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"They came with a variety of aviation knowledge. Some were experienced veteran flyers of WW2, including decorated fighter aces of the Pacific War. A few were ex-RCAF pilots with operational backgrounds. Many were recent graduates of the RCAF. But they all wanted a flying career as a carrier pilot. They were young, adventurous, and high spirited. Some lacked discipline and maturity, but they all flocked to join the newly formed Canadian Naval Air Branch at war's end. It was not the best of times to form a new branch of the service. The navy was struggling to covert to a post-war environment faced with budget cuts, a lack of organization, and a mass exodus of trained personnel to a civilian life. The supporting technical air trades mirrored their flying crews. Young and often lacking experience, they displayed remarkable enthusiasm and flexibility, often working without proper equipment and adequate logistic support. They were truly dedicated to the Air Branch in which they served, rising to the challenge and working long and tiring hours to keep aircraft flying. With such loyalty and enthusiam, a remarkable esprit de corps was forged. Over the years the Canadian Naval Air Branch emerged as a highly motivated, and skilful operational force, achieving a level of effectiveness equal to the best that the Royal Navy and the United States Navy could offer. These results were not achieved without a considerable loss of life as the branch evolved. In the first ten years, fifty eight young men of all ranks died, serving in the cause of Canadian Naval Aviation. Volume One of Hands To Flying Stations describes for the first time those early days, and is the story as told by those who were there." |
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Copyright © 2001
Revised -- March/25/2001
URL:
https://canadaatwar.tripod.com/coversh/flyingstations1.html