect" title="David Henderson (general)">David Henderson</a>, 20 December 1914 – 19 August 1915</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brigadier_General" class="mw-redirect" title="Brigadier General">Brigadier General</a>, later Major General, <a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard,_1st_Viscount_Trenchard" title="Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard">H M Trenchard</a>, 25 August 1915 – 3 January 1918</li> <li>Major General <a href="/wiki/John_Salmond" title="John Salmond">J M Salmond</a>, 18 January 1918 – 4 January 1919 (General Officer Commanding the RAF in the Field from 1 April)</li></ul> <p>The following served as <a href="/wiki/Chief_of_staff" title="Chief of staff">chief of staff</a> for the RFC in the Field: </p> <ul><li>Colonel <a href="/wiki/Frederick_Sykes" title="Frederick Sykes">Frederick Sykes</a> 5 August 1914 – 22 November 1914</li> <li><i>Post vacant</i></li> <li>Colonel <a href="/wiki/Frederick_Sykes" title="Frederick Sykes">Frederick Sykes</a> 20 December 1914 – 26 May 1915</li> <li>Lieutenant-Colonel <a href="/wiki/Robert_Brooke-Popham" title="Robert Brooke-Popham">Robert Brooke-Popham</a> 26 May 1915 – 12 March 1916</li> <li>Brigadier General <a href="/wiki/Philip_Game" title="Philip Game">Philip Game</a> 19 March 1916 – 14 October 1918 (RAF in the Field from 1 April)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Some_members_of_the_RFC">Some members of the RFC</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=34" title="Edit section: Some members of the RFC" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Militarily_prominent">Militarily prominent</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=35" title="Edit section: Militarily prominent" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alfred_Atkey" title="Alfred Atkey">Alfred Atkey</a> – high scoring ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Albert_Ball" title="Albert Ball">Albert Ball</a>, <a href="/wiki/Victoria_Cross" title="Victoria Cross">VC</a> – high scoring ace with 44 victories</li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_George_Barker" title="William George Barker">William George Barker</a> – high scoring ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Billy_Bishop" title="Billy Bishop">Billy Bishop</a>, VC – first or second (see also Edward Mannock, below) highest scoring British Empire <a href="/wiki/Flying_ace" title="Flying ace">flying ace</a> of World War I</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donald_Cunnell" title="Donald Cunnell">Donald Cunnell</a> – high scoring ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hugh_Dowding,_1st_Baron_Dowding" class="mw-redirect" title="Hugh Dowding, 1st Baron Dowding">Hugh Dowding</a> – later commander of <a href="/wiki/RAF_Fighter_Command" title="RAF Fighter Command">RAF Fighter Command</a> during the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tryggve_Gran" title="Tryggve Gran">Tryggve Gran</a> – Norwegian ace 1916–21; had been member of Scott's 1910–13 <a href="/wiki/1910%E2%80%9313_Scott_Antarctic_Expedition" class="mw-redirect" title="1910–13 Scott Antarctic Expedition">Antarctic Expedition</a>; first to fly across the North Sea, 1914</li> <li>Air Marshal Sir <a href="/wiki/Arthur_Travers_Harris" class="mw-redirect" title="Arthur Travers Harris">Arthur Harris</a> ("Bomber" Harris) – later commander of <a href="/wiki/RAF_Bomber_Command" title="RAF Bomber Command">RAF Bomber Command</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/H._D._Harvey-Kelly" title="H. D. Harvey-Kelly">H. D. Harvey-Kelly</a>, No. 2 Squadron – first RFC pilot to land in France at the outbreak of the First World War</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lanoe_Hawker" title="Lanoe Hawker">Lanoe Hawker</a> VC, DSO – first British ace, killed in action by the "Red Baron" <a href="/wiki/Manfred_von_Richthofen" title="Manfred von Richthofen">Manfred von Richthofen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jeejeebhoy_Piroshaw_Bomanjee_Jeejeebhoy" title="Jeejeebhoy Piroshaw Bomanjee Jeejeebhoy">Jeejeebhoy Piroshaw Bomanjee Jeejeebhoy</a> – first Indian pilot</li> <li>Air Marshal <a href="/wiki/George_Owen_Johnson" title="George Owen Johnson">George Owen Johnson</a> CB, MC <a href="/wiki/RCAF" class="mw-redirect" title="RCAF">RCAF</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trafford_Leigh-Mallory" title="Trafford Leigh-Mallory">Trafford Leigh-Mallory</a> – later head of Fighter Command</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donald_MacLaren" title="Donald MacLaren">Donald MacLaren</a> – high scoring ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/James_McCudden" title="James McCudden">James McCudden</a> VC – high scoring ace with 57 victories</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_McElroy" title="George McElroy">George McElroy</a> – high scoring ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Edward_Mannock" class="mw-redirect" title="Edward Mannock">Edward Mannock</a> VC – although his score is disputed, often acknowledged as the first or second highest scoring British Empire ace</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Moore-Brabazon" class="mw-redirect" title="John Moore-Brabazon">John Moore-Brabazon</a>, 1st Lord Brabazon of Tara – later Minister of Aircraft Production under <a href="/wiki/Winston_Churchill" title="Winston Churchill">Winston Churchill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eric_Moxey" title="Eric Moxey">Eric Moxey</a> – Captain in the RFC, later Squadron Leader in an RAF Special Duties squadron where he was killed at Biggin Hill and posthumously awarded the first <a href="/wiki/George_Cross" title="George Cross">George Cross</a> of the Second World War</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Keith_Park" title="Keith Park">Keith Park</a> – commander of No. 11 Group, Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Noel_Stephen_Paynter" title="Noel Stephen Paynter">Noel Stephen Paynter</a> – later chief intelligence officer of <a href="/wiki/RAF_Bomber_Command" title="RAF Bomber Command">RAF