Bedford QL is a British universal truck from World War II. The first copies of this vehicle appeared in 1940, and serial production continued in 1941-1945. About 52,000 copies of this car were produced in its course. The vehicle was powered by a single Bedford gasoline engine with a capacity of 3.5 liters and 72hp.
The Bedford QL was created in connection with the huge demand of the British army for new trucks that arose at the outbreak of World War II, and especially after the retreat of British troops from Dunkirk in the summer of 1940. Bedford QL was characterized by all-wheel drive (4x4), load capacity up to 3 tons and the possibility of airing up to 11 soldiers with full equipment. In the course of serial production, many versions of this truck were created, for example: QLD (basic version), QLB (artillery tractor for the 40mm Bofors gun), QLR (staff car) or QLT (specialized version for transporting infantry). Cars of this type were used in many campaigns of World War II, including during the campaign in Italy (1943-1945) and in Normandy in 1944.
The RAF (full English name: Royal Air Force) is the British Air Force that began to bear this name in April 1918. Previously, it was known as the Royal Flying Corps. From April 1918, they also became an independent air force, not under the command of the army or navy. It is worth adding that at the end of the Great War, the RAF had approx. 4,000 people. pilots and as many as approx. 115 thousand. ground staff people. In the interwar period, its number decreased significantly, and their participation in even local armed conflicts was relatively small. However, in the face of the coming war in 1936, the RAF was reorganized, separating three commands within it: Coastal Defense (ang. Coastal Command) , hunting Fighter Command ) and Bomber Command. The construction of a radar network called Chain Home was also developed, which provided invaluable services during the Battle of Britain in 1940. During the course of World War II, the RAF's personnel grew steadily, reaching its peak in 1944, more than 1.1 million! Of course, a large part of them were conscripts with appropriate training. The organizational structure of the RAF also changed - an example is the division Fighter Command at the end of 1943 on Air Defense Great Britain (forces dedicated to the defense of the British Isles) and 2 Tactical Air Force (forces dedicated to supporting land forces).