British Military Aviation in 1938

20 January
The Air Ministry announces that the Royal Air Force Display at Hendon will be discontinued, giving the reason that the airfield is too small for modern aircraft.

10 February
The commanding officer on No.111 Squadron, Squadron Leader J.W. Gillan, makes headline news when he flies from Edinburgh in Scotland to Northolt in Middlesex at an average speed of 657kph (408 mph). The night flight benefited from a strong tail wind.

11 March
Hitler orders the German occupation of Austria (the Anschluss).

1 April
Royal Air Force Maintenance Command is formed at Andover, under the command of Air Vice Marshal J.S.T. Bradley.

20 April
Air Commodore A.H. Harris, later Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command, leads the first British aircraft purchasing mission to the United States of America.

June
The British Purchasing Commission places orders for United States manufactured military aircraft on behalf of the Royal Air Force. 200 Lockheed Hudsons, which are initially intended for service as navigation trainers, but are subsequently used in the maritime reconnaissance role, and 200 North American Harvard advanced trainers.

22 June
On 20 June, an 'invasion force' of Pathan tribesmen under the leadership of Sayid Muhammed Sadi 'Shami Pir', a Syrian with pronounced pro-Nazi sympathies, begin to move towards the India-Afghanistan border to mount an invasion of Afghanistan. However, on 22 June three Hawker Audax of No.20 Squadron, on an armed reconnaissance sortie, sight and immediately attack Sadi's lashkar, which subsequently dispersed.

July
The Civil Air Guard is established to create a reserve of civil pilots of both sexes, which it willo achieve by subsidising training in light aeroplane clubs across the country. When the scheme is launched, no fewer that 35,000 applied for registration, of whom 4,000 were already in possession of type 'A' pilot's licences.

7-8 July
Two Vickers Wellesleys of the Long Range Development Flight fly to Persian Gulf and back, covering a total distance of 4,300 miles, in 32 hours.

17 July
The first United Kingdom Air Defence Cadet Corps squadron is formed at Leicester.

August
The Supermarine Spitfire enters Royal Air Force squadron service. The first squadron to receive the Spitfire is No.19 Squadron, stationed at RAF Duxford.

24 September
In response to the Munich Crisis, the Royal Air Force introduces a series of emergency measures to place the service on a war footing. These include the formation of Mobilisation Pools (the organisation of people into groups ready to be moved), which is ordered on 27 September.

1 November
Balloon Command is formed under the command of Air Vice Marshal O.T. Boyd.

5-7 November
Two Vickers Wellesleys of the Royal Air Force's Long-Range Development Flight establish a new world distance record. Flown from Ismailia in Egypt to Darwin in Australia the two aircraft complete the 11,520 kilometre (7158 mile) flight in 48 hours. A third Wellesley, flown by the Flight commander, Squadron Leader R.G. Kellett, is forced to land at Kuepang in Timor to refuel.