Warbird Information Exchange

Recently, I have come across a couple of Aviation Groups within Canada that are planning
celebrations/events in 2010 for what they say is the 70th Anniversry of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
I know that there are countries that recognize 1941 as the start of the plan and I do not wish to dispute the year they got started but Officially the agreement was signed in Dec 17 1939 and the first schools were operating by 1940 in Canada.
Having a father that was a BCATP Instructor and growing up around him and his BCATP Friends, they always recognized 1940 as the actual START year. My fathers discharge documents themselves also record his BCATP time from 1940-44. In fact the BCATP also had their own documetation/certificate that was given to discharged personnel and it also supports 1940 as the beginning. Many of the photos in his collection are at the BCATP Schools in 1940 and prove the BCATP had started operation in that year.
Further evidence to support 1940 as the start are recorded in RCAF documentation, historical texts , by the Personnel themselves and by the Canadian Armed Forces which held 70th Anniversary celebrations last Summer at CFB Trenton.
The evidence to support 1940 as the start of the BCATP is both factual and overwhelming, so I am both disturbed by and curious about this new trend to celebrate 1941-2011 as the 70th Anniversary and wonder why some groups are doing this.
To me this is an altering of history and wrongly educates younger / new Canadians about this great part of Canadian history.
I would like to hear the opinions of the Forum members regarding the BCATP Anniversary and histories as it applies to Canada.

_________________
...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

Generally called the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Australia, and the AWM website gives signing an agreement in '39, first schools underway in 1940.

http://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_14939.asp

HTH.

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

.

There have already been anniversary celebrations earlier this year in Australia marking the 70th anniversary of the EATS program in Australia based on the first course commencing in 1940 - as James said its universally known as the Empire Air Training Scheme here in Australia - all debated earlier here in Wix at > http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33535


Regards

Mark Pilkington

_________________
20th Century - The Age of Manned Flight
"from Wrights to Armstrong in 66 years -WOW!"

Maybe the folks planning the celebrations/events couldn't get their act together in time for 2010 so they are playing with the dates to make it look like the 2011 celebrations will be timely. It wouldn't be the first time that sort of thing has been done. I'd be willing to look the other way if it led to more support for and better quality of celebrations/events next year. We can always correct the record later.

August

Mark
Yes I remember that discussion earlier but I am more interested in our situation here in Canada
The start Date fo the "Plan " is well documented here so I just wondering at the reasoning and logic behind a few Museums here that are altering history and deciding to declare 1941 -2011 as the anniversary.

Fleet16b

_________________
...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

Interesting discussion, here at Vintage Wings of Canada I walk past the poster Dave put together on the BCATP every morning but hadn't looked at the dates. Just checked it and it commemorates the BCATP 1939 - 1945 as the dates.
By the way our Fleet Finch arrived here yesterday getting very yellow in the hangar, particularly when the Cornell is finished.
Heard you were in sorry I missed you.
Steve

_________________
“Try to fly in the middle of the air. The edges are filled with mountains and oceans and rocks and it’s much harder to fly there.”

Yes, Rob and Blake both called to let me know it had arrived.
At one point I was going to fly it up from the States but logistics etc made it not possible.
Either way, it's great that it's in it's new home

_________________
...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan officially came into being on December 17, 1939.

cheers
Doug

Absolutely correct this cannot be disputed.
As for when things actually got underway, some of the Schools were up and running in 1940,
However some groups across Canada are saying 2010 or 2011 are the 70th anniversary years. I am interested to hear why they recognize those years instead of the official year.

_________________
...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

You'd need to ask them. It's evident that here no-one's advancing or suggesting a 1941 date.

Regards,

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com