List of famous Royal Air Force members
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Royal Air Force | |
This article lists those members of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom who have become either nationally or internationally famous. This could either be due to commanding squadrons or higher formations in memorable operations, by being awarded high honours or by gaining fame subsequent to their RAF service.
[edit] Famous RAF Personnel
- Lord Trenchard - founding father of the RAF
- Lord Tedder - Eisenhower's deputy who received Germany's surrender at the end of the war in Europe
- Lord Dowding - CINC, Fighter Command during Battle of Britain
- Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris - CINC, Bomber Command during World War Two
- Sir Douglas Bader - Amputee and Fighter pilot
- Sir Keith Park - New Zealander - AOC 11 Group during Battle of Britain
- Sir Frank Whittle - Co-inventor of the turbojet
- Guy Gibson - Dambusters raid leader and VC holder
- Leonard Cheshire - Charity founder and VC holder
- Henry Allingham - World War I veteran and last surviving founder member of the RAF
- Winston Churchill - Was created an honourary Air Commodore of a squadron in Scotland during World War II, and wore his RAF uniform on many notable occasions during the war (such as his visit to North Africa and a state visit to meet Josef Stalin)
[edit] Famous people who previously served in the RAF
- Arthur C. Clarke - Science Fiction author
- Christopher Lee - Actor
- Alan Bates - Actor
- David Bailey (photographer)
- Frank Muir - Comic writer
- Godfrey Hounsfield - Nobel laureate and co-inventor of Computed tomography.
- Ian Smith - Rhodesian Prime Minister
- Norman Tebbit - British politician
- Patrick Moore - Astronomer, Broadcaster and Author
- Peter Sellers - Comedian and Actor, gained the NCO rank of Corporal
- Richard Burton - Actor, served as a Navigator
- Richard Attenborough - Actor and Director
- Rex Harrison - Actor, reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant
- Roald Dahl - Author
- Rory Underwood - England rugby player
- T. E. Lawrence - 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Enlisted as Aircraftman T.E Shaw
- Tony Benn - British politician
- Tony Hancock - Comic actor (RAF Regiment)
- Warren Mitchell - Actor
- Raymond Baxter - Television Presenter and commentator
