On This Day, 1988: Sheila Scott died on 20 October 1988, leaving a legacy of solo world flights, polar exploration and record-breaking…
Read the entry →Cold War Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
28 Squadron Deploys Spitfires to Strengthen Hong Kong
Cold War
On this day in 1949, 28 Squadron deployed Spitfires from Malaya to Hong Kong to strengthen the colony’s air defences amid regional uncertainty.
Read the article →Korean War Begins: RAF Sunderlands Enter the Conflict
As the Korean War began on 25 June 1950, RAF Sunderland flying boats at Iwakuni entered blockade and…
617 Squadron’s Non-Stop Vulcan Flight to Australia in 1961
No. 617 Squadron flew a Vulcan non-stop from Britain to Australia, showing the reach, planning and discipline behind…
Valiant to Cape Town: 214 Squadron’s Long-Range Flight
On 9 June 1959 214 Squadron flew a Vickers Valiant non-stop from the UK to Cape Town, demonstrating…
RAF Airlifts Reinforcements to Kenya During Mau Mau Rising
On 7 June 1953 RAF air transport carried additional British Army battalions to Kenya as the Mau Mau…
How Technology Changed RAF Aircraft Design and Capability
A deep RAF Chronicle Long Read on how airframes, engines, fuel systems, avionics and crew protection reshaped RAF…
Operation Bibber Sends RAF Hunters to Thailand in 1962
On 25 May 1962, RAF Hunter aircraft deployed to Thailand under a SEATO task force in Operation Bibber,…
RAF Aircraft Safety Systems and Crew Protection in Service
How RAF aircraft safety systems improved crew survival through restraint, oxygen, warning, fire protection and ejection-seat design.
RAF Nimrods Begin Second Cod War Surveillance Patrols
On this day in 1973, RAF Nimrods began surveillance patrols during the Second Cod War, monitoring Icelandic gunboats…
RAF Aircraft Navigation, Instruments and Avionics in Service
How RAF instruments, radio aids, radar and avionics allowed aircraft to navigate, fight and recover in poor weather…
Red Arrows Perform Their First Official Display
On 6 May 1965, the Red Arrows gave their first official display at RAF Little Rissington, launching the…
2TAF Canberra Units Gain a Tactical Nuclear Role in NATO
On this day, RAF Canberra units in Germany gained an atomic strike role, placing 2TAF on the nuclear…
RAF Aircraft Engines, Cooling and Propulsion in Service
How RAF propulsion evolved from piston engines to jets, with cooling, reliability and engine design shaping performance and…