Introduction

In the first World War, the idea of airplanes as an instrument of war was met with great resistance by many of the old Generals.  In the first World War many of these Generals and Commanders were still chosen because of their social standing.  This meant that the countries nobles usually commanded or got higher ranks.  These men were familiar to fighting wars with Calvary and formations, the way they had in the past.  These nobles usually sought fame in battles, just as Knights would have,  long ago.  They, for this reason, did not like planes.  Planes however, grew ever more popular as a military force in other countries.  Canadian men had flown, very successfully, for other countries, so it made good military sense in 1924, to form what is now known as the Royal Canadian Air Force.  Following is a general history of the RCAF, from 1924 to the present, including some of it's planes and pilots.  I hope you find it interesting.

The Formation 1924 - 1938

The organization of the Canadian Air Force was completed, and the prefix "Royal", was officially adopted on April 1st, 1924.  Canada's air force organization came into being, as a permanent part of Canada's defensive forces.

From 1924 to 1936 the air force was involved mainly, in civil operations, such as forestry patrol, anti-smuggling, forest spraying, and surveying.  However, in 1936, it was decided that the RCAF should be a purely military organization.  At this time the Department of Transport was formed to establish and implement a civil aviation policy.  From that movement on, the RCAF's only involvement in civil aviation was aerial photography, which was a task that would increase in importance in future years.

The RCAF, now freed of it's civil responsibilities, was reorganized again.  This time developing into a military air force.  Four new squadrons were formed, although these still operated in the largely civil duties of transport, and photo survey.  The RCAF was now authorized to form 3 purely military squadrons.  This was due, in part, to the creation of the Department of Transport.  The three new squadrons were, No.2 - Army Co-operation, No. 3 - Bomber, and No. 6 - Torpedo Bomber.  All three units were based at RCAF station in Trenton, Ontario, which had opened in 1931 as the RCAF's main training base.  In May of 1937 No. 3 Bomber squadron was reorganized as a pure bomber squadron and the fighters of No. 3 squadron formed the core of No. 1 fighter squadron - the eighth and last permanent force squadron to be formed before the second World War.

The RCAF during WWII consisted mainly of three parts, two of which were in Canada.  They were the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and the Home War Establishment, which was to deploy thirty-seven squadrons for coastal defense, protection of shipping , air defense, and other duties in the Western hemisphere.  The third part, located in London, England, was the Overseas War Establishment.  By war's end it had forty-eight squadrons serving with the Royal Air Force (same as RCAF, but British) in Western Europe, The Mediterranean and the Far East.

The RCAF reached it's peak wartime strength on January 1st., 1944.  There were 215,200 people of all ranks serving, 104,000, of which were in the British Commonwealth Training Plan.  Of the 78 squadrons in service, 35 were overseas and 43 were at home.  At this time six of the home squadrons were marked for overseas duties.

In December of 1938, the RCAF, which had been under the Chief of Staff and later the army, became and independent arm directly under the Minister of National Defense.

The RCAF peace establishment asked for twenty-three squadrons.  In the first month of WWII, it was found that only fifteen squadrons could be brought up to strength and mobilized.  Twelve of the fifteen squadrons were marked for home defense and three for overseas service.

The RCAF had 20 different types of aircraft, totaling 230 aircraft.  However, over half of these were training or transport aircraft, and only nineteen Hurricanes and ten Fairy Battle light bombers could be considered front line aircraft.

From these humble beginnings, the RCAF expanded to become the fourth largest allied air force.

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Canada and the Aleutians

In June of 1942 the RCAF rushed men and equipment to the defense of the American Forces at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.  The Japanese had forces stationed in the Aleutian chain of Islands and were mounting attacks on Dutch Harbor and other American troop locations.  The Americans probably would have been over run if it had not been for the Canadian pilots.  The American fighter pilots flew with the Canadian pilots on many sorties, they shot down enemy fighters and bombers, and also conducted strafing runs on Japanese bases.  The Japanese in the Aleutians planned to invade North America, but only as far as the Rockies and down to California.  They planned on using the Rocky Mountains as a shield against counter-attacks.  There were more than 18,000 Japanese in the Aleutians.  The Canadian pilots were eager to dog fight with the Japanese during this battle.

Just the fact that the Canadians could fly in the Aleutians is a feat of pilotry.  The islands did not obey the laws of geography.  They were volcanic islands with mountains popping up, almost out of nowhere.  The Aleutians are considered to be one of the worst places to fly.  The fact that the Canadians accomplished so much in a place like that, just goes to show how Canadians always came through when they needed to.  The Major said something that I think will help to sum up how well the Canadians did there.  He said, "Canadians went where they were needed, did their job, and did it well."

The Canadian fighters had bombed out a runway at Kiska, the last Japanese controlled Aleutian Island.  The Canadian and American forces were about to invade the Island when heavy fog rolled in and stayed for ten days.  When the fog cleared and the troops landed, they found that the Japanese had slipped away under the cover of fog.  It was said that day, by many Americans present, that if the Canadians had not destroyed the runway, the Japanese might have stayed and waited for reinforcements to fly in.  The Canadians were some what angry at the Japanese cowardess, as few pilots were in dog fights, of which there would have been many.  The Americans were very grateful however, saying that many lives had been saved by the Canadians, the Canadians who had prevented the Japanese invasion of North America.

The Canadians flew almost 60 sorties during their stay in the Aleutian Islands.  Major General N.E. Ladd awarded 7 U.S. Air Force medals to Canadians stationed at Umnak airfield. They put on a parade in their honor and had a United States army band playing "The Star Spangled Banner" and "God Save The King".  The medals were given to Bradley Walker, Ron Cox, A.W. Roseland, William MacLean, Dave McDuff, Louis Cochand, and Hairston Hobble.

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The Battle of Britain

"The Battle of France is over.  I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin.  Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization.  Upon it depends our British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire.  The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us.  Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war.  Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour.""
-WINSTON CHURCHILL, JUNE 18, 1940

After the fall of France and most of the other European countries, Britain stood alone on the front lines.  Her only allies were the faraway countries of the Commonwealth. Canada had her 1st. division and part of her 2nd stationed in Britain.  No. 1 Fighter Squadron also had Hurricanes stationed there.  Off the coast there were also Canadian destroyers prowling about.

The British Army had lost so much equipment when evacuating from Dunkirk.  This meant that for awhile, General McNaughton's 1st.  Canadian division was the only whole, and reasonably well equipped infantry division in all of Great Britain.  The Canadian division was given the task of multiplying itself into an army for the benefit of the German intelligence.  It's men were marched and counter marched across Southern England to create the illusion of vast forces on the move, and the weary soldiers came to call themselves, McNaughton's flying circus.

Britain's epic battle was to be fought not on the ground, however, but in the air.  Before operation Sea Lion (German's invasion of Britain) could be launched, Germany had to destroy the air forces stationed in Britain.  By far the largest number of defenders were British, but fighter pilots of many other nations flew with them, including some 80 Canadians.

After their fighting in France, the pilots of the badly-mauled RAF 242 "Canadian" squadron were re-forming at Coltishall, near Norwich, where they became part of No. 12 Group guarding the Industrial Md lands.  The Canadians were awaiting a new CO, Douglas Bader.  Bader had lost both his legs in an air crash in 1931.  He had been fitted with artificial limbs, and had re- taught himself many things, including flying.  Now, in his first command, Bader was determined to make 242 squadron the best in the RAF, but it might be a battle in itself, the Canadians, he was told, were a wild lot and a tough bunch to lead.

