RCAF History Forum

[Moose47]

G`day

A grainy colour shot of Harvard Mk. II`s from No.14 Service Flying Training School at Aylmer, Ontario.
This B.C.A.T.P. school was opened up on the 3rd of July, 1941. It remained there until being moved to Kingston, Ontario on the 15rh of August, 1944. The school was closed on the 7th of September, 1945. Many of Canada`s famous fighter pilots got their wings at Aylmer.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

A B.C.A.T.P. student air gunner gets briefed on the .303 calibre Vickers 'K' machine gun from an instructor in the rear of a Fairey Battle Mk. I. The student is holding a 300-round drum which he is dxpected to change while in the air during aerial target practice. The targets were primarly towed by Fairey Battles, Bristol Bolingbrokes and Westland Lysanders. There were 11 Bombing & Gunnery Schools in Canada during the Second World War.

Cheers...Chris

[Old Dog Flying]

The Fairy Battle MkI...McUgly to say the least and they were a front-line fighter in 1939. Although powered by a RR Merlin e ngine, it was no match for the Bf-109 and the Battle was quickly withdrawn to a training roll.

This is a 1:48 scale model from the Classic Airframes kit.

Barney

[Moose47]

G'day

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo. It is a Fleet Finch Mk. II s/n 4510. The aicraft was taken on strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 18th of July, 1940. It served with No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School at London, Ontario followed by No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School at Cap de le Madeleine, P.Q. The aircraft was struck off strength with the R.C.A.F. and givem the Canadian civil registration CF-SUX. Somewhere along the line it carried the American civil aircraft registration N1327V.

The aircraft was restored by members of the Air Reserve (411 Squadron) at Downsview, Ontario and now forms part of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Rockcliffe, Ontario.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

Here's a couple of wartime Royal Canadian Air Force recruiting posters.

Cheers...Chris

[fleet16b]

G'day

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo. It is a Fleet Finch Mk. II s/n 4510. The aicraft was taken on strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 18th of July, 1940. It served with No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School at London, Ontario followed by No. 11 Elementary Flying Training School at Cap de le Madeleine, P.Q. The aircraft was struck off strength with the R.C.A.F. and givem the Canadian civil registration CF-SUX. Somewhere along the line it carried the American civil aircraft registration N1327V.

The aircraft was restored by members of the Air Reserve (411 Squadron) at Downsview, Ontario and now forms part of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Rockcliffe, Ontario.

Cheers...Chris

Nice one Chris
The pilot is William C Powell
Where did you find this photo ?

[Moose47]

G`day

This is a Lockheed T-33A-1-LO, U.S.A.F. s/n 51-4675 on loan to the Royal Canadian Air Force. It was one of 20 American T-33A's used and designated as the Silver Star Mk. 1 in Canadian service. This particular aircraft was taken on strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 31st of May, 1951 and struck off strength on the 3rd of February, 1955.

The aircraft served with No. 1 (F) Operational Training Unit at R.C.A.F. Station Chatham, New Brunswick. It was destroyed in a Category 'A' crash on the 7th of January, 1954, The pilot became lost in bad WX. Having served there in the 70's during the Voodoo days, I can attest to the terrible weather you can get around the Miramachi region. The Allison J-33-A-35 turbojet engine flamed out due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot force-landed 11 miles west of the Station. Authorization was given next day to write the aircraft off and reduce it to spares and produce.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day
Here are three Cessna Crane Mk. I's from No. 12 Service Flying Training School at Brandon, Manitoba. No. 12 Service Flying Training School, part of No. 2 Training Command, was formed on the 16th of May 1941 and disbanded on the 30th of March 1945. The aircraft was known as the T-50 (later AT-19) Bobcat in U.S. Military service. Crane s/n's 7734 and 7736 were sold to a Mrs. A. J. Leeward of Montreal, Quebec through War Assets on the 20th of June, 1946.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

Here is a Noorduyn poster from the Second World War.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

The Britannia was not built in Canada but two designs evolved from it. The Canadair CL-28 (R.C.A.F. CP-107) Argus and the Canadair CL-44D (R.C.A.F CC-106) Yukon.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

Here is a nice shot of an R.C.A.F. Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar at Saglek Air Station, Labrador. It was on a re-supply mission for the U.S.A.F.`s 924th Air Control & Warning Squadron based there.

The Royal Canadian Air Force acquired 35 C-119F's and took them on strength on the 8th of September, 1952. They were later converted to a 'G' model. A number of former R.C.A.F. Boxcars ended up being used by Hawkins and Powers of Greybull, Wyoming. One aircraft was used in Namibia for the re-make of the The Flight of the Phoenix.

Cheers...Chris

[Kosiw]

Really enjoy seeing the photos of DEW/Mid-Canada/Pine Tree Line activity....kind of a forgotten segment of our continental military past....

