Happy birthday, RAF

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The Royal Air Force celebrates its 85th anniversary today.

I have mixed feelings about that. The RAF was and remains one of the best air foces in the world. But I consider the idea of an independent air force silly. Friendly fire incidents come to mind. As do the idea that air forces alone can win wars through strategic bombing.

Any thioghts on the matter.

 

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Are you suggesting something along the lines of air units attached to ground units? The Germans used this to great success in the early months of WW2, before Allied air forces claimed total air superiority...

The RAF is very distinguished by Churchill's quote. "Never in the annals of human history have so many owed so much to so few."

Steele

 

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wow. Never knew the RAF was so old.

 

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Originally posted by steelehc
Are you suggesting something along the lines of air units attached to ground units? The Germans used this to great success in the early months of WW2, before Allied air forces claimed total air superiority...

The RAF is very distinguished by Churchill's quote. "Never in the annals of human history have so many owed so much to so few."

Steele

That was Fighter Command. But Lord Dowding was not the sweetheart of the RAF estabslihment - who threw him out after he had won the Battle of Britain.

I'm frankly sceptical of men like Lord Trenchard and Lord Harris.