Royal Air Force Commander
With the establishment of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, Longcroft transferred to the new service on a temporary basis. However, just over a year later on 1 August 1919 he resigned his commission in the Welch Regiment and was awarded a permanent RAF commission in the rank of group captain. Just four days later he was promoted to air commodore.
On 1 November 1919, Longcroft was appointed as the first commandant of the World's first air academy, the RAF (Cadet) College at Cranwell. The first intake of cadets arrived on the following February and his post was upgraded to Air Officer Commanding RAF Cranwell. Longcroft continued as Air Officer Commanding until 1923 and he retired from the RAF at his own request on 2 November 1929.
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