| Fighter Command | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 14 July 1936–1968 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Bentley Priory |
| Motto(s) | Offence Defence[1] |
| March | Fighter Command March |
| Engagements | World War II Cold War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Sir Hugh Dowding Sir Sholto Douglas |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Hawker Hurricane Supermarine Spitfire Gloster Meteor Hawker Hunter English Electric Lightning |
RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Britain in 1940, when the Few held off the Luftwaffe attack on Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when it was disbanded and the RAF fighter force was split into two categories; defence and attack. The defensive force became Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) and the offensive force became the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. Air Defence of Great Britain was renamed back to Fighter Command in October 1944 and continued to provide defensive patrols around Great Britain.[2] It was disbanded for the second time in 1968, when it was subsumed into the new Strike Command.
- ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 160. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ Franks 1998, p. 7.