On This Day, 1999: On 5 June 1999 RAF Tornados flew their first combat missions from Solenzara in Corsica during Operation Allied…
Read the entry →Formation Interwar Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
Air Power and Empire: How the RAF Policed Britain’s Frontiers
Formation & Interwar
A long read on how the RAF used air control to police Britain’s imperial frontiers, and why economy, coercion and limits all mattered.
Read the article →Imperial Gift Approved for Dominion and Indian Air Forces
On 29 May 1919, the War Cabinet approved the Imperial Gift, sending surplus RAF aircraft to dominions and…
Final Empire Air Day Draws Vast Crowds Across RAF Stations
On this day in 1939, the RAF staged its final Empire Air Day, drawing huge crowds to stations…
Pink’s War and RAF Air Control on the North-West Frontier
Pink’s War showed how the RAF used air power on the North-West Frontier in 1925, and why imperial…
RAF Evacuation Operations Conducted in Iraq
RAF transport aircraft flew evacuation missions in Iraq in 1924, showing the growing value of air mobility in…
End of Pink’s War as Mahsud Tribes Seek Peace in Waziristan
The 1925 peace approach by Mahsud tribesmen ended Pink’s War and underscored the RAF’s inter-war reliance on frontier…
First Flight of the Gloster F9/37 Twin-Engined Fighter
On 3 April 1939, the Gloster F.9/37 made its first flight, signalling the promise of a fast twin-engined…
Siskin IIIA Becomes the RAF’s First All-Metal Fighter
On 27 March 1927, the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA entered RAF service, becoming the Service’s first all-metal fighter…
Pink’s War Begins in South Waziristan Under Richard Pink
On 9 March 1925, the RAF opened Pink’s War in South Waziristan, an early test of inter-war air…
Supermarine Spitfire Prototype K5054 Makes Maiden Flight
On 5 March 1936, Supermarine Spitfire prototype K5054 made its maiden flight, beginning the story of one of…
Naval Officers Begin Flying Training at Eastchurch
On 2 March 1911, four Royal Navy officers began flying training at Eastchurch, an early step in bringing…
First Operational Radar Aircraft Detection Trial Conducted
On 26 February 1935, Britain carried out an early radar aircraft-detection trial, a key step towards the air-defence…
RAF Operations Against Zeidi Tribes Begin in Aden Colony
On 21 February 1928, RAF operations began against Zeidi tribes in Aden, illustrating the inter-war use of air…