RCAF Western Air Command

Western Air Command
Active 15 March 1938 – 1 March 1947
Country  Canada
Allegiance  Canada
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
Engagements

Second World War

Western Air Command was the part of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Home War Establishment responsible for air operations on the Pacific coast of Canada during the Second World War. When Canada declared war against Germany in September 1939 the command consisted of only five squadrons. Four of them equipped with obsolete aircraft including a bomber squadron with aircraft from the Great War and there were no fighter aircraft at all for its only fighter squadron (113 Fighter Squadron was thus disbanded). With the Japanese threat after Pearl Harbor it grew rapidly and played a critical role in fighter and anti-submarine operations in Canadian and American waters during the Aleutian Islands Campaign.[1] It was there that Squadron Leader K.A. Boomer of No. 111 Squadron shot down a Rufe fighter, the RCAF's only kill in the Pacific Theatre.[2] By January 1943 Western Air Command had expanded to include many bomber, fighter and operational units under its umbrella. By the end of the war the command would eventually involve some twenty squadrons when the last units to join were added in 1943. These were the 163 Army Cooperation Squadron in March flying Bristol Bolingbrokes and Hawker Hurricanes, in May the 160 Bomber-Reconnaissance Squadron was added flying Cansos from Sea Island BC before moving to Yarmouth NS in July (this aircraft would also replace the command's remaining Supermarine Stranraers and Blackburn Sharks) followed by 166 Communication Squadron in September flying various types. In addition countless training missions and operational patrols bolstered the air activity over the coastal areas. These flights were made by the three Operational Training Schools (OTS) operated by RCAF and RAF units of the BCATP that were not under the chain of command but shared the aerodromes with the operational squadrons of the Western Air Command. They were the No. 3 OTS flying the Canso and Catalina and No. 32 OTS with Ansons, Beauforts and Swordfish at Patricia Bay. In addition No. 5 OTS Heavy Conversion unit operated from Boundry Bay flying the Liberator and Mitchell bombers.

Order of battle

1 January 1943

HQ Vancouver, British Columbia.
No. 2 Group. HQ Victoria, British Columbia
Squadron Type of Aircraft Station
No. 4 Squadron RCAF Consolidated Canso RCAF Station Ucluelet
No. 14 Squadron RCAF Curtiss Kittyhawk RCAF Station Sea Island
No. 120 Squadron RCAF Supermarine Stranraer RCAF Station Coal Harbour
No. 122 Squadron RCAF Various RCAF Station Patricia Bay
No. 132 Squadron RCAF Curtiss Kittyhawk RCAF Station Tofino
No. 133 Squadron RCAF Hawker Hurricane RCAF Station Boundary Bay
No. 135 Squadron RCAF Hawker Hurricane RCAF Station Patricia Bay
No. 147 Squadron RCAF Bristol Bolingbroke RCAF Station Sea Island
No. 149 Squadron RCAF Bristol Beaufort RCAF Station Patricia Bay
No.4 Group. HQ Prince Rupert, British Columbia
Squadron Type of Aircraft Station
No. 6 Squadron RCAF Supermarine Stranraer RCAF Station Alliford Bay
No. 7 Squadron RCAF Blackburn Shark RCAF Station Prince Rupert
No. 9 Squadron RCAF Supermarine Stranraer RCAF Station Bella Bella
Detached operations
"X" Wing. HQ Anchorage, Alaska.
Squadron Type of Aircraft Station
No. 8 Squadron RCAF Bristol Bolingbroke Anchorage, Alaska- transferred to Sea Island 26 Feb
No. 14 Squadron RCAF Curtiss Kittyhawk Anchorage, Alaska- replaced 8 Sqn 2 Mar
No. 111 Squadron RCAF Curtiss Kittyhawk Kodiak, Alaska
"Y" Wing. HQ Annette Island, Alaska.
Squadron Type of Aircraft Station
No. 115 Squadron RCAF Bristol Bolingbroke Annette Island, Alaska
No. 118 Squadron RCAF Curtiss Kittyhawk Annette Island, Alaska

[3]

References

  1. ↑ "The Japanese Attack: Air Force, Part 31" (Canadian Military History in Pespective: Air Force)
  2. ↑ Juno Beach Centre
  3. ↑ Canadian Wings: RCAF Orders of Battle 1 January 1943

See also