Air Council
Encyclopedia
Air Council was the governing body of the Royal Air Force
until the merger of the Air Ministry
with the other armed forces ministries to form the Ministry of Defence
. It was succeeded by the Air Force Board
.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
until the merger of the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
with the other armed forces ministries to form the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. It was succeeded by the Air Force Board
Air Force Board
The Air Force Board of the Defence Council is responsible for the management of the Royal Air Force.Prior to the creation of the current UK Ministry of Defence in 1964, the administration of the RAF and its personnel was undertaken by the Air Force Council, part of the Air Ministry...
.
Composition
The Air Council was made up of several posts, the names of which changed over time. These included:- Chief of the Air Staff
- Deputy Chief of the Air StaffDeputy Chief of the Air StaffThe Deputy Chief of the Air Staff was a senior appointment in the Royal Air Force. The incumbent was the deputy to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post existed from 1918 to 1968 or 1969...
(1930-1968) -also Director of Operations and Intelligence (mid 1920s-1938) - Air Member for Research and Development, renamed Air Member for Development and Production
- Vice Chief of the Air StaffVice-Chief of the Air Staff (United Kingdom)The British Vice-Chief of the Air Staff was the post occupied by the senior Royal Air Force officer who served as a senior assistant to the Chief of the Air Staff. The post was created during World War II on 22 April 1940 and its incumbement sat on the Air Council...
- Air Member for Training
- Air Member for Technical Services (1947-1951)
- Inspector General of the RAF
- Controller of Research and Development - from the Ministry of Air Production (MAP)
- Master-General of Personnel
- Director-General of Aircraft Production and Research, renamed Director-General of Supply and Research, renamed Air Member for Supply and Research
- Air Member for Supply and OrganisationAir Member for Supply and OrganisationThe Air Member for Supply and Organisation was the senior Royal Air Force officer responsible for procurement matters: he was a member of the Air Force Board...
.