Timeline of the Royal Air Force

1900-1918: The origins of the Royal Air Force

 * 1901
 * 29 October - The Aero Club of Great Britain is established. In the following years many early military pilots were trained by members of the Club.
 * 1905
 * 27 April - Sapper Moreton of the British Army's Balloon Section is lifted 2,600 ft (792 m) by a kite at Aldershot under the supervision of the kite's designer, Samuel Cody.
 * 1908
 * Samuel Cody completes the first powered flight in the UK at Farnborough.
 * 1909
 * The Aero Club establishes the first British flying ground near Leysdown in Kent.
 * 2 May - John Moore-Brabazon becomes the first Englishman to make an officially recognized aeroplane flight in England.
 * 1910
 * The Aero Club moves its flying from Leysdown to the nearby Eastchurch.
 * June - Charles Rolls becomes the first Englishman to fly across the Channel.
 * 1911
 * 1 April - Air Battalion, Royal Engineers formed at Larkhill.
 * December - The Royal Naval Flying School formed at Eastchurch, Kent.
 * 1912
 * 13 April - The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) is established by Royal Warrant. An Air Committee to liaise between the Admiralty and the War Office is also created.
 * 13 May - RFC assume control of Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers and the Naval Air Service.
 * 19 June- Central Flying School (CFS) is formed at Upavon.
 * 1914
 * 1 July - Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) formed by splitting airship squadrons away from the RFC
 * September - The first RNAS aircraft squadrons formed. 1 Squadron RNAS at Antwerp, 2 Squadron RNAS at Eastchurch, 3 Squadron RNAS at St. Pol, France.
 * 1916
 * 15 February - The Joint War Air Committee is established to co-ordinate the activities of the RFC and RNAS.
 * 15 May - The Air Board replaces the ineffective Joint War Air Committee.
 * 12 December - RFC expands to 106 front-line squadrons and 95 reserve and training squadrons.
 * 1917
 * 29 November - The Air Force (Constitution) Act passed, providing for creation of an Air Force and an Air Ministry.

1918-1939: The inter-war years and policing the Empire

 * 1918
 * 2 January - The Air Ministry comes into being with Lord Rothermere as Secretary of State for Air. Major-General Sir Hugh Trenchard becomes the first Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).
 * 1 April
 * The Royal Air Force is formed by amalgamating the RFC and RNAS.
 * First operational mission by the RAF carried out by 22 Squadron
 * Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) formed.
 * 3 June - The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Force Cross (AFC), Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), Air Force Medal (AFM) are constituted.
 * 6 June - The Independent Air Force, the RAF's strategic bombing force, is formed.
 * June - Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service formed.
 * 19 September to 1 October - Battle of Megiddo. The RAF's Palestine Brigade plays a key role in the British victory over the Ottoman Empire, including the destruction of the Ottoman Seventh Army.
 * 11 November - At the end of the First World War, the RAF was the largest air force in the world with 27,333 officers, 263,837 other ranks, 22,647 aircraft, 103 airships, 133 front-line squadrons, 15 flights and 270 aerodromes overseas, 55 front-line squadrons, 75 training squadrons/depots, 401 aerodromes at home and 25,000 WRAF members.
 * 1919
 * August - RAF officer ranks are introduced.
 * 1920
 * January to February - The defeat of the "Mad Mullah". The beginnings of colonial air control as RAF aircraft acting with the Somaliland Camel Corps in British Somaliland overthrow the Dervish leader.
 * 5 February - The RAF College Cranwell is established.
 * WRAF disbanded.
 * 1921
 * 1 October - RAF military control of Mesopotamia begins.
 * 1922
 * 1 October - RAF Iraq Command is formed.
 * 1925
 * March to May - Pink's War. The RAF carries out its first independent air action, bombing and strafing the mountain strongholds of Mahsud tribesmen in Waziristan.
 * 1928
 * 23 December - The Kabul Airlift. The world's first air evacuation is carried out by the RAF when the British Legation in Kabul is flown to safety.
 * 1932
 * April to June - Following Sheikh Ahmad Barzani's small-scale revolt in north-east Iraq, the RAF conducts psychological and conventional air operations which result in Sheikh Ahmad's surrender.
 * 1936
 * 14 July - The UK's air defences are reorganised into four commands: Bomber Command, Fighter Command, Coastal Command and Training Command.
 * 1938
 * 1 April - Maintenance Command is formed.
 * 1 November - Balloon Command is formed.

