1936 RAF No. 14 Squadron Desert Formation Flight – Trans-Jordan Mountains Press Photo

This original 1936 Royal Air Force press photograph captures a rare high-altitude formation flight of No. 14 Squadron over the Trans-Jordan Mountains. Taken during a long-distance flight from Cairo, the squadron’s route stretched across the desert between the Nile and the Suez, continuing along the Palestinian coast of the Mediterranean. The journey took the aircraft over landmarks including the Pyramids, the Dead Sea, and Jericho.

No. 14 Squadron, active in the Middle East during the interwar years, flew Westland Wapiti and later Vickers Vincent and other reconnaissance/army cooperation aircraft in this period. The photograph, issued by the Air Ministry and passed by the censor, shows the squadron in a tight, well-disciplined formation, their silhouettes partially obscured by clouds, evoking the strategic and ceremonial nature of the mission.

This is a historically significant image documenting pre-WWII RAF operations in the Middle East, valuable for collectors of aviation history, RAF memorabilia, and interwar military photography.

• Date: March 19, 1936

• Source: RAF / Air Ministry

• Location: Above the Trans-Jordan Mountains

• Condition: Very good for age; minor handling wear and light toning. Caption sheet on reverse intact.

• Dimensions: Approx. 8" x 10"