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At the beginning of the Second World War, Canada did not have an extensive manufacturing industry besides car manufacturing. Therefore, most of Canadian weapons and equipment during the war were imported from either Britain or the US.
Model | From | Blade length | Comments | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife | 1941 | 18 cm | Various models. | ||
Ross bayonet | 1905 | ? | Stepped guard on early model, flat on later model. Sharpened later models were taken overseas in World War I. | ||
P1907 bayonet | 1907 | ? | Used on No. 1 rifle (previously called SMLE) | ||
No. 4 MK. II bayonet | 1941 | ? | Used on No. 4 MK. I, No. 4 MK. I* and Sten MK. V | ||
M346 | ? | 90mm | Standard issue containing a 90mm sheeps foot blade, a 40mm stab/can opener blade, a 100mm fid/ marlin spike and a lanyard bale wire loop, based on the Case Model 6353/1905. Manufactured by Case in the USA for the Canadian Military until 1948 when production moved to Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada. Markings include "Case XX Metal Stampings" on the base of the sheeps foot blade and a C with a broad arrow inside stamped on the scales (case) normally near the rivet holding the blades. [1] |
Model | Origin | Acquired | Type | Cartridge | Variants | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Colt Model 1911 | United States | 1914 | Semi-automatic | .45 ACP |
| Canada purchased some in World War I and more in World War II. |
Smith & Wesson Triple Lock | United States | 1917 | Revolver | .44 Special |
| Low-cost version |
Browning Hi-Power | Belgium | 1944 | Semi-automatic | 9×19mm Parabellum |
| Produced under license in Canada by John Inglis & Company |
Smith & Wesson Model 10 | United States | 1942 | Revolver | .38-200 |
| |
Webley Revolver | United Kingdom | 1915 | Revolver | .455 Webley |
| Obsolete, secondary sidearm |
Enfield No. 2 | United Kingdom | 1932 | Revolver | .38-200 |
| Secondary sidearm |
Colt Police Positive | United States | 1907 | Revolver | .38 S&W | Secondary sidearm |
Model | Origin | Acquired | Action | Cartridge | Variants | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thompson | United States | 1942 | Blowback, "Blish Lock" | .45 ACP |
| |
Sten | United Kingdom Canada | 1941 | Blowback, Open bolt | 9×19mm Parabellum |
| |
M50 Reising | United States | 1941 | Blowback, Closed bolt | .45 ACP |
| Extremely limited use, primarily by the Veterans Guard of Canada for guard duties. |
Model | Origin | Acquired | Action | Cartridge | Variants | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lee–Enfield No.1 | United Kingdom | 1916 | Bolt-action | .303 British Mk.VII |
| |
Lee–Enfield No.4 | United Kingdom | 1943 | Bolt-action | .303 British Mk.VII |
| Primary service rifle. |
Pattern 1914 Enfield | United Kingdom | 1914 | Bolt-action | .303 British Mk.VII | For training and use by snipers. [2] | |
M1917 Enfield | United States | 1917 | Bolt-action | .30-06 Springfield | Limited domestic use. | |
Ross | Canada | 1910 | Straight pull bolt-action | .303 British Mk.VII |
| For training and Veteran's Guard of Canada use only. |
This list is grossly incomplete, listing a small fraction of approximately 30 grenade varieties used by Canadians during World War II.
Grenade | Launcher | Introduced | Type | Weight, g | comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 36 M MK. I | cup discharger for No. 1 rifle | 1915 | fragmentation | 765 | most common hand grenade during World War II |
No. 68 AT grenade | 1940 | HEAT | 894 | 52 mm RHA penetration | |
No. 69 grenade | No | 1942 | high-explosive | 383 | bakelite case |
No. 73 grenade | No | 1940 | high-explosive | 2000 | 51mm RHA penetration, used mostly for demolition |
No. 74 Sticky bomb | No | 1940 | HESH | ~900 | low-cost |
No. 75 AT Hawkins Mine | No | 1942 | high-explosive | 1020 | most common Canadian AT weapon & demolition charge during World War II |
No. 82 Gammon | No | 1943 | universal | 1140 | soft body |
Type | Production | Fire rate, RPM | Effective range | Cartridge | From: | Produced | Weight | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bren Gun (various marks) | Inglis, Toronto | 510 | 600 | .303 British (7.7×56mmR) | 1939 | 599000 | 10.35 kg | replacement for Lewis gun |
Lewis gun (standard model; U.S. version; Automatic Ship's Lewis Gun) | 550 | 800 | .303 British (7.7×56mmR) or .30/06 | 1917 | ? | 13 kg | occasional AA gun, limited production during World War II | |
Vickers machine gun (various marks and models) | 475 | 2000 | .303 British (7.7×56mmR) | 1912 | ? | 23 kg | Vickers Gas Operated was standard flexible MG on aircraft early in World War II. | |
M2HB Browning machine gun | 550 | 1800 | .50 BMG (12.7×99mm) | 1921 | 3000000 | 23 kg | used until present (2014) | |
M1919A4 | 500 | 1400 | .30/06 | 1919 | 5000000 | 14 kg | In 1970s converted to 7.62 NATO | |
Model | Caliber | Max. range | From | Produced | Weight, kg | fire rate, RPM | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 inch Mortar (standard and airborne lightweight models) | 50.8mm | 460 | 1937 | ? | 4.8 | 8 | elevated by hand |
M19 mortar | 60mm | 1790 | 1942 | ? | 9.3 | 8 | received after M19 was rejected by US military |
3 inch Mortar Mk. II | 81.2mm | 1463 | 1931 | ? | 50.8 | 15 | crew of 3 |
M2 4.2 inch mortar | 106.7mm | 4023 | 1943 | ? | 151 | 5 | prepared for chemical bombs delivery, never used |
Land Mattress C-21 UCM -
Model | Caliber | Max. range | From | Produced | Weight, kg | fire rate, RPM | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QF 18-pounder | 83.8mm | 5966 | 1904 | 10469 | 1282 | 4 | obsolete at start of World War II |
QF 25-pounder | 87.6mm | 12253 | 1940 | 13000 | 1633 | 7 | main Canadian World War II field gun/howitzer |
BL 4.5 inch Medium Field Gun | 114mm | 18000 | 1938 | ? | 6190 | 2.5 | built in UK by Canadian companies |
BL 5.5 inch Medium Gun | 140mm | 16550 | 1941 | ? | 5900 | 2 | received from UK |
BL 60-pounder | 127mm | 15500 | 1905 | 1756 | 4400 | 2 | in Canadian service until start of World War II |
Model | Caliber | Penetration 1 | Penetration 2 | Muzzle speed | Max. range | From | Produced | Weight, kg | fire rate, RPM | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QF 2-pdr | 40 mm | 37 mm @ 457 m | 27 mm @ 914 m | 792 | 1000 | 1936 | 12000 | 814 | 22 | |
QF 6-pdr | 57 mm | 88 mm @ 100 m | - | 884 | 1600 | 1941 | ? | 1140 | ? | produced in both UK and Canada |
QF 17-pdr | 76.2 mm | 130 mm @ 500 m | 119 mm @ 1000 m | 880 | 1800 | 1942 | ? | 3050 | ? | - |
Bangalore torpedo (not a grenade or anti-tank)
Model | Caliber | Eff. alt. | From | Produced | Weight, kg | fire rate, RPM | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
QF 3.7-inch AA gun Mk1 | 94mm | 7300 | 1941 | ? | 9317 | 15 | |
Bofors 40 mm gun L/60 | 40mm | 4100 | 1932 | 2250 | 1981 | 120 | still in service (2014) |
Polsten-Oerlikon gun | 20mm | 1000 | 1944 | 57 | 4000 | 450 | low-cost |
Canada produced a wide variety of combat vehicles during World War II domestically, but all primary fighting vehicles were imported because of manufacturing quality concerns.
