Commander Air Force's mid-rank officers' ranks are modelled on those of the Royal Navy, the term wing commander is used as a rank, and this is the equivalent of a lieutenant colonel in the army or a commander in the navy. The rank of wing commander is above that of squadron leader and below that of group captain. In the former Royal Naval Air Service, which was merged with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force in 1918, the pilots held appointments as well as their normal ranks in the Royal Navy, and they wore insignia appropriate to
Uniforms of the Royal Air Force overtrousers were issued. Although not initially intended it quickly became standard practice for officers and other ranks to attach rank badges to the lapels and wear the nylon jacket in place of the uniform raincoat, as a more practical modern wear. The Royal Air Force ranks and insignia form part of the uniform of the Royal Air Force. Royal Air Force rank insignia were based on combination of those of the Royal Navy officer rank insignia and British Army. For officers (see also RAF officer ranks): For other ranks (see also RAF other ranks): The Royal Air Force has the