Watching the flypast at Runnymede, none of that London vibe of vying for the best position.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone
I was on the Strand - pretty damn impressive it was too.
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[Misc] Salute the Royal Air Force
- Thread starter Thunder Bolt
- Start date
I was on the Strand - pretty damn impressive it was too.
Garry Nelson's Left Foot
Well-known member
As a non military person and without wishing to offend any of the other branches of the military there's something so viscerally cool about the R.A.F. I guess it's the noise and speed and other worldlyness of planes. It's probably partly to do with the mythology of the Spitfire and the battle of Britain; who didn't love going to the air shows as a kid and having them zoom by overhead after studying the grounded plane and hearing the stories of the pilots taking to the skies and fending off the massed ranks of the Luftwaffe.
That's not to denigrate the other branches of the military. If the Military was the Brighton promotion winning team the RAF would be Knockaert while the others would be Murray or Dunk or Duffy or Stephens. All vitally important just one has a bit more glitz about them...
As an aside, are the planes on aircraft carriers considered part of the RAF or part of the navy? If it's the navy do they have separate training facilities or are the pilots all trained together then get sent to join the navy or RAF?
That's not to denigrate the other branches of the military. If the Military was the Brighton promotion winning team the RAF would be Knockaert while the others would be Murray or Dunk or Duffy or Stephens. All vitally important just one has a bit more glitz about them...
As an aside, are the planes on aircraft carriers considered part of the RAF or part of the navy? If it's the navy do they have separate training facilities or are the pilots all trained together then get sent to join the navy or RAF?
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
- Thread starter
- #45
The Royal Navy still has the Fleet Air Arm, despite giving some of their pilots from the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) to combine with the Royal Flying Corps(Army, to form the RAF in 1918.
The answer is Navy.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
- Thread starter
- #46
Garry Nelson's Left Foot
Well-known member
So the RAF formed out of the army and navy?
How about the pilots nowadays? Is there one central training place for pilots from all three arms or do they train separately?
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
The new F-35 Lightning 11, will have a duel role with the RAF & RN, depending on areas of the world, they are needed to operate.
Elementary flying training is carried out at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.
The RAF fast jet training is carried out at RAF Valley, Anglesey with Hawks.
The RN fly out of RNAS Culdrose.
Basically the way the UK armed forces are going these days, with the gradual down sizing of man power, its dual roles in most areas.
In [MENTION=14365]Thunder Bolt[/MENTION] case the RN still fly boats, where the RAF just fly
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
- Thread starter
- #49
The new F-35 Lightning 11, will have a duel role with the RAF & RN, depending on areas of the world, they are needed to operate.
Elementary flying training is carried out at RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire.
The RAF fast jet training is carried out at RAF Valley, Anglesey with Hawks.
The RN fly out of RNAS Culdrose.
Basically the way the UK armed forces are going these days, with the gradual down sizing of man power, its dual roles in most areas.
In [MENTION=14365]Thunder Bolt[/MENTION] case the RN still fly boats, where the RAF just fly
Boats operate underwater, not on the surface.
Btw we still have RNAS Yeovilton.
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
- Thread starter
- #50
Yes. Henry Allingham, who died aged 113, and is buried in Brighton, joined the Navy in 1915, as part of the RNAS, was at the Battle of Jutland, and then transferred to the newly formed RAF.