Royal Auxiliary Air Force The Royal Auxiliary Air Force ( RAuxAF ) , originally the Auxiliary Air Force ( AAF ) , is the volunteer active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force , providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service . It consists of paid volunteers who give up some of their weekends , evenings and holidays to train at one of a number of squadrons around the United Kingdom . Its current mission is to provide trained personnel in support of the RAF . Formation . The Royal Auxiliary Air Force owes its origin to Lord Hugh Trenchard , 1st Viscount Trenchard | Trenchard ' s vision of an elite corps of civilians who would serve their country in flying squadrons in their spare time . Instituted by Order in Council on 9 October 1924 , the first Auxiliary Air Force squadrons were formed the following year . The pilots of AAF squadrons were generally formed from particular social circles , in comparison to those of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve ( RAFVR ) which had been trained in the RAF and left but were obliged to return to service if required . World War II . By March 1939 , 21 flying squadrons had been formed , the 20 surviving units being incorporated into the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of war . The squadrons were equipped with a variety of operational aircraft which included Hurricanes and Spitfires ; there were also 47 Balloon Squadrons operating barrage balloon s . The squadrons scored a number of notable successes before and during the Second World War : the first flight over Mount Everest , the first German aircraft destroyed over British territorial waters - and over the mainland , the first U - boat to be destroyed with the aid of airborne radar , the first kill of a V - 1 flying bomb ; the first to be equipped with jet - powered aircraft , and the highest score of any British night fighter squadron . In the Battle of Britain , the AAF provided 14 of the 62 Squadrons in RAF Fighter Command ' s Order of Battle and accounted for approximately 30 % of the accredited enemy kills . The losses caused during the Battle of Britain were replaced by drafting in regular and RAFVR pilots . The Tactical Air Force squadrons were chosen to carry out several successful ultra low - level raids on key ' pin - point ' targets in occupied Europe . The Balloon Squadrons also played their part , downing and deterring many hostile aircraft and were accredited with the destruction of 279 V1 flying bombs . Cold War . These achievements were honoured by the prefix " Royal " conferred by King George VI in 1947 . Twenty of the pre - war squadrons were reformed postwar as fighter units . Events post WWII heralded a time of great danger for the UK . The onset of the Cold War with the Communist Bloc leading to the Berlin Air Lift and ultimately the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950 . During all these crises the RAuxAF fighter squadrons , the five newly formed Air Observation Post ( AOP ) squadrons and other RAuxAF units , played their part in the UK ' s air defence and participated in many NATO air exercises . In 1951 , at the height of the Korean War , all 20 RAuxAF fighter squadrons ( representing one third of Fighter Command strength ) were called up for three months full - time service . They were required for home defence in place of regular squadrons earmarked for deployment to Korea . In the event RAF fighter squadrons were not needed in Korea , but the RAuxAF squadrons were retained for intensive refresher training at their home bases . The 10 March 1957 saw the disbandment of all the 20 RAuxAF Force fighter squadrons , the five post - war AOP squadrons and the Light Anti - Aircraft ground - based squadrons of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment . In the following two years or so , the Auxiliary Fighter Control Units associated with them were also disbanded . On the 16 March 1960 , the Air Commodore - in - Chief and His Royal Highness Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , invited the Squadron Commanders and Flight Commanders of all the disbanded Royal Auxiliary Air Force units to a Reception at Buckingham Palace . ( All were given a letter from the Air Commodore - in - Chief and this is reproduced below . ) The renaissance of the RAuxAF began in 1979 with the formation of three Regiment Field Sqns , and continued with a Movements Sqn in 1982 , and , following lessons learned during the Falklands conflict ; an Aeromedical Evacuation Sqn in 1983 . A more recent addition , in 1987 , was an auxiliary element ( The Grampian Troop ) formed within a regular RAF Regiment Rapier Air Defence Squadron . Another step forward was taken in 1986 , with the raising of four Defence Force Flights with the role of ground defence of key points on air bases . In 1984 , the RAuxAF ' s Diamond Jubilee was marked by the award to the Service of its own badge , which forms the basic motif of the Sovereign ' s Colour for the Royal Auxiliary Force presented by Her Majesty the Queen in 1989 . The words of the badge motto " COMITAMUR AD ASTRA " - Latin " We go with them to the stars " . Gulf War and beyond . During the Gulf War in 1991 the Aeromedical and Movements Squadrons performed with great distinction in theatre and at other locations in the UK and overseas . On 5 April 1997 , all of the four war - appointable flights of the then Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve were fully amalgamated into the RAuxAF , each with squadron status . In recognition of their origins , and in the absence of direct county or city territorial affiliations , they were each given the honour of retaining the letters " VR " within their squadron titles . The remaining non - active support elements of the RAFVR were and remain unaffected by this amalgamation , namely the RAFVR ( T ) , the RAFVR ( UAS ) , and at its point of formation , the RAFVR ( DTUS ) ( being the branches for Training , University Air Squadron , and the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme , respectively ) . During 2003 the RAuxAF was involved in the first large - scale mobilisation for over 50 years . More than 900 people , over 70 % of its trained strength , were called into full - time service and were deployed to support RAF operations in Cyprus , Kuwait , Iraq and the Falkland Islands , as well as those in the UK . The RAuxAF enjoyed its 80th anniversary during 2004 and Lord Trenchard ' s vision has been amply vindicated by its achievements spanning the years . While the Auxiliary concept has moved away from the provision of Flying Sqns , the professional skill , enthusiasm and esprit - de - corps of his young men of the twenties and thirties are matched by the men and women who constitute the RAuxAF of today . The Royal Auxiliary Air Force establishment ( liability ) is set at 2 , 920 - though recruitment difficulties mean the RAuxAF is currently at a strength well below that . On 19 July 2007 Senior Aircraftman Chris Dunsmore , aged 29 , of 504 ( County of Nottingham ) Sqn RAuxAF was one of three men killed by a rocket attack on the COB at Basrah Airport , Iraq . He was the first serving RAuxAF member killed by enemy action since the Second World War . On 13 April 2008 Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson , aged 51 , of 504 ( County of Nottingham ) Sqn RAuxAF was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in Kandahar . SAC Thompson is the oldest British serviceman killed in Afghanistan . Personal letter from Queen Elizabeth II . BUCKINGHAM PALACE 16 March 1957 Elizabeth R