Royal Caledon Air Force

Official motto: Altitude with Attitude
Unofficial motto: FSFP (Flying, Shooting, Fencing, Partying)
The Royal Caledon Air Force, also known as the RCAF or Connolly's Crazies, is headquartered at the Connolly Aerodrome in Caledon Penzance. It is responsible for defending the skies over the Independent State of Caledon, taking over from the now defunct Caledon Air Corps. 
This group also facilitate air-ground and air-air chatter within Caledon.
Officially sanctioned by Guvnah Desmond Shang (who also serves as honorary Marshal), the RCAF was founded October 24th, 2007.
== Current Officers (UNDER REVISION June-July 2010) ==
thumb|Royal Caledon Air Force Ensign
* Air Marshal of the RCAF (Zoe Connolly, Dan Gervasi, with honorary Air Marshal Desmond Shang)
* Air Chief Marshal (Sin Trenton, Phineas Messmer, Vickster Kuhn)
* Air Vice Marshal (Virrginia Tombola, Edward Pearse, Diamanda Gustafson, Thadicus Caligari)
* Group Captain (Mordecai Scaggs, August Breed, Burton Newall, Noddeh Slade, Josh Noonan, Sumie Kawashima, Cornelius Fanshaw)
* Wing Commander (Eladrienne Laval)
* Squadron Leader (Aether Inglewood, Pilot Sopwith, Valentine Janus, Mishi Rossini)
* Flight LT (Vi Paravane, Abigail Raymaker, Crap Mariner, Elrik Merlin, Soleil Snook, CronoCloud Creeggan, Jaksoi Pak, Julian Slade, Pamus Bing, Scarlett Qi, Soarhead Vuckovic, J8ke Hawker, J8ke Segall, Roberto Viking, Roy Smashcan, Equine McMillan, Sered Woollahra, Autopilotpatty Poppy, Caine Beresford, Kandy Tomorrow, Sigal Rau, Natacha Chernov, DrBob Margulies, Kazuki Iuga)
* Flying Officer (Annabelle Fanshaw, GrahamRoss McCullough, Barmy Rubble, Cogsworth Gears, Phaedrus Upshaw, Henri Godenot, Krystine Qinan)
* Pilot Officer (Hunter6 Hynes, Apollo Kronos, Peaches Latrell, LordAlbert Heron)
Ranks used by The Royal Caledon Air Force are very loosely based upon the UK RAF rank system as outlined in the following link to NATO Air Forces on Wikipedia
== Retired Officers (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) ==
* Zoe Connolly RCAF Air Marshal October 2007 - July 2010
* Zabrina McMahon RCAF Wing Commander October 2007 - September 2009 (Rogue)
* Avatara Zenovka RCAF Wing Commander October 2007 - July 2010 
* Zoetrope Cryotank RCAF Flight LT
* Avery Robbiani RCAF Pilot Officer
* Crosshaven Barbosa RCAF Pilot Officer
* Jacen Quan RCAF Pilot Officer
== Specialist Squadrons ==
* Caledon Screamin' Tinies, formed November 2007 for tiny aviators, commanded by Wing Commander Eladrienne Laval.
* Red Devils Squadron, formed 22 December 2007 for jetpack operators, commanded by Air Vice Marshal Diamanda Gustafson.
* RCAF Lightning fencing team, formed 5 February 2008 to promote personal readiness and esprit de corps, commanded by Squadron Leader Valentine Janus.
* Search and Rescue formed August 2008, commanded by Squadron Leader Dan Gervasi.
* Sumie's Task Force formed 17 December 2008 for Anti-AirPirate Patrols and Interdiction. Named in honour of Group Captain Sumie Kawashima, commanded by Squadron Leader Aether Inglewood.
== Communications ==
Air Chief Marshal Sin Trenton will gather intelligence on various Flight resources on the Grid that may be of interest to the RCAF.
== Aethernautics ==
Air Chief Marshal Phineas Messmer will direct all operations related to exploration of Aethernautical-Space
== Group Operations ==
== RCAF Recruitment ==
== Special Operations Command Expeditionary Force (RCAF-SOC) ==
See the RCAF Special Operations Command page.
== Callsigns ==
The RCAF uses callsigns to aid communication over the wireless. A popular mode for the pilots to address each other are using these callsigns even when not airborne.
They are either chosen by the pilots themselves, usually tongue-in-cheek, or in some cases given in remembrance of a particular incident.
