英国皇家空军是全世界第一支独立于陆、海军的航空兵部队。在本世纪发生的两次世界大战尤其是在第二次世界大战中她曾为保卫英伦三岛立下丰功伟绩。邱吉尔因此满怀深情地赞美道:“在人类战争的领域里,从未有过这么少的人对这么多的人作过这么大的贡 The Royal Air Force is the world’s first independent land and naval aviation unit. In the two world wars that took place this century, especially during the Second World War, she made great achievements in defending the British Isles. Churchill, therefore, praised with deep affection: "In the field of human war, there have never been such few tributes to so many people