The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

Introduction

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) was a program that trained aircrew of more than 130,000 men to supply the allies during conflicts in the Second World War. Even though most of the training for the BCATP transpired on Canadian soil, the controlling mandate was the Royal Air Force, based out of Britain. The subject of the BCATP is a very significant one because of the different aspects of aerial warfare. In order to attain superior air warfare, an effective training program is the key to success. This paper will generalize the different phases which Canada took to build and perfect the programme. Without sufficiently trained pilots, attributes such as; equipment, intelligence, strategic advantage are ineffective.

Body

The Assembling and Undertaking of the Programme

Throughout wartimes, Canadians always had visions of engaging in air combat along with other countries. At this time, Canada did not have a flying corps, therefore, all Canadian troops had to prance around in the mud at Flanders rather than sitting in a cockpit of an airborne machine. If a member of the Canadian forces were aspired to fly, their only option was to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) or the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). In April 1918, the forces coupled and formed the Royal Air Force (RAF). Over 22,000 Canadian soldiers served in the RAF and at the end of the war was the most powerful air force in the world.

On the eve of Prime Minister King's birthday, 16 March 1939,