Marking a century of aviation excellence

The dark silhouette of a fighter plane against a cloudless sky has become a lasting symbol of the strength and vitality of the Royal Air Force. This weekend the United Kingdom’s youngest armed force reaches its 100th birthday and the nation will celebrate the bravery and dedication of “The Few”.

The RAF has been the mainstay of our modern fighting force.

It has come a long way from its early days when pilots battled each other with handguns while leaning out of their by-planes over the fields of France and Belgium in the First World War.

Fighter aircraft are now at the centre of every military mission undertaken by Britain and our allies in NATO and it is hard to imagine any form of defence action being undertaken without aircraft at its heart.

Being so young compared to the army and navy, the RAF has fewer moments of great historical significance to commemorate.

However, it has one which quite literally saved this country from defeat at the hands of its greatest foe.

The success of pilots and ground crew in the Battle of Britain in the Second World War puts them alongside the very greatest soldiers and sailors of all time.

The RAF continues to inspire us and protect our nation. All of those involved with the force both past and present deserve all of our heartfelt thanks.