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{{short description|Senior commissioned rank which originated in the Royal Air Force}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Globalize||United Kingdom|date=February 2024}} {{Military ranks | state=expanded}} '''Group captain''' ('''Gp Capt''' or '''G/C''') is a [[senior officer]] rank used by some air forces, with origins from the [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm |title=Ranks and Badges of the Royal Air Force |access-date=2007-12-01 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606185144/http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/commissionedranks.cfm |archive-date=6 June 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The rank is used by air forces of many [[Commonwealth of Nations|countries that have historical British influence]]. Group captain is immediately senior to [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]] and immediately below [[air commodore]]. It is usually equivalent to the rank of [[Captain (naval)|captain]] in the navy and of [[colonel]] in other services. The equivalent rank in the [[Women's Auxiliary Air Force]], [[Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force]], [[Women's Royal Air Force]] (until 1968) and [[Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service]] (until 1980) was "group officer". ==Canada== {{see also|Canadian Armed Forces ranks and insignia}} The rank was used in the [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] until the 1968 [[Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces|unification of the Canadian Forces]], when army-type rank titles were adopted. Canadian group captains then became [[colonel]]s. In official [[Canadian French]] usage, the rank title was {{lang|fr|colonel d'aviation}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |title=The RCAF |website=www.castlearchdale.net |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603201652/http://www.castlearchdale.net/id37.html |archive-date=3 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ==India== {{main|Group captain (India)}} == United Kingdom == {{see also|RAF officer ranks}} {{Infobox military rank | name = Group captain | image = UK-Air-OF5-Flag.svg | image_size = 100px | caption = Command flag | image2 = British RAF OF-5.svg | image_size2 = 50px | caption2 = Shoulder and sleeve insignia | image3 = | image_size3 = | caption3 = | country = {{flag|United Kingdom}} | service branch = {{air force|United Kingdom}} | abbreviation = Gp Capt | rank = | NATO rank = [[Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces officers#Officers (OF 1–10)|OF-5]] | Non-NATO rank = | formation = {{start date|1918|04|01|df=y}} | abolished = | higher rank = [[Air commodore]] | lower rank = [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing commander]] | equivalents = {{unbulleted list|{{nowrap|[[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] ([[British Army|Army]]; [[Royal Marines|Marines]])}}|[[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] ([[Royal Navy|Navy]])}} }} ===History=== On 1 April 1918, the newly created RAF adopted its officer rank titles from the [[British Army]], with [[Royal Naval Air Service]] captains and [[Royal Flying Corps]] colonels becoming colonels in the RAF. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own rank titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the [[Royal Navy]]'s officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. For example, the rank that later became group captain would have been "air captain". Although the [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] objected to this simple modification of their rank titles, it was agreed that the RAF might base many of its officer rank titles on naval officer ranks with differing pre-modifying terms. It was also suggested that RAF colonels might be entitled "bannerets" or "leaders". However, the rank title based on the Navy rank was preferred and as RAF colonels typically commanded [[Group (air force unit)|groups]] the rank title group captain was chosen. The rank of group captain was introduced in August 1919<ref>{{cite book |last=Hobart |first=Malcolm C |date=2000 |title=Badges and Uniforms of the Royal Air Force |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ATMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT29 |publisher=Leo Cooper |page=26 |isbn=0-85052-739-2}}</ref> and has been used continuously since then. Although in the early years of the RAF [[group (air force unit)|groups]] were normally commanded by group captains, by the mid-1920s they were usually commanded by an [[air officer]]. In the post-World War II period the commander of an RAF flying [[RAF station|station]] or a major ground training station has typically been a group captain. More recently, [[Expeditionary Air Wing|expeditionary air wings]] have also been commanded by group captains. ===Insignia and command pennant=== The rank insignia is based on the four gold bands of captains in the Royal Navy, comprising four narrow light blue bands over slightly wider black bands. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. Group captains are the first rank in the RAF hierarchy to wear gold braid on the peak of their cap, informally known as '[[Scrambled egg (uniform)|scrambled egg]]'; however, they still wear the standard RAF officer's cap badge. The command pennant for a group captain is similar to the one for a wing commander except that there is one broad red band in the centre. Only the wing commander and group captain command pennants are triangular in shape. <gallery> File:UK-Air-OF5.svg|An RAF group captain's sleeve/shoulder insignia File:File-UK-Air-OF5-mess-insignia.svg|An RAF group captain's sleeve mess insignia File:RAF-Gp Capt-OF-5.png|An RAF group captain's sleeve as it appears on the No. 1 dress File:RAF Reims 2025 1563992.jpg </gallery> == Gallery == <!-- In alphabetic order of country name please --> <gallery class="center"> File:British RAF OF-5.svg|([[Royal Australian Air Force]])<ref name="Australia">{{cite web |title=Badges of rank |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/images/Badges_of_rank.pdf |website=defence.gov.au |publisher=[[Department of Defence (Australia)]] |access-date=31 May 2021}}</ref> File:British RAF OF-5.svg|([[Bangladesh Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=OFFICER'S RANKS |url=http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |website=joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd |access-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219212643/http://www.joinbangladeshairforce.mil.bd/index.php/main_controll/ranks_structure_baf?1=1&pagemenu=ranks_structure_baf&submenu=1&leafsub=0 |archive-date=19 February 2020}}</ref> File:12.Ghana Air Force-COL.svg|([[Ghana Air Force]])<ref name="Ghana_AirForce">{{cite web |title=Rank Structure |url=http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |website=gafonline.mil.gh |publisher=Ghana Air Force |access-date=3 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121080703/http://gafonline.mil.gh/airforce/index.php/subhome/rank-structure |archive-date=21 January 2018 |date=2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> File:British RAF OF-5.svg|([[Indian Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=For Officers |url=http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |website=careerairforce.nic.in |publisher=Indian Air Force |access-date=23 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225210317/http://www.careerairforce.nic.in/life_airforce/lifeair_cargraph_officers.html |archive-date=25 February 2012}}</ref> File:12-Namibia Air Force-GPCAPT.svg|([[Namibian Air Force]])<ref name="Namibia">{{cite magazine |title=Government Notice |magazine=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia |date=20 August 2010 |volume=4547 |pages=99–102 |url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2010/4547.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref> File:Nigeria-AirForce-OF-5.svg|([[Nigerian Air Force]])<ref name="Nigeria">{{cite book |last1=Smaldone |first1=Joseph P. |editor1-last=Metz |editor1-first=Helen Chapin |editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |title=Nigeria: a country study |series=Area Handbook |date=1992 |publisher=Library of Congress |location=Washington, D.C. |lccn=92009026 |pages=296–297 |edition=5th |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.nigeriacountryst00metz_0/?sp=340 |access-date=21 October 2021 |chapter=National Security|isbn=978-0-8444-0738-8 }}</ref> File:Pak-air-force-OF-5.svg|([[Pakistan Air Force]]) File:British RAF OF-5.svg|([[Sri Lanka Air Force]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Commissioned Officers |url=http://www.airforce.lk/ranks.php |website=airforce.lk |publisher=Sri Lanka Air Force |access-date=24 September 2021}}</ref><br /> File:British RAF OF-5.svg|([[Royal Air Force]])<ref name="UK_AirForce">{{cite web |title=RAF Ranks |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/raf-ranks/ |website=raf.mod.uk/ |publisher=[[Royal Air Force]] |access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref> File:TaT-Air Guard-OF-5.png|([[Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard]])<ref name="Trinidad&Tobago_Officer">{{cite web |title=Rank Chart (Commissioned Officers) |url=http://69.0.195.188/HQ/Our-Organisation/Ranks-Chart-(Commissioned-Officers).aspx |website=69.0.195.188 |publisher=Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force |access-date=27 May 2021 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> File:Canadian Air Command (1984-2014) OF-5.svg|([[Air Force of Zimbabwe]])<ref name="Zimbabwe_AirForce">{{cite web |title=Ranks and Badges in the AFZ |url=http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |website=afz.gov.zw |publisher=[[Air Force of Zimbabwe]] |access-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609134525/http://www.afz.gov.zw/?page_id=1115 |archive-date=9 June 2022}}</ref> </gallery> ==Notable group captains== {{More citations needed|section|date=September 2021}} {{Excessive examples|section|date=February 2024}} <!--PLEASE MAINTAIN IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, BY FAMILY NAME AND USE {{t|post-nominals}} WHEN APPROPRIATE. THANKS --> * Sir [[Douglas Bader]] {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|CBE|DSO1|DFC1|DL|FRAeS}}{{spaced endash}}World War II fighter pilot and double amputee * [[Clive Caldwell|Clive Robertson "Killer" Caldwell]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|DSO|DFC1}}, Cross of Valor (Poland){{spaced endash}}Australia's highest-scoring fighter ace, also the highest-scoring P-40 pilot from any air force and the highest-scoring Allied pilot in North Africa. Became one of a small group of pilots throughout history to become an [[Aviators who became ace in a day|"ace in a day"]]. * [[Leonard Cheshire]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|VC}}{{spaced endash}}World War II bomber pilot and charity worker * [[Walter Churchill]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|DSO|DFC}}{{spaced endash}}World War II ace fighter pilot, who also evaluated various makes of fighter aircraft for the RAF, and played a key role in getting Spitfire aircraft