The hosts made a dream start as Theo Pett-Ridge’s charge-down preceded several attacking phases which ended with Seb Burgess burrowing over.
Andrew Lamb converted before Pett-Ridge’s interception gave him a clear run to the line, only for the centre to be ruled off-side.
The Servicemen made the most of the penalty, kicking to the corner before hooker James Roberts rumbled over at the back of a huge maul.
Rams responded swiftly, though, Lamb’s lovely looping long pass sending Ethan Bassett scurrying down the right.
The wing was stopped by a high tackle, and while no penalty try was awarded, Burgess doubled up from the resultant Clubhouse Corner set-piece.
The Air Force levelled soon after, however, a series of close-range blasts eventually seeing them cross for a Harry Challenor score added to by Kieran Jenkins.
Mannhardt makes his mark
The tries kept coming as magnificent Rams full-back Alex Mannhardt made a searing break, his chip ahead superbly gathered by Sam Bowen to finish out wide.
Lamb landed a fine touchline kick for 19-12, only for the visitors to equalise again as Jenkins wriggled over before adding from in front of the uprights.
Yet more Mannhardt magic gave his side the half-time lead.
On this occasion, he brilliantly scooped up a low pass before collecting his own kick to dot down wide left, Lamb with another fantastic nudge.
Bowen shines on both sides of the ball
Bowen made a fabulous cover tackle before the break, but the Light Blues struck after the interval.
Captain Zach Taylor was the scorer after sustained pressure, Jenkins on target for 26-26.
Yet Bassett then finished a fabulous team move featuring the Berkshire boys’ trademark off-loading continuity game, Mannhardt, Bowen and Burgess at its centre.
And more slick interplay then yielded a sixth try as another sublime Lamb pass sent Bowen over on the right.
The visitors refused to yield, though, another close-range effort, this time by TJ Richardson, making it a one-score game again.
Rams gave themselves breathing space as replacement scrum-half Louis Roumignac threw a dummy before darting under the posts from the 22, Lamb making it 43-31.
The RAF gave themselves last-gasp hope as Ryan Pugh took a tap penaty before racing away for a terrific 40-metre try.
But despite Bicknell receiving a yellow card shortly before the clock hit the red, an away knock-on ended a pulsating contest.