Carden Loyd Mk IV tankette - not used in combat
Model | From | Armor max. (mm) | Primary armament | Secondary armament | Weight ( t) | Power (kW) | Range (km) | # Produced [note 1] | Crew | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stuart tank | 1941 | 51 | 37mm Gun M3 L/24 | 3×.30-06 Browning M1919A4 MG | 14.7 | 190 | 119 | 25000 | 4 | imported |
Churchill tank Mk 1 | 1941 | 102 | QF 2-pdr | 2 × 7.92 mm Besa machine gun | 38.5 | 261 | 90 | 7368 | 4 | given to Canada for Dieppe Raid |
Churchill Oke | 1942 | 102 | QF-2-pdr Ronson flamethrower | 2 × 7.92 mm Besa machine gun | 38.5 | 261 | 90 | 3 | 4 | all destroyed in Dieppe Raid |
Centaur IV | 1944 | 76 | Ordnance QF 95 mm howitzer | 2×7.92mm Besa machine gun | 28 | 450 | 270 | 114 | 5 | support tank |
Sherman I, III, V | 1942 | 76 | 75 mm Gun M2/M3/M6 | 1 × 12.7mm Browning M2HB and 2 × 7.8mm Browning M1919A4 | 30.3 | 298 | 193 | ? | 5 | Lend-Lease |
Sherman Firefly IC & VC | 1943 | 89 | QF 17-pdr | 12.7mm Browning M2HB and 7.8mm Browning M1919A4 | 33 | 298 | 193 | 2,150 | 4 | American chassis with British gun |
Sherman V DD | 1942 | 76 | 75 mm Gun M2/M3/M6 | 1×12.7mm Browning M2HB and 2×7.8mm Browning M1919A4 | 30.3 | 298 | 193 | ? | 5 | M4 with flotation screen and propeller |
Ram Badger flame tank | 1941 | 87 | QF 6-pdr | Wasp II flamethrower and 2×7.62mm machine guns | 29 | 298 | 232 | ? | 5 | later versions had flamethrower replacing main gun |
Sherman Badger flame tank | 1942 | 76 | 75 mm Gun M2/M3/M6 | Wasp IIC flamethrower and 2×7.8mm Browning M1919A4 | 30.3 | 298 | 193 | ? | 5 | replacement for Ram Badger flame tank |
Grizzly I | 1943 | 75 | 75 mm M3 L/40 gun | 2×.30-06 Browning M1919A4 MG | 29.91 | 298 | 193 | 188 | 5 | Canadian-built modified M4 Sherman, chassis used for Sexton self-propelled gun |
M10 tank destroyer | 1942 | 57 | 76.2 mm Gun M7 | 1×12.7mm Browning M2HB | 29.6 | 276 | 300 | 6706 | 5 | tank destroyer |
Achilles | 1944 | 57.2 | QF 17-pdr (76mm) | 1×12.7mm Browning M2HB | 29.6 | 276 | 300 | 1,100 | 5 | tank destroyer M10 with British gun |
Archer | 1943 | 60 | QF 17-pdr (76mm) | 1× .303 Bren LMG | 15 | 145 | 230 | 655 | 4 | tank destroyer |
Light Tank Mk VIA | 1936 | 14 | Vickers .50 machine gun (12.7mm) | 1× .303 Vickers machine gun | 4.93 | 67 | 210 | 1,682 | 3 | not used in combat |
Ram tank I and II | 1941 | 87 | QF 6-pdr | 3×7.62mm machine guns | 29 | 298 | 232 | 2000 | 5 | In field conversions saw combat in Europe, based on M3 hull. |
Valentine Mk.VI | 1941 | 65 | QF 2-pdr (40mm) | 1×.30-06 Browning M1919A4 MG | 16.5 | 104 | 130 | 1420 | 3 | Canadian-built, provided to USSR |
Matilda II infantry tank | 1937 | 78 | QF 2-pdr (40mm) | 1×7.92 mm Besa machine gun | 25 | 72 | 257 | 2987 | 4 | not used in combat |
M3 Lee/Grant | 1941 | 51 | 75mm M2/M3 gun | (2-4)×7.8mm Browning M1919A4 | 27 | 300 | 193 | 6258 | ? | not used in combat |
Name | Chassis | Gun | Developed | Manufactured | Role |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sexton | M3 Lee | QF 25-pdr (87.6 mm) Mk II | 1942 | 2150 | self-propelled gun |
M7 Priest | M3 Lee | M101 howitzer (105mm) | 1942 | 4443 | self-propelled gun |
Crusader III, AA Mk.I | Crusader | Bofors 40 mm gun | 1944 | ? | self-propelled AA gun |
Mk.II/III | Crusader | 2×Oerlikon 20mm gun | 1944 | ? | self-propelled AA gun |
Skink anti-aircraft tank | M4 Sherman | 4×Polsten (20mm) | 1944 | 3 | self-propelled AA gun |
M3 75mm Gun Motor Carriage - M3 Half-track equipped with the M1A1 75 mm gun
Model/Type | Years in Use | Manufacturer | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Daimler Dingo | United Kingdom | ||
Daimler Mk. I Armoured Car | United Kingdom | ||
