Active 1939–1945 | Country Canada | |
 | ||
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Air Force Role Aircrew and groundcrew training Part of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Aircraft Airspeed Oxford
Avro Anson
Boeing Stearman
Bristol Bolingbroke
PBY Canso
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Consolidated PBY Catalina
Cessna Crane
Douglas Digby
De Havilland Tiger Moth
Fairchild Argus
Fairchild Cornell
Fairey Battle
Fairey Swordfish
Fleet Finch
Fleet Fort
Handley Page Halifax
Handley Page Hampden
Hawker Hurricane
Lockheed Hudson
Noorduyn Norseman
North American B-25 Mitchell
North American Harvard
North American Yale
Northrop Nomad
Stinson 105
Supermarine Walrus
Westland Lysander | ||
This article contains a List of Facilities of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) in Canada. The BCATP was a major program for training Allied air crews during World War II that was administered by the Government of Canada, and commanded by the Royal Canadian Air Force with the assistance of a board of representatives from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Contents
- Planning and operation of facilities
- Manning Depots
- Initial Training Schools
- Elementary Flying Training Schools
- Service Flying Training Schools
- Air Observer Schools
- Bombing and Gunnery Schools
- Air Navigation Schools
- Wireless Schools
- Naval Air Gunner School
- Flight Engineers School
- General Reconnaissance Schools
- Operational Training Units
- Central Flying School
- Central Navigation School
- Instrument Navigation School
- Flying Instructor Schools
- Relief landing fields
- Groundcrew training facilities
- Support facilities
- References
Schools and facilities were set up at 231 locations across Canada. Many of these facilities were airfields. In December 1939 the Canadian government identified 24 existing airfields that could be used leaving 80 new ones to be built. Classroom facilities with residences were commandeered from Universities, Colleges, and other provincial institutions. Basic training facilities were commandeered from private schools and municipal governments. These "borrowed" facilities were augmented with new construction as required.
Planning and operation of facilities
There were four phases to the acquisition, construction, and operation of BCATP facilities:
BCATP activities were managed through four Training Commands. Each command was responsible for activities in a region of Canada:
Manning Depots
Trainees began their military careers at a Manning Depot where they learned to bathe, shave, shine boots, polish buttons, maintain their uniforms, and otherwise behave in the required manner. There were two hours of physical education every day and instruction in marching, rifle drill, foot drill, saluting, and other routines.
Remedial high school education was offered to bring 17- and 18-year-old trainees up to the RCAF academic level. There was also a standard aptitude test — the RCAF Classification Test.
After four or five weeks, a selection committee decided whether the trainee would be placed in the aircrew or groundcrew stream. Aircrew "Wireless Air Gunner" candidates went directly to a Wireless School. "Air Observer" and "Pilot" aircrew candidates went to an Initial Training School.
Trainees were often assigned "tarmac duty" to keep busy. Some were sent to factories to count nuts and bolts, some were sent to flying schools and other RCAF facilities to guard things, clean things, paint things, and polish things. Tarmac duty could last several months or more.
The No. 1 Manning Depot in Toronto was the Coliseum Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds that accommodated up to 5,000 personnel.
Initial Training Schools
Pilot and Air Observer candidates began their 26 or 28 week training program with four weeks at an Initial Training School (ITS). They studied theoretical subjects and were subjected to a variety of tests. Theoretical studies included navigation, theory of flight, meteorology, duties of an officer, air force administration, algebra, and trigonometry. Tests included an interview with a psychiatrist, the 4 hour long M2 physical examination, a session in a decompression chamber, and a "test flight" in a Link Trainer as well as academics. At the end of the course the postings were announced. Occasionally candidates were re-routed to the Wireless Air Gunner stream at the end of ITS.
Elementary Flying Training Schools
An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks. Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club. The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.
Service Flying Training Schools
Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.
There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.
Air Observer Schools
Air Observers were later called "navigators". For recruits in this stream, the training path after ITS was 8 weeks at an Air Observer School (AOS), 1 month at a Bombing & Gunnery School, and finally 1 month at a Navigation School. The Air Observer schools were operated by civilians under contract to the RCAF. For example, Nos. 7, 8, and 9 were run by CP Airlines. However, the instructors were RCAF. The basic navigation techniques throughout the war years were dead reckoning and visual pilotage, and the tools were the aeronautical chart, magnetic compass, watch, trip log, pencil, Douglas protractor, and Dalton Navigational Computer. They trained in the Avro Anson.
Bombing and Gunnery Schools
The Bombing and Gunnery School (B&GS) offered instruction in the techniques of bomb aiming and aerial machine gunnery to Air Observers, Bomb Aimers, and Wireless Air Gunners. These schools required large areas to accommodate their bombing and gunnery ranges, and were often located near water. The Avro Anson, Fairey Battle, Bristol Bolingbroke, and Westland Lysander were the standard aircraft used at B&GS schools.
Air Navigation Schools
Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers. The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.
Wireless Schools
Trainees in the "Wireless Air Gunner" (WAG) stream spent 24 weeks at a Wireless School learning the theory and application of wireless communications. This included signalling with lights and flags as well as radio. Their "WAG" training was completed with four weeks at a Bombing & Gunnery School.
Naval Air Gunner School
No. 1 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia (Swordfish)
Flight Engineers' School
The flight engineer was the member of a heavy bomber aircrew responsible for monitoring the fuel, electrical systems and the engines. He also controlled the throttle settings and was the pilot's "assistant". Flight engineers were not co-pilots but they had some flying training and were expected to be able to take over the controls in the event the pilot was killed or disabled.
No. 1 Aylmer, Ontario (Halifax)
General Reconnaissance Schools
The General Reconnaissance School trained pilots and air observers in the techniques required for ocean patrol. It was the equivalent to an Operational Training Unit (OTU), and last stop before aircrew were assigned to operations. The topics included DR Navigation, Astro Navigation, Compasses and Instruments, Meteorology, Signals, Reconnaissance, Coding, Ship Recognition, Aerial Photography, and Visual Signals. Flight Lieutenant (F/L) R. E. MacBride from No. 162 (BR) Squadron RCAF trained at No. 1 GR.
Aircrew spent nine weeks at a General Reconnaissance School.
Operational Training Units
The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School was located at Trenton, Ontario.
Central Navigation School
The Central Navigation School was located at Rivers, Manitoba (Anson).
Instrument Navigation School
The Instrument Navigation School was located near Deseronto, Ontario.
Flying Instructor Schools
Relief landing fields
Every principal airfield (e.g. EFTS or SFTS) had one or two relief airfields located within 10–15 km. The No. 1 Relief Airfield is called "R1" in RCAF Station diaries. Some of the relief fields were paved, some were just grass, and some had hangars, barracks, and maintenance facilities. For example, trainees at No. 14 SFTS Aylmer moved to their R1 at Yarmouth Centre for the last four weeks of their course (radio, bombing,and gunnery).