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In historical terms the life span of the Royal Canadian Air Force can hardly be described as anything but brief, a mere 44 years from creation to unification with Canada's other two armed services.
Yet, from its modest beginning of fewer than two thousand men, it reached at wartime peak that exceeded two hundred thousand. This included 78 operational squadrons, 35 were stationed overseas and 43 in Canada.

The true measure of its greatness, however, is to be found in its growth and acomplishments, which both in peace and war are truly magnificent.


Per Ardua Ad Astra

Welcome to my privately run, unofficial website designed to tell the history of Canada's Air Force. This site is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the Department of National Defence or the Air Force Association of Canada and as such we cannot provide, nor do we have access to, official information on behalf of the Canadian Forces .This includes personnel records and/or other personal information. It is maintained by myself during my (limited) spare time so please read the Terms of Use. I hope you enjoy the experience and visit again soon.

On This Day In RCAF History

1968 › 410 Squadron is reformed, after a four-year disbandment, as an 'all weather operational training' squadron.

No. 6 (RCAF) Group

Looking for Richard Koval's site on the the RCAF's No. 6 Bomber Group, follow this link to his new site:

http://www.6grouprcaf.com/

No. 439 Squadron (Unofficial) Hompage

Looking for Mike Melnick's page on No. 439 Squadron, follow this link to his new site:

http://www.thisisme.ca/439squadron/

Canada built Lancasters

For many Canadians, the Lancaster bomber was a symbol of Allied victory. For many in southern Ontario that symbol became a part of their everyday work.
At its peak of production in 1944, a force of 10,000 workers - one-quarter of them women - laboured at the Victory Aircraft Plant in Malton, Ont. during the Second World War to produce 430 Mark X Lancasters.
The aircraft were sent directly to Bomber Command's No. 6 Group, which was composed entirely of RCAF squadrons and personnel. Eventually, the plant was producing one plane per day.

The Formation of the RCAF

The Royal Canadian Air Force was an outgrowth of the war of 1914-18, when so many of Canada’s sons saw extensive servicein the Royal Naval Air Service, the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. Though many remained in the Royal Air Force with “permanent” commissions, the larger proportion of those keen young pilots and observers found their service flying experience cut short by demobilization. It is perhaps, therefore, not surprising that on surveying post-war possibilities, efforts were made to transplant the “Canadian Air Force”, which had had a small beginning in England late in 1918. At that time, two squadrons of the newly authorized force, manned with Canadians who had seen service in the R.A.F., were in process of organization, but the armistice put a halt on this first C.A.F. before it could become operational.