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The first air force

By General Aviation News Staff · August 19, 2005 ·

The most recent issue carried a synopsis of the recreated flight of Alcock and Brown (Vimy replica recreates first Atlantic flight, July 22 issue). In the write-up it was stated that Alcock had been a member of the RFC. This is not correct. Alcock was a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). On April 1, 1918, the RFC and the RNAS were merged to form the first independent Air Force, the RAF. Alcock flew in the Mediterranean theater in the only Sopwith triplane that served in that region. This is a small point and everyone is now dead, but the two services were somewhat competitive prior to the merger.

Bill Woodall
via email

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