This is a list of aircraft of the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...

covering the period until 1968 when all aircraft operations were transferred to the newly unified

Canadian Armed Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

, originally with

Maritime Command Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) is the central command of all NATO maritime forces and the Commander MARCOM is the prime maritime advisor to the Alliance. When directed by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), it provides the core of th ...

and since 1975 with Air Command, which has subsequently been renamed as the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

(RCAF). Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

(WWII) the

(RCN) did not operate aircraft. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the

Royal Navy Canadian Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

, a component of the Royal Naval Air Service, used seaplanes to carry out anti-submarine patrols off the

Canadian East Coast Eastern Canada (also the Eastern provinces or the East) is generally considered to be the region of Canada south of the Hudson Bay/ Strait and east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces (from east to west): Newfoundland and Labrado ...

. After the United States entered the war, the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

established two seaplane bases in Nova Scotia for similar patrols, and the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service (RCNAS) was formed to assume responsibility for these flights; however, the war ended before the RCNAS was ready to operate independently, so it was disbanded and the two bases were deactivated and handed over to the Air Board. During WWII, Canadian personnel manned the carriers (from 1943 until torpedoed in 1944) and (from 1944 until returned to the US in 1946), with their complement of

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

(FAA) carrier based aircraft. Canadian naval aviators including pilots of the RCN Volunteer Reserve also served in the FAA aboard carriers of the Royal Navy Pacific Fleet. With the loan of in 1946, the RCN received its first aircraft, operating

Fairey Firefly The Fairey Firefly is a Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft that was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). It was developed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Fairey Avia ...

fighter-bombers and Supermarine Seafire fighters loaned from the Royal Navy. When both aircraft and the ship failed to meet Canadian requirements, was purchased in 1948, along with

Hawker Sea Fury The Hawker Sea Fury is a British fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. It was the last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, and one of the fastest production single reciprocating engine aircraft ...

fighters and in 1950,

Grumman Avenger The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval a ...

torpedo bombers. The Navy considered purchasing

Grumman Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier Grumman F4F Wildcat, F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United St ...

fighters, but these were rejected in favour of the Sea Fury. From then until 1968, the RCN operated a variety of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. After the Canadian Forces sold off in 1970, Canadian naval vessels operated only Sea King helicopters. The Trackers were transferred to land bases to perform coastal patrols, while the

Sikorsky HO4S The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) was a multi-purpose helicopter used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwind in the United Kingdom ...

plane-guard helicopters were retired, and other types still in service were allocated as per their RCAF equivalents. Aircraft that remained in service after unification are highlighted in blue.

Aircraft

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Posting War Ship Listings
Postwar Canadian Ship Listing 1945–Present
* Griffin, John A. ''Canadian Military Aircraft Serials & Photographs 1920 - 1968''. Ottawa: Queen's Printer, Publication No. 69-2, 1969. * Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. ''Canadian Aircraft Since 1909''. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. . * Walker, R.W.R. '' rl: http://www.rwrwalker.ca/ Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers', 2004. accessdate: 21 January 2014. * Howard, John
Royal Canadian Navy Aircraft Serial Numbers
accessdate: 21 January 2014. * Pettipas, Leo. ''Canadian Naval Aviation 1945-1968''. L. Pettipas/Canadian Naval Air Group, Winnipeg: 1986, * Pettipas, Leo. ''Aircraft of the RCN''. L. Pettipas/Canadian Naval Air Group, Winnipeg: 1988,

External links

RCAF.com
(Includes aircraft used by RCN)
Canadian military historical aircraft
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aircraft Of The Royal Canadian Navy Canada - Royal Canadian Navy Royal Canadian Navy History of Canadian military aviation Canadian military-related lists