To view further details of each main Command development click on the Command
title on the right of the timeline
| January
1946 |
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| April 1946 |
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De Havilland Vampire entered service |
| May 1946 |
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1 - Reserve Command formed. 7 - CFS
reformed. De Havilland Hornet entered service. |
| June 1946 |
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2 - Auxiliary Air Force reformed |
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| September
1946 |
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World speed record set by Gp
Capt E M Donaldson at 616.81 mph in a Meteor F4. |
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| January
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| April 1947 |
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London-Cape Town record broken by Sqn Ldrs H B
Martin and E B Sismore |
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| December
1947 |
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16 - Auxiliary Air Force given prefix 'Royal' |
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| June 1948 |
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RAF operations against Malayan terrorists begin
(Operation Firedog). Berlin Airlift begins (Operation
Plainfare) |
| July 1948 |
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12/14 - First crossing of Atlantic by six DH
Vampires of No 54 Sqn |
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| October
1948 |
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Handley Page Hastings entered service |
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| January
1949 |
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Bristol Brigand entered service |
| February
1949 |
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1 - WAAF renamed Womens' Royal Air Force |
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| May 1949 |
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Berlin Airlift ends |
| June 1949 |
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1 - Far East Air Force formed. 1 - RAF
Flying College formed |
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| April 1950 |
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1 - First RAF operational helicopter unit,
Casualty Evacuation Flight formed. |
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| June 1950 |
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North Korea invades South Korea, the Korean War begins |
| July 1950 |
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Reserve Command renamed Home Command |
| August 1950 |
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Boeing Washington entered service |
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| January
1951 |
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Reservists called up and refresher training given
to RAuxAF |
| February
1951 |
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Avro Shackleton entered service |
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| May 1951 |
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English Electric Canberra entered service.
26 - First RAF Royal Colours presentsd |
| June 1951 |
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Vickers Varsity entered service |
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| September
1951 |
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1 - 2nd Tactical Air Force reformed from BAFO. |
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| February
1952 |
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Bristol Sycamore entered service |
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| April 1952 |
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Lockheed Neptune entered service |
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| August 1952 |
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De Havilland Venom entered service |
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| October
1952 |
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First British atomic weapon tested at Monte Bello |
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| March 1953 |
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Canadair Sabre entered service |
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| June 1953 |
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Cease fire declared in Korea |
| July 1953 |
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Royal Review of RAF at RAF Odiham |
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| January
1954 |
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Last operational Spitfire sortie flown. |
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| July 1954 |
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Hawker Hunter entered service |
| August 1954 |
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Supermarine Swift entered service |
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| January
1955 |
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Vickers Valiant entered service |
| February
1955 |
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Westland Whirlwind helicopter entered service |
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| July 1955 |
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MEAF re-organised. |
| August 1955 |
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Jet Provost introduced into 'all-jet' training
programme at No 2 FTS. |
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| February
1956 |
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Lord Trenchard died. Gloster Javelin
entered service. |
| March 1956 |
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Blackburn Beverley entered service |
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| May 1956 |
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Avro Vulcan entered service |
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| July 1956 |
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De Havilland Comet entered service |
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| October
1956 |
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31 - British and French forces attack Egypt (Operation
Muskateer). First British atomic bomb dropped from an aircraft. |
| November
1956 |
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5 - British and French dropped at Port Said. |
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| March 1957 |
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RAuxAF squadrons disbanded |
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| May 1956 |
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15 - First British H-bomb dropped. |
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| November
1957 |
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Handley Page Victor entered service. |
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| July 1958 |
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Bristol Bloodhound Mk 1 entered service |
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| September
1957 |
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Douglas Thor IRBM entered service |
| October
1957 |
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St Clement Danes re-consecrated |
| November
1957 |
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3 - Signals Command formed. Twin Pioneer
entered service |
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| April 1959 |
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4 - Home Command disbanded |
| May 1959 |
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Last sortie by RAF Flying Boat (Sunderland GR Mk
5) |
| June 1959 |
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Bristol Britannia entered service |
| July 1959 |
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First non stop flight (air-to-air refuelling
used )from UK to Cape Town by Wg Cdr M J Beetham |
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| October
1959 |
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1 - First inter-service command since WW2 formed
- British Force Arabian Peninsula |
| November
1959 |
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1 - First Maritime HQ, RAuxAF formed. |
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| January
1960 |
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1 - No 38 Group re-formed |
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| July 1960 |
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Operation Firedog ends. RAF assists
UN with transport facilities in Ghana. English Electric Lightning
and Vulcan B Mk 2 entered service. |
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| October
1960 |
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Westland Belvedere entered service. |
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