Greg Bloomfield Posted 13 December , 2007 Share Posted 13 December , 2007 What exactly is meant by "Independant" in this context? Does it simply mean that they operated independantly as a strategic force or were they given a certain freedom to wage their own campaign within a certain latitude? From the little I know of the IAF they seem to have had a fairly tough old time of it. Did they actually acheive much or was too much asked of them? Thanks in advance. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 13 December , 2007 Share Posted 13 December , 2007 What context? Nothing to help us to help you! Who are 'they' ? Daggers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bloomfield Posted 13 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 13 December , 2007 Well I thought it was a simple enough question. If its all too much for you, you really don't have to respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John(txic) Posted 13 December , 2007 Share Posted 13 December , 2007 Well I thought it was a simple enough question. If its all too much for you, you really don't have to respond. You might care to look this one up: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Independent-Force-...r/dp/190230490X I have a copy, but haven't read it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bloomfield Posted 13 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 13 December , 2007 Cheers John I'll add that to my Xmas list. Many thanks. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 13 December , 2007 Share Posted 13 December , 2007 You might care to look this one up: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Independent-Force-...r/dp/190230490X I have a copy, but haven't read it yet. I have a copy but read it quite a while ago. The Independant Force as you can see from the title appeared towards the end of WW1. I see them as the forerunners/ pioneers of the RAF Bombers in WW2, therefore very much of interest. Myrtle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 14 December , 2007 Share Posted 14 December , 2007 Greg See this link, a report by Trenchard himself: http://www.rafweb.org/Archives.htm#LG1-1-19 It was never truly Independent (and certainly not Independant!); note that he also refers to it as the "Independent Force, Royal Air Force". Better to think of it as a specialist unit, the forerunner of Bomber Command in WW2 (and taking over the work of the RNAS which had pioneered strategic bombing while the RFC was committed to Artillery Spotting and Recce). It operated from June 1918 to the end of the war. It comprised several squadrons seconded from the RAF, including 55 (originally with DH4s), 100 (night-bombing specialists, originally with FE2bs, later O/400s), 216, 104 and I think others too. The DH9 and 9a were a major part of its inventory in the last months. The Vickers Vimy and Handley Page V/1500 were intended for use by the IAF but were too late for the war. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 14 December , 2007 Share Posted 14 December , 2007 Greg Just to expand on Adrian's post, the Independent Force, RAF, consisted of the following units at the time of the Armistice: 41st Wing No 55 Sqn (DH 4) based at Azelot No 99 Sqn (DH 9 converting to DH 9A) based at Azelot No 104 Sqn (DH 9) based at Azelot 83rd Wing No 97 Sqn (HP O/400) based at Xaffrevillers No 100 Sqn (HP O/400) based at Xaffrevillers No 115 Sqn (HP O/400) based at St Inglevert No 215 Sqn (HP O/400) based at Xaffrevillers No 216 Sqn (HP O/400) based at Roville-aux-Chenes 88th Wing No 45 Sqn (Camel converting to long-range Snipe) based at Bettoncourt No 110 Sqn (DH 9A) based at Bettoncourt plus support units. The IF RAF operated from bases on the French sector of the Western Front so as to be within striking range of German industrial targets in the Ruhr Valley. Had the War gone on into 1919, units from other Allied powers and the USA would have joined the IF to make a strategic bombing Independent Air Force. Keith Rennles' book Independent Force gives a good account of the day bombing campaign of the IF, but doesn't cover the night operations. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 14 December , 2007 Share Posted 14 December , 2007 What exactly is meant by "Independant" in this context? snip, snip ,,, Greg It seems you are not the first to ask this question. There were some eyebrows raised straight away concerning the relationship this creation was to have with the Allied High Command. General Duval, Deputy Chief of the French General Staff, is said to have asked: 'Independent of what? Of God?'. The genesis of this business was boggled from the start, being a by-product of the Gotha scare which also produced the Royal Air Force. There was some incredible story passed about in London that the Germans were about to attack London with 4000 heavy bombers, and the hotheads pushed for a scheme that would send 4000 British bombers against Germany first. Life in this world would be so boring if everything made sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_East Posted 14 December , 2007 Share Posted 14 December , 2007 The formation of the Indepedent Air Force was Trenchard's idea to form a specialist group for taking the air war to the enemy's homeland and destroy the enemy's capability to wage war.Had the war not ended in November 1918, then it was more than likely that Berlin would have been bombed. Post Great War, it became difficult to do much with the Royal Air Force and its strength was a shadow of what it was in the autumn of 1918.Due to the poor economical state of the country and the continual emphasis on disarmament,The Royal Air Force lay dormant until the threat from Germany was realised from January 1933 and the alarm when the Luffewaffe came out of hiding in 1935.By this time it was also realised that the command structure of the force would not be adequate to meet the air defence and air offensive needs of Great Britain.The Independent Air Force had long been declared redundant but the idea lingered on. Therefore a functional structure was introduced in 1936 which was to last over 30 years.The air defence of Great Britain would be the responsibility of the newly formed division to be designated Fighter Command and the air offensive responsibility would be undertaken by the other newly formed division to be designated Bomber Command which was virtually the restructed name for the former Independent Air Force. 1936 was another turning point for the Royal Air Force for as new aircraft were brought into service or envisaged, the method of maintaining availability and performance was enhanced by the introduction of much improved front line and second line servicing organisation. Additionally, at operational level, functional departments (Wings) were introduced on the stations namely, Flying Wing covering air operations and first line servicing,Technical Wing, covering second line servicing (minor and major servicing) and Admin Wing covering discipline, pay, billetting and rations and the like.Thus by 1936 the Royal Air Force had been reborn with some ideas retained from past "tried and tested" experience and Bomber Command emerged.Berlin was still roughly 600 miles from Eastern England and this with the optimism of modern bomber aircraft to enter service would allow a similar role to that of the Indepedent Air Force to be undertaken by Bomber Command but from the advantage and home comforts of the British mainland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bloomfield Posted 14 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 14 December , 2007 Thanks to you all for the full and informative answers, and I'll use the spell checker next time! I've got Rennles' book ordered so I should be pretty boned up on the day bombing side of the Force soon. Kind Regards Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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