The idea of a Society certainly has merit and it would be something I would be interested in, depending on cost. As a novice researcher I had great difficulty (and still do in some instances) working out what air force records were available and then receiving access. Attempts to contact people in official agencies including ones relating to RAF history always failed to elicit assistance. If the society had a remit to assist other researchers, including providing advice through forums, mentorships, straight out friendship based on similar interests, as well as to publish records, it would, in my opinion, be something much more important.
Lynsey Shaw - 12 years ago
I would join such a society. I think it would help historians working on the Air Force from all periods, as source material could be discussed extensively and gaps in historical knowledge can be identified and filled. I think a society like this could actually help to give Air Force history a very clear direction. A lot of accounts in recent years have had no unifying aims or go off on very separate tangents. While this is fine, it would be nice to give the study of Air Force history an overarching purpose, if you get what I mean?
Peter Hart - 12 years ago
But only if it was manly devoted to the Great War! But then it would be; nothing much to say about the Second World War surely?
The idea of a Society certainly has merit and it would be something I would be interested in, depending on cost. As a novice researcher I had great difficulty (and still do in some instances) working out what air force records were available and then receiving access. Attempts to contact people in official agencies including ones relating to RAF history always failed to elicit assistance. If the society had a remit to assist other researchers, including providing advice through forums, mentorships, straight out friendship based on similar interests, as well as to publish records, it would, in my opinion, be something much more important.
I would join such a society. I think it would help historians working on the Air Force from all periods, as source material could be discussed extensively and gaps in historical knowledge can be identified and filled. I think a society like this could actually help to give Air Force history a very clear direction. A lot of accounts in recent years have had no unifying aims or go off on very separate tangents. While this is fine, it would be nice to give the study of Air Force history an overarching purpose, if you get what I mean?
But only if it was manly devoted to the Great War! But then it would be; nothing much to say about the Second World War surely?