Guide to Sources for Research into the Royal Air Force

Major works

In the writing of these volumes the authors had access to relevant official documents; however, the inferences drawn and the opinions expressed are those of the authors themselves, who are responsible for their reading or presentation of the facts as stated.

The war in the air : being the story of the part played in the great war by the Royal Air Force : Sir Walter A. Raleigh, H.A. Jones (Oxford, The Clarendon Press, 1922-37)

Published in 6 volumes of text, plus a volume of appendices and a two volume Atlas, this magisterial work, started by Sir Walter A. Raleigh, and continued by his colleague Henry A. Jones represents many years of research into the facts surrounding the early days of the Royal Flying Corps, before it was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to become the Royal Air Force – the term retained by the authors for this authoritative history.

The history of the RAF 1939-1989 : Christopher Chant (London: Chevprime Ltd, 1990)

With well integrated text and images, this volume is an authoritative account of the fifty yoears of the Royal Air Force after its entry into the Second World War.