Service and ex-service periodicals and newspapers can provide background information and may mention individuals
- The Royal Air Forces Association - two most recent issues of quarterly journal Air Mail
- Flight magazine archive issues 1909-2005
- Aeroplane magazine
- First World War Aviation Historical Society articles, forum and journal Cross and Cockade
Information on the history of the RAF and squadrons
Other helpful sources
- IWM's Lives of the First World War - a digital initiative to create the permanent digital memorial to those who served in uniform and worked on the home front
- Air Force Records: a Guide for Family Historians by William Spencer (Richmond, Surrey: The National Archives, 2008). RFC/RAF material now held by The National Archives
- Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors by Phil Tomaselli (Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword, 2007)
- The National Archive's 'Help with your research' guides cover a range of topics, explain how to find and use their records and signpost to other sources
Other things to look for:
- Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force
- Casualty records
- Medal records
- Unit and operational histories
- Contact addresses
Download our guide to tracing your Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force ancestry