History of the Royal Canadian Air Force

The first heavier-than-air, powered aircraft flight in Canada and the British Empire occurred on 23 February 1909 when Alexander Graham Bell's Silver Dart took off from the ice of Bras d'Or Lake at Baddeck, Nova Scotia with J.A.D.

[5] Before the accidents, however, the Silver Dart made the first passenger flight aboard a heavier-than-air aircraft in Canada when McCurdy flew with Baldwin.

"Billy" Bishop, Naval Pilot Raymond Collishaw, Roy Brown, Donald MacLaren, Frederick McCall, and Wilfrid "Wop" May.

[9] In June 1919 the British government cut funding to the squadrons, and in February 1920, the CAF in Europe was disbanded, never having flown any operations.

It was thought that since Canada had a large supply of trained personnel and equipment because of the war, government responsibilities could be better enabled by facilitating civil (non-military) aviation.

[26] The RCAF replaced the Air Board and the CAF as the regulator of Canadian civil aviation and continued civil tasks such as anti-smuggling patrols, forest fire watches, aerial forest spraying, mail delivery, mercy flights, law enforcement, and surveying/aerial photography, and there was some training.

Liquor, destined to the United States during the American Prohibition era, was being landed on Nova Scotia's remote coasts.

[29] Budget cuts in the early 1930s affected personnel strength, airfield construction, pilot training, aircraft purchases and operational flying.

[35] During the war, the RCAF was involved in three areas: the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), home defence, and overseas operations.

Threats included German U-boats along the east coast and in Atlantic shipping lanes and the potential of attack by Japanese forces.

Forty-eight RCAF squadrons were involved in overseas operational duties in Britain, northwest Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.

[39] High-scoring Canadian fighter pilots include George Beurling, Don Laubman, James (Stocky) Edwards and Robert Fumerton.

6 Group, RAF Bomber Command), and close support of Allied forces during the Battle of Normandy and subsequent land campaigns in northwest Europe.

RCAF squadrons and personnel were also involved with operations in Egypt, Italy, Sicily, Malta, Ceylon, India, and Burma.

Peacetime activities resumed and the RCAF participated in such pursuits as aerial photography, mapping and surveying, transportation, search and rescue, and mercy missions.

[47] Although the RCAF had a jet fighter in 1948, the British de Havilland Vampire, it would be replaced, beginning in 1951 by the more effective Sabre, built under licence by Canadair.

[51] The Soviet nuclear threat posed by a growing bomber fleet in the early 1950s saw the USAF and RCAF partner to build the Pinetree Line network of early warning radar stations across Canada at roughly the 50° north parallel of latitude with additional stations along the east and west coasts.

The Soviet bomber threat posed to North America also saw the RCAF begin the development of the Avro CF-105 Arrow fighter-interceptor.

The changing nature of the Soviet threat from bombers to ICBMs in the late 1950s, and pressure from the United States, saw the CF-105 program scrapped in favour of Bomarc nuclear-tipped anti-aircraft missiles.

Maritime patrol squadrons stationed on Canada's east and west coasts were provided with Lancasters, and later Neptune, and Argus aircraft to carry on anti-submarine operations.

The RCAF's peacekeeping role mainly included the transportation of troops, supplies, and truce observers to troubled areas of the world.

[53] The Minister of National Defence, Paul Hellyer stated on 4 November 1966 that "the amalgamation...will provide the flexibility to enable Canada to meet in the most effective manner the military requirements of the future.

The three branches of the Canadian Forces were unified into a single service with the aim of improving Canada's military effectiveness and flexibility.

In the early 1990s, AIRCOM transport and utility helicopters in support of army operations were cut back and consolidated with the purchase of the CH-146 Griffon, replacing the CH-135 Twin Huey, CH-136 Kiowa, and CH-147 Chinook.

[58][59] From March to November 2011, six CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, two Boeing CC-177 Globemasters, two CP-140 Auroras, and approximately 250 Canadian Forces personnel were deployed as part of Operation Mobile, Canada's response to the Libyan uprising.

[64] The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award given to British and Commonwealth armed forces personnel of any rank in any service, and civilians under military command for bravery in the presence of the enemy.

The Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force (CWAAF) was formed in 1941 to take over positions that would allow more men to participate in wartime training and combat duties.

During the Second World War the red circle was painted out or reduced in size on some aircraft active in the Pacific theatre to avoid confusion with the Japanese Hinomaru.

Sizes of the leaf and the ring thickness sometimes changed, and some versions of the RCAF roundel included a white or yellow outline, which were specific to certain aircraft.

It consists of the Imperial Crown, an "eagle volant" (flying eagle), a circle which was formerly inscribed from 1924 to 1968 with the RCAF's motto per ardua ad astra (which is usually translated as "Through Adversity to the Stars") - this was changed in 1968 to Sic itur ad astra, translating to "such is the pathway to the stars"; in use to this day - and a scroll inscribed with "Royal Canadian Air Force".

Canada's first powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, the AEA Silver Dart took flight in 1909. The aircraft's military potential piqued the interests of some officers in the Department of Militia and Defence .
The Burgess-Dunne was Canada's first military aircraft, although it never saw military service.
Sopwith Dolphins of No.1 (Fighter) Squadron, Canadian Air Force .
DH4 aircraft at the Air Board air station at High River , Alberta, 1922. The aircraft were used for forestry patrols and photography.
The Siskin was a fighter used by the RCAF from 1926 to 1939. It was used until the Hawker Hurricane came into service.
Instructor and student with North American Harvard II aircraft of No.2 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Station Uplands , 1941
Second World War recruiting poster for the RCAF.
Timekeeping personnel of the RCAF Women's Division (WD), No. 2 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Station Uplands , 1942. The RCAF was the first service branch to actively recruit women.
Air and groundcrew of a No. 428 Squadron RCAF Lancaster bomber, August 18, 1944. No. 428 Squadron was a part of No. 6 Group RCAF .
Crews of No. 400 Squadron RCAF run to their Westland Lysander aircraft during an exercise at RAF Odiham , England , 1941.
Pilots of No. 1 Squadron RCAF (renamed No. 401 Squadron in 1941) with one of their Hawker Hurricanes at Prestwick , Scotland , 30 October 1940. This was the first RCAF squadron to see action during the war. [ 45 ]
A Hawker Hurricane Mark IIE of No. 402 Squadron RCAF based at Warmwell , England, in flight carrying two 250-lb GP bombs.
Mark VC Spitfires of No. 417 Squadron RCAF at Goubrine, Tunisia, May 1943
Two armourers of No 440 Squadron RCAF , trudge through the mud of an airfield near Eindhoven , Netherlands to re-arm a Hawker Typhoon .
No. 423 Squadron 's CF-100 Canuck , 1962. The Canuck entered service in 1951.
F/L E. A. Glover was attached to the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was the leading Canadian scorer, having destroyed three MiG-15s . He won the Commonwealth DFC and the American DFC .
An RCAF CIM-10 Bomarc missile on a launch erector in North Bay, Ontario . Viewed as an alternative to the scrapped Avro Arrow program, the adoption of the missile was controversial given its nuclear payload.
As Minister of National Defence , Paul Hellyer pushed for the unification of Canada's service branches, including the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The Snowbirds performing at their 1000th official show, May 1990. The aerobatic team, flying the CT-114 Tutor , was formally created in 1971.
A Canadian CF-18 Hornet escorts a Soviet Tu-95 bomber, January, 1987. The Hornet was introduced in the 1980s as a multirole replacement for the service's fleet of CF-101 Voodoos , CF-104 Starfighters and CF-116 Freedom Fighters .
Canadian Forces search and rescue demonstration with CH-149 Cormorants . The Cormorants were acquired by search and rescue squadrons in 2002.
An RCAF CF-18 Hornet waits as his wingman refuels from a United States Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker over Iraq . The Hornet was on a mission in support of Operation Impact .
A Canadian CH-47 Chinook pilot Capt. Sylvie Coutoure of No. 430 Squadron , performs pre-flight checks aboard a New York Army National Guard aircraft. Canada began to accept female military pilots in 1980.