Useful initials and abbreviations:
R.A.F. until April 1, 1918 RAF stood for the Royal Aircraft Factory hence 'RAF 1a' as an engine type, etc. After April 1 1918 it became used for the Royal Air Force. The former Royal Aircraft Factory became the R.A.E. or Royal Aircraft Establishment. The RAE still exists today and is the test and development side of Government aviation in Britain.
R.F.C. until April 1, 1918 the RFC was the British Army's air arm whose pilots and ground crew wore army uniforms and used army ranks, insignia and army medals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps
R.N.A.S. until April 1, 1918, the RNAS was the Royal Navy's air arm whose pilots and ground crew wore darker naval uniforms and used naval ranks, insignia and naval medals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Air_Service
Both the RFC and the RNAS were merged into the RAF on April 1 but the uniforms of both branches continued to be worn for up to a year afterwards so post-April 1, 1918, crew photographs can show both light (Army) and dark (Navy) uniforms in the same shot. The new official RAF uniform was a blue/grey and was allegedly chosen as there were thousands of yards of unused cloth still in stock from a cancelled order from the pre-Russian Revolution Tsar's army, which had ordered this colour with the intent that the uniforms be manufactured in Britain.
Naval flying was re-founded as a separate branch in 1924 with the establishment of the Fleet Air Arm as part of the new RAF, but critics said that the RAF did not give naval flying enough priority. The Fleet Air Arm did not return to full Royal Navy control until May 24, 1939 - just in time for WW2. As a result of RAF under-investment in naval flying in the 1930s the FAA started WW2 'one generation' behind other carrier nations and was still using biplanes such as the Swordfish and Gladiator.
A.E.F. American Expeditionary Forces. US forces sent to Europe in WW1. Official US squadrons flew under the title AEF.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americ...tionary_Forces
S.P.A.D. Societe Pour L'Aviation et see Derives. French aircraft company originally set up as a subsidiary of Deperdussin and with SPAD having a different meaning. Re-founded without the Deperdussin connection but with the same initials in 1913.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociét...et_ses_Dérivés
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