One more suggestion, is that most of this forum focus lies with WW2 and later....would like to see more about the earlier RCAF history, such as the Canada's most decorated soldier (and most forgotten by our own history)......William Barker, was he not the founder of the modern RCAF post WW1 ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_George_Barker

[Moose47]

G'day Kosiw

Here's a shot of Major Barker sitting in his Sopwith Camel.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day

This Fairchild 71 was built in the United States by the parent company. The manufacturer's number is 625. It was taken on strength with the Royal Canadian Air Force on the 30th of April, 1929 and given the civilian registration G-CYXB. The aircraft was assigned to R.C.A.F. Station Winnipeg and operated on floats from the base at Lac du Bonnet. It was later re-serialed to R.C.A.F. s/n 644. This aircraft served at the following units before being struck of strength on the 8th of October, 1940.

No. 7 General Purpose Squadron – R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario
No. 112 Army Co-operation Squadron - R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario
Communications Flight - R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario
Test and Development Flight – R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario
No. 1 Bombing & Gunnery School – Jarvis, Ontario

In 1941, the aircraft was sold to Dominion Skyways of Montreal, Quebec for $1,200.00 and was given the Canadian civil registration CF-BVK. From there it went to Trans America Mining Corporation; North Inca Gold Mines; Dunsford Securities and finally Central B.C. Airways. One of CF-BVK's floats hit deadwood on take-off. On the 13th of November, 1955 while being towed during the recovery operation at Ocean Falls, it overturned. The aircraft was subsequently written off.

Anyone on here ever been to Ocean Falls?

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day Fellow Wing Nuts

Avro Lancaster B. Mk. X, s/n FM122 was built by Victory Aircraft Limited of Malton, Ontario. It was ferried overseas to England in May, 1945 and issued to No No. 405 'Vancouver' (B) Squadron at R.A.F. Station Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire. It was coded LQ*L and nicknamed 'The Lady Love'. The squadron operated 20 of the Canadian-built Lancasters into the month of June. None were used operatonally. This aircraft along with other squadron Lancs was flown back Canada on the 17th of June, 1945. They arrived at R.C.A.F. Station Greenwood, Nova Scotia on the 21st of June, 1945. No. 405 (B) Squadron was assigned to Eastern Air Command for training. No. 664 (Heavy Bomber) Wing which was comprised of No.'s 405 and 408 'Goose' (B) Squadrons were to serve as part of the Royal Air Force's 'Tiger Force' in the Pacific. Before the R.C.A.F. finished training, the Americans dropped a couple of nukes that ended the war against Japan. After the end of the Second World War, FM122 was ferried to R.C.A.F. Station Penhold, Alberta for long-term storage

With the expansion of the R.C.A.F. Post-war, Lancasters were being taken out of storage and re-conditioned for service. FM122 was one of those. It was converted by A,V, Roe at Malton, Ontario to a Lancaster Mk. X P (later known as Mk. 10P) for photographic and survey duties. No. 408 'Goose' (P) Squadron based at R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario received Lancaster FM122 on the 15th of June, 1950. The aircraft was coded AK*122 between 1950 and 1951 then MN*122 until 1958.

Lancaster FM122 was struck off strength with the R.C.A.F. On the 26th of September, 1962.

Cheers...Chris

[xsbank]

I've been to Ocean Falls, but a long time ago. It was famous for having one of the highest rainfalls on the planet. Moss would grow on you as you walked to the hotel...

[Moose47]

G'day

O.K. folks it's quiz time.

Who is this Canadian fighter pilot?

Cheers...Chris

[Old Dog Flying]

George "Buzz" Beurling

Barney WAG

[Moose47]

G'day Barney

Correct Sir!

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day Folks

Time for another quiz.

Something a little more difficult.

Barney you probably served with this guy so please do not answer. LOL

Who is he and why is he famous?

Cheers...Chris

[Beefitarian]

G'day Kosiw

Here's a shot of Major Barker sitting in his Sopwith Camel.

Cheers...Chris

Looks likes a Sopwith Pup to me. It's more likely a Camel but.. Could we get a judges ruling?

[Old Dog Flying]

It is a Camel! Here is Capt Roy Brown's Camel..in 1:48 scale. Barker's Camel is not finished yet

Barney

[culver10]

Great info here folks!

Chris,

Do you have any info on my Uncle Graham Kite? He flew a Halifax. From what I have been told, on his final mission he was damaged by flack and his crew all bailed out and became POW's and he crashed and died in Belgium. Do you have any additional information?

Cheers,

Phil

[Moose47]

G'day Phil

J87906 Flying Officer George Robert Graham Kite of Pettapiece, Manitoba

Give me a few days to put together what I have on him.

Cheers...Chris

[Beefitarian]

The light color of the top side of the fuselage threw me off. Makes it look flat there. Do you see what I mean?