About

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

Start Here Glossary Canada and World War II Combatants & First Airmen Casualties Air Force Operations Battle of Britain Women in War War Artists

"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

Deplanche, Earl Joseph

Killed 1943-12-02

Male Head

Birth Date: 1913-November-27

Born:

Joseph A. Deplanche & Mae E. Deplanche, of Thorold

Home: St Thomas, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

4 BGS- Bombing & Gunnery School

Base

RCAF Stn. Fingal, Ontario

Rank

Leading Aircraftman

Position

Leading Aircraftman

Service Numbers

R/165966

Home

Google Map

St Thomas, Ontario

First Burial

Google Map

Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St Catharines, Ontario

LAC E.J. Deplanche had started the starboard engine of an Anson aircraft using a portable battery and walked forward under the aircraft just as the port engine kicked over. He was struck by the propeller and died in the station Hospital later that day.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.findagrave.com

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

4 BGS (4 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.

Canada Primary Source RCAF.info - RCAF Station Fingal Ontario

Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum - 4 BGS History

General RCAF Fingal Blog

Project 44 BCATP

General Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy