To commemorate 100 years of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) the city has launched The Royal Canadian Air Force: An Historical Exhibit in the Confederation Court Mall.
Created in partnership with The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum, the display features artifacts and images showcasing the history and heritage of the RCAF, its predecessor and associated organizations. It also highlights various training initiatives such as the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, where thousands of air personnel from all over the Commonwealth came to Canada to be trained.
The display is located on the first floor of the Confederation Court Mall near the Great George Street entrance and will be available during regular mall hours until Nov. 30.
Quick Facts about Canada’s early military aviation history:
• The RCAF was formed in 1924. Prior to the RCAF’s existence, Canada did not have its own air force, apart from the short-lived Canadian Aviation Corps and the Canadian Air Force.
• Due to close ties with Great Britain, during the First World War, most Canadians who wanted to serve in the air defence joined Britain’s Royal Flying Corps, later the Royal Air Force (RAF). Forty thousand Canadians served with British flying services during the First World War.
• During the Second World War, Canada maintained a close relationship with the RAF as allies, and through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and other training initiatives. From 1939 to 1945, over 200 training schools were opened across Canada where more than 131,000 personnel from across the British Commonwealth graduated. P.E.I. had air training bases in Charlottetown, Summerside and Mount Pleasant.
• Between 1939 and 1945, the Royal Canadian Air Force enlisted 232,000 men and 17,000 women and operated 86 squadrons, including 47 overseas.
The City of Charlottetown and The Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum would like to thank the Confederation Court Mall for providing the exhibit space, and the individuals and organizations who generously contributed to the display.
For information on how to donate historic photos or to permit the city to scan your historic images, please contact the Planning and Heritage Department at
[email protected] or by phone at (902) 629-4051.
Squadron Leader Hugh Charles “Charlie” Trainor enlisted in 1940 and would become a famous flying ace. He received a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) after shooting down five enemy planes in a short period and soon won the Bar to the DFC. He would later be awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership in command of a fighter squadron which destroyed 385 enemy vehicles in three weeks.
Founded in 1941 the Canadian Women’s Auxiliary Air Force would later become the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division. Disbanded in 1946, women were permitted to join the RCAF again in 1951. In 1980, women were accepted as military pilots and in 1988, Canada became the first western country to license women as fighter pilots.
The Royal Canadian Air Force: An Historical Exhibition features numerous artifacts and images associated with the Royal Canadian Air Force, its associated organizations, and initiatives. It can be viewed at the Confederation Court Mall during mall hours until Nov. 30.