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CASPIR contains documents, images and history of Canada's military aviation. The personnel and aircraft data has been compiled using data provided by trusted Canadian military aviation historians and original source documents. Where possible source documents are linked.
Research

CASPIR Resources

RCAF Accident Cards (1939-1945) JA Griffin Documents 1968 and 2005 Obtaining a World War II Service File

External Resources

RCAF.info: Research Resources RCAF.info: Finding Your Family Records

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

John Griffin was a significant historian, documenting Canada's Military aircraft.
Aircraft

Military Aircraft Associated with Canadians Choose a Specific Aircraft Serial

Lancaster FM213

CWHM flies one of the two airworthy Lancasters in the world. FM213 is usually marked as KB726 honouring Andrew Mynarski, VC.
Personnel

Name or Home Town Search Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Browse by Letter This Day in History

War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Choose Specific Military Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond)

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists Canada in Korean Air War 1950-1953

Blogs & Articles
CASPIR Overview First World War Neighbourhood - Dufferin & Dupont Canada's First Military Aeroplane 1917

"A" Able flying through the Eiffel Tower? (although this event likely happened, this photograph is likely fake.) It is signed by the late Bill Bryant RAF who was the navigator of that aircraft piloted by Bob Boorman RCAF. The caption reads "This Stars Stripes photograph was taken on 14 September 1944 and shows a Mosquito Mk XIII of 409 Squadron RCAF. Pilot - W/O Bob Boorman RCAF Navigator F/S Bill Bryant RAF Flying through the Eiffel Tower."
Contact

Sandford, John William George (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1956-April-03

Flying Officer John William George Sandford RCAF

Birth Date: 1929-August-24

Born: Hamilton, Ontario

Parents: Son of John Wesley and Ila Gladys (nee Abbott) Sandford of Brantford, Ontario. Brother of Bruce, Douglas and Norman Sandford.

Spouse:

Home: Hamilton, Ontario

Enlistment: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Enlistment Date: 1954-February-26

Service

RCAF

Unit

3 AFS- Advanced Flying School

Base

Gimli, Manitoba, Canada

Rank

Flying Officer

Position

Pilot

Service Numbers

N/10733

Home

Hamilton, Ontario

No burial information, is he missing?

1956-04-03 - 224718 Flying Officer JW Sandford was reported missing, having bailed out of his aircraft over Lake Ontario enroute to Trenton in T-33 21457. Flying Officer Sandford had received permission to take an aircraft to Hamilton, Ontario, to attend his mother's funeral the afternoon of 1956-04-03, Early in the morning of 3 April, Flying Officer Sandford and Flying Officer Doucette, another instructor who was to accompany him on the trip, checked the weather for the flight. The result was fog and low ceilings prevailing from the Lakehead to Ottawa, therefore the trip was cancelled. However, at 0917 hours Flying Officer Sandford took off on his own for Toronto in spite of the fact that weather conditions were zero up to an including Ottawa.

Search and rescue operations failed to find any trace of the missing aircraft or pilot.

Canada Primary Source Station Historical Record - RCAF Station Gimli - 1956-04-03