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Air Ministry Combat Reports (1939 - 1945)

You can search and download Second World War combat reports of squadrons, wings and groups in Fighter, Bomber, Coastal Commands and Fleet Air Arm squadrons. The records cover Commonwealth and Allied units based in the United Kingdom including the United States Army Air Force. You can use the links below to jump to the topics you are interested in.

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You can search details from all the surviving records by entering any or all of the following:

Forename(s)
Surname
Rank
Flight/Squadron
Date of combat

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The records mainly consist of either a printed Personal Combat Report or a Fighter Command Combat Report. There might also be correspondence and/or notes included with a report. A Pilot or air gunner returning from an operational flight where they had encountered enemy aircraft had to complete RAF Form "F". These forms recorded details such as:

date and time of the combat
squadron of the individual submitting the information
type and number of enemy aircraft
height and general location of where the encounter took place
whether the enemy aircraft was considered as a casualty
whether there were Allied aircraft losses and if so, type

They would also give a detailed narrative of what actually happened. The pilot or air gunner would describe how many rounds they used, what hits they achieved and if the aircraft was destroyed, damaged or considered as probably destroyed. You can see examples below, extracted from the reports of Douglas Bader.

Douglas Bader

Bader lost both legs as a young pilot officer and he had retired from the RAF in 1933 on grounds of poor health. However by the start of the Second World War he had applied to the Air Ministry for light duties. He was given command of No. 242 Squadron in June 1940. Bader introduced the tactic of sending out fighter squadrons in pairs - known as the "Big Wing" - with Hurricanes flying at around 20,000 feet and Spitfires covering them 5,000 feet above.

The Battle of Britain, as it later became known, began in July 1940. From late August the Luftwaffe moved their attacks from airfields to cities and towns. Many regard Sunday 15 September as the turning point. It was on this day that Bader's Duxford Wing, 12 Group, took to the air twice to help 11 Group break up a massed Luftwaffe attack on London.


Bader's report, 15 September 1940 (Catalogue reference AIR 50/92)		Bader's report, 15 September 1940 (Catalogue reference AIR 50/92)

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This series is incomplete and the record you are searching for might not be in this online collection
If you are looking for Operations Record Books and aircrew logs please use the Research guides and further information below
If you are looking for air combat reports from the First World War search on "Combat in the Air" in the Catalogue. Two volumes have been digitised and you can download them from DocumentsOnline: AIR 1/1219/204/5/2634 and AIR 1/1222/204/5/2634. These files cover periods from June 1915 to October 1918 and they hold reports from Squadrons 10 (Naval), 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 (United States Aero), 18, 32, 34, 35, 37, 40, 41 and 42.