Humber Mk. I Scout Car | United Kingdom | ||
Humber Mk. IV Armoured Car | United Kingdom | ||
M3 Scout Car | United States | ||
Morris Light Reconnaissance Car | United Kingdom | ||
Staghound Armoured Car | United States | ||
Fox Armoured Car | Canada | Humber Armoured Car design modified for Canadian production | |
Otter Light Reconnaissance Car | Canada | Similar to Humber Light Reconnaissance Car | |
Lynx Scout Car | Canada | Similar to Dingo |
Model/Type | Years in Use | Manufacturer | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Ram ARV Mk I and II | Canada | ||
Valentine Bridgelayer | United Kingdom | ||
Sherman V ARV | United States |
Model/Type | Years in Use | Manufacturer | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Kangaroo (armoured personnel carrier) | Canada | ||
Loyd Carrier | United Kingdom | ||
Wasp | United Kingdom | A Universal Carrier with flame-thrower equipment | |
T-16 Carrier | United States | Lend-Lease based upon Universal Carrier, used to tow artillery | |
Windsor Carrier | Canada | variation of Universal Carrier | |
M3A1 Half-track | Various, United States | ||
M5 Half-track | International Harvester, United States | similar to M3 produced for Lend-Lease | |
M9A1 Half-track | International Harvester, United States | Variant of M5 | |
M14 Half-track | International Harvester, United States | M3 Half-track with anti-aircraft turret | |
M5 "Recce" | United States | A turretless M5 light tank used for reconnaissance |
Model [3] | Builder | Country | Load / Comments |
---|---|---|---|
AEC Matador | AEC | UK | Field Artillery Tractor |
Corbitt 6-ton 6x6 | Various | US | 6-ton (5440 kg) |
Diamond T 4-ton 6x6 | Diamond T | US | 4-ton (3630 kg) |
Dodge D8A (T212) | Dodge | Canada | 8cwt (800 lbs, 360 kg) |
Ford GP, GPA | Ford | US | 1⁄4-ton 4x4, GPA amphibian |
Morris C8 | Morris-Commercial | UK | Field Artillery Tractor |
Willys MB/Ford GPW | Willys/Ford | US | "Jeep" 1⁄4-ton 4x4 |
C/F-8, C/F-8A CMP | Chevrolet/Ford | Canada | 8cwt (800 lbs, 360 kg) |
C/F-15, C/F-15A CMP | Chevrolet/Ford | Canada | 15cwt (3⁄4-ton, 630 kg) |
C/F-30, C/F-30A CMP | Chevrolet/Ford | Canada | 30cwt (1+1⁄2-ton, 1360 kg) |
C/F-60, C/F-60A CMP | Chevrolet/Ford | Canada | 60cwt (3-ton, 2720 kg) |
C-60X 6x6 CMP | Chevrolet | Canada | three driven axles |
F-60H 6x4 CMP | Ford | Canada | three axles, rear un-driven |
C/F-GT CMP | Chevrolet/Ford | Canada | Field Artillery Tractor |
Although the Canadian government purchased and built thousands of military aircraft for use by the RCAF Home War Establishment (RCAF Eastern Air Command and RCAF Western Air Command) and the Canadian-based units of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, under the provisions of the plan Canada was to provide the training aircraft and facilities and a very large number of Canadian airmen would be committed to go overseas to fight in Article XV squadrons formed in the Great Britain and known as 400 series squadrons of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Forty-four of these squadrons were formed and most under this agreement were equipped by the British largely from their stocks and that is why many of the types of aircraft flown in combat in great numbers (such as the North American Mustang, Boulton Paul Defiant, Bristol Beaufighter, hundreds of Supermarine Spitfires of various marks, British built Avro Lancasters, Vickers Wellington, Hawker Typhoon, Short Sunderland, etc.) by most of the RCAF squadrons engaged in the fighting are missing from the following list altogether (or the quantities actually used by the RCAF overseas are not included in the numbers given below).
