The first aircraft of Canada’s Air Force took to the air in September 1914 when a float-equipped Burgess-Dunne biplane was purchased in Massachusetts and flown to Canada. The aircraft was then shipped to England with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, but was considered unfit for military service and placed in storage, where it quietly rotted away. Since this inauspicious beginning, Canada’s Air Force has flown an immense number and variety of aircraft.

 Learn more about the aircraft Canada’s Air Force flew in years gone by.

A gifted cartoonist, WO1 Tracy was responsible for recording some of the funniest moments in Air Force uniform and his comic strips and caricatures spared no rank or occupation. He left behind a legacy of art that deserves to be enjoyed by today's Air Force - and generations to come.

The book On Windswept Heights: Historical Highlights of Canada’s Air Force is a brief, lively taste of Air Force history and heritage that is meant to intrigue and inspire.  We hope that this book will interest you.

Here, you'll find historian, Hugh Halliday's, extensive compilation of over 8000 award winners. This alphabetical index will be of interest to veterans' families & history scholars.

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• First World War: Canadians in British Flying Services
  
• The Second World War: RCAF personnel
• Second World War: Canadians in Allied flying services
• Second World War: Foreign personnel in RCAF units overseas
• Second World War: Commonwealth personnel serving in Canada
• Post Second World War

Canadian airmen played their part in the Battle of Britain. Over 100 Canadian pilots flew on fighter operations during the Battle of Britain. Another 200 fought with the RAF's Bomber and Coastal Commands. An untold number served as groundcrew, keeping the fighters, bombers and patrol Aircraft flying.

In a brief span of raids during the Autumn of 1940, our Commonwealth Air Forces defeated the German Luftwaffe.

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The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when the North Korean Army crossed into South Korea at about the 38th Parallel. Most RCAF personnel were from 426 Transport Squadron, but others were fighter pilots, flight nurses, and supply, technical, and photo intelligence personnel.

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The Gateway provides Canada's military history dating back to 1000 A.D. and offers access to over 4000 online links to military history, with resources such as digitized books, music, art, photos and video, narratives, interactive games and scholarly research.

» The Canadian Military History Gateway

• National Defence and Canadian Forces History and Heritage
• Veterans Affairs Canada History and Remembrance
  • Books of Remembrance
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial
• Historical orders, decorations and medals
• Modern orders, decorations and medals
• National Air Force Museum of Canada
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum
• Tomb of Canada’s Unknown Soldier
• Garden of Memories