Here is a list of the current callsigns:
* Air Marshal of the RCAF (2007 - 2010) Zoe Connolly....."Foxy" (Retired)
* Air Marshal (July 2010) Dan Gervasi.... "Big Daddy"
* Air Chief Marshal Phineas Messmer...."LiftOff" (Retired)
* Air Chief Marshal Sin Trenton...."Biggles"
* Air Vice Marshal Virrginia Tombola...."HorseShoe" (Retired)
* Air Vice Marshal Edward Pearse...."Graf"
* Air Vice Marshal Diamanda Gustafson...."Cuckoo" (Retired)
* Air Vice Marshal Vickster Kuhn.... 
* Group Captain August Breed.... (Retired)
* Group Captain Burton Newall...."Spud" (Retired)
* Group Captain Noddeh Slade...."Creaky" (Retired)
* Group Captain Expedition Offcourse ...."WrongWay" (Retired)
* Group Captain Sumie Kawashima...."BoingBoing" (Deceased)
* Wing Commander Cornelius Fanshaw....."Bulldog" (Retired)
* Wing Commander Zabrina McMahon....."Psycho" (Retired)
* Wing Commander Eladrienne Laval...."Skeeter" (Retired)
* Wing Commander Avatara Zenovka...."Caprica Six" (Retired)
* Squadron Leader Valentine Janus...."Spinner" (Retired)
* Flight LT Pamus Bing...."Soapy" (Retired)
* Flight LT Crap Mariner...."Drag" (Retired)
* Flight LT Elrik Merlin...."Rik" (Retired)
* Flight LT CronoCloud Creeggan...."Maven" (Retired)
* Flight LT J8ke Hawker...."Flash"....(Missing in Action)
* Flight LT Vi Paravane...."Desi" (Retired)
== Quartermasters ==
The RCAF is blessed with many talented members and friends who provide us with various flying machines, textures, and ordnance for our testing and daily usage.
* August Breed
* Denver Hax
* Noddeh Slade
* SimplyAmy Iwish
* Sin Trenton
* Virrginia Tombola
== Tools of the Trade ==
RCAF members make regular use of a wide range of equipment for training, rescue operations, and military sorties. This necessarily incomplete listing names the inventors/creators/Quartermasters behind the gear used in the RCAF. Items are listed by category.
=== Aircraft ===
* August Breed - 1909 Bleriot Fighter, 1912 Blackburn Fighter
* Burton Newall - Newall's Steam Dirigible
* Cubey Terra - Nieuport 17 Fighter (1917)
* Denver Hax - Boojum Bomber, Snark Fighter, Fighter, Flying Carrier
* Edward Pearse - "Air Kyak", 1871 Steamray, Air Ship "Parsival",
* Karl Reisman - de la Cierva C-30 Autogyro
* Marcos Fonzarelli - ARMORD Jetpack
* Noddeh Slade - Flying Carrier
* SimplyAmy Iwish - HGS Valkyrie
* Sumie Kawashima - Soyokaze reconnaissance aircraft, Yokokaze combat aircraft (biplane)
* Syxx Craig - HGS The Insatiable (Aphid Class), HGS Inconstant (Aphid Class), HGS The Defiant (Aphid Class)
* Virrginia Tombola - Ornithopter
* Vi Paravane - Steam Jetpacks
=== Airfield Weapons ===
* Kara Wind - Steam-powered Cannon, Steam-powered Gatling Gun
=== Personal Weapons ===
* Rifkin Habsburg - En Garde
* Sigau Rau - RCAF M1917 Colt Revolver
* Sin Trenton - RCAF Carbine, modified from Ordinal Malaprop's Carbine
=== Miscellaneous ===
* August Breed - RCAF insignia textures
* Sin Trenton - RCAF Callsign attachment
== Facilities ==
Official RCAF property owned and operated by Zoe Connolly and Dan Gervasi...
* RCAF Connolly Aerodrome - Penzance Airfield - Caledon Penzance (RCAF Headquarters on 2 lots)
* RCAF Sumie -North Cay Airfield - Caledon Cay (this air base is located in the Cay just in on the sea front bordering Cafall. The airport also provides some facility for hydroplanes).
== RCAF Events ==
* 1-on-1 Dogfighting (time and place to be determined by the two participants)
* Ace of Aces! Air Combat Tournament (ACT)
* Cross-Caledon Air Race (XCAR)
* The Great Cross-Caledon Multi-Vehicle Race (GXCMVR)
* Weekend Air Combat (Free-For-All Dogfighting)
== Places for Air Combat Engagement (Dogfighting) ==
*Aeronautica (VICE Combat)
*Caledon Middlesea (Use TCS only)
*Caledon Sound (Use TCS only)
*New Bastogne (Large Scale Air and Ground Level Combat available here using VICE)
*Olds AFB
== Sister Military Branches within Caledon ==
* Imperial Navy of Caledon
== Allied Military Branches outside Caledon ==
* Extropia Defense Force of the Independent State of Extropia
== Unofficial Haunts ==
We at the RCAF appreciate a good time! (See the official and unofficial mottos above) We thank those RCAF members and non-members who provide great venues for us to enjoy. These are great places where we celebrate promotions, unwind, drink, dance, and chat about our flights and crashes....
