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The Royal Air Force version of these plucky little chaps: ACF. Affectionately known as 'Space Cadets' or simply 'Spaceys', this fine body of uniformed youth are the ideal solution for airfields awash with rubbish deposited by Joseph Public after airshows. Also open to girlies since the early '80s [Admitted five minutes after I'd left the ATC]. Some are quite fit too.

Formed in 1941 from its forerunner the Air Defence Cadet Corps, when the government realised that it did a fine job in producing aircrew. It was absorbed into the RAF and came under control of Training Command, where its role was to provide young men for service with the RAF and Fleet Air Arm.

Today the Corps still resides in Personnel & Training Command and is the only cadet corps to be fully controlled by its parent service. Its Officers are commisioned into the RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training) after a one week course at Cranwell.

The ATC is run by HQAC at RAFC Cranwell headed by the Commandant Air Cadets, a regular Air Commodore. Currently Air Commodore Ian R W Stewart BSc RAF.

The Squadron forms the basis of the ATC and are found in most towns and cities. Each squadron is numbered and the first fifty squadrons have an F after its number. 2F (Watford) Squadron is the Oldest in the world after 1F were disbanded. Something constantly reminded to us on Wing events. Squadrons are grouped into wings which are in turn grouped into regions, which are grouped into the Corps.

The ATC Ranks follow that of the RAF - i.e. Corporal, Sergeant, Flight Sergeant and Cadet Warrant Officer.

The corps provides more young men and women into the Armed Forces than any other, yet despite this are still underfunded (Under SDR the Corps was threatened with disbandment) and plagued by Health and Safety Nazis.

The ATC celebrated its 65th Anniversary this year, and it's strength is actually greater than that of the RAF by a considerable margin.

Website: Air Cadets