Close THE ROYAL AIR FORCE is the youngest of the three British armed services. Its origins lie with the formation of the Royal Flying Corps 'm 1912. The Naval and Military Wings separated in 1914 and the former became the Royal Naval Air Service. The Royal Air itself was officially constituted by Act of on 1 April 1918 with the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY RAF The date 14 July 1986 marks the 50th anniversary of the reorganisation of the RAF in the UK into the form in which some of its greatest achievements were made. Although Bomber Command, Fighter Command, Coastal Command and Training Command may no longer exist under such designations, the names of their most outstanding commanders and the aircraft they operated will always be remembered.