Name | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # Number used |
---|---|---|---|---|
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin | UK | fighter | 1926–1940 | 12 |
Hawker Hurricane | UK/Canada | fighter | 1939–1948 | 502 |
Grumman Goblin | US/Canada | fighter | 1940–1942 | 15 |
North American NA-44 | US | fighter/utility | 1940–1944 | 1 |
Supermarine Spitfire | UK | fighter | 1940–1950 | 8 |
Curtiss Kittyhawk | US | fighter | 1941–1946 | 134 |
Curtiss Warhawk | US | fighter | 1942–1943 | 9 |
Hawker Sea Hurricane | UK | fighter | 1942–1943 | 1 |
Curtiss Tomahawk | US | fighter | 1943–1946 | 4 |
de Havilland Mosquito | UK/Canada | bomber/fighter-bomber | 1943–1951 | 444 |
Gloster Meteor | UK | fighter | 1945–1955 | 4 |
Name | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # used |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blackburn Shark Mk.II & III | UK | torpedo bomber | 1936–1944 | 26 |
Bristol Beaufort | UK | torpedo bomber/strike/minelayer | 1941–1944 | 15 |
Brewster Bermuda | US | dive bomber | 1943–1946 | 3 |
Fairey Swordfish Mk.II & III | UK | torpedo bomber | 1943–1947 | 105 |
Fairey Albacore | UK | torpedo bomber | 1943–1949 | 6 |
Name | 1968 CF designator | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # used |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lockheed Hudson | n/a | US | bomber | 1939–1948 | 247 |
Hawker Hart | n/a | UK | bomber | 1937–1943 | 3 |
Douglas Digby | n/a | US | bomber | 1939–1946 | 20 |
Fairey Battle | n/a | UK | bomber/trainer/target tug | 1939–1946 | 740 |
Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke | n/a | Canada | bomber/trainer | 1939–1947 | 626 |
Handley Page Harrow | n/a | UK | bomber/transport | 1940–1941 | 2 |
Northrop Nomad | n/a | US | light bomber | 1940–1945 | 32 |
Avro Anson | n/a | UK/Canada | medium bomber/trainer | 1940–1947 | 4413 |
Handley Page Hampden | n/a | UK | bomber | 1941–1944 | 96 |
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV | n/a | UK | medium bomber/gunnery trainer | 1941–1945 | 1 |
Douglas Boston | n/a | US | bomber | 1941–1945 | 3 |
Avro Lancaster | n/a | UK/Canada | heavy bomber | 1944–1965 | 229 |
Martin Baltimore | n/a | US | bomber | 1942–1942 | 1 |
North American Mitchell | n/a | US | bomber | 1942–1963 | 164 |
Boeing Fortress Mk.II | n/a | US | long-range patrol bomber | 1943–1946 | 6 |
Handley Page Halifax | n/a | UK | heavy bomber | 1944–1947 |
Name | 1968 CF designator | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # used |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canadian Vickers Vedette | n/a | Canada | patrol flying boat | 1925–1941 | 44 |
Canadian Vickers Vancouver | n/a | Canada | patrol flying boat | 1929–1940 | 6 |
Armstrong Whitworth Atlas | n/a | UK | spotting/liaison | 1927–1942 | 16 |
Westland Wapiti | n/a | UK | spotting/liaison | 1930–1944 | 25 |
Hawker Audax | n/a | UK | spotting/liaison | 1933–1943 | 6 |
Supermarine Stranraer | n/a | Canada | patrol seaplane | 1938–1946 | 40 |
Westland Lysander | n/a | UK/Canada | spotting/liaison/target tug | 1939–1946 | 329 |
Consolidated Catalina/Canso | n/a | US/Canada | maritime patrol seaplane | 1941–1962 | 254 |
Lockheed Ventura | n/a | US | maritime patrol/target tug | 1942–1947 | 28 |
Supermarine Walrus | n/a | UK | fleet spotter/utility amphibian | 1943–1947 | 8 |
Consolidated Liberator | n/a | US | maritime patrol | 1943–1948 | 14 |
Name | 1968 CF designator | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # used |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
De Havilland Moth | n/a | UK | trainer | 1928–1948 | 89 |
Curtiss-Reid Rambler | n/a | Canada | trainer/utility | 1929–1954 | 9 |
