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Apollo Mission Flag Presented to Royal Air Force

 A United States flag that travelled to the moon and back has been gifted to the Royal Air Force by the astronaut who carried it on the Apollo 15 Mission.

Receiving the flag on behalf of the RAF, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier.

Colonel Al Worden presented the flag to the RAF on behalf of the USA Pavilion Partnership and Kallman Worldwide at a ceremony at the Farnborough International Air Show, marking the partnership of the two nations since the RAF’s formation one hundred years ago. 

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier and Colonel Al Worden.

 Receiving the flag on behalf of the RAF, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier recognised a century of cooperation with the United States and US Air Force.

“This partnership will continue to grow and strengthen even further as our air forces plan and develop together the future of our air and space enterprises.”

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier
Chief of the Air Staff 

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier speaking at the event.

Colonel Worden, whose career included training at the Empire Test Pilot School at Farnborough, presented the flag.

“The flag that we’re presenting to the RAF is symbolic of the partnership between the US Air Force and the RAF. Because of the one hundredth anniversary of the RAF, we had to do something to make sure you all understood the relationship and the family that we’re all in.”

Colonel Al Worden

The space travelling flag will be put on display in the RAF Museum in London later this year and will form part of a new exhibition.

“The legacy which we hope to leave from RAF100 is one of inspiring future generations. There are few things that have inspired previous generations more than the Apollo missions. We will showcase this extraordinary gift to help connect the past with the future and inspire the young men and women of today to become to the airmen and airwomen, and perhaps even the astronauts, to take us forward into our next century.

“The Royal Air Force has collaborated with the United States on space since the 1960s. Our Secretary of State for Defence confirmed earlier this year that the Royal Air Force leads our defence efforts in space, recognising our existing expertise and reinforcing that indivisibility of air and space. I am looking forward to taking forward a range of space initiatives as a vital part of the design and development of my next generation Air Force.”

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier
Chief of the Air Staff 

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier and Colonel Al Worden