Welsh Air Force Aircraft (Welsh History Post Glyndwr)

The Royal Welsh Air Force has used many different aircraft since its formation in 1919. From Nieuports in the Twenties to the Gripens and Strike Hornets of today they have been diverse and colourful in type and scheme. This page will try to show the schemes, types of aircraft and some of the aircrews sense of humour.

The Welsh Air Force has had many influences over the years and we will also touch on the two major ones over the last 50 years. The Germans in the thirties and the United States in the Fifties had a major effect on many of the types and docterine that the Welsh employed. The Luftwaffe only stayed a few years however, the USAF on the other hand remained based in Wales until 2007 when the last F15 Eagle departed for RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk.

The first of our plates shows the first SPAD Vii Ddwbl (Double) bi-plane of the trials unit of the Cymdeithas Awyrenneg Frenhiniol Gymreig or Royal Welsh Aeronautical Society as it appeared in France in 1918. The colour scheme is identical to that used by the British RFC and RAF in 1918 with the only difference being the addition of the gold in the centre of the roundel. It retained the twin vickers guns of the original but gained a slight incrrease in power due to the tinkering of the units mechanics.