Hawker Tomtit | n/a | UK | trainer | 1930–1943 | 2 |
Avro Tutor (Avro 621) | n/a | UK | trainer | 1931–1945 | 7 |
Fleet Fawn | n/a | Canada | elementary trainer | 1931–1947 | 51 |
Avro Prefect (Avro 626) | n/a | UK | trainer | 1937–1945 | 12 |
de Havilland DH.82C Tiger Moth | n/a | Canada | trainer | 1938–1948 | 1410 |
Airspeed Oxford | n/a | UK | trainer (navigation, bombing & radio) | 1939–1947 | 819 |
Fleet Finch | n/a | Canada | elementary trainer | 1939–1947 | 431 |
North American Harvard | n/a | US/Canada | advanced trainer | 1939–1968 | 2156 |
North American NA-26 | n/a | US | trainer | 1940–1942 | 1 |
de Havilland Menasco Moth | n/a | Canada | trainer | 1941–1947 | 136 |
Cessna Crane | n/a | US | trainer | 1941–1949 | 826 |
Fleet Fort | n/a | Canada | intermediate/radio trainer | 1941–1945 | 101 |
Hawker Hind | n/a | UK | instructional airframe | 1942–1943 | 4 |
Stearman Kaydet (Model 75) | n/a | US | elementary trainer | 1942–1943 | 301 |
General Aircraft Hotspur Mk.II | n/a | UK | training glider | 1942–1945 | 22 |
Fairchild Cornell | n/a | US | elementary trainer | 1942–1948 | 1555 |
Name | 1968 CF designator | Place of manufacture | Primary role(s) | Service period | # used |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Consolidated Courier | n/a | US | utility | 1928–1941 | 3 |
Fairchild 71, 71B & 71C | n/a | US/Canada | transport | 1929–1942 | 23 |
Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker | n/a | US | transport | 1929–1944 | 13 |
Fairchild 51 & 51A | n/a | US/Canada | transport | 1930–1946 | 9 |
de Havilland Puss Moth | n/a | UK | transport | 1931–1944 | 19 |
Fairchild Super 71 | n/a | Canada | transport | 1936–1940 | 2 |
Northrop Delta | n/a | Canada | transport/patrol | 1936–1945 | 20 |
Grumman Goose | n/a | US | utility amphibian | 1938–1956 | 31 |
Barkley-Grow T8P-1 | n/a | US | transport | 1939–1941 | 1 |
Lockheed Electra | n/a | US | transport | 1939–1946 | 15 |
Boeing 247D | n/a | US | transport | 1940–1942 | 8 |
de Havilland Dragonfly | n/a | UK | transport | 1940–1945 | 6 |
Fairchild Argus | n/a | US | utility | 1940–1945 | 2 |
Lockheed Electra Junior | n/a | US | transport | 1940–1945 | 10 |
Lockheed Model 212 | n/a | US | transport | 1940–1946 | 1 |
North American Yale | n/a | US | intermediate/radio trainer | 1940–1946 | 119 |
Stinson Voyager (Model 105) | n/a | US | utility | 1940–1946 | 25 |
Noorduyn Norseman | n/a | Canada | utility transport | 1940–1957 | 100 |
de Havilland Fox Moth | n/a | Canada | transport | 1941–1945 | 1 |
Beechcraft Expeditor | CT-128 | US | utility/trainer | 1941–1972 | 394 |
Waco AQC-6 | n/a | US | utility | 1942–1942 | 1 |
Fleet Freighter | n/a | Canada | transport | 1942–1944 | 2 |
Curtiss Seamew | n/a | US | utility floatplane | 1943–1944 | 82 |
Lockheed Lodestar | n/a | US | transport | 1943–1948 | 18 |
Douglas Dakota | CC-129 | US | transport | 1943–1990 | 169 |
Waco Hadrian Mk.II | n/a | US | transport glider | 1944–1949 | 32 |
Model/Type | Period or Years in Use | Manufacturer/Origins |
---|---|---|
.303 British | United Kingdom | |
.455 Webley | United Kingdom |
Model/Type | Period or years in use | Manufacturer/origins |
---|---|---|
Canadian Pattern and British Pattern | ||
Khaki Drill | ||
Battle Dress 1939-early 1970s | United Kingdom | |
Denison smock Used by the Airborne | United Kingdom | |
Model/Type | Period or Years in Use | Manufacturer/Origins |
---|---|---|
1937 Pattern Web Equipment | United Kingdom | |
1942 Battle Jerkin | United Kingdom |
Model/Type | Period or Years in Use | Manufacturer/Origins |
---|---|---|
Glengarry | United Kingdom | |
Tam o'shanter | United Kingdom | |
Field Service Cap | United Kingdom | |
