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CASPIR Data Archive Mission & Data Sources Our Team RCAF Assistance CASPIR Volunteering Canada Air Military Historians License and Usage

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

Find a Person
Name or Home Town Search Browse by Letter

Casualties and Remembrance
War Status Search Catastrophic Losses (Ships Hotels Aircraft) Cemeteries (WW1 WW2 and Beyond) This Day in History

Units, Aircraft and Services
Unit (Squadron) Search Aircraft Type or Serial Search Choose Specific Military

Andrew Mynarski, VC

We Shall Remember Them.
Interactive Maps

Second World War Training

BCATP Training Schools BCATP Casualties 1939-45 Worldwide Training Casualties 1939-45

Second World War Operations

Fighter Squadrons Maritime Reconnaissance Squadrons Transport Squadrons
Bomber Command
Bomber Squadrons RCAF Bomb Tonnage 1941-45

Cold War

Maps to come.

Other

Maps to come.
History

Education & History
Start Here Glossary Canada and the Second World War 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

Birtwhistle, Douglas Stuart (Sergeant)

Killed in Flying Accident 1941-June-15

Male Head

Birth Date: 1919

Born:

Parents: William Henry & Florence Mary Birtwhistle

Spouse:

Home: Blackpool, Lancashire, England (parents).

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAF

Unit

15 OTU- Operational Training Unit (RAF)

Base

RAF Sywell

Rank

Sergeant

Position

W/Op-AG

Service Numbers

982332

Home

Google Map

Blackpool, Lancashire, England (parents).

Overseas Aircraft Delivery Unit from Gibraltar to Malta (15 OTU aircrew). Wellington IC aircraft N 2803 on delivery flight crashed into a mountain near Laverdure, Algeria.

Killed includes Birtwhistle Pilot Officer Ronald Bertram Campbell RCAF J/3746 pilot KIA Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria Sergeant Gordon Lloyd Cowing RCAF R/63748 Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria Sergeant John Andrew Proctor RCAF R/56160 pilot Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria Sergeant Geoffrey Herbert Vickers RAF 977780 KIA Bone War Cemetery, Annaba, Algeria

Unit Desciption

15 OTU (15 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. The instructors had experience in actual operations, and often were posted to OTUs after their operational tour.