Bomber Command</a></li> <li>Sir <a href="/wiki/Charles_Portal" class="mw-redirect" title="Charles Portal">Charles Portal</a> – Chief of Air Staff throughout most of the Second World War</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indra_Lal_Roy" title="Indra Lal Roy">Indra Lal Roy</a>, <a href="/wiki/Distinguished_Flying_Cross_(United_Kingdom)" title="Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)">DFC</a> – first Indian ace, and the first Indian pilot to receive the DFC</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Arthur_Tedder,_1st_Baron_Tedder" title="Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder">Arthur Tedder</a> – Commander Allied Air Forces Mediterranean, Marshal of the Royal Air Force and Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Forces in the Second World War, Chief of the Air Staff 1946–1950</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Henry_Tizard" title="Henry Tizard">Henry Tizard</a> – scientist and inventor, chairman of the <a href="/wiki/Aeronautical_Research_Committee" class="mw-redirect" title="Aeronautical Research Committee">Aeronautical Research Committee</a> 1933–44</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hugh_Trenchard" class="mw-redirect" title="Hugh Trenchard">Hugh Trenchard</a> – commander of RFC and later Chief of the Air Staff</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Otherwise_prominent">Otherwise prominent</h4><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=36" title="Edit section: Otherwise prominent" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Vernon_Castle" class="mw-redirect" title="Vernon Castle">Vernon Castle</a>, ballroom dancer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jack_Cohen_(businessman)" title="Jack Cohen (businessman)">Sir Jack Cohen</a>, founder of the <a href="/wiki/Tesco" title="Tesco">Tesco</a> supermarket chain</li> <li><a href="/wiki/O._G._S._Crawford" title="O. G. S. Crawford">O. G. S. Crawford</a>, later Archaeology Officer of the <a href="/wiki/Ordnance_Survey" title="Ordnance Survey">Ordnance Survey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_Cushion" title="William Cushion">Air Vice-Marshal Sir William Cushion</a>, RAF and BOAC</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Galton_Darwin" title="Charles Galton Darwin">Charles Galton Darwin</a> <a href="/wiki/Fellow_of_the_Royal_Society" title="Fellow of the Royal Society">F.R.S.</a>, grandson of <a href="/wiki/Charles_Darwin" title="Charles Darwin">Charles Darwin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Karl_Brooks_Heisey" title="Karl Brooks Heisey">Karl Brooks Heisey</a>, mining engineer and executive</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jack_Hobbs" title="Jack Hobbs">Jack Hobbs</a>, cricketer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/W._E._Johns" title="W. E. Johns">W. E. Johns</a>, author of the <i>Biggles</i> books</li> <li><a href="/wiki/John_Lennard-Jones" title="John Lennard-Jones">John Lennard-Jones</a>, scientist</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cecil_Arthur_Lewis" title="Cecil Arthur Lewis">Cecil Lewis</a>, author of <i>Sagittarius Rising</i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Francis_Peabody_Magoun" title="Francis Peabody Magoun">Francis Peabody Magoun</a>, Military cross winner 1918 and Harvard professor</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oswald_Mosley" title="Oswald Mosley">Oswald Mosley</a>, founder of the <a href="/wiki/British_Union_of_Fascists" title="British Union of Fascists">British Union of Fascists</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malcolm_Nokes" title="Malcolm Nokes">Malcolm Nokes</a>, Olympic medal winner, schoolmaster and scientist</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mick_O%27Brien_(1893-1940)" class="mw-redirect" title="Mick O'Brien (1893-1940)">Mick O'Brien</a>, footballer</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cuthbert_Orde" title="Cuthbert Orde">Cuthbert Orde</a>, war artist noted for portraits of Battle of Britain pilots</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phelps_Phelps" title="Phelps Phelps">Phelps Phelps</a>, 38th <a href="/wiki/Governor_of_American_Samoa" class="mw-redirect" title="Governor of American Samoa">Governor of American Samoa</a> and <a href="/wiki/United_States_Ambassador_to_the_Dominican_Republic" class="mw-redirect" title="United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic">United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Charles_Kingsford_Smith" title="Charles Kingsford Smith">Sir Charles Kingsford Smith</a>, Australian aviation pioneer, first to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1928 using <a href="/wiki/Fokker" title="Fokker">Fokker</a> <a href="/wiki/Trimotor" title="Trimotor">trimotor</a> <a href="/wiki/Monoplane" title="Monoplane">monoplane</a> <i><a href="/wiki/Southern_Cross_(aircraft)" title="Southern Cross (aircraft)">Southern Cross</a></i>. First to cross the Atlantic Ocean west to east. First to cross the <a href="/wiki/Tasman_Sea" title="Tasman Sea">Tasman Sea</a> also using the <i>Southern Cross</i>. He also set many records for flying solo between England and Australia and vice versa.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robert_Smith-Barry" title="Robert Smith-Barry">Robert Smith-Barry</a>, systematised the training of pilots and set up a formal curriculum of <a href="/wiki/Flying_training" class="mw-redirect" title="Flying training">flying training</a> (the "Gosport System") that was subsequently taken up worldwide</li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_Stephenson" title="William Stephenson">William Stephenson</a>, head of <a href="/wiki/British_Security_Coordination" class="mw-redirect" title="British Security Coordination">British Security Coordination</a> during the Second World War. Played key role in formation of the <a href="/wiki/CIA" class="mw-redirect" title="CIA">CIA</a>. The first non-US citizen to receive the <a href="/wiki/Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom" title="Presidential Medal of Freedom">Presidential Medal of Freedom</a>.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Morgan_Trefgarne,_1st_Baron_Trefgarne" class="mw-redirect" title="George Morgan Trefgarne, 1st Baron Trefgarne">George Morgan Trefgarne, 1st Baron Trefgarne</a></li> <li>Hubert Williams (1895–2002), last surviving Royal Flying Corps pilot. In 1995 on his 100th birthday he was allowed to take over the controls of a Concorde flying to New York.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/William_Young_(veteran)" title="William Young (veteran)">William Young</a> (1900–2007), last surviving veteran of the Royal Flying Corps</li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(10)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Fictional_representations_of_the_RFC">Fictional representations of the RFC</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=37" title="Edit section: Fictional representations of the RFC" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-10 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-10"> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Novels_and_short_stories">Novels and short stories</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=38" title="Edit section: Novels and short stories" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><i>Winged Victory</i> (1934) by <a href="/wiki/Victor_M_Yeates" class="mw-redirect" title="Victor M Yeates">Victor M Yeates</a>, a First World War pilot. Sought after by <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a> pilots for its authentic descriptions of aerial warfare. Published by Jonathan Cape.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Biggles" title="Biggles">Biggles</a> series (1932–1999): a series of youth-oriented novels and short story collections by <a href="/wiki/W._E._Johns" title="W. E. Johns">W. E. Johns</a>, an RFC veteran</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Bartholomew_Bandy" class="mw-redirect" title="Bartholomew Bandy">Bandy Papers</a> (1962–2005): a series of novels by <a href="/wiki/Donald_Jack" title="Donald Jack">Donald Jack</a> chronicling the exploits of a fighter ace, Bartholomew Wolfe Bandy</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Goshawk_Squadron" title="Goshawk Squadron">Goshawk Squadron</a></i> (1971) and its prequels, by <a href="/wiki/Derek_Robinson_(novelist)" title="Derek Robinson (novelist)">Derek Robinson</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Bloody_Red_Baron" title="The Bloody Red Baron">The Bloody Red Baron</a></i> (1995): the second novel of the alternate-history <i><a href="/wiki/Anno_Dracula_series" title="Anno Dracula series">Anno Dracula series</a></i> by <a href="/wiki/Kim_Newman" title="Kim Newman">Kim Newman</a>, which primarily follows the exploits of a unit of the RFC and their enemy rivals</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Phoenix_and_Ashes" class="mw-redirect" title="Phoenix and Ashes">Phoenix and Ashes</a></i> (2004): a fantasy novel by <a href="/wiki/Mercedes_Lackey" title="Mercedes Lackey">Mercedes Lackey</a></li> <li><i>Across the Blood-Red Skies</i> (2010), by Robert Radcliffe</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Film_and_TV">Film and TV</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=39" title="Edit section: Film and TV" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Hell%27s_Angels_(film)" title="Hell's Angels (film)">Hell's Angels</a></i> (1930): a film directed by <a href="/wiki/Howard_Hughes" title="Howard Hughes">Howard Hughes</a>, starring <a href="/wiki/Jean_Harlow" title="Jean Harlow">Jean Harlow</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Dawn_Patrol_(1938_film)" title="The Dawn Patrol (1938 film)">The Dawn Patrol</a></i> (1938): a film directed by <a href="/wiki/Edmund_Goulding" title="Edmund Goulding">Edmund Goulding</a>, starring <a href="/wiki/Errol_Flynn" title="Errol Flynn">Errol Flynn</a>, <a href="/wiki/Basil_Rathbone" title="Basil Rathbone">Basil Rathbone</a> and <a href="/wiki/David_Niven" title="David Niven">David Niven</a> (a remake of a 1930 original).</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/The_Last_Flight_(Twilight_Zone)" class="mw-redirect" title="The Last Flight (Twilight Zone)">The Last Flight</a>" (1960): an episode of <i><a href="/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone_(1959_TV_series)" title="The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)">The Twilight Zone</a></i> TV series</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Aces_High_(film)" title="Aces High (film)">Aces High</a></i> (1976): a film directed by <a href="/wiki/Jack_Gold" title="Jack Gold">Jack Gold</a>, starring <a href="/wiki/Malcolm_McDowell" title="Malcolm McDowell">Malcolm McDowell</a>, <a href="/wiki/Christopher_Plummer" title="Christopher Plummer">Christopher Plummer</a> and <a href="/wiki/Simon_Ward" title="Simon Ward">Simon Ward</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Wings_(BBC_TV_series)" class="mw-redirect" title="Wings (BBC TV series)">Wings</a></i> (1977–78): a BBC TV series</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Private_Plane" title="Private Plane">Private Plane</a>" (1989): an episode of the <i><a href="/wiki/Blackadder_Goes_Forth" title="Blackadder Goes Forth">Blackadder</a></i> TV series</li> <li>"<a href="/wiki/Archer_(season_2)#Episodes" class="mw-redirect" title="Archer (season 2)">The Double Deuce</a>" (2011) : an episode of the <i><a href="/wiki/Archer_(2009_TV_series)" title="Archer (2009 TV series)">Archer</a></i> TV series</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Games">Games</h3><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=40" title="Edit section: Games" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div> <ul><li><i><a href="/wiki/Battlefield_1" title="Battlefield 1">Battlefield 1</a></i></li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(11)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=41" title="Edit section: See also" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-11 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-11"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Army_Air_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)">Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_Aviation_Corps" title="Canadian Aviation Corps">Canadian Aviation Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Canadian Naval Air Service">Royal Canadian Naval Air Service</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_Flying_Corps" title="Australian Flying Corps">Australian Flying Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Union_Defence_Force_(South_Africa)" title="Union Defence Force (South Africa)">Union Defence Force</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_Air_Force" title="South African Air Force">South African Aviation Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_the_Royal_Flying_Corps" title="List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps">List of aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_Royal_Air_Force_aircraft_squadrons" title="List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons">List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_unmanned_aerial_vehicles_of_World_War_I" title="British unmanned aerial vehicles of World War I">British unmanned aerial vehicles of World War I</a></li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(12)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=42" title="Edit section: Notes" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-12 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-12"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBeckett2014256-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBeckett2014256_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFBeckett2014">Beckett 2014</a>, p. 256.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Lee_1968_pp.219-225-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Lee_1968_pp.219-225_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Lee_1968_pp.219-225_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lee (1968) pp. 219–225</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGazette28609" class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28609/page/3583">"No. 28609"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/The_London_Gazette" title="The London Gazette">The London Gazette</a></i>. 17 May 1912. p. 3583.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+London+Gazette&rft.atitle=No.+28609&rft.pages=3583&rft.date=1912-05-17&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegazette.co.uk%2FLondon%2Fissue%2F28609%2Fpage%2F3583&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFull_Text_Archive" class="citation web cs1">Full Text Archive. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.fulltextarchive.com/page/A-History-of-Aeronautics4/#p71">"A History of Aeronautics by E. Charles Vivian"</a>. <i>Full Text Archive</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Full+Text+Archive&rft.atitle=A+History+of+Aeronautics+by+E.+Charles+Vivian&rft.au=Full+Text+Archive&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fulltextarchive.com%2Fpage%2FA-History-of-Aeronautics4%2F%23p71&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Air Ministry Weekly Order 109</i> (1921, reprint of 1923)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120505012441/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1917_2.cfm">"British Military Aviation in 1917 – Part 2"</a>. <i>Royal Air Force Museum</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1917_2.cfm">the original</a> on 5 May 2012.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Royal+Air+Force+Museum&rft.atitle=British+Military+Aviation+in+1917+%E2%80%93+Part+2&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafmuseum.org.uk%2Fmilestones-of-flight%2Fbritish_military%2F1917_2.cfm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.apw.airwar1.org.uk/co%2062%20sqn.htm">"CO 62 Sqn RFC/RAF"</a>. <i>airwar1.org.uk</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=airwar1.org.uk&rft.atitle=CO+62+Sqn+RFC%2FRAF&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apw.airwar1.org.uk%2Fco%252062%2520sqn.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110501074202/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1914_3.cfm">"British Military Aviation in 1914 – Part 3"</a>. <i>RAF Museum Web Site – Timeline of British Military Aviation History</i>. RAF Museum. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/milestones-of-flight/british_military/1914_3.cfm">the original</a> on 1 May 2011<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">3 June</span> 2008</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=RAF+Museum+Web+Site+%E2%80%93+Timeline+of+British+Military+Aviation+History&rft.atitle=British+Military+Aviation+in+1914+%E2%80%93+Part+3&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafmuseum.org.uk%2Fmilestones-of-flight%2Fbritish_military%2F1914_3.cfm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100707224338/http://www.rafweb.org/Wings2.htm">"Wings 51 – 110_P"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rafweb.org/Wings2.htm">the original</a> on 7 July 2010<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">16 August</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Wings+51+%E2%80%93+110_P&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rafweb.org%2FWings2.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBoyle1962" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Andrew_Boyle_(journalist)" title="Andrew Boyle (journalist)">Boyle, Andrew</a> (1962). "Chapter 6". <i>Trenchard Man of Vision</i>. St. James's Place, London: Collins. p. 157.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Chapter+6&rft.btitle=Trenchard+Man+of+Vision&rft.place=St.+James%27s+Place%2C+London&rft.pages=157&rft.pub=Collins&rft.date=1962&rft.aulast=Boyle&rft.aufirst=Andrew&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210922015201/https://beckingham-northnotts.org.uk/history/saundbyaero.html">"Saundby Aerodrome"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.beckingham-northnotts.org.uk/history/saundbyaero.html">the original</a> on 22 September 2021<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">10 February</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Saundby+Aerodrome&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beckingham-northnotts.org.uk%2Fhistory%2Fsaundbyaero.