Beret | United Kingdom | |
Helmet, MK II | United Kingdom | |
Mk III Turtle helmet | United Kingdom | |
The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War.
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by it thereafter. The Hudson was a military conversion of the Model 14 Super Electra airliner, and was the first significant aircraft construction contract for Lockheed — the initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received.
The Canadair CP-107 Argus is a maritime patrol aircraft designed and manufactured by Canadair for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The Argus served throughout the Cold War in the RCAF's Maritime Air Command and later the Canadian Force's Maritime Air Group and Air Command.
Canadian Forces Base Gander, is a Canadian Forces base located in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is home to search and rescue operations that cover a vast swath of the western North Atlantic and southern Arctic and a Canadian Coastal Radar station amongst other things. It is home to 9 Wing Gander.
The SCR-584 was an automatic-tracking microwave radar developed by the MIT Radiation Laboratory during World War II. It was one of the most advanced ground-based radars of its era, and became one of the primary gun laying radars used worldwide well into the 1950s. A trailer-mounted mobile version was the SCR-784.
Operation Diver was the British codename for countermeasures against the V-1 flying bomb campaign launched by the German Luftwaffe in 1944 against London and other parts of Britain. Diver was the codename for the V-1, against which the defence consisted of anti-aircraft guns, barrage balloons and fighter aircraft.
Royal Air Force Angle or more commonly RAF Angle, is a former Royal Air Force station located on the Angle Peninsula Coast, 8 miles (13 km) west of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was operational from 1 June 1941 to 11 July 1946, having been used by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
RCAF Station Tofino was a Second World War and Cold War, Royal Canadian Air Force, Radar station located in British Columbia. It was located 6 nautical miles southeast of Tofino, British Columbia, Canada.
443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron is a Canadian Armed Forces helicopter squadron under the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. It was originally a Second World War RCAF squadron that operated as part of RAF Fighter Command in Europe with the Supermarine Spitfire.
Radar in World War II greatly influenced many important aspects of the conflict. This revolutionary new technology of radio-based detection and tracking was used by both the Allies and Axis powers in World War II, which had evolved independently in a number of nations during the mid 1930s. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, both the United Kingdom and Germany had functioning radar systems. In the UK, it was called RDF, Range and Direction Finding, while in Germany the name Funkmeß (radio-measuring) was used, with apparatuses called Funkmessgerät . By the time of the Battle of Britain in mid-1940, the Royal Air Force (RAF) had fully integrated RDF as part of the national air defence.
737 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active during 1943 as an amphibious Bomber Reconnaissance Training Squadron. Reactivated in 1944 it operated as an ASV Training Unit until 1945. It was active again between 1949 and 1957. From 1959 it was the Anti-Submarine Warfare school at RNAS Portland. It operated Westland Wessex HAS.3 rescue helicopters from their land base at RNAS Portland, Dorset.
