page_title: Ralph Sorley
hierarchical_section_title: Ralph Sorley
caption_attribution_description: English: Air Marshal R S Sorley, Controller of Research and Development, Ministry of Aircraft Production; photographed at the Air Ministry in London.
context_page_description: Air Marshal Sir Ralph Squire Sorley, KCB, OBE, DSC, DFC, FRAeS, FRSA was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. He began was a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War, and rose to senior command in the Second World War. After the latter he held several senior appointments until his retirement in 1948. and in 1947 was made a Commander of the Legion of Merit of the United States of America.
  Sorley was instrumental in the specification of the armament of both the Supermarine Spitfire and the Hawker Hurricane, he founded the Empire Test Pilots' School, foresaw the need for air-to-air missiles in the post-Second World War world and, having left the RAF to join De Havilland, provided the RAF with such a weapon system.
context_section_description: Air Marshal Sir Ralph Squire Sorley, KCB, OBE, DSC, DFC, FRAeS, FRSA (9 January 1898 – 17 November 1974) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He began was a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War, and rose to senior command in the Second World War. After the latter he held several senior appointments until his retirement in 1948. and in 1947 was made a Commander of the Legion of Merit of the United States of America.
  Sorley was instrumental in the specification of the armament of both the Supermarine Spitfire and the Hawker Hurricane, he founded the Empire Test Pilots' School, foresaw the need for air-to-air missiles in the post-Second World War world and, having left the RAF to join De Havilland, provided the RAF with such a weapon system.
caption: Air Marshal R S Sorley, Controller of Research and Development, Ministry of Aircraft Production
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