Avro 504

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• The Avro 504 was the RCAF's basic trainer until 1939. The 504 was the "Harvard" of its day. Primarily used at Camp Borden, this Aircraft had a top speed of 85 mph.

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• The Avro 504K was the CAF/RCAF's basic post-WWI trainer. It served with both the Canadian Air Force (CAF) and its successor, the RCAF, from 1920 until 1934. Out of 8340 built worldwide, the CAF/RCAF operated 155 . The Aircraft in this picture is a replica, which explains the civilian registration.

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• G-CYCY and G-CYCU were both part of the 1919 Imperial gift to Canada and had previously held registrations of H2046 and H9665 respectively. Both were taken on strength of the CAF in early 1921 although in the case of CYCY this may have been only a formality as it seems to have suffered a Category A accident on 11 April, 1921 at Camp Borden, eight days before being taken on strength and only 16 days before being struck off strength. CYCU lasted for over a year having been taken on strength on 14 January, 1921 and struck off strength on 8 March, 1922 following another Category A accident at Barrie, Ontario on 4 August, 1921. Considering the fact that biennial 28-day refresher training courses had only been established at Camp Borden on 1 October, 1920 with 197 officers and airmen having had 733 hours flying by the end of the year and 1,210 officers and airmen trained in 1921 for a total of 2,847.45 hours, perhaps the high mortality rate for the Aircraft , already veterans of the Great War, is understandable.

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• G-CYEI started life in the Canadian Air Force as an Avro 504K on 27 October, 1921 when its certificate of registration was issued, after having been gifted to Canada in 1919 along with 113 other assorted Aircraft by Great Britain. It continued service as a standard trainer with the RCAF when that organization was formed on 1 April, 1924 and was converted to a 504N on 29 June, 1927 by exchanging its Clerget powerplant for a Armstrong Siddeley Lynx IV, replacing its undercarriage, and several other minor modifications. It was reserialled to "4" on 1 January, 1928, and struck off strength on 15 August, 1928.

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