304:. During the last five months of World War I, Independent Air Force aircraft dropped 550 long tons (560 t) of bombs (for 109 aircraft lost) including 390 long tons (400 t) dropped by night. Over 220 long tons (220 t) were dropped on German aerodromes, which Trenchard justified by pointing out that while the Germans were stronger than the British in the air, their aircraft might be destroyed on the ground. Trenchard argued that his policy was vindicated by the fact the during the period from 5 June to 11 November 1918, German attacks on British aerodromes were minimal and no British aircraft were destroyed on the ground by bombing.
49:
538:
A considerable portion of the
Independent Air Force’s efforts was in tactical support of the Allied armies and the war ended before the IAF could conduct any sustained strategic bombing. Thus the Independent Force achieved little material effect on the German war industries, in return for many losses
705:
287:
No 41 Wing was split into two wings to form VIII Brigade and comprised Nos 55, 99 and 104 squadrons responsible for day-bombing, with the 83rd Wing consisted of two night-bombing squadrons, (No 100 and No 216). Additional squadrons were added to the IAF before the
Armistice; Nos 97, 115 and 215
567:
Just before the end of the war, on 26 October 1918, the
Independent Air Force was renamed the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force and comprised British, French, Italian and American squadrons. Trenchard remained the commander-in-chief but he came under the command of Marshal
706:
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231:
in France. Trenchard took over tactical command of the VIII Brigade from Haig on 5 June 1918 and complete control on 15 June 1918, when Newall became the deputy commander of the
Independent Force. As commander, Trenchard reported directly to Sir
912:
170:(RNAS) had attempted a co-ordinated series of bombing raids on German-held targets. Whilst the attacks were generally unsuccessful the principle of deep penetration bombing raids against strategic targets was established. General
197:, the British Government decided that it should be expanded into an independent force. Before the creation of the Independent Air Force, the VIII Brigade was under the tactical command of Field Marshal Sir
220:. Trenchard had only agreed to serve as GOC after he received criticism for resigning his position as professional head of the RAF during a time of war. The deputy commander was Brigadier-General
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576:. On 14 November, the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force was dissolved and its British squadrons (still titled the Independent Air Force) were assigned to
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should be set up, independent of the Army and Navy and that a strategic bomber force should be formed whose sole purpose was to attack
Germany.
16:
This article is about the RAF's World War I formation. For general information on air forces which are independent of army or navy control, see
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squadrons (equipped with the new
Handley-Page 0/400 bomber) and No 110 Squadron with the DH-9A, operational through the summer of 1918.
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was born on 1 April 1918 and the forthcoming creation of the
Independent Air Force was announced on 13 May 1918. The
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and was used to strike against German railways, aerodromes, and industrial centres without co-ordination with the
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The IAF commenced operations in June 1918, when 12 DH4s of 55 Squadron were despatched to bomb targets around
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The
Independent Air Force eventually consisted of nine squadrons of aircraft which were equipped with
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The
Independent Air Force came into being on 6 June 1918 with its headquarters situated near
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succeeded
Trenchard. The Independent Air Force was disbanded in late 1918 or early 1919.
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The Independent Forces attacked, amongst others, the following targets:
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Military units and formations of the Royal Air Force in World War I
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who had previously been the commander of the VIII Brigade.
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Following the perceived success in bombing Germany of the
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Inter-Allied Independent Air Force from 26 October 1918
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First of the Many: The story of Independent Force, RAF
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and 11 DH4s of 99 Squadron attacked rail targets at
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204:After Parliamentary approval in November 1917, the
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890:. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 2nd edition 1976.
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665:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
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918:Military units and formations established in 1918
551:of the United Kingdom served in a ground post.
888:Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft
656:"The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"
8:
815:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
774:(Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 136.
754:(Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 135.
643:(Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 133.
174:, a member of the War Cabinet, prepared the
720:British Military Aviation in 1918 - Part 2
610:. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 16, 17.
606:Taylor, J. W. R.; Moyes, P. J. R. (1968).
883:. London: Jarrolds, 1968. OCLC 464310497
812:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
662:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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563:Inter-Allied Independent Air Force
178:which recommended that a separate
133:Inter-Allied Independent Air Force
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806:"Courtney, Sir Christopher Lloyd"
216:who had recently stepped down as
193:and its antecedent formation the
166:From late 1916 to early 1917 the
236:the Air Minister, bypassing the
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543:Independent Air Force personnel
1:
923:World War I strategic bombing
836:UK public library membership
803:Richards, Denis (May 2008).
679:UK public library membership
608:Pictorial History of the RAF
276:Royal Aircraft Factory FE2bs
939:
559:, flew as a bomber pilot.
210:General Officer Commanding
15:
732:. Retrieved 14 March 2008
129:Independent Bombing Force
38:6 June – 14 November 1918
212:was to be Major-General
142:force which was part of
850:"Commands - N Europe_P"
572:, the Generalissimo of
168:Royal Naval Air Service
131:and later known as the
821:10.1093/ref:odnb/30975
671:10.1093/ref:odnb/36552
238:Chief of the Air Staff
218:Chief of the Air Staff
539:in men and machines.
123:), also known as the
117:Independent Air Force
59:Allies of World War I
28:Independent Air Force
886:Moyes, Philip J. R.
582:Christopher Courtney
61:from 26 October 1918
784:Moyes 1976, p. 315.
441:Oberndorf am Neckar
271:Handley Page 0/400s
266:de Havilland DH.9As
856:on 4 December 2014
793:Moyes 1976, p. 316
771:The London Gazette
751:The London Gazette
640:The London Gazette
96:Sir Hugh Trenchard
93:Commander-in-Chief
87:Sir Hugh Trenchard
834:(Subscription or
677:(Subscription or
617:978-0-7110-0132-9
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283:for escort duties
262:de Havilland DH9s
257:de Havilland DH4s
140:strategic bombing
125:Independent Force
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858:. Retrieved
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234:William Weir
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222:Cyril Newall
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199:Douglas Haig
191:VIII Brigade
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180:Air Ministry
176:Smuts Report
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105:C L Courtney
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860:17 February
826:10 November
766:"No. 31101"
746:"No. 31101"
635:"No. 31101"
525:ZweibrĂĽcken
490:SaarbrĂĽcken
372:Hagendingen
248:Composition
66:Engagements
907:Categories
838:required.)
730:RAF Museum
681:required.)
588:References
553:W.E. Johns
515:Völklingen
436:Luxembourg
377:Heidelberg
302:Thionville
76:Commanders
43:Allegiance
549:George VI
520:Wadgassen
505:Wiesbaden
495:Stuttgart
480:Sollingen
456:Pirmasens
451:Pforzheim
446:Offenburg
401:Karlsruhe
362:Frankfurt
357:Dillingen
347:Darmstadt
214:Trenchard
195:41st Wing
184:Air Force
172:Jan Smuts
18:air force
723:Archived
485:Saarburg
475:Rottweil
421:Mannheim
396:Karthaus
135:, was a
557:Biggles
465:Rastatt
382:Hagenau
367:Forbach
342:Coblenz
337:Cologne
298:Coblenz
292:Actions
144:Britain
127:or the
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832:
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500:Treves
470:Rombas
411:Landau
317:Baalon
52:
35:Active
593:Notes
510:Worms
431:Lumes
416:Mainz
352:Duren
322:Baden
229:Nancy
892:ISBN
862:2015
828:2009
612:ISBN
426:Lahr
332:Bonn
264:and
182:and
156:Navy
152:Army
115:The
817:doi
667:doi
154:or
146:'s
121:IAF
101:GOC
82:GOC
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