| Common military ranks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
| Navies1 | Armies and Air Forces |
Air Forces1 |
| Admiral of the Fleet |
Field Marshal | Marshal of the Air Force |
| Admiral | General | Air Marshal |
| Commodore | Brigadier | Air Commodore |
| Captain | Colonel | Group Captain |
| Commander | Lt. Colonel | Wing Commander |
| Lt. Commander | Major | Squadron Leader |
| Lieutenant | Captain | Flight Lieutenant |
| Sub-Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
| Seamen, soldiers and airmen | ||
| Warrant Officer | Sergeant Major | Warrant Officer |
| Petty Officer | Sergeant | Sergeant |
| Leading Rate | Corporal | Corporal |
| Seaman | Private | Aircraftman |
| 1 in the Commonwealth
|
||
Marshal of the Air Force describes the most senior rank in a number of air forces. No air force in an English-speaking country formally uses the title "Marshal of the Air Force", although it is sometimes used as a shortened form of the full title. In several Commonwealth air forces the most senior rank is named "Marshal of the", followed by the name of the air force (e.g. Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force). Brazil and Italy have used rank titles which literally translate as Marshal of the Air, whereas Portugal's rank translates as Marshal of the Air Force. The Soviet Union used "Chief Marshal of Air Forces" but the modern Russian Federation has discontinued this usage. Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe used the rank of Generalfeldmarschall (also used by the World War II German Army) and the even higher rank of Reichsmarschall which was held solely by Hermann Göring.
The first instance of this rank was Marshal of the Royal Air Force, which was established on paper in 1919 and was first held by Lord Trenchard (from 1927 onwards). Other Commonwealth countries later adopted their own national versions of the rank but unlike the United Kingdom, they have only used it as a ceremonial honour.
Contents |
[edit] Seniority
Marshals of the air force can be properly considered marshals and such ranks are equivalent to the army rank of Field Marshal and the navy rank of Admiral of the Fleet. Marshal of the Air Force is a 5 star rank and in NATO countries it is described by the ranking code of OF-10. As such a senior rank, it is very seldom held. It is awarded either in a ceremonial capacity to a king or senior member of a royal familiy, or to a very senior air force officer in a large air force.
In the air forces of Australia, India, New Zealand, Thailand and the United Kingdom, marshals of the air force are immediately senior to air chief marshals.
During Germany's Nazi period, the Luftwaffe (Air Force), in common with the Heer (Army), used the rank of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal), which was equivalent to Großadmiral (Grand Admiral) in the Navy. Generalfeldmarschall was immediately senior to Generaloberst (Colonel General) and it was the most senior German air force and army rank until the promotion of Hermann Göring to the even higher rank of Reichsmarschall (Imperial Marshal) in July 1940. The ranks of Reichsmarschall and Generalfeldmarschall were abolished after the fall of the Third Reich.
[edit] Rank insignia
There are a variety of rank insignia in use by the different air forces which maintain a rank of Marshal of the Air Force. Some, such the Royal Air Force, derive the pattern from the sleeve lace for an Admiral of the Fleet, using one broad light blue band on a wider broad black band with four narrow light blue bands each on slightly wider black bands. Others use a pattern of five stars.
 Marshal of the RAF sleeve/shoulder insignia |
 Marshal of the RAAF sleeve/shoulder insignia |
 Marshal of the RTAF (จอมพลอากาศ) |
 Marshal of the Air (Brazilian Air Force) |
 Marechal (Portuguese Air Force) |
[edit] List of Marshals of the Air Force
[edit] Other countries
The rank also exists or has existed (on paper) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey and South Vietnam, but not all of these countries have ever actually used it. The United States does not use the rank, using General of the Air Force instead.
[edit] References
- ^ Duke of Edinburgh
- ^ http://www.incaer.aer.mil.br/MarTrompowsky.htm
- ^ http://www.rudnei.cunha.nom.br/FAB/en/patrono.html
- ^ a b Egypt
- ^ Buyers, Christopher (May 2001 - July 2007). "The Solomonic Dynasty". The Royal Ark. Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
- ^ India
- ^ a b Jordan
- ^ Sultan Abdul Halim
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Maylasia
- ^ Oman
- ^ Portugal
- ^ "The King and the Sea". Time magazine. time.com (1935-07-29). Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ Baron Newall
- ^ Barrass, Malcolm (2007-09-29). "Marshal of the RAF Sir Arthur Harris". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ Barrass, Malcolm (2007-09-01). "Marshal of the RAF Sir Thomas Pike". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved on 2008-04-20.
- ^ Barrass, Malcolm (2007-06-16). "Marshal of the RAF The Lord Elworthy of Timaru". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.
- ^ Barrass, Malcolm (2007-06-16). "Marshal of the RAF Sir John Grandy". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
- ^ Barrass, Malcolm (2007-10-07). "Marshal of the RAF Sir Denis Spotswood". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved on 2008-04-02.
- ^ Probert, Henry. High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. London: HMSO. pp. 133. ISBN 0117726354.
- ^ Probert, Henry. High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. London: HMSO. pp. 135. ISBN 0117726354.
- ^ Probert, Henry. High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. London: HMSO. pp. 137. ISBN 0117726354.
- ^ Probert, Henry. High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. London: HMSO. pp. 139. ISBN 0117726354.
- ^ Probert, Henry. High Commanders of the Royal Air Force. London: HMSO. pp. 141. ISBN 0117726354.