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A force for peace, and RIAT announcement
7 years ago
General
Good day, everybody! We hope that you sincerely enjoyed Armed Forces Day this year, it being the second time in the celebration day's history that the main event was held in Wales, in Llandudno. Be it in turning up for a celebration/commemoration event, in visiting a stall in a town centre, or in recalling the Armed Forces' contributions to the security of the United Kingdom, we hope that you had an enjoyable day, and commemorated the occasion in an appropriate manner.
This week marked quite a momentous anniversary in the RAF's history, an operation which demonstrated the ability of the RAF, as a force for war, to act efficiently and decisively in peacetime, for it was 70 years ago this week that the Berlin Airlift commenced. This operation, carried out jointly by the major Western allied powers, was undertaken following the decision by the Soviet Union to sever all water and land communications between West Berlin, which was surrounded on all sides by the Soviet sector of post-WWII German lands, and the remainder of West Germany on the 24th of June, 1948. Though the RAF had been supplying British forces stationed in West Berlin since April 1948, this decision by the USSR triggered a major response by the Western Allies, in the form of the Berlin Airlift. By September 1949, when the Soviets finally restored communications through East Germany between West Berlin and West Germany, the RAF had delivered 541,000 tons of freight to West Berlin, undeterred by a Soviet Union that would dare not attack their aircraft for fear of retaliation (at this point in time, only one power in the world held nuclear strike capabilities). This event is commonly understood as the beginning of the Cold War, when relations between the anti-fascist Allies deteriorated to a point of confrontation, reactionary rhetoric, and mutual mistrust.
To end this journal on a more positive note, there are now less than two weeks to go until the Royal International Air Tattoo (or RIAT for short), possibly the largest airshow in Europe, if not the world, will be held at RAF Fairford. At present, the air forces of over 30 different nations will be displaying their aircraft in either static or flying displays, from as nearby as France to as far away as Australia. Furthermore, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the RAF, the airshow will be welcoming aircraft from throughout the force's history, from Bristol biplanes to the BBMF, and the most modern and sophisticated aircraft ever held by the RAF: the F-35 Lightning II. If you are planning to attend this awe-inspiring weekend, let us know in the comments below, as you may just meet a certain German Shepherd wandering around the airfield.
Take care, all, and we hope to see you soon!
This week marked quite a momentous anniversary in the RAF's history, an operation which demonstrated the ability of the RAF, as a force for war, to act efficiently and decisively in peacetime, for it was 70 years ago this week that the Berlin Airlift commenced. This operation, carried out jointly by the major Western allied powers, was undertaken following the decision by the Soviet Union to sever all water and land communications between West Berlin, which was surrounded on all sides by the Soviet sector of post-WWII German lands, and the remainder of West Germany on the 24th of June, 1948. Though the RAF had been supplying British forces stationed in West Berlin since April 1948, this decision by the USSR triggered a major response by the Western Allies, in the form of the Berlin Airlift. By September 1949, when the Soviets finally restored communications through East Germany between West Berlin and West Germany, the RAF had delivered 541,000 tons of freight to West Berlin, undeterred by a Soviet Union that would dare not attack their aircraft for fear of retaliation (at this point in time, only one power in the world held nuclear strike capabilities). This event is commonly understood as the beginning of the Cold War, when relations between the anti-fascist Allies deteriorated to a point of confrontation, reactionary rhetoric, and mutual mistrust.
To end this journal on a more positive note, there are now less than two weeks to go until the Royal International Air Tattoo (or RIAT for short), possibly the largest airshow in Europe, if not the world, will be held at RAF Fairford. At present, the air forces of over 30 different nations will be displaying their aircraft in either static or flying displays, from as nearby as France to as far away as Australia. Furthermore, in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the RAF, the airshow will be welcoming aircraft from throughout the force's history, from Bristol biplanes to the BBMF, and the most modern and sophisticated aircraft ever held by the RAF: the F-35 Lightning II. If you are planning to attend this awe-inspiring weekend, let us know in the comments below, as you may just meet a certain German Shepherd wandering around the airfield.
Take care, all, and we hope to see you soon!
V.