The fighter planes flown by the Allies in the Battle of Britain were mostly Hurricanes and Spitfires.  When the Battle of Britain reached it's climatic conclusion there was 1733 destroyed German aircraft for the price of 915 British aircraft.  The 42 Canadian fighter pilots of No. 1 RCAF and No. 242 Squadron had destroyed an estimated 60 German aircraft, and had unofficially destroyed or damaged another 50 aircraft.  Canadians flying with other fighter squadrons had done equally well. From July 10th to October 31st, the dates officially recognized as the opening and closing dates of the battle, 20 Canadian fighter pilots died in action.  As Churchill wrote: "....the stamina and valor of out fighter pilots remained unconquerable and supreme.  Thus, Britain was saved.  Well, might I say in the House of Commons that; never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many, to so few".

By April 1st., 1945 the strength of the RCAF had been reduced to 164,846 personnel of all ranks, due to the termination of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and a reduction of the Home War Establishment.  With the formal end of hostilities on September 2nd., 1945, and a proposed peace time establishment of 16,000 personnel of all ranks, a two year interim period was declared during which the emphasis was to be on demobilization of approximately 90% of the wartime force.

From a regular force of 11,569 officers and airmen and an Auxiliary of 655, on December 31st, 1947, the RCAF was to show a steady growth as relations between the western democracies and the Communist bloc deteriorate. In January of 1944 the strength "ceiling" was lifted to 51,000 personnel, placing the RCAF, for the first time in Canadian history, higher than the army.

In February of 1968, the RCAF consisting of 18 operational squadrons, four training and six auxiliary squadrons, was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces, and ceased to exist as a separate and independent force.

After approximately 15 years of unification, the Canadian forces were returned to three separate forces, while retaining an integrated command and supply structure.  The Air Force was again in control of all air assets and got back their blue uniforms.  They did not, however, get to bring back the original air force rank system.

Today's Canadian Air Force hails from traditions dating back to the first World War, when Canada provided over 23,000 airmen to serve in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.

Canada's Air Force today is a versatile, professional organization, numbering some 32,000 men and women, including over 2,000 pilots.  There are flying bases in Comox on Vancouver Island to Gander, NFLD. and in Lahr and Baden- Sollingen, Germany.  There are over 50 flying units with more than 800 aircraft, ranging from the venerable Dakota to the latest in technology as represented by the Aurora CF-18 and the Dash 8.

Most of the Air Force today comes under Air Command (Air-Com) headquartered in the splendid new Bishop Building at CFB Winnipeg.  AIRCOM was formed in 1975 to consolidate or give a focus to Canada's Air Force.

The Air Force has proven it's ability to operate successfully in all areas, such as; defending Canada, North America, and Western Europe through partnership in NORAD and NATO; providing air transport in support of land and other forces; maintaining control of the sea in conjunction with Maritime forces; collecting intelligence information and peacekeeping.

In 1999, the Canadian Air Force celebrated it's Diamond Jubilee, after 75 years serving Canadians. With it's current unified command structure, new programs, and new aircraft, Canadians can be proud of their air force and look to the future with much optimism.

In World War I, some 23,000 Canadians flew with the Royal Air Force. Some of the best pilots of that war were Canadians.  Then in 1924, Canada began to realize the importance of having an air force. In World War II, Canada's air force was still relatively young, yet it produced some of the greatest fighter pilots of the war.  Now the Royal Canadian Air Force, known as Aircom today, has some 32,000 men and women, including over 2,000 pilots.  After 78 years of serving Canadians, with it's current unified command structure, new programs, and new aircraft, Canadians can be proud of their air force and look to the future with much optimism.

1. www.rcaf.com
2. www.airforce.forces.ca/today5_e.htm
3. www.avitop.com
4. Canada’s Air Force Today, Milberry, Larry
5. First Steps To Tokyo (The Royal Canadian Air Force in the Aleutians)Griffin, D. F.
6. Spotlight Canada, Third Edition, Cruxton, J. Bradley, Wilson, W. Douglas
7. Canadian’s In the RAF, Allison, Les
8. Interview: Stuart MacEwen

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