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Raleigh_vI_p286-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Raleigh_vI_p286_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Raleigh 1922, p. 286.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/478797">Casualty Details:Vincent Waterfall</a>". <i>Commonwealth War Graves Commission</i>. Retrieved 10 January 2010.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Jackson_Avro_p56-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Jackson_Avro_p56_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Jackson 1990, p. 56.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_stomer_raf_1.htm">The British Air Services Memorial at St Omer</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.tabor.org.uk/HTT%20Diary%20intro.htm">Henry Tabor's 1916 War Diary</a>". <i>Henry Tabor's 1916 War Diary</i>. Retrieved 20 June 2010.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="Jordan" class="citation book cs1">Jordan, David (2000). "The Battle for the Skies: Sir Hugh Trenchard as Commander of the Royal Flying Corps". In Matthew Hughes and Matthew Seligmann (ed.). <i>Leadership in Conflict 1914–1918</i>. Leo Cooper Ltd. pp. 74–80. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85052-751-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-85052-751-1"><bdi>0-85052-751-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=The+Battle+for+the+Skies%3A+Sir+Hugh+Trenchard+as+Commander+of+the+Royal+Flying+Corps&rft.btitle=Leadership+in+Conflict+1914%E2%80%931918&rft.pages=74-80&rft.pub=Leo+Cooper+Ltd.&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=0-85052-751-1&rft.aulast=Jordan&rft.aufirst=David&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLudendorff1919" class="citation book cs1">Ludendorff, Erich (1919). <i>Meine Kriegserinnerungen, 1914–1918</i>. Berlin: Nabu Press (5 November 2011).</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Meine+Kriegserinnerungen%2C+1914%E2%80%931918&rft.place=Berlin&rft.pub=Nabu+Press+%285+November+2011%29&rft.date=1919&rft.aulast=Ludendorff&rft.aufirst=Erich&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-ReferenceA-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-ReferenceA_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">'First of the Few', Denis Winter, 1982</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Cutlack 1941 pp. 69–70</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSpencer_C._Tucker2014" class="citation book cs1">Spencer C. Tucker (2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=DBwTBQAAQBAJ"><i>World War I: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection</i></a>. ABC-CLIO. p. 696. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-965-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-85109-965-8"><bdi>978-1-85109-965-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=World+War+I%3A+The+Definitive+Encyclopedia+and+Document+Collection&rft.pages=696&rft.pub=ABC-CLIO&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-1-85109-965-8&rft.au=Spencer+C.+Tucker&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DDBwTBQAAQBAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">History of the RAF, Bowyer, 1977 (Hamlyn)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="Ash" class="citation book cs1">Ash, Eric (1998). <i>Sir Frederick Sykes and the air revolution, 1912–1918</i>. Routledge. p. 62. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7146-4382-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-7146-4382-3"><bdi>0-7146-4382-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Sir+Frederick+Sykes+and+the+air+revolution%2C+1912%E2%80%931918&rft.pages=62&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=1998&rft.isbn=0-7146-4382-3&rft.aulast=Ash&rft.aufirst=Eric&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hubert..last+of+the+Flying+Corps+heroes%3B+WW1+ACE+DIES+AT+106.-a091799571">"Hubert…last of the Flying Corps heroes; WW1 Ace Dies at 106"</a>. <i>thefreelibrary.com</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=thefreelibrary.com&rft.atitle=Hubert%E2%80%A6last+of+the+Flying+Corps+heroes%3B+WW1+Ace+Dies+at+106.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thefreelibrary.com%2FHubert..last%2Bof%2Bthe%2BFlying%2BCorps%2Bheroes%253B%2BWW1%2BACE%2BDIES%2BAT%2B106.-a091799571&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(13)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=43" title="Edit section: References" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-13 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-13"> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBaring1930" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Maurice_Baring" title="Maurice Baring">Baring, Maurice</a> (1930). <i>Flying Corps Headquarters 1914–1918</i>. William Heinemann.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Flying+Corps+Headquarters+1914%E2%80%931918&rft.pub=William+Heinemann&rft.date=1930&rft.aulast=Baring&rft.aufirst=Maurice&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBarker2002" class="citation book cs1">Barker, Ralph (2002). <i>The Royal Flying Corps in World War I</i>. Robinson. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84119-470-0" title="Special:BookSources/1-84119-470-0"><bdi>1-84119-470-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Royal+Flying+Corps+in+World+War+I&rft.pub=Robinson&rft.date=2002&rft.isbn=1-84119-470-0&rft.aulast=Barker&rft.aufirst=Ralph&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBeckett2014" class="citation book cs1">Beckett, Ian F. W. (2014). <i>The Great War: 1914-1918</i>. <a href="/wiki/Taylor_%26_Francis" title="Taylor & Francis">Taylor & Francis</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781317866152" title="Special:BookSources/9781317866152"><bdi>9781317866152</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Great+War%3A+1914-1918&rft.pub=Taylor+%26+Francis&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=9781317866152&rft.aulast=Beckett&rft.aufirst=Ian+F.