This is a list of aircraft of the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; , ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The navy is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of February 2024, the RCN operates 12 s, 12 s, 4 s, 4 s, 8 s, and several auxiliary ...

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

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

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

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) 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 Can ...

(RCAF). Prior to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

(WWII) the

(RCN) did not operate aircraft. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, 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 The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...

, used seaplanes to carry out anti-submarine patrols off the Canadian East Coast. After the United States entered the war, the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

established two seaplane bases in Nova Scotia for similar patrols, and the

Royal Canadian Naval Air Service The Royal Canadian Naval Air Service (RCNAS) was established in 1918 during the First World War in response to a Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) recommendation that defensive air patrols be established off Canada's Atlantic coast to protect shipping ...

(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 naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

(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 Aviation ...

fighter-bombers and

Supermarine Seafire The Supermarine Seafire is a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. It was analogous in concept to the Hawker Hurricane variants#Sea Hurricanes, Hawker Sea Hurricane, a navalised aircraft ...

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. Developed during the Second World War, the Sea Fury entered service two year ...

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 av ...

torpedo bombers. 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 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