778 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. During the Second World War the squadron was a Service Trials Unit (STU) initially based at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England before moving to HMS Condor, RNAS Arbroath, Angus, Scotland on 6 July 1940. The squadron tested all types of aircraft that could be used by the Royal Navy. Key to this was testing new types for deck landing on aircraft carriers. Such aircraft included various types of Supermarine Seafires, Grumman Hellcats, Grumman Martlets, Grumman Avengers, and Vought Corsairs. The squadron was reformed on 5 November 1951 with Douglas Skyraider AEW.1 but was disbanded on 7 July 1952 to form the basis of 849 Naval Air Squadron.
Radar, Anti-Aircraft Number 3 Mark 7, also widely referred to by its development rainbow code Blue Cedar, was a mobile anti-aircraft gun laying radar designed by British Thomson-Houston (BTH) in the mid-1940s. It was used extensively by the British Army and was exported to countries such as Holland, Switzerland, Sweden Finland and South Africa. In British service, it was used with the 5.25 inch and QF 3.7 inch AA guns, as well as the Brakemine missile.
765 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It formed at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, in May 1939, as a Seaplane School and Pool squadron. The squadron moved to RNAS Sandbanks, in August 1940, where it undertook the Seaplane Flying Training Course Part I. Lieutenant Commander J.B. Wilson was appointed as dual officer in charge of the air base, and Commanding officer of 765 NAS. By the middle of 1943, dedicated Seaplane Training schools ended and the squadron disbanded in the October. 765 NAS reformed at RNAS Charlton Horethorne, in early February 1944, as a Travelling Recording Unit. The squadron moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent in March, before moving to RNAS Worthy Down on one month later during April, then in May it moved to RNAS Stretton, were it remained during June.
784 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which last disbanded in the autumn of 1946. 784 NAS was a Night Fighter Training Squadron which formed at HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, in June 1942, moving to HMS Nighthawk, RNAS Drem, East Lothian, in October 1942. Squadron Personnel were also detached to the Naval Air Radio Installation Unit at RAF Christchurch, in 1943 and in the same year, a number of crews were attached to RAF night fighter squadrons, with two officers gained Distinguished Flying Crosses. In 1944, three squadron Flights were attached for service to each of 813, 825 and 835 Naval Air Squadrons, embarked in the escort carriers HMS Campania, HMS Vindex, and HMS Nairana respectively, on convoy protection duties. At the beginning of 1946 the squadron moved to Wales, operating out of HMS Goldcrest II, RNAS Brawdy.
787 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm which disbanded in January 1956. It formed in March 1941, at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, out of 804 Naval Air Squadron as a Fleet Fighter Development Unit. Almost every type of fighter was received by the squadron for testing and evaluation for naval use. A move to RAF Duxford in June 1941 saw it become the Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, attached to the Royal Air Force's Air Fighting Development Unit. The squadron undertook rocket projectile test, continuous development of fighter tactics and even helping Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance squadrons in evading fighter attack. Post Second World War it continued its trials task and also undertook Rebecca radar trials and ASH, US-built air-to-surface vessel radar trials.
Radar, Gun Laying, Mark III, or GL Mk. III for short, was a radar system used by the British Army to directly guide, or lay, anti-aircraft artillery (AA). The GL Mk. III was not a single radar, but a family of related designs that saw constant improvement during and after World War II. These were renamed shortly after their introduction in late 1942, becoming the Radar, AA, No. 3, and often paired with an early warning radar, the AA No. 4, which was also produced in several models.
Radar, Anti-Aircraft, or simply AA radar for short, was a classification system for British Army radars introduced in 1943 and used into the 1960s when these systems were replaced by missiles with their own integral radar systems. The classification included subcategories, Number 1 through 8, as well as the many individual systems which were assigned Marks.
The AN/CPS-1, also known as the Microwave Early Warning (MEW) radar, was a semi-mobile, S band, early-warning radar developed by the MIT Radiation Laboratory during World War II. It was one of the first projects attempted by the Lab and was intended to build equipment to transition from the British long-wave radar to the new microwave centimeter-band radar made possible by the cavity magnetron. This project, led by Luis Walter Alvarez, became the world's first microwave phased-array antenna.