Role Northern development, sovereignty/home defence, civil air operations, military training and operations,
search and rescue, peacekeeping support.
Part of Department of National Defence
Headquarters Ottawa, Ontario
Motto "Per Ardua Ad Astra"—"Through Adversity to the Stars"
March "RCAF March Past"
Engagements Battle of Britain, Battle of the Atlantic, European Bombing Campaigns, Battle of Normandy
and subsequent land campaigns
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the
three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Forces.
The Second World War
The outbreak of the Second World War saw the RCAF fielding eight of its eleven permanent operational squadrons,
but by October 1939 15 squadrons were available (12 for homeland defence, three for overseas service). There were over 20
different types of aircraft at this point, over half being for training or transport, and the RCAF started the war with only
29 front-line fighter and bomber aircraft. By the end of the war, the RCAF would be the fourth largest allied air force.
On 15 August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron became the first RCAF unit to see action.
During the war, the RCAF had the following three key responsibilities:
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), Canada's massive contribution to training military aviators
would see the RCAF expand to a ubiquitous presence across the country.
Home War Establishment (HWE), fielding 37 squadrons for coastal defence, protection of shipping, air defence and
other duties in Canada
Overseas War Establishment (OWE), headquartered in London, fielding 48 squadrons serving with the
Royal Air Force in Western Europe, the Mediterranean and the Far East.
Bomber Command Lancaster over HamburgThe
RCAF played key roles in the Battle of Britain, antisubmarine warfare during the Battle of the Atlantic, the bombing campaigns
against German industries (particularly with No. 6 Group, RAF Bomber Command), and close support of Allied forces during the
Battle of Normandy and subsequent land campaigns in northwest Europe.
The RCAF reached peak strength of 215,000 (all ranks) in January 1944 (including 15,000 women). Of that
total, 100,000 were training air and ground personnel in the BCATP, 65,000 with HWE, and 46,000 with OWE. At that time there
were 78 squadrons, 43 at home, 35 overseas. Approximately 13,000 RCAF personnel were either killed or died as prisoners of
war, and another 4000 died during training or from other causes.
Women of the RCAF Women's Division ("WD"s) took over many wartime responsibilities from men, who were made
available for combat and other operational duties and to instruct in British Commonwealth Air Training Plan schools across
Canada. Many WDs also served overseas. Thirty WDs would die during the Second World War.
On the homefront, the RCAF developed a volunteer organization called the Aircraft Identity Corps to assist
in the early detection of enemy aircraft.