1939-1945: World War II

 * 1939
 * 24 August - The Advanced Air Striking Force is formed in preparation for operations on the Continent
 * 3 September - Following the UK's declaration of war on Germany, the RAF conducts photographic reconnaissance of the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven.
 * 29 November - RAuxAF spitfires shoot down an He 111 bomber over Lothian, the first German aircraft to be shot down over the UK.
 * Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) instituted.
 * 1940
 * 16 May - Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding writes his letter to the Air Ministry which results in no further aircraft squadrons, earmarked for home defence, being sent to France.
 * 10 July - The Battle of Britain begins.
 * 13 August - Adlertag (Eagle Day). The Luftwaffe's attempts to gain air superiority over Britain fail, with the balance of aircraft losses being strongly in the RAF's favour.
 * 1941
 * 15 May - The maiden flight of first British jet aircraft, the Gloster E.28/39.
 * 20 July - Ferry Command is formed.
 * 24 December - The Avro Lancaster enters service with the RAF.
 * 1942
 * 30 May - Over 1,000 bombers set out to raid Cologne, severely damaging the city.
 * 1 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Essen, however many crews mistakenly bomb other cities.
 * 25 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Bremen, severely damaging the city and successfully bombing the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory.
 * 1943
 * 5 March - In an effort to decimate the German industrial base, Bomber Command begins bombing the Ruhr region.
 * 25 March - Transport Command is formed by redesignating Ferry Command.
 * 16 May - Aircraft of 617 Squadron set out on Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid. The Mohne and Eder dams are breached.
 * 18 November - This is the first night of a four-month bombing campaign against Berlin.
 * 1944
 * 24 March - RAF and Dominion Air Force personnel are murdered by the Gestapo after the "great escape" from Stalag Luft III Prisoner of War Camp.
 * 6 June - D-Day commences. Diversions supplied by Avro Lancasters of 101 Squadron operating the ABC radio jamming equipment.  Reconnaissance photographs were supplied by Spitfires of 16 Squadron.
 * 1945
 * 22 February - Allied Air Forces launch Operation Clarion, a concerted effort to destroy German transportation within 24 hours.

1945-1990: The Cold War years

 * 1948
 * 28 June 1948 to 30 September 1949 - The RAF conducts Operation Plainfare, the British contribution to the Berlin Airlift.
 * June - The RAF conducts Operation Firedog against Malayan terrorists during the Malayan Emergency. Two Spitfires of No. 60 Squadron fly the first offensive mission on 6 July, destroying an enemy base at Perak.  Involvement continues until 1960.
 * 1949
 * Women's Auxiliary Air Force becomes Women's Royal Air Force
 * 1953
 * Avro Lincoln squadrons flying out of RAF Eastleigh conduct anti-Mau Mau operations in Kenya. Operations continue until 1955.
 * 1956
 * 31 October - Canberras fly reconnaissance sorties and bomb Egyptian airfields on the opening night of Suez War's air campaign.
 * 1958
 * 3 November - Signals Command is formed.
 * 1967
 * 1 August - Air Support Command is formed by redesignating Transport Command
 * 1968
 * 30 April - Strike Command is formed from Fighter Command and Bomber Command.
 * 28 November - Coastal Command is absorbed into the newly created Strike Command.
 * 1969
 * 1 January - Signals Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
 * 1972
 * 1 September - Air Support Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
 * 1982
 * 30 April - Operation Black Buck. Vulcan bombers set out from RAF Ascension Island on the first of six raids against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands.
 * 1986
 * 8 January - RAF Marine Branch Disbanded.

1990-present: Expeditionary operations

 * 1990
 * RAF fighters based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior to the Gulf War
 * 1991
 * 16 January to 11 April - During the Gulf War, RAF aircraft fight in the air battle over Kuwait and Iraq.
 * The RAF begins Operations Resonate North and Resonate South, the British contribution to the Allied efforts to enforce the Iraqi no-fly zones. These operations continue for over a decade.
 * 1993
 * RAF Tornado F3s and AWACS aircraft contribute to NATO's operation to restrict airspace movements over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Operation Deny Flight. The operation continues until late 1995.
 * 1998
 * 16 December - Operation Desert Fox. RAF Tornados and USAF F-117s bomb military targets in Iraq.
 * 2001
 * 9 October - During the third day of Operation Veritas, RAF aircraft commenced the provision of air-to-air refuelling, reconnaissance and surveillance support to US aircraft operating over Afghanistan.
 * 2004
 * September - A detachment of six RAF Harriers from Joint Force Harrier was based at Kandahar Airfield to support colilition ground forces.
 * 30 October – 31 December - Four Tornado F3s deployed to Lithuania for the British rotation as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing.
 * 2005
 * RAF deployed to Indonesia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster to provide aid relief support and transport
 * 2006
 * July - Three Chinook helicopters of 27 Squadron deployed to RAF Akrotiri to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon.
 * 2007
 * April - Strike Command and Personnel and Training Command merge to form Air Command.