Group captain Group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in many air forces. Group captain has a NATO rank code of OF-5, meaning that it ranks above wing commander, immediately below air commodore and is the equivalent of the naval rank of captain and the rank of colonel in other services. While the rank originated in the British Royal Air Force (RAF), group captain is a rank used by the air forces of many Commonwealth and other countries that have been influenced by British military culture. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries
Marshal of the air force held once and is currently retained only on paper. China also does not use a marshal rank, preferring first class general ("kong jun yi ji shang jiang") which has never been held by an air force officer and was abolished in 1994. Spain uses the equivalent rank of captain general of the Air Force which is held only by HM King Felipe VI. A marshal of the air force is mentioned in Roald Dahl's book "The BFG". Dahl himself was a Royal Air Force officer during World War II. Marshal of the air force Marshal of the air force is