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

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

McDowell, William Lloyd (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-May-15

Sergeant William Lloyd McDowell RCAF

Birth Date: 1915-September-17

Born:

Parents:

Spouse: Spouse unknown.

Home: Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RCAF

Unit

31 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RCAF Stn. Debert, Nova Scotia

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Navigator

Service Numbers

R/153587

Home

Google Map

Toronto, Ontario

Memorial Location

Google Map

Ottawa War Memorial
Panel 2 Column 5

31 Operational Training Unit, Debert, Nova Scotia. Hudson aircraft missing.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Commonwealth War Grave Commission Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Find-A-Grave Finadagrave.com

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Hudson FK468

Sergeant Henry Hamilton Carter RCAF

Sergeant Carter, Henry Hamilton (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-15
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant Eric Rowland Dixey RAF

Sergeant Dixey, Eric Rowland (RAF)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-15
cemetery unknown

Sergeant Reginald Carl Horsley RCAF

Sergeant Horsley, Reginald Carl (RCAF)
Wireless Air Gunner
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-15
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Sergeant William Lloyd McDowell RCAF

Sergeant McDowell, William Lloyd (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-15
Ottawa War Memorial, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Unit Desciption

31 OTU (31 Operational Training Unit)

The Operational Training Unit (OTU) was the last stop for aircrew trainees. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft (Hawker Hurricane or Fairey Swordfish, e.g.). The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.

Lockheed Hudson

More information on the RCAF Station at Debert, Nova Scotia can be found at

Royal Air Force RCAF.info - Debert, Nova Scotia

Unvetted Source History 31 OTU by Maj (Ret) G.D. Madigan

Unvetted Source Wall Of Honour NO31 OTU

Project 44 BCATP

Unvetted Source Project 44 BCATP

YouTube YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy