1901
29 October - The Aero Club of Great Britain is established. In the following years many early military pilots were trained by members of the Club.
1905
27 April - Sapper Moreton of the British Army's Balloon Section is lifted 2,600 ft (792 m) by a kite at Aldershot under the supervision of the kite's designer, Samuel Cody.
1908
Samuel Cody completes the first powered flight in the UK at Farnborough.
1909
The Aero Club establishes the first British flying ground near Leysdown in Kent.
2 May - John Moore-Brabazon becomes the first Englishman to make an officially recognized aeroplane flight in England.
1910
The Aero Club moves its flying from Leysdown to the nearby Eastchurch.
June - Charles Rolls becomes the first Englishman to fly across the Channel.
1911
1 April - Air Battalion, Royal Engineers formed at Larkhill.
December - The Royal Naval Flying School formed at Eastchurch, Kent.
1912
13 April - The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) is established by Royal Warrant. An Air Committee to liaise between the Admiralty and the War Office is also created.
13 May - RFC assume control of Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers and the Naval Air Service.
19 June- Central Flying School (CFS) is formed at Upavon.
1914
1 July - Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) formed by splitting airship squadrons away from the RFC
September - The first RNAS aircraft squadrons formed. 1 Squadron RNAS at Antwerp, 2 Squadron RNAS at Eastchurch, 3 Squadron RNAS at St. Pol, France.
1916
15 February - The Joint War Air Committee is established to co-ordinate the activities of the RFC and RNAS.
15 May - The Air Board replaces the ineffective Joint War Air Committee.
12 December - RFC expands to 106 front-line squadrons and 95 reserve and training squadrons.
1917
29 November - The Air Force (Constitution) Act passed, providing for creation of an Air Force and an Air Ministry.
1918-1939: The inter-war years and policing the Empire
1918
2 January - The Air Ministry comes into being with Lord Rothermere as Secretary of State for Air. Major-General Sir Hugh Trenchard becomes the first Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).
1 April
The Royal Air Force is formed by amalgamating the RFC and RNAS.
First operational mission by the RAF carried out by 22 Squadron
Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) formed.
3 June - The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Force Cross (AFC), Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), Air Force Medal (AFM) are constituted.
6 June - The Independent Air Force, the RAF's strategic bombing force, is formed.
June - Royal Air Force Temporary Nursing Service formed.
19 September to 1 October - Battle of Megiddo. The RAF's Palestine Brigade plays a key role in the British victory over the Ottoman Empire, including the destruction of the Ottoman Seventh Army.
11 November - At the end of the First World War, the RAF was the largest air force in the world with 27,333 officers, 263,837 other ranks, 22,647 aircraft, 103 airships, 133 front-line squadrons, 15 flights and 270 aerodromes overseas, 55 front-line squadrons, 75 training squadrons/depots, 401 aerodromes at home and 25,000 WRAF members.
1919
August - RAF officer ranks are introduced.
1920
January to February - The defeat of the "Mad Mullah". The beginnings of colonial air control as RAF aircraft acting with the Somaliland Camel Corps in British Somaliland overthrow the Dervish leader.
5 February - The RAF College Cranwell is established.
WRAF disbanded.
1921
1 October - RAF military control of Mesopotamia begins.
1922
1 October - RAF Iraq Command is formed.
1925
March to May - Pink's War. The RAF carries out its first independent air action, bombing and strafing the mountain strongholds of Mahsud tribesmen in Waziristan.
1928
23 December - The Kabul Airlift. The world's first air evacuation is carried out by the RAF when the British Legation in Kabul is flown to safety.
1932
April to June - Following Sheikh Ahmad Barzani's small-scale revolt in north-east Iraq, the RAF conducts psychological and conventional air operations which result in Sheikh Ahmad's surrender.
1936
14 July - The UK's air defences are reorganised into four commands: Bomber Command, Fighter Command, Coastal Command and Training Command.
1938
1 April - Maintenance Command is formed.
1 November - Balloon Command is formed.
1939
24 August - The Advanced Air Striking Force is formed in preparation for operations on the Continent
3 September - Following the UK's declaration of war on Germany, the RAF conducts photographic reconnaissance of the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven.
29 November - RAuxAF spitfires shoot down an He 111 bomber over Lothian, the first German aircraft to be shot down over the UK in World War II.
Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) instituted.
1940
16 May - Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding writes his letter to the Air Ministry which results in no further aircraft squadrons, earmarked for home defence, being sent to France.
10 July - The Battle of Britain begins.
13 August - Adlertag (Eagle Day). The Luftwaffe's attempts to gain air superiority over Britain fail, with the balance of aircraft losses being strongly in the RAF's favour.
1941
15 May - The maiden flight of first British jet aircraft, the Gloster E.28/39.
20 July - Ferry Command is formed.
24 December - The Avro Lancaster enters service with the RAF.
1942
30 May - Over 1,000 bombers set out to raid Cologne, severely damaging the city.
1 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Essen, however many crews mistakenly bomb other cities.
25 June - Around 1,000 bombers set out to raid Bremen, severely damaging the city and successfully bombing the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory.
1943
5 March - In an effort to decimate the German industrial base, Bomber Command begins bombing the Ruhr region.
25 March - Transport Command is formed by redesignating Ferry Command.
16 May - Aircraft of 617 Squadron set out on Operation Chastise, commonly known as the Dambusters Raid. The Mohne and Eder dams are breached.
18 November - This is the first night of a four-month bombing campaign against Berlin.
1944
24 March - RAF and Dominion Air Force personnel are murdered by the Gestapo after the "great escape" from Stalag Luft III Prisoner of War Camp.
6 June - D-Day commences. Diversions supplied by Avro Lancasters of 101 Squadron operating the ABC radio jamming equipment. Reconnaissance photographs were supplied by Spitfires of 16 Squadron.
1945
22 February - Allied Air Forces launch Operation Clarion, a concerted effort to destroy German transportation within 24 hours.
1948
28 June 1948 to 30 September 1949 - The RAF conducts Operation Plainfare, the British contribution to the Berlin Airlift.
June - The RAF conducts Operation Firedog against Malayan terrorists during the Malayan Emergency. Two Spitfires of No. 60 Squadron fly the first offensive mission on 6 July, destroying an enemy base at Perak. Involvement continues until 1960.
1949
Women's Auxiliary Air Force becomes Women's Royal Air Force
1953
Avro Lincoln squadrons flying out of RAF Eastleigh conduct anti-Mau Mau operations in Kenya. Operations continue until 1955.
1956
31 October - Canberras fly reconnaissance sorties and bomb Egyptian airfields on the opening night of Suez War's air campaign.
1958
3 November - Signals Command is formed.
1967
1 August - Air Support Command is formed by redesignating Transport Command
1968
30 April - Strike Command is formed from Fighter Command and Bomber Command.
28 November - Coastal Command is absorbed into the newly created Strike Command.
1969
1 January - Signals Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
1972
1 September - Air Support Command is absorbed into Strike Command.
1982
30 April - Operation Black Buck. Vulcan bombers set out from RAF Ascension Island on the first of six raids against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands.
1986
8 January - RAF Marine Branch disbanded.
1990
RAF fighters based in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait prior to the Gulf War
1991
16 January to 11 April - During the Gulf War, RAF aircraft fight in the air battle over Kuwait and Iraq.
The RAF begins Operations Resonate North and Resonate South, the British contribution to the Allied efforts to enforce the Iraqi no-fly zones. These operations continue for over a decade.
1993
RAF Tornado F3s and AWACS aircraft contribute to NATO's operation to restrict airspace movements over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Operation Deny Flight. The operation continues until late 1995.
1998
16 December - Operation Desert Fox. RAF Tornados and USAF F-117s bomb military targets in Iraq.
2001
9 October - During the third day of Operation Veritas, RAF aircraft commenced the provision of air-to-air refuelling, reconnaissance and surveillance support to US aircraft operating over Afghanistan.
2004
September - A detachment of six RAF Harriers from Joint Force Harrier was based at Kandahar Airfield to support colilition ground forces.
30 October – 31 December - Four Tornado F3s deployed to Lithuania for the British rotation as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing.
2005
RAF deployed to Indonesia following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake disaster to provide aid relief support and transport
2006
July - Three Chinook helicopters of 27 Squadron deployed to RAF Akrotiri to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon.
2007
April - Strike Command and Personnel and Training Command merge to form Air Command.
Timeline of the Royal Air Force Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA
