Air Ministry: Fighter Command: Registered Files

AIR 16

1925-1988

Files, etc., of Headquarters Fighter Command relating to organisation, defence schemes, trials, training, etc. Records before 1936 are of the Air Defence of Great Britain Command.

Associated with Fighter Command between 1944 and 1966 was the Central Fighter Establishment whose records are in AIR 64

FC and other file series

Public Record(s)

English

• Air Ministry, Air Defence of Great Britain, 1925-1936
• Air Ministry, Air Defence of Great Britain, 1943-1944
• Air Ministry, Fighter Command, 1936-1943
• Air Ministry, Fighter Command, 1944-1964
• Ministry of Defence, Fighter Command, 1964-1968

1514 files and volumes

Open unless otherwise stated

From 1968 Ministry of Defence

Series is accruing

The Command was formed on 14 July 1936 out of the Air Defence of Great Britain organisation. It was responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom from air attack. The headquarters of Fighter Command was at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Middlesex. During the Second World War Fighter Command played a major part in the Battle of Britain and in stopping the flying bomb attacks on Britain during 1944 and 1945. The Command was also responsible at various times for Balloon Command, the Observer Corps, the chain of radar stations and certain units of Anti-Aircraft Command. In November 1943 the Command was renamed Air Defence of Great Britain, but reverted back to its original name in October 1944. After the War Fighter Command became responsible for the deployment of British guided weapons in addition to its traditional roles. Fighter Command merged with Bomber Command on 30 April 1968 to form Strike Command.