+W.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span> <small>- Total pages: 856</small></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDrew1930" class="citation book cs1">Drew, George A. (1930). <i>Canada's Fighting Airmen</i>. MacLean. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/3234658">3234658</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Canada%27s+Fighting+Airmen&rft.pub=MacLean&rft.date=1930&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F3234658&rft.aulast=Drew&rft.aufirst=George+A.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHamilton-Paterson2015" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/James_Hamilton-Paterson" title="James Hamilton-Paterson">Hamilton-Paterson, James</a> (2015). <i>Marked for Death: The First War in the Air</i>. Head of Zeus. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78497-039-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-78497-039-0"><bdi>978-1-78497-039-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Marked+for+Death%3A+The+First+War+in+the+Air&rft.pub=Head+of+Zeus&rft.date=2015&rft.isbn=978-1-78497-039-0&rft.aulast=Hamilton-Paterson&rft.aufirst=James&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFJackson1990" class="citation book cs1">Jackson, A.J. (1990). <i>Avro Aircraft since 1908</i> (2nd ed.). London: Putnam. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85177-834-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-85177-834-8"><bdi>0-85177-834-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Avro+Aircraft+since+1908&rft.place=London&rft.edition=2nd&rft.pub=Putnam&rft.date=1990&rft.isbn=0-85177-834-8&rft.aulast=Jackson&rft.aufirst=A.J.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLee1968" class="citation book cs1">Lee, Arthur Gould (1968). <i>No Parachute</i>. Harrolds.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=No+Parachute&rft.pub=Harrolds&rft.date=1968&rft.aulast=Lee&rft.aufirst=Arthur+Gould&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span> Reprinted in 1971. <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0671773461" title="Special:BookSources/0671773461">0671773461</a></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRaleigh1922" class="citation book cs1">Raleigh, Walter (1922). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/warinairbeingst00jonegoog"><i>The War in the Air: Being the Story of The part played in the Great War by The Royal Air Force: Vol I</i></a>. Oxford: Clarendon Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/190162322X" title="Special:BookSources/190162322X"><bdi>190162322X</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+War+in+the+Air%3A+Being+the+Story+of+The+part+played+in+the+Great+War+by+The+Royal+Air+Force%3A+Vol+I&rft.place=Oxford&rft.pub=Clarendon+Press&rft.date=1922&rft.isbn=190162322X&rft.aulast=Raleigh&rft.aufirst=Walter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fwarinairbeingst00jonegoog&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRimell1985" class="citation book cs1">Rimell, Ray (1985). <i>The Royal Flying Corps in World War One</i>. London: Arms and Armour Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0853686939" title="Special:BookSources/0853686939"><bdi>0853686939</bdi></a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/12807952">12807952</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Royal+Flying+Corps+in+World+War+One&rft.place=London&rft.pub=Arms+and+Armour+Press&rft.date=1985&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F12807952&rft.isbn=0853686939&rft.aulast=Rimell&rft.aufirst=Ray&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARoyal+Flying+Corps" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> </section><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2 section-heading" onclick="mfTempOpenSection(14)"><span class="indicator mf-icon mf-icon-expand mf-icon--small"></span><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"> <a role="button" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=edit&section=44" title="Edit section: External links" class="cdx-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--icon-only cdx-button--weight-quiet "> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon--edit"></span> <span>edit</span> </a> </span> </div><section class="mf-section-14 collapsible-block" id="mf-section-14"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><noscript><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376"></noscript><span class="lazy-image-placeholder" style="width: 30px;height: 40px;" data-src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" data-alt="" data-width="30" data-height="40" data-srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-class="mw-file-element"> </span></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Royal_Flying_Corps" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Royal Flying Corps">Royal Flying Corps</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061218200955/http://www.remuseum.org.uk/rem_his_special.htm#aero">Royal Engineers Museum</a> Origins of the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070222132627/http://www.remuseum.org.uk/specialism/rem_spec_aero.htm">Royal Engineers Museum</a> Royal Engineers and Aeronautics</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070919175334/http://www.army.mod.uk/aac/index.htm">Army Air Corps</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/">RAF Museum</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.flying-museum.org.uk/">The Museum of Army Flying</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050702075751/http://www.wwiaviation.com/toc.shtml">https://web.archive.org/web/20050702075751/http://www.wwiaviation.com/toc.shtml</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.spartacus-educational.com/FWWRFC.htm">http://www.spartacus-educational.com/FWWRFC.htm</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.acepilots.com/wwi/br_mccudden.html">http://www.acepilots.com/wwi/br_mccudden.html</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070224071857/http://www.airforce.forces.ca/16wing/heritage/hist1_e.asp">https://web.archive.org/web/20070224071857/http://www.airforce.forces.ca/16wing/heritage/hist1_e.asp</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090808150509/http://geocities.com/gpvillain/rfc.html">Bermudian