70th Anniversary of the BCATP, anyone doing anything to celebrate?

Just an update on our celebrations of the

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

December 17th
We unveiled our BCATP exhibit in a very well covered press conference that featured all of the region TV, Radio and print media.

Most were shocked at the scope and scale of the BCATP program and the effects it had on the Second World War as well as its lasting postwar effects.

February 23rd
We unveiled the second stage of the exhibit..
Building the BCATP an exhibit that covers the construction side of the program and its extent and depth.

From 5 airbases in 1939 to over 230 by the end of 1941…everything from the runways to the sewers had to be built and the exhibit covers with a broad brush everything that had to happen.

The third stage is near…we hope to unveil “The Women of the BCATP” by the end of April which will outline in a broad brush their important contribution to the program.

On the challenging side

The Spirit of Edmonton BCATP tour

This program of traveling 4100km across (3) Provinces to visit the remaining 38 BCATP bases in Alberta Manitoba and Saskatchewan is having difficulty raising the needed funds to complete the 14day program.

Currently we are $10,000 short of the required budget but are pushing hard to stay on target for a mid May launch.

For more information on the Alberta Aviation Museum or to view our newletter please visit albertaaviationmuseum.com.

You can see our initial BCATP display on the link under “Whats Happening”.
The exhibit combines conventional display with digital photos running on computer, our BCATP aircraft with interactive flight simulators beside them
(Tiger Moth with the Tiger Moth/Anson with the Anson) and feature the backgrounds, scenery and aircraft types of 1944 Edmonton.

For detailed information on the Spirit of Edmonton BCATP Tour please e-mail me direct at [email]eahs.execdirector@shawbiz.ca[/email] for the tour route and details.

This is too important an anniversary to let pass unnoticed.

Tom

Hi Turretboy,

The Harvard will be sent to the paint shop when the wings have been completed.

I heard just before I left that they were acquiring a Bolingbroke! Don’t know where from!

They were concerned that the ‘tin bashers’ might wander off if they had nothing to do!

The last I heard the Northrop Nomad was not coming, it was in pretty rough shape, from what we were given to understand.

Keep the shovels handy it will be Winter on Monday and I hear a White Xmas looks likely.

Tom, That tour would be really interesting. Some bases have been wiped off the map and only an outline remains. Others like Brandon and Now Vulcan are being carefully restored and repaired!

For those that use Google Earth, This fellow has all the BCATP bases pinned. Scroll down to the bottem of the linked page for download..
http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1094476&site_id=1#import

Morning all from chilly Alberta.

Like fleet16b my father trained in, then instructed in the BCATP before going overseas as a Lancaster pilot so I will be damned if I will let this anniversary pass quietly!

Other than Trenton’s event last summer little seems to be happening so thanks to all of you that are making noise and asking questions.

Here in Edmonton we unveiled our BCATP exhibit which combines conventional exhibit techniques with digital images and computerized flight simulators our guests can fly under supervision.

Imagine…getting to try the Tiger Moth from right beside the Tiger, or trying the Anson from under its wing.

Every 2 months we will be adding a different facet to the exhibit…February is building the BCATP. How it went from 5 bases in Canada to 230+ in only 2 years.

I’d like to hear more about how the BCATP affected other countries, Australia, Britian, etc. It made for a huge cultural shift here, it had to have changed things elsewhere.

This year we have announced a flying (biplane) tour of the 38 identifiable BCATP bases remaining in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan that we will undertake in 14 days from Mid May to Mid June (all things being equal and if we raise enough money).

Yes Brandon is one of the many stops.

The goal is to raise awareness of the BCATP across Canada and celebrate the tremendous accomplishments.

So heres to everyone that does something to celebrate the BCATP, from having coffee with a vet to holding an event…good on ya!

Tom

Had coffee with 2 BCATP veterans, a 91 year old WAG who flew on Cansos hunting subs and an 87 year old FE on Lancasters, both are former Saskatchewan farm boys. The were interested to hear of the anniversary of all things yellow day.

During the summer CAF #8 Transport Wing at CFB Trenton Ontario
Held a w/end celebration to honour their anniversary, the 100th year of Flight in Canada and the 70th year since the BCATP
At the base there are a set of large iron gates . These are the BCATP Gates that were dedicated by the Queen after the war to commemorate all BCATP personnel
8 Wing held a BCATP Gates rededication event the likes of which has not been seen since the golden years of the RCAF. The ground parade itself was 2 hrs long.
Then there was a fly over consisting of everything from Fleet Finches to F-18’s
I flew my Finch in the fly-by.
My Dad was a BCATP instructor , so this was a very special show for me.

Restoration project?

Took these a couple of years ago in Brandon (I think). Nice museum too.

Hi Deryck,

I saw the Harvard on the museum floor last weekend, it’s coming along quite nicely.

I haven’t seen or heard any local news about the museum commemorating the formation of the BCATP.

No shoveling snow today….just scraping!

Hi Tom. When I saw your original post I sent a quick note to our curator at the National Air Force Museum to ask what she had planned in recognition of this important event. (I am hiding in Florida, since it is kind of wintery up there!)

I have been rewarded with a stony silence!

I can only assume that the date was not recognized.

We do have the Harvard II fuselage on it’s wheels in the display area and the Anson fuselage could have been rolled in for the event.

It seems that a few years ago they used to sell a calendar in the various aviation museum shops that listed every important aviation date, is this calendar no longer around? If it was, I could get her one for next Xmas!

Keep on shoveling!

December 17th is almost here…

So what is everyone doing to celebrate todays anniversary?

Tom

Thanks all

Thank you everyone

We don’t want this Anniversary to be missed!!!

And thanks for catching me on the Kiwis.

There would not have been the great allied air offensives if there had not been a great training program to create the aircrews.

Even a Spitfire of Lancaster is pretty useless without a pilot.

For the 100th Anniversary of Flight in Canada we ran 32 events so we intend on doing our best to do the same for the 70th of the BCATP!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and join us in raising a toast of yuor favorite beverage on December 17th…

Tom H

Tom, congratulations on such an extensive programme – I hope it is a great success! 🙂

Tom, don’t go forgetting the Kiwis… my uncle instructed Fleet Air Arm pilots – UK, Aus and NZ at St. Hubert, then others at Goderich before getting his own orders to 6 Group.

I’m surprised so little is happening so far.

The Alberta Aviation Museum has planned a series of exhibits and events.

December……70th Anniversary of signing of the BCATP

February…….Building the BCATP exhibit, over 200 bases from “0” to operating in 2 years, try that one today.

April…………Women of the BCATP, a special photography exhibit

June………..Airfest 2010 dedicated to the BCATP, hoping to host a yellow airplane convention.

August……..Spirit of Edmonton BCATP tour, the remaining 38 bases in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba over 9 days by Bi Plane

October……70th Anniversary of #2AOS Edmonton and #16EFTS Edmonton

Guess I’m just surprised that the BCATP included Australia, Britain, Canada, South Africa but no one seems to be marking the occasion.

Good on ya Contrailjj its a great time to host a pint.

Tom

well, I think I have finally stirred up some aviation interest in our local Legion Branch, so I think I’ll crank out a poster this weekend so the locals can mark the even with me over a pint of Upper Canada Dark.

Sadly one anniversary date that I’d missed – yet again training is the ‘Cinderella’ of aviation. 😮

I don’t think the NAM volunteers will get KF532 completed in time!

I haven’t heard of anything Tom, but that is great that you are celebrating an important Canadian Anniversary..