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Series

Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, and Ministry of Defence, Department...

Catalogue reference: AIR 77

What's it about?

AIR 77

Contains reports and memoranda of the Department of the Scientific Adviser, Air Ministry (SAAM), later Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) CS(RAF) relating to research and development work including operational research for the...

Full description and record details

Reference

AIR 77

Title
Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, and Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force): Reports
Date

1944-1992

Description

Contains reports and memoranda of the Department of the Scientific Adviser, Air Ministry (SAAM), later Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) CS(RAF) relating to research and development work including operational research for the Air Ministry, later Ministry of Defence, Air Force Department.

Arrangement
Arrangement

Organised by report number within headquarters branch.

Related material

Records of the Operations Research Branches which studied problems specific to their parent commands and formed part of the respective command organisations can be found in

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
  • Air Ministry, 1918-1964
  • Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, 1945-1964
  • Ministry of Defence, 1947-1947
  • Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force), 1964-1984
Physical description

779 files and volumes

Access conditions

Open unless otherwise stated

Immediate source of acquisition

From 1998 Ministry of Defence

Custodial history

The initial transfer into this series was as a result of the closure of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) library at St Giles Court.

Accruals

Series is accruing.

Administrative / biographical background

During the Second World War, the Department of the Scientific Adviser, Air Ministry (SAAM) was formed to co-ordinate research and development work including operational research for the Air Ministry and Royal Air Force and advise the Air Council. In 1964, following the reorganisation of the Ministry of Defence, SAAM was retitled the Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force) CS(RAF). A proportion of staff were allocated to joint service studies and known as Defence Operational Staff.

CS(RAF) and its predecessor were organised into a number of headquarters branches known as Science 1-5. Their responsibilities included future RAF policy and plans, tactics and weapons requirements and effectiveness. The department also had professional responsibility for the work of Operation Research Branches at the main RAF commands. In the early 1980s CS(RAF) was reorganised with all research and development responsibilities being taken over by the Procurement Executive. The Air Force Department was left with a much reduced operational studies organisation called the Directorate of Operational Analysis (Royal Air Force) DOA(RAF); corresponding directorates were set up in the Navy and Army departments.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C2131/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

724,929 records

Within the department: AIR

Records created or inherited by the Air Ministry, the Royal Air Force, and related...

You are currently looking at the series: AIR 77

Air Ministry, Department of the Scientific Adviser, and Ministry of Defence, Department of the Chief Scientist (Royal Air Force): Reports