Happy Birthday RAF
 

And long may it continue.....

95 years young, if I haven't cocked up my maths

Nuff said :ok:

.

yes happy birthday..your bang on .formed 1st apr 1918. proud to have served:ok:

I still think it was a stitch-up on the part of the RN & Army to have the date of inception as April Fool's day, but I wish the RAF "Happy Birthday" anyway!

Maybe fools day, but those on the ground or on the seas over those 95 years when they have needed us would say otherwise..

:ok:

I won't argue with that. Happy drinking!

Early events
 

IIRC the first form the RAF adopted (RAF F1) was a seven day delay report and the second ( RAF F2) was a Board of Inquiry report. So we can surmise what the first 2 major events were!!

Still I had a long and happy time - think I'll have a small Lagavulin in memory of times past and old mates.

Rgds SOS

Dwell on these inconsequential thoughts for a moment:

It was Jan Smuts whose studies led to the RAF being formed.

We had a female component in the form of a 'WRAF' until the end of the First WW.

The PMs survived, in part due to Royal patronage of the King's daughter.

There were two classes of warrant officer until about 1939 and sergeant majors until - not sure when.

The RAF wears a black tie because Nelson is dead.

Everybody knows of Trenchard but what about Sykes?

.......... and it was the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force; not the navy.

Nelson, dead, has anyone told the Navy!

Well played Nutty ...

http://whynow.dumka.us/grfx/Badge_RAF.jpg

Happy Birthday Royal Air Force

Coff.

Happy Birthday RAF.

It is also my parent's wedding anniversary. I am still waiting for them to tell me it is an April Fool and that I am a B-Starred.

Happy Birthday RAF
Fully agree with NutLoose's comment but I think Sharkey might not!

So, has anybody been pinged for organising the 100th birthday party yet??

I understand Pippa Midleton's name has been mentioned :E

Happy Birthday RAF

The really bad news is that all my 13 years service was in the first half of the RAF's life :sad:

Re PC's comments about the centenary bash.

The answer is that the job was probably given to a two star along with a million and one other things but he moved on and the job didn't.

I also suspect that current thinking is along the lines of; 'it's still five years away so no probs'. Someone, somewhere will be thinking 'well with BBMF, the Reds, and QCS' that takes care of a chunk of the day. The 'Boss' will get a lunch at the RAF's remaining flying station and in the afternoon she'll plant a tree. That evening, a shed load of stars past and present will have dinner at Sleaford Tech and that's it sorted - now where's my gong'.

What it really needs, of course, is an imaginative and wide ranging programme of events which not only traces the RAF's impressive past record but showcases what it does and involves everybody, including the air cadets etc. Past experience shows that the talent is out there but the service needs to get on with it pdq.

Old Duffer

Australia did not repeat the April Fool's Day mistake, the RAAF being formed on 31st March 1921.

OD ...

Let's give Danny Boyle the job :}

Ms Middleton can still run the party hat paper plate concession :ok:

Centenaries
 

It's a hundred years of flying at Halton this year...

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafhalton/rafc...2120B22920.jpg

3 Sqn RFC turned up at the Rothschild Estate in 1913 in a Belriot, a BE2, BE3, BE4 and the rest, as they say, is history...

There's also 100 years since the start of the Great War next year to get sorted first before we look at 1918 and 100 years of the RAF.

Happy 95th Birthday RAF

iRaven

Will the RAF make it to a hundred? Or will it be the aviation wing of the England and Wales military force by then?

Yes in 1918 it was manned 87:13 % Light:dark Blue yet in the space of 3 years that ratio had pretty much reversed. Despite this The RAF of the FAA then went on to become the prime world under under-acheivers in equipment and doctorine until 1937 - thank god for Inskip!

Happy birthday however and well done for keeping the sausage munchers from our shores - it's appreciated

Al