Boalch, Frederick Ernest (Sergeant)

The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations. RCAF

Canso PBY

Wikipedia Canso PBY

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

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Canso 9701

Canso 9701

Ordered by RCAF as a Catalina, equivalent to PBY-5, on 23 November 1940 (batch of 50 ordered at that time as direct purchase). Diverted to RAF before delivery, serial VA701 assigned but never marked. Returned to RCAF shortly after completion, for use on "North West River flights". (This was probably transport duties in support of the construction of Goose Bay airport in Labrador.) Renamed Canso on 22 December 1941. First delivered to No. 116 (BR) Squadron on the east coast. With No. 117 (BR) Squadron in Nova Scotia and/or Quebec, 1942 and 1943, coded "N". Overhauled on 1 December 1943. To No. 4 (BR) Squadron at Ucluelet, BC on 12 January 1944. To No. 3 Repair Depot on 17 July 1944 for engine change, modification, and repairs. To No. 3 (OTU) Squadron at RCAF Station Patricia Bay, BC on 5 January 1945, to No. 3 RD for repairs same day. Crashed in Saanich Inlet, BC on approach for landing after a bombing exercise on 12 February 1945. Blamed on glassy water conditions, and sun angle on the water. 8 on board, 4 fatalities. Wreckage located by a privately owned submersible vehicle being towed by the Canadian Coast Guard Ship John P. Tully, on maintenance test, summer of 2005. The remotely operated vehicle was operated by the Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility.

1941-08-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-March-18 Accident: 117 Squadron Loc: Apron Of U Hangar Names: Coffey | Fogarty | Hext | Hope | Komarzyca | Lyons | Selby
1944-April-19 Accident: 4 Squadron Loc: Ucluelet Names: Braid | Downton | Kendall | Kirkland | Lynch | Starrett
1945-February-10 Accident: 3 Operational Training Unit Loc: Aerodrome Names: Brooker | Clapperton | Conlin | Craig | Davidson | Edworthy | Harbord | Rose | Webber
1945-February-12 Accident: 3 Operational Training Unit Loc: Patricia Bay British Columbia Names: Boalch | Crawford | Desjardine | Fraser | Golis | Harris | Kingswood | Maclean
1945-04-30 Struck off Strength Struck off after crash, see notes 2019-08-20