Description
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP)
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) emerged in December 1939 as a cooperative endeavor among Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Its primary objective was to prepare Allied aircrew for service during the Second World War. Individuals from various corners of the Commonwealth journeyed to Canada to undergo certification in pivotal roles such as pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, wireless operator, air gunner, and flight engineer. Implementing this initiative stood as one of Canada’s most significant contributions to the war, with over 130,000 aircrew trained within the BCATP between 1940 and 1945. This massive effort prompted United States President Franklin Roosevelt to dub Canada the “aerodrome of democracy.”
Canada’s collaboration with Great Britain in aviation had roots tracing back to the First World War. Despite the novelty of air warfare at the time, around 22,000 Canadians served with distinction in the Royal Flying Corps or the Royal Naval Air Service during the conflict. Canada not only supplied a steady stream of recruits for British aviation but also offered vast expanses of territory for training purposes. Many Canadian recruits underwent training domestically before heading overseas. The partnership between what would later become the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) persisted through the 1920s and 30s, albeit on a reduced scale.
