Marshal of the Royal Air Force

E37762

Marshal of the Royal Air Force is the highest ceremonial rank in the Royal Air Force, equivalent to a five-star air chief marshal and typically reserved for members of the British royal family or exceptionally senior air officers.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf air force rank
five-star rank
military rank
abbreviation MRAF
associatedWith British Armed Forces
ceremonial true
ceremonialUse military parades
state occasions
commandScope entire air force (theoretical)
country United Kingdom
createdFor Royal Air Force
equivalentRank Admiral of the Fleet
Field Marshal
NATO rank code OF-10
five-star air chief marshal
firstHolder Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard
firstHolderStartDate 1927
genderRestriction none
grantedBy monarch of the United Kingdom
higherRank none
insigniaType shoulder board
sleeve lace
inspiredRanks Marshal of the Indian Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force
Marshal of the Royal Canadian Air Force
introduced 1919
lowestRankAbove Air Chief Marshal
militaryBranch Royal Air Force
partOf Royal Air Force
promotionType honorary promotion
rankClass five-star officer
rankGroup air officer
rankInsignia broad light blue band on black with additional narrow bands
eagle and crown shoulder board
star and crossed batons in a wreath with crown
rankLevel senior officer
rankOrder highest rank in the Royal Air Force
serviceBranch Royal Air Force
status largely honorary
styleOfAddress Marshal
symbolizes supreme air force authority
typicalHolder member of the British royal family
very senior Royal Air Force officer
usedBy Commonwealth air forces as model rank
usedIn Cold War
World War II
wornOnUniform No. 1 Service Dress
mess dress


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