Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the <a href="/facts/British_Army/StuY9Jy2">British Army</a> before and during the <a href="/facts/First_World_War/vITTUanQ">First World War</a> until it merged with the <a href="/facts/Royal_Naval_Air_Service/SNATPNh0">Royal Naval Air Service</a> on 1 April 1918 to form the <a href="/facts/Royal_Air_Force/P10CbL5H">Royal Air Force</a>. During the early part of the war, the RFC supported the British Army by <a href="/facts/Artillery/GLpMYG9o">artillery</a> co-operation and <a href="/facts/Aerial_reconnaissance/xvWXgLKT">photographic reconnaissance</a>. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with <a href="/facts/Luftstreitkr%25C3%25A4fte/YjYj5oMB">German</a> pilots and later in the war included the <a href="/facts/Strafing/uUY2MbX7">strafing</a> of enemy <a href="/facts/Infantry/QAHDDQtk">infantry</a> and <a href="/facts/Bunker/WDHwf6sc">emplacements</a>, the <a href="/facts/Bombing/GoH38wo1">bombing</a> of German <a href="/facts/Military_airbase/bDV5KnUR">military airfields</a> and later the <a href="/facts/Strategic_bombing/0M2CccYY">strategic bombing</a> of German industrial and transport facilities.
At the start of World War I the RFC, commanded by Brigadier-General <a href="/facts/David_Henderson_(British_Army_officer)/8XdvwQwz">Sir David Henderson</a>, consisted of five squadrons – one <a href="/facts/Observation_balloon/rtPwqbYr">observation balloon</a> squadron (RFC No 1 Squadron) and four aeroplane squadrons. These were first used for aerial spotting on 13 September 1914 but only became efficient when they perfected the use of <a href="/facts/Wireless/GfDoFwfo">wireless communication</a> at <a href="/facts/Aubers_Ridge/eredSoqt">Aubers Ridge</a> on 9 May 1915. <a href="/facts/Aerial_photography/Sp9D0crM">Aerial photography</a> was attempted during 1914, but again only became effective the next year. By 1918, photographic images could be taken from 15,000 feet and were interpreted by over 3,000 personnel. <a href="/facts/Parachute/598qrAdg">Parachutes</a> were not available to pilots of heavier-than-air craft in the RFC – nor were they used by the RAF during the First World War – although the Calthrop Guardian Angel parachute (1916 model) was officially adopted just as the war ended. By this time parachutes had been used by balloonists for three years.
On 17 August 1917, South African General <a href="/facts/Jan_Smuts/SYE36ekh">Jan Smuts</a> presented a report to the War Council on the future of <a href="/facts/Aerial_warfare/DrDhkkQ1">air power</a>. Because of its potential for the 'devastation of enemy lands and the destruction of industrial and populous centres on a vast scale', he recommended a new air service be formed that would be on a level with the Army and Royal Navy. The formation of the new service would also make the under-used men and machines of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) available for action on the <a href="/facts/Western_Front_(World_War_I)/RrhMPVQP">Western Front</a> and end the inter-service rivalries that at times had adversely affected aircraft procurement. On 1 April 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were amalgamated to form a new service, the Royal Air Force (RAF), under the control of the new <a href="/facts/Air_Ministry/C0mh6SyH">Air Ministry</a>. After starting in 1914 with some 2,073 personnel, by the start of 1919 the RAF had 4,000 <a href="/facts/Military_aircraft/hG80LP2F">combat aircraft</a> and 114,000 personnel in some 150 squadrons.

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Royal Flying Corps