Imperial Gift - Canada

Canada

While 22,812 Canadian military personnel had served in the British air forces (RFC, RNAS and RAF), the Canadian air services did not operate as an independent military force until nearly the end of the war. With two squadrons of the Canadian Air Force established in Britain during August 1918, and the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service, established for home defence in September 1918, Canadian units had only reached operational status by the end of hostilities, but never saw combat.

In 1919, when the Canadian Air Board Director of Flying Operations, LCol Robert Leckie studied the types that were being offered, he specified aircraft that would be suitable for civil operations as the peacetime force had undertaken a number of roles that involved surveillance, firefighting and mapping. Although combat aircraft were offered from the large stock of surplus aircraft, Canada's share of the Imperial Gift mainly consisted of the following 114 "multi-purpose" aircraft, although a small number of fighters were also included in the mix:

• 62 x Avro 504
• 23 x Airco/de Havilland DH-4 and Airco/de Havilland DH-9
• 12 x Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a
• 8 x Felixstowe F.3 (flying boat)
• 2 x Curtiss H.16 (flying boat)
• 2 x Bristol F.2b Fighter
• 2 x Sopwith Snipe
• 1 x Fairey IIIc (seaplane)

The final deliveries included some additional aircraft, including two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2C, and single examples of Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2D and Vickers F.B.9, along with some replacement airframes, bringing the final total to 120 aircraft.

In addition to the aircraft, a large number of spares including engines, and ancillary equipment such as cameras and seaplane beaching gear, along with 300 support vehicles consisting of motor transports, trailers and motorcycles, were part of the allotment.

The Imperial Gift aircraft formed the basis of the postwar Canadian Air Force and later reconstituted Royal Canadian Air Force. In 1920, the Canadian Air Board sponsored a project to conduct the first ever Trans-Canada flight to determine the feasibility of such flights for future air mail and passenger service. Using the CAF's DH-9s to start the flight, the leg from Rivière du Loup to Winnipeg was flown by LCol Leckie and Major Hobbs in a Felixstowe F.3, all aircraft that were part of the Imperial Gift. Although not considered suitable for the harsh Canadian weather, the Imperial Gift aircraft soldiered on into the 1930s, gradually being replaced by newer types. The last aircraft in service was an Avro 504K that was retired in 1934.