Great War Aviators</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/SilhouettesOfAeroplanesAndAirships">Silhouettes of Aeroplanes and Airships (RFC handbook, 1916)</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.tabor.org.uk/HTT%20Diary%20intro.htm">RFC Wireless Operator's diary from 1916 Battle of the Somme</a></li></ul> <table class="wikitable succession-box noprint" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:small;clear:both;"> <tbody><tr style="text-align:center;"> <td style="width:30%;" rowspan="1">Preceded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><a href="/wiki/Air_Battalion_Royal_Engineers" title="Air Battalion Royal Engineers">Air Battalion</a></div> </td> <td style="width: 40%; text-align: center;" rowspan="2"><b> Royal Flying Corps<br><small>Military Wing (1912–18) and Naval Wing (1912–14)</small> </b><br>1912–1918 </td> <td style="width: 30%; text-align: center;" rowspan="2">Succeeded by<div style="font-weight: bold"><a href="/wiki/Royal_Air_Force" title="Royal Air Force">Royal Air Force</a><br><small>On amalgamation with the <a href="/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service" title="Royal Naval Air Service">RNAS</a></small></div> </td></tr> <tr style="text-align:center;"> <td style="width:30%;" rowspan="1">Preceded by<div style="font-weight: bold">Early naval aviation</div> </td></tr></tbody></table> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div>    </section></div> <noscript><img src="https://login.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&mobile=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&oldid=1256997189">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&oldid=1256997189</a>"</div></div> </div> <div class="post-content" id="page-secondary-actions"> </div> </main> <footer class="mw-footer minerva-footer" role="contentinfo"> <a class="last-modified-bar" href="/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&action=history"> <div class="post-content last-modified-bar__content"> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-medium minerva-icon--modified-history"></span> <span class="last-modified-bar__text modified-enhancement" data-user-name="Skjoldbro" data-user-gender="male" data-timestamp="1731431669"> <span>Last edited on 12 November 2024, at 17:14</span> </span> <span class="minerva-icon minerva-icon-size-small minerva-icon--expand"></span> </div> </a> <div class="post-content footer-content"> <div id='mw-data-after-content'> <div class="read-more-container"></div> </div> <div id="p-lang"> <h4>Languages</h4> <section> <ul id="p-variants" class="minerva-languages"></ul> <ul class="minerva-languages"><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%82_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%84%D9%83%D9%8A" title="الفيلق الجوي الملكي – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="الفيلق الجوي الملكي" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be-x-old mw-list-item"><a href="https://be-tarask.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%9E%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96%D1%8F_%D1%81%D1%83%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%8F_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8B%D1%8F_%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D1%96" title="Каралеўскія сухапутныя паветраныя войскі – Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" lang="be-tarask" hreflang="be-tarask" data-title="Каралеўскія сухапутныя паветраныя войскі" data-language-autonym="Беларуская (тарашкевіца)" data-language-local-name="Belarusian (Taraškievica orthography)" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская (тарашкевіца)</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Cuerpo_A%C3%A9reo" title="Real Cuerpo Aéreo – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Real Cuerpo Aéreo" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%87_%D9%87%D9%88%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C_%D8%A8%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%A7" title="سپاه هوایی بریتانیا – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="سپاه هوایی بریتانیا" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%92%D7%99%D7%A1_%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%94_%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%99" title="גיס התעופה המלכותי – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="גיס התעופה המלכותי" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kor_Penerbangan_Diraja" title="Kor Penerbangan Diraja – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Kor Penerbangan Diraja" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A4%E3%82%AE%E3%83%AA%E3%82%B9%E9%99%B8%E8%BB%8D%E8%88%AA%E7%A9%BA%E9%9A%8A" title="イギリス陸軍航空隊 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="イギリス陸軍航空隊" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Corpo_A%C3%A9reo" title="Real Corpo Aéreo – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Real Corpo Aéreo" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%BB%D1%91%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B9_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81" title="Королевский лётный корпус – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Королевский лётный корпус" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sl mw-list-item"><a href="https://sl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraljevi_letalski_korpus" title="Kraljevi letalski korpus – Slovenian" lang="sl" hreflang="sl" data-title="Kraljevi letalski korpus" data-language-autonym="Slovenščina" data-language-local-name="Slovenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenščina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuninkaalliset_lentojoukot" title="Kuninkaalliset lentojoukot – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Kuninkaalliset lentojoukot" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps" title="Royal Flying Corps – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Royal Flying Corps" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraliyet_U%C3%A7u%C5%9F_Kolordusu" title="Kraliyet Uçuş Kolordusu – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Kraliyet Uçuş Kolordusu" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BF%D1%83%D1%81" title="Королівський льотний корпус – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Королівський льотний корпус" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8B%B1%E5%9C%8B%E7%9A%87%E5%AE%B6%E9%A3%9B%E8%A1%8C%E9%9A%8A" title="英國皇家飛行隊 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="英國皇家飛行隊" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li></ul> </section> </div> <div class="minerva-footer-logo"><img src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" alt="Wikipedia" width="120" height="18" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"/> </div> <ul id="footer-info" class="footer-info hlist hlist-separated"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 12 November 2024, at 17:14<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Content is available under <a class="external" rel="nofollow" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places" class="footer-places hlist hlist-separated"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-terms-use"><a href="https://foundation.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use">Terms of Use</a></li> <li id="footer-places-desktop-toggle"><a id="mw-mf-display-toggle" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Flying_Corps&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop" data-event-name="switch_to_desktop">Desktop</a></li> </ul> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <div class="mw-notification-area" data-mw="interface"></div>  <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-f69cdc8f6-gxw57","wgBackendResponseTime":239,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.857","walltime":"1.059","ppvisitednodes":{"value":5643,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":88815,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":8790,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":17,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":16,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":93377,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":1,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 884.662 1 -total"," 20.56% 181.878 1 Template:Infobox_military_unit"," 18.70% 165.470 1 Template:Infobox"," 11.86% 104.950 1 Template:Langx"," 9.92% 87.785 8 Template:Cite_web"," 8.92% 78.891 1 Template:Reflist"," 8.42% 74.503 2 Template:Short_description"," 8.41% 74.441 1 Template:Wwi-air"," 7.97% 70.497 1 Template:Military_navigation"," 6.39% 56.556 14 Template:Cite_book"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.517","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":18457913,"limit":52428800},"limitreport-logs":"anchor_id_list = table#1 {\n [\"Ash\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBaring1930\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBarker2002\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBeckett2014\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFBoyle1962\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFDrew1930\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFFull_Text_Archive\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFHamilton-Paterson2015\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFJackson1990\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFLee1968\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFLudendorff1919\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFRaleigh1922\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFRimell1985\"] = 1,\n [\"CITEREFSpencer_C._Tucker2014\"] = 1,\n [\"Jordan\"] = 1,\n}\ntemplate_list = table#1 {\n [\"!\"] = 1,\n [\"Army\"] = 1,\n [\"Authority control\"] = 1,\n [\"Citation needed\"] = 4,\n [\"Cite book\"] = 14,\n [\"Cite web\"] = 8,\n [\"Commons category\"] = 1,\n [\"Convert\"] = 8,\n [\"EngvarB\"] = 1,\n [\"Flagicon image\"] = 2,\n [\"For\"] = 1,\n [\"Further\"] = 1,\n [\"Hr\"] = 2,\n [\"ISBN\"] = 1,\n [\"Infobox military unit\"] = 1,\n [\"Langx\"] = 1,\n [\"London Gazette\"] = 1,\n [\"Main\"] = 5,\n [\"More citations needed section\"] = 1,\n [\"Page needed\"] = 1,\n [\"Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank\"] = 1,\n [\"Reflist\"] = 1,\n [\"S-aft\"] = 1,\n [\"S-bef\"] = 2,\n [\"S-break\"] = 1,\n [\"S-end\"] = 1,\n [\"S-start\"] = 1,\n [\"S-ttl\"] = 1,\n [\"See also\"] = 1,\n [\"Sfn\"] = 1,\n [\"Short description\"] = 1,\n [\"Snd\"] = 2,\n [\"Spaced ndash\"] = 9,\n [\"UK\"] = 1,\n [\"Use dmy dates\"] = 1,\n [\"Wwi-air\"] = 1,\n}\narticle_whitelist = table#1 {\n}\n"},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-f69cdc8f6-qpbcg","timestamp":"20241124160839","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"Royal Flying Corps","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Royal_Flying_Corps","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q943118","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q943118","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2003-05-25T14:18:37Z","dateModified":"2024-11-12T17:14:29Z","image":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/f\/f2\/RFC_Cap_Badge.jpg","headline":"former corps-sized land-based aerial warfare component of the British Army"}</script><script>(window.NORLQ=window.NORLQ||[]).push(function(){var ns,i,p,img;ns=document.getElementsByTagName('noscript');for(i=0;i<ns.length;i++){p=ns[i].nextSibling;if(p&&p.className&&p.className.indexOf('lazy-image-placeholder')>-1){img=document.createElement('img');img.setAttribute('src',p.getAttribute('data-src'));img.setAttribute('width',p.getAttribute('data-width'));img.setAttribute('height',p.getAttribute('data-height'));img.setAttribute('alt',p.getAttribute('data-alt'));p.parentNode.replaceChild(img,p);}}});</script> </body> </html>