to the [[Siege of Malta (World War II)|defence of Malta]] * [[Hugh Dundas]]{{spaced endash}}World War II fighter pilot and the youngest person to hold this rank, aged 24 years{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} * [[Thomas Loel Guinness]]{{spaced endash}}World War II fighter pilot, politician and businessman * [[Hamish Mahaddie]] {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|DSO|DFC|AFC1|FRAeS}}{{spaced endash}}Scotsman who flew in [[Bomber Command]] and became a key member of the [[Pathfinder Force]] as chief procurer of aircrew talent, often referred to as [[Don Bennett]]'s "horse thief" * [[Sailor Malan]] [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] & [[Medal bar|Bar]], [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] & [[Medal bar|Bar]] – [[Royal Air Force]] [[flying ace]] who led [[No. 74 Squadron RAF]] during the [[Battle of Britain]], authored the "Ten Simple Rules for Fighter Pilots" and under whose leadership [[No. 74 Squadron RAF]] changed outmoded RAF tactics and formations, changes later adopted by all of Fighter Command. In the 1969 cinema film [[Battle of Britain (film)|''Battle of Britain'']], the character of the ''Squadron Leader” nicknamed Skipper played by [[Robert Shaw (British actor)|Robert Shaw]] was based on Malan * [[Herbert Massey]]{{spaced endash}}as a POW was Senior British Officer (SBO) at Stalag Luft III. He was portrayed in the movie ''[[The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape]]'' (1963) as Group Captain Ramsey, and played by [[James Donald]]. Massey was crippled and walked with a stick, as did his character in the movie * [[Virendera Singh Pathania]], [[VrC]], [[Vayu Sena Medal|VM]] [[Indian Air force]] fighter pilot reputed for making first confirmed kill in aerial [[dogfight]] during [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]. * [[Percy Charles Pickard]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|DSO2|DFC}}{{spaced endash}}World War II bomber pilot and captain of "F for Freddie" * [[Alan Rawlinson]] {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|OBE|DFC1|AFC}},{{spaced endash}}Australian [[Royal Australian Air Force|RAAF]] World War II [[flying ace|fighter ace]] and later commissioned into RAF<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P10680017/#timeline |title=Group Captain Alan Charles Rawlinson |publisher=[[Australian War Memorial]] |access-date=1 February 2023}}</ref> * [[Stanisław Skarżyński]]{{spaced endash}}World War II bomber pilot. Commanding Officer RAF Lindholme. Polish Air Force. Transatlantic World Record Holder. Awarded [[List of Louis Blériot medal winners|Blériot Medal]] 1936 * [[James Stagg]]{{spaced endash}}RAF [[meteorologist]] involved in the planning of the [[D-Day]] invasion * [[Clare Stevenson]] Director [[WAAAF]] * [[Peter Townsend (Group Captain)|Peter Townsend]]{{spaced endash}}World War II pilot and suitor of [[Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon|Princess Margaret]] * [[John Allman Hemingway]]{{spaced endash}}World War II pilot and the last surviving [[airman of the Battle of Britain|airman of the Battle of Britain]] === Honorary === * Sally Bridgeland – Non executive director, adviser and trustee. Investment consultant, actuary, and former CEO of the BP Pension Fund * [[Bruce Dickinson]]{{spaced endash}}Frontman of [[Iron Maiden]]. Honorary Gp. Capt. of [[No. 601 Squadron RAF|601 (County of London) Squadron RAF]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forces.net/news/iron-maiden-lead-singer-bruce-dickinson-made-honorary-group-captain-raf|title=Iron Maiden Lead Singer Bruce Dickinson Made Honorary Group Captain in RAF|date=8 January 2020 }}</ref> * [[Chris Hoy|Sir Christopher Andrew Hoy]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|MBE}}{{spaced endash}}Honorary Gp. Capt. as former Ambassador to the [[Royal Air Force Air Cadets]] * [[Sachin Tendulkar]]{{spaced endash}}Honorary [[Indian Air Force]] group captain for his achievements in cricket * [[Carol Vorderman]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|MBE}}{{spaced endash}}Honorary Gp. Capt. as current Ambassador to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets ===Fictional characters=== * Ian Gilmore, a fictional character in ''[[Doctor Who]]'' * Group Captain Tennant James, a fictional character in ''Doctor Who'' * [[Captain Jack Harkness]], a fictional character in ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off ''[[Torchwood]]'' * Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, a fictional character and [[exchange officer]] in the film ''[[Dr. Strangelove]]'', played by [[Peter Sellers]] * Group Captain Rodney Crittendon, a fictional character in the television show ''[[Hogan's Heroes]]'', played by [[Bernard Fox (actor)|Bernard Fox]] (Crittendon was titled on the show as the equivalent rank of [[colonel]] to avoid confusion with the American audience.) ==See also== {{stack|{{Portal|United Kingdom|Aviation}}}} * [[Air force officer rank insignia]] * [[British and U.S. military ranks compared]] * [[Comparative military ranks]] * [[RAF officer ranks]] * [[Ranks of the RAAF]] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{UK officer ranks}} [[Category:Air force ranks]] [[Category:Military ranks of Australia]] [[Category:Former military ranks of Canada]] [[Category:Pakistan Air Force ranks]] [[Category:Military ranks of Bangladesh]] [[Category:Military ranks of Sri Lanka]] [[Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth]] [[Category:Military ranks of the Royal Air Force]] [[Category:1919 introductions]]
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