John Frederick Powell

Air Vice-Marshal John Frederick Powell OBE (12 June 1915 – 24 November 2008) was a long serving-officer at RAF College Cranwell.

Powell was born in Somerset, and was educated at Lancing College and King's College, Cambridge. He was commissioned into the special duties branch of the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1939 and spent the war years with Coastal Command in the operations room at RAF Aldergrove (1939–1945). He flew on operational sorties against U-boats and was mentioned in dispatches.

After spells spent with the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Defence, he was appointed Command Education Officer, Bomber Command Headquarters (1964–1966) and then Officer Commanding RAF School of Education (1966–1967). He was elevated to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal in 1967 upon being appointed Director of Education Services, RAF. He was appointed an OBE in 1956.

Powell married his wife Ysolda in 1939 and had four sons:
 * Lord Powell of Bayswater
 * Jonathan Powell
 * Sir Chris Powell
 * Roderick Powell.

He died on 24 November 2008.