Thanks to a sponsorship from Rebuilt Resources, visitors can enjoy free admission, to Discovery North Bay Museum during Armed Forces Day tomorrow (Wednesday) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn about North Bay’s Royal Air Force Flying School at an exhibit curated by Captain Doug Newman.
During the war, Canadian, British and other Allied air forces in Great Britain desperately needed warplanes from factories in Canada and the United States to repel and stop Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and Fascist Italy, who were running rampage from Iceland to China, vying to conquer the world.
During the war, Canadian, British and other Allied air forces in Great Britain desperately needed warplanes from factories in Canada and the United States to repel and stop Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and Fascist Italy, who were running rampage from Iceland to China, vying to conquer the world.
The decision was made to fly the planes to Britain over the Atlantic Ocean. The prospect was daunting. Ocean flying then was new and as dangerous as spaceflight is today. Before the war, only half the attempted flights over the Atlantic made it; the rest crashed into the sea.
Some experts predicted the losses of warplanes and their crews would be worse than in battle.
To improve their chances of survival the Royal Air Force set up the school at North Bay, to teach airmen the skills of ocean flying and how to deal with emergencies en route. Their success was spectacular.
To improve their chances of survival the Royal Air Force set up the school at North Bay, to teach airmen the skills of ocean flying and how to deal with emergencies en route. Their success was spectacular.
Contrary to the experts' dire omens, graduates safely transported thousands of warplanes to Allied air forces not just in Britain, but Bermuda, the Caribbean, South America, Africa, the Mediterranean, Middle East and India.
A few were lost to the sea but the majority survived, and the contribution they made to winning the war by delivering their warplanes is beyond measure.
The exhibit will be on all summer to give visitors a chance to learn more about North Bay’s Royal Air Force Flying School.
When: Jun 8th 2016, 10 a.m. 2 p.m.
The exhibit will be on all summer to give visitors a chance to learn more about North Bay’s Royal Air Force Flying School.
When: Jun 8th 2016, 10 a.m. 2 p.m.
Where: Discovery North Bay Museum, 100 Ferguson Street, North Bay ON.