* Smuggler's Cove in Caledon Wellsian
* Prop Spinners Pub owned by Thadicus Caligari in Caledon SteamSkyCity
* The Norseman owned by Roy Smashcan in Caledon Cape Wrath
== Known Dangers ==
* Caledon Murdann, now known as Caledon Cafall: Many pilots shudder at the mere mention of Murdann/Cafall, this Caledon sim is the graveyard of many lost flying machines. The Murdann/Cafall Phenomenon seems to reach into Caledon Wellsian, Caledon Morgaine, and Caledon Mayfair.
* Molly Earnshaw Miss Earnshaw is a Rogue Time-Traveler Pilot who uses a Spitfire Aircraft to strafe Connolly Aerodrome and RCAF members. She will also attack from sniper positions.
* Numerous SkyPirates have made their presence known in the area of the Firth since October 2008.
* TimeForce 10 (A Special Force operating in the grey area of government secrecy. WARNING: Members of this Force have their own strange and curious agenda).
* Caledon Hellcats (As of this writing, very little is known about this group).
== Official RCAF Aethernet Resources ==
* Royal Caledon Air Force on the "Twitter" Telegraphy Machine
* Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF) Ning.com Forum
* Steamlander (formerly Caledon Forums) hosts an RCAF forum in the Independent State of Caledon section. 
* Royal Caledon Air Force (RCAF) Flickr Group
== Other Aethernet Resources of Interest ==
* Aerobatic maneuvers
* Airship 
* Aviatrix :: Zoe Connolly 
* Blériot XI
* List of early flying machines
* RAF officer ranks
* Ranks and insignia of NATO Air Forces Officers
* Timeline of Aviation
* Wright brothers
* Zeppelin
* Zoe Connolly's Machinima on blip.tv
* Zoe Connolly's Machinima from WeGame.com
== offGrid Air Combat on other platforms ==
Since November 2008, several RCAF pilots are using the combat flight simulator game known as IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 for air combat (dogfighting). Below is a list of aethernet reference sites.
* IL2 Sturmovik | Ubisoft
* IL-2 Sturmovik (video game) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* IL-2 Sturmovik 1946 - Royal Caledon Air Force Ning
* So you have a copy of IL-2 Sturmovik:1946, now what? - Royal Caledon Air Force Ning
== In Loving Memory ==
We salute our dearly departed who have left their loved ones in the real world and the virtual world for a greater world beyond....
Group Captain Sumie Kawashima 12 December 2008 
* Sumie's Obituary on Zoe Connolly's blog 
* Sumie's Memorial Service at the Connolly Aerodrome
* Thank you from Sumie Kawashima's family
== Disclaimer ==
It should be noted that Connolly Aerodrome is a facility open to anyone in Second Life. It is encouraged that people stay within theme, however...all avatars in SL are welcome to use whatever flying machine they wish to use. Connolly Airfields will not be closed to outsiders to satisfy strict Victorian RealLife Timeline sensibilities nor will individuals be banned from such unless an avatar is particularly bothersome to patrons or a definite griefer.
The RCAF group itself, endeavors to stay within a Victorian Steampunk/Gaslamp Fantasy Theme of an alternate 19th Century Timeline where some developments from the very early era of 20th Century Aviation are possible decades earlier than in RL History. 
We consider some aircraft from the World War I era an acceptable conveyance because we presume the development of science and technology within our Steampunk SecondLife world would be different from the RealLife Historical Timeline. Although some officers are free to use World War I aircraft, we are not World War One re-enactors.
Some Twentieth Century Aircraft and Military Techniques/Protocols are used within RCAF but it should not be presumed that a World War II British Spitfire (for example) is an acceptable aircraft within our theme and roleplay. It is generally accepted within our group that any aircraft beyond World War I era is NOT acceptable. Any questions regarding acceptable aircraft should be directed to Zoe Connolly.
These general rules and regulations apply to any and all Victorian Steampunk/Gaslamp Fantasy Themed sims within SL where pilots of the RCAF may fly. However, RCAF pilots are free to fly other aircraft from other historical periods, or a science fiction setting, as accepted and encouraged in sims outside the Victorian Steampunk/Gaslamp Fantasy world.
Category:CaledonCategory:GroupsCategory:Military