Air

Large-scale military aviation began with the First World War, not long after the 1909 flight of the Silver Dart marked the start of aviation in Canada. As no Canadian Air Force yet existed, thousands of Canadians fought the First World War in British flying units. Canadians first served with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) or with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). These two services amalgamated on 1 April 1918 into the Royal Air Force (RAF). In total, an estimated 13,000 – 22,000 individuals from Canada joined the British flying services. In 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was created. With the outbreak of war in September 1939, the RCAF was able to draw on an existing cadre of officers and airmen and also attracted experienced personnel from private enterprise. By 1945, close to 250,000 men and women had served in the RCAF at home and abroad.