The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), or Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a massive joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War. BCATP remains one of the single largest aviation training programs in history and was responsible for training nearly half the pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, air gunners, wireless operators and flight engineers who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during the war.
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1914, with the formation of the Canadian Aviation Corps (CAC) that was attached to the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. It consisted of one aircraft that was never called into service. In 1918, a wing of two Canadian squadrons called the Canadian Air Force (CAF) was formed in England and attached to the Royal Air Force, but it also would never see wartime service. Postwar, an air militia also known as the Canadian Air Force was formed in Canada in 1920. In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) when it was granted the royal title by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968.
Vanastra is a dispersed rural community and unincorporated place in the municipality of Huron East, Huron County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southeast of the community of Clinton. It is located on the former property of a top secret Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station used to train and supply over 7,000 radar technicians and support staff for American, British and Canadian forces during World War II.
RCAF Station Kingston was a World War II air training station built in 1940 at Collins Bay near Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The station was originally built by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for use by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Like other RAF schools in Canada, it was subject to RCAF administrative and operational control.
Canadian Forces Base Clinton, CFB Clinton for short, was a Canadian Forces Base located near Clinton, Ontario. It initially opened in July 1941 as RAF Station Clinton under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as a training unit for radar operators during a period when radar was a top secret device. UK, Canadian, US and other servicemen were trained at Clinton, with practical flights being carried out at nearby RCAF Station Centralia. Clinton remained the primary radar training site for Canadian Forces personnel through the Cold War era, with continued expansions throughout the 1950s and 60s. As part of a centralization effort, CFB Clinton was closed in 1971, with the site abandoned by 1972. A number of buildings remain on the site, including a large "golf ball" radome.
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station in Mount Pleasant, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Two of its runways remain in use by members of the Experimental Aircraft Association.
RCAF Station Charlottetown was a Royal Canadian Air Force station located in Sherwood, Prince Edward Island. Today's Charlottetown Airport maintains a remnant of the airfield's runways near its general aviation terminal, but all buildings and most infrastructure have been removed.
Canadian Forces Base St. Hubert was a Canadian Forces Base in the city of Saint-Hubert, Quebec. The base began as a civilian airfield in the 1920s and was later also used by RCAF auxiliary (reserve) squadrons, beginning in the mid-1930s. It became a fully-fledged RCAF station early in World War II, being extensively used for training as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. After the war, it grew into one of the most important air bases in Canada, and remained so for decades.
Canadian Forces Detachment Mountain View, also CFD Mountain View, is a Canadian Forces airfield located in Prince Edward County, Ontario, south of Belleville. It is geographically close to CFB Trenton, which has administrative responsibility for the facilities.
Canadian Forces Base Chatham or CFB Chatham was a Canadian Forces Base located immediately south of the town of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada. Parts are now operating as Miramichi Municipal Airport since 1974 with a partial runway available.
CFB Rivers was a Royal Canadian Air Force base located 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Rivers, Manitoba, Canada, at the junction of Manitoba Highway 25 and Manitoba Provincial Road 259.
Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie is a former military airport of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) located adjacent to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Today the airport is operated as Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport.
No. 1 General Reconnaissance School RCAF was a flight training unit in 3 Training Command, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, flying Avro Ansons from RCAF Station Summerside, PEI.
No. 2 Air Navigation School was a navigation training school in No. 3 Training Command RCAF, of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan("BCATP"), flying Avro Anson's from RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge. It was opened on 21 July 1941 and closed on 30 April 1942. A second school with the same number opened at RCAF Station Charlottetown on 21 February 1944 and closed on 7 July 1945.
No. 9 Service Flying Training School (SFTS), Royal Canadian Air Force, was a flight training school, located at RCAF Station Summerside, PEI, and later, RCAF Station Centralia, Ontario. It was part of No. 3 Training Command RCAF, carrying out British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) training operations.
No. 8 Service Flying Training School RCAF was a flight training squadron in 3 Training Command, of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), flying Avro Ansons from RCAF Station Moncton, New Brunswick. The school was opened 23 December 1940. The school was relocated to RCAF Station Weyburn, Saskatchewan on 24 January 1944 and was disbanded 30 June 1944.
No. 13 Service Flying Training School RCAF was a RAF flight training unit flying Avro Ansons from RCAF Station St Hubert, Quebec and later from RCAF Station North Battleford, Saskatchewan. It was part of No. 3 Training Command RCAF carrying out British Commonwealth Air Training Plan ("BCATP") operations.
RCAF Station Penhold was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Penhold, Alberta, Canada.
United Kingdom 
Royal Air Force