Mission and Data Sources

Mission

1. To preserve Canadian military air history
2. To present it simply without sacrificing accuracy
3. To make it widely available
4. To make it simple enough for families and relatives while detailed and accurate enough for professionals

Data Sources

The CASPIR team has orginated very little; rather we are standing on the shoulders of those who have come before. CASPIR's goal is to integrate the data that is available in many places in order to present a complete Canadian perspective. Data has been confirmed by at least two sources. Where there are discrepancies, we have reviewed ORBs (Operational Record Books - orginal source material) both in Canada and at the National Archives UK.

Documents and Records

• Bill Walker's Aircraft Database (Bill Walker's database contained about 270,000 records when we received it. CWHM Volunteers have added over 30,000 records. At this time we are displaying only the aircraft that have been involved with Canadians. This includes all aircraft for which there has been a Canadian casualty, PoW, Interned, Evaded, etc.)
• John Griffin 1968 and 2005 data collection
• They Shall Grow Not Old large reference book from BCATP Museum Brandon. BCATP is the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
• Hugh Halliday Personnel files dataset
• Aircraft documents and images provided by Major Fred Paradie, RCAF
• Bomber Command Reference Books by William R Chorley
• 100 Years of RCAF History by John Bradley
• Canada's Air War by Paul Squires
• American RCAF Warriors,. by Tom Walsh
• Various Histories in the Canadian Collection
  • The RCAF Overseas, The First Four Years (September 1939 - August 1943)
  • The RCAF Overseas, The Fifth Year (September 1943 - August 1944)
  • The RCAF Overseas, The Sixth Year (September 1944 - August 1945)
  • Aerodrome of Democracy - BCATP Material

Canadian Museums

• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
• Bomber Command Museum Archives and ORBs
• Naval Museum Esquimalt

Internet Resources

• RAF Commands
• UK National Archives
• International Bomber Command Centre
• Canadian Virtual War Memorial
• Royal Canadian Air Force Association
• 6 Bomber Group by Richard Koval
• Air Crew Remembered
• Aviation Safety Network
• Ancestry.ca (subscription required)
• Newspapers.com (subscription required)
• FindMyPast.com (subscription required)
• Canadian Army Aviation
• USAAF USAF Serials (Joe Baugher)
• airlinerlist.com
• Air Histories by Andrew Pentland
• Crashes in France by Daniel Carville
• Uboat.net by Gudmundur Helgason
• Forgotten Airfields
• Wreck site (Sea losses)
• Allied Crashes in Netherlands and North Sea
• 158 Squadron Archives
• Hampshire Air Fields and Crashes
• Vare Falne (Our Fallen) Norwegain War Dead
• Dutch Airwar Study Group
• Special Duties Squadrons Compiliations by HarringtonMuseum.org.uk
• Kestrel Publications by Terrence Leversedge
• RCAF.info by Nathan Kachur (primarily BCATP material)
• Scramble Dutch Aviation Society