Timeline of British Military Aviation

The following timeline of British military aviation covers the military aviation activities of the British Armed Forces from its origins in the 19th century to the present day:

• 1863 - Henry Coxwell demonstrates tethered balloon ascents to British Army personnel at Aldershot
• 1878 - Balloon experiments are conducted at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
• 1880 - a balloon section takes part in the Army's manoeuvres at Aldershot
• 1882
  • a balloon section takes part again in the Aldershot manoeuvres
  • The Balloon Equipment Store at Woolwich is moved to the School of Military Engineering at Chatham
• 1882 to 1884 - A balloon factory, depot and training school are established at Chatham
• 1884 - Three balloons, two officers and 15 other ranks take part in the Bechuanaland expedition
• 1885 Balloons are used during the Sudan expedition
• 1890 The Balloon Section is established as an official unit of the Royal Engineers
• c. 1894 The balloon factory is moved to south Farnborough
• 1899 to 1902 Balloons are used in the South African War
  • Balloons used to direct the fire of the British Artillery at Magersfontein
  • Balloons used to direct the fire of the British Artillery at the Battle of Lombard’s Kop
• 1905 The balloon factory is moved to a better site
• 1906 Samuel Franklin Cody is appointed the balloon school’s Chief Instructor in Kiting
• 1907 The British Army airship, Nulli Secundus, is completed
• 1908 The first British heavier-than-air military flight takes place when the British Army Aeroplane No. 1 flies
• 1909 The War Office halts all work on aircraft at Farnborough on cost grounds
• 1911 The S. E. 1 and the B.E. 1 are built at Farnborough under the pretext of repairing existing aircraft
  • 1 April The Balloon Section of the Royal Engineers becomes the Air Battalion
• 1912
  • 13 May - The Royal Flying Corps is established from the Air Battalion
• 1914
  • 1 July - The Royal Naval Air Service, having previously broken away from the Royal Flying Corps, is officially recognized
  • 13 August - The first RFC aircraft arrive in France
  • 27 August - The first RNAS aircraft arrive in Ostend
• 1918
  • 1 April - The Royal Air Force is established by merging the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service
• 1924
  • 1 April - The Royal Air Force establishes its Fleet Air Arm, consisting of RAF units normally embarked on aircraft carriers and fighting ships
• 1937
  • 14 May - The Fleet Air Arm is placed under Admiralty control
• 1940
  • November - The Battle of Taranto, the Fleet Air Arm launched the first all-aircraft naval attack in history
• 1941
  • 21 December - The British Army regains an aviation element as the Glider Pilot Regiment is formed.
• 1942
  • 24 February - The Glider Pilot Regiment is formally inaugurated as part of the Army Air Corps
• 1999
  • 5 October - Joint Helicopter Command is formed
• 2000
  • 1 April - Joint Force Harrier is formed