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 →Formation Interwar Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
End of Pink’s War as Mahsud Tribes Seek Peace in Waziristan
Formation & Interwar
The 1925 peace approach by Mahsud tribesmen ended Pink’s War and underscored the RAF’s inter-war reliance on frontier air control.
Read the article →Eric Pentland Makes First RAF Emergency Parachute Escape
On 17 June 1926, Eric Pentland made the RAF's first emergency parachute escape, marking a key shift in…
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…
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…
Air Power and Empire: How the RAF Policed Britain’s Frontiers
A long read on how the RAF used air control to police Britain’s imperial frontiers, and why economy,…
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…
RAF Air Control in Iraq: Loudspeakers and Leaflet Drops
How RAF aircraft used loudspeakers and leaflet drops in Iraq in 1932 to support government forces and apply…
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…