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RCAF Western Air Command
Western Air Command was the part of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Home War Establishment responsible for air operations on the Pacific coast of Canada during the Second World War. History Patrol operations When Canada declared war against Germany in September 1939 the command consisted of only five squadrons. Four of them equipped with obsolete aircraft including a bomber squadron with aircraft from the Great War and there were no fighter aircraft at all for its only fighter squadron (113 Fighter Squadron was thus disbanded). With the Japanese threat after Pearl Harbor it grew rapidly and played a critical role in fighter and anti-submarine operations in Canadian and American waters during the Aleutian Islands Campaign. It was there that Squadron Leader K.A. Boomer of No. 111 Squadron shot down a Rufe fighter, the RCAF's only kill in the Pacific Theatre. On 7 July 1942 a Bristol Bolingbroke pressed home an attack on the Japanese submarine Ro-32 the pilot F/Sgt. P.M.G. Tho ...
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Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign (1941-1968)
The Royal Canadian Air Force Ensign is the official flag which is used to represent the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Ensign has an air force blue field defaced with the Flag of Canada, Canadian Flag in the canton and the current Royal Canadian Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force#Roundels, roundel in the fly. History In 1921, one year after the Canadian Air Force (1920–1924), Canadian Air Force was founded, permission was granted for the Canadian Air Force to use the Royal Air Force Ensign. In February 1921 the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Air Officer Commanding the Canadian Air Force Air Commodore Arthur Kellam Tylee, Arthur Tylee turned his attention to the matter of what might make a suitable flag for the Air Force. In a note he wrote to the Inspector-General of the Canadian Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Willoughby Gwatkin, Tylee proposed that the RAF Ensign be adopted with a maple leaf at the centre of the roundel. Gwatkin in turn applied to Air Marshal H ...
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Noorduyn Norseman
The Noorduyn Norseman, also known as the C-64 Norseman, is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Distinctive stubby landing gear protrusions from the lower fuselage make it easily recognizable. Introduced in 1935, the Norseman remained in production for almost 25 years with over 900 produced. A number of examples remain in commercial and private use to this day. Norseman aircraft are known to have been registered and/or operated in 68 countries and also have been based and flown in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Design and development Designed by Robert B.C. Noorduyn, the Noorduyn Norseman was produced from 1935 to 1959, originally by Noorduyn Aircraft Ltd. and later by the Canadian Car and Foundry company. With the experience of working on many ground-breaking designs at Fokker, Bellanca and Pitcairn-Cierva, Noorduyn decided to create his own design in 1934, the Noorduyn Norseman. Along with his colleague, Walter Clayton, Noordu ...
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Boundary Bay Airport
Boundary Bay Airport or Vancouver/Boundary Bay Airport is located beside Boundary Bay and east of Ladner in Delta, British Columbia, Canada, south southeast of Vancouver and close to the Point Roberts-Boundary Bay border crossing. The airport, which opened on July 11, 1983, serves mostly general aviation and includes facilities for aircraft maintenance, flight training and parking. In 2020 and 2021, Boundary Bay airport was ranked as the busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA officers are available on call to handle entry for aircraft carrying no more than 15 passengers. History World War II The airfield was originally built in 1941 as Canadian Forces Station Ladner to teach Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Air Force recruits to be pilots in anticipation of the Second World War. Operational squadrons operated out of Boundary Bay ...
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Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by the Supermarine Spitfire during the Battle of Britain in 1940, but the Hurricane inflicted 60 percent of the losses sustained by the Luftwaffe in the campaign, and fought in all the major theatres of the Second World War. The Hurricane originated from discussions between RAF officials and aircraft designer Sir Sydney Camm about a proposed monoplane derivative of the Hawker Fury biplane in the early 1930s. Despite an institutional preference for biplanes and lack of interest by the Air Ministry, Hawker refined their monoplane proposal, incorporating several innovations which became critical to wartime fighter aircraft, including retractable landing gear and the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The Air Ministry ordered Hawk ...
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RCAF Station Tofino
RCAF Station Tofino (ADC ID: C-36) was a Second World War and Cold War, Royal Canadian Air Force, Radar station located in British Columbia. It was located southeast of Tofino, British Columbia, Canada. History The site was developed during the early days of World War II and was opened in 1943 as a RCAF "Radio Detachment". The radar at the base was used to protect the Pacific coast from enemy attack. Due to the site's remote location it was equipped with its own airfield. The base was protected by a RCAF Squadron. The site was decommissioned in 1945. In 1955 the station was reopened again as a radar station in the Pinetree Line. The site was under the control of NORAD. The radar station was closed on 10 January 1958 and is now operated as the Tofino Airport. Aerodrome information In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed as RCAF Aerodrome - Tofino, British Columbia at with a variation of 24.5 degrees east and elevation of . The aerodrome was listed as "Under construct ...
