The world 's first independent air force, the Royal Air Force, celebrates its centenary in 2018. In the 100 years since the last year of World War I, the service has been involved in almost continuous operations around the globe, giving the RAF the longest and most wide-ranging history of any air force in the world. But over the years this history has also become entangled with myths and RAF- A Centenary of Operations will set the record straight, dispelling these as it records in both words and photographs the true exploits and accomplishments of RAF personnel over the last 100 years. In fact the story will begin before 1918 with the Smuts Report and will emphasise the part played by Jan Smuts as the real Father of the RAF ' as an independent service. The vitally important part played by the less glamorous types such as the RE-8 in the closing stages of the war will be described, as will the exploits of the RAF personnel in further away places such as Italy, Greece, the Middle East and India. The book will also give details of the operational work by the squadrons involved in air control over the Middle East and in India between the wars and emphasise that it was the work of these units, rather than the Home Establishment, that ensured the survival of the service in its fledgling years. In covering World War II, equal importance will be given to all aspects, geographical locations and operations to ensure that some actions (for example those in the Middle East and Far East) are not overshadowed by the larger more popular ' campaigns such as the Battle of Britain or the bomber offensive against Germany, as is often the case. The book will describe operations during the early Cold War period including the Berlin Airlift the many clandestine reconnaissance missions and the disaster relief operations as well as the RAF participation in campaigns in Malaya, Suez, Kenya and also nuclear forces including the Thor IRBM. Later Cold War years will describe the continuing evolution of an effective tactical air force in the UK and Germany also farther afield including the Middle East and Far East; humanitarian aid operations will be covered as will the conflicts Northern Ireland, the Falklands and Iraq. Indeed, the almost continuous operations over Iraq and Afghanistan in the last three decades will bring the story of the RAF to a full circle, since in many ways these operations reflect those carried out by the service in the same parts of the world nearly 100 years previously.
