Asian Air Power

No. 1 : Malaysia

Being a former British colony, the armed forces of Malaysia all have their origins in the days of the Empire. The beginning of indigenously-based air force activity in Malaya was in 1936 when a Straits Settlement Volunteer Air Force was set up; this unit was an all-British-settler affair with a motley collection of biplane trainers. The true origin of an indigenously operated air force was in 1950 when the Malayan Auxiliary Air Force was established under RAF tutelage with some Malay personnel in training. The establishment of this force was stimulated by the uprising of the Communist Party of Malaya – a group that still carries on guerrilla activities on the Malaysia-Thai border to this day. It was this auxiliary force which was to be the true predecessor of the modern Royal Malaysian Air Force.

The Royal Malayan Air Force came into being in 1958 under RAF tutelage – Malaya having been given its independence from Britain in 1957.

The first aircraft in service was a Scottish Aviation Single Pioneer which was ferried from Prestwick (UK) to Kuala Lumpur in June 1958 and after a few days for acceptance checking was airborne again in support of security operations against communist terrorists.

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