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Victoria International Airport
Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of Victoria on the Saanich Peninsula, with the bulk of the airport (including the passenger terminal) in North Saanich, British Columbia, North Saanich, and a small portion of the airfield extending into Sidney, British Columbia, Sidney. The airport is run by the Victoria Airport Authority. YYJ has many nonstop daily flights to Vancouver International Airport (YVR, about 15 minutes), which is a major airport serving many global routes. Additionally, Victoria International has nonstop service to Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle (SEA), Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto (YYZ), Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Montreal (YUL, summer only), Calgary International Airport, Calgary (YYC), Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton (YEG), and several smaller cities in British Columbia and Yukon. The airport also has seasonal (late fall to early ...
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RCAF Station Coal Harbour
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 environmental commands within the unified Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force consists of 12,074 Regular Force and 1,969 Primary Reserve personnel, supported by 1,518 civilians, and operates 258 manned aircraft and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny is the current commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and chief of the Air Force Staff. The Royal Canadian Air Force is responsible for all aircraft operations of the Canadian Forces, enforcing the security of Canada's airspace and providing aircraft to support the missions of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army. The RCAF is a partner with the United States Air Force in protecting continental airspace under the North American Aerospace D ...
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Supermarine Stranraer
The Supermarine Stranraer is a flying boat designed and built by the British Supermarine Aviation Works company at Woolston, Southampton. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was the RAF's last and fastest biplane flying boat. Derived from the Supermarine Scapa, the aircraft's design was heavily shaped by Specification R.24/31, issued in 1931. After an initial rejection by the Air Ministry, Supermarine persisted with development as a private venture under the designation Southampton V. During 1933, a contract was placed for a single prototype; it was around this time that the type was named the Stranraer. First flown on 24 July 1934, the Stranraer entered frontline service with the RAF during 1937; most examples of the type were in service by the outbreak of World War II. The Stranraers typically undertook anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols during the early years of the conflict. During March 1941, the ...
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RCAF Station Sea Island
RCAF Station Sea Island was a World War II, British Commonwealth Air Training Plan station located near Vancouver, British Columbia. History World War II No 8 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) formed here on 22 July 1940. Aerodrome information In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at with a Var. 24 degrees E and elevation of Sea level. The aerodrome was listed as under construction usable and three runways were listed as follows: Postwar After the war the station was renamed RCAF Station Vancouver. No 442 Squadron was re-activated as No 442 "City of Vancouver" Auxiliary Fighter Squadron at Sea Island 15 April 1946, but was later re-designated an Auxiliary Transport Squadron. No 123 Rescue Flight and NO 121 Composite Flight (KU) were also formed at Sea Island. On 1 December 1951, No 442 Squadron was split in half to form No 443 "City of New Westminster" Squadron. RCAF Station Vancouver closed on 31 March 1964. Today this area is the site of Vancouver Intern ...
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Curtiss P-40 Variants
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a WWII fighter aircraft that was developed from the P-36 Hawk, via the P-37. Many variants were built, some in large numbers, under names including the Hawk, Tomahawk and Kittyhawk. Allison-engined Model 75 XP-37 In early 1937, after realizing the Hawk 75 was inferior to more modern European designs, the USAAC ordered one P-36 to be modified with an Allison V-1710 inline engine. The prototype Hawk was fitted with a turbo-supercharged 1,150 hp (860 kW) Allison V-1710-11 engine as the XP-37 (company designation Model 75I). The cockpit was moved back towards the tail to make room for the massive supercharger, and the engine was cooled by two radiators on either side of the nose. Armament was one .30 M1919 Browning MG and one .50 M2 Browning MG mounted in the nose. The XP-37 was plagued with supercharger and visibility problems. YP-37 A further 13 Model 75Is were ordered in 1938 under the designation YP-37. These differed fr ...
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442 Transport And Rescue Squadron
442 Transport and Rescue Squadron (french: links=no, 442e Escadron de transport et de sauvetage) is a Royal Canadian Air Force tactical transport and search and rescue unit based at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox in British Columbia. The squadron flies six CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft, replacing six CC-115 Buffalo STOL aircraft, which have been retired as of 2020, and five AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant rescue helicopters. One of each is on constant readiness to deploy in response to distress calls in the Victoria Search and Rescue Region, which includes most of British Columbia and the territory of Yukon as well as 560,000 square kilometres in the Pacific Ocean, up to offshore. The squadron also serves as the operational training unit for the CH-149 Cormorant helicopter and CC-295 Kingfisher aircraft. History The unit was first activated in 1942 flying Curtis Kittyhawks as 14 Fighter Squadron with the RCAF Western Air Command due to the threat to Canada's west coast after t ...
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RCAF Station Ucluelet
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 environmental commands within the unified Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2020, the Royal Canadian Air Force consists of 12,074 Regular Force and 1,969 Primary Reserve personnel, supported by 1,518 civilians, and operates 258 manned aircraft and nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny is the current commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force and chief of the Air Force Staff. The Royal Canadian Air Force is responsible for all aircraft operations of the Canadian Forces, enforcing the security of Canada's airspace and providing aircraft to support the missions of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army. The RCAF is a partner with the United States Air Force in protecting continental airspace under the North American Aerospa ...
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