The British Vice-Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) was the post occupied by the senior
Royal Air Force officer who served as a senior assistant to the
Chief of the Air Staff. The post was created during World War II on 22 April 1940 and its incumbent sat on the
Air Council. It was abolished in 1985 when the post's responsibilities were combined with those of the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Policy) and the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) to create a single post, the
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.
The Vice-Chief was responsible for defining the operational requirements for the RAF and conducting wider strategic planning.[1]
19 October 1942 – 21 March 1943
Air Vice-MarshalC E H Medhurst (acting)[5] Air Chief Marshal
Tedder had been due to take the appointment but after a meeting with Eisenhower, the Americans asked Churchill to appoint Tedder as Air Commander for the whole Mediterranean area.[6][7]