Royal Air Force History

RAF History Timeline

This Time Line traces the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force, illustrating the significant part the Service has played in the development of aircraft as we know them today. The Time Line features many photographs and illustrations, as well as sound-bites and "clickable" elements which provide fuller explanations of the major aircraft types, people and events of the period.

The line is broken into periodic sections, some of which overlap. For example, the first part of the line, 1780 to 1918, covers the major events of aviation history during those years and features the major political events that influenced the shape of the flying services, leading to the formation of the Royal Air Force. The second and third parts of the line covers the First World War, 1914 to 1916 and 1917 to 1918, in much greater detail. The two are linked at several points, enabling you to move from the overall strategic to the detailed tactical picture. Wherever a thumbnail photograph appears, this can be clicked to present a larger image. The best of these are featured in the history section's Gallery, as downloadable images. To move to any section of the timeline, click on one of the roundels below.

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