When was RAF Fighter Command formed?
RAF Fighter Command was formally named and established on the 1st of May 1936, though its predecessor organisation, Fighting Area, had existed since 1926 and achieved command status in 1932.
Questions about RAF Fighter Command
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What role did RAF Fighter Command play in the Battle of Britain?
Fighter Command defended Britain against the Luftwaffe's 1940 air offensive, which aimed to achieve air superiority as a precondition for Operation Sea Lion, the planned German seaborne invasion. The command's groups divided defensive responsibility by region, with 11 Group bearing the heaviest fighting over southeast England and London.
How many aircraft and personnel did RAF Fighter Command lose in World War Two?
From 1939 to 1945, RAF Fighter Command lost 3,690 killed, 1,215 wounded, and 601 taken prisoner, with 4,790 aircraft destroyed.
Why was RAF Fighter Command disbanded in 1968?
By the late 1960s the RAF had shrunk to the point where separate Fighter Command, Bomber Command, and Coastal Command structures could no longer be justified. In 1968 Fighter Command and Bomber Command were merged to form the new Strike Command.
What was the 1957 Defence White Paper's impact on RAF Fighter Command?
The 1957 Defence White Paper, produced under Minister of Defence Duncan Sandys, declared that surface-to-air missiles would soon replace manned aircraft and cancelled all advanced aircraft programmes not too far along to stop. The English Electric Lightning survived the review and became the only purely British supersonic aircraft to enter RAF service.
What was the RAF's actual loss record during the Dieppe Raid compared to its claims?
During the Dieppe Raid on the 19th of August 1942, the RAF claimed 106 Luftwaffe victories but postwar analysis showed the actual German loss was 48 aircraft. The RAF itself lost 106 aircraft including 88 fighters, while Germany's JG 2 lost 14 Fw 190s and eight pilots and JG 26 lost six Fw 190s.