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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Significant Canadian Historians Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering

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

Astell, Eric William (Leading Aircraftman)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-October-07

Male Head

Birth Date: 1923

Born:

Parents: George Frederick & May Ethel Astell

Spouse:

Home: Twickenham, Middlesex, England (parents)

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

9 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School

Base

RCAF Stn. Mont Joli, Quebec

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Service Numbers

1603562

Home

Google Map

Twickenham, Middlesex, England (parents)

Final Burial

Google Map

United Church Cemetery

Fairey Battle aircraft 5556 and 1949 were on a scheduled gunnery exercise when they collided in mid-air. The aircraft crashed three miles east of Mont Joli near Priceville, Quebec. FS R.W. Dean, LACs McKinstry, and E.W. Astell (RAF) were killed in aircraft 5556. Leading Aircraftman S.G. Trueman was killed in aircraft 1949.

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Crew or Other Personnel

Battle L5556

Leading Aircraftman Eric William Astell RAFVR

Leading Aircraftman Astell, Eric William (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-07
United Church Cemetery, Metis Beach, Quebec, Canada

Flight Sergeant Ross Walker Dean RCAF

Flight Sergeant Dean, Ross Walker (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-07
Park Lawn Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Leading Aircraftman Kenneth McKinstry RCAF

Leading Aircraftman McKinstry, Kenneth (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-October-07
Woodland Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada

Unit Desciption

9 BGS (9 Bomb and Gunnery School)

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.

Class19 NO9 BGS Mont Joli

Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF.info - RCAF Station Mont Joli QC

Unvetted Source 9 BGS History

Unvetted Source Ted Church Tail End Charlie - 9 BGS History

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy