Brandon's Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) will be participating in the Canadian Armed Forces Day, taking place across the country on Sunday, June 5th.  This will be the first year for Brandon, and it promises to be a great day of celebrating our Canadian military, in the past, present and future.

Executive Director of the museum, Stephen Hayter, says one of his volunteer staff members encouraged them to join the national event.

"I think its fantastic that we have a new volunteer, ex-military just recently retired, and he wanted to see something that would recognize the Canadian Military and really kick off our season and get people out to the museum!"

'The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of World War II was the largest infrastructure program Canada had ever seen, surpassing the construction of the transcontinental railway. The training establishments changed the social and economic conditions in many communities forever. In Manitoba alone, fourteen training sites were created across the province. The influx of 1,500 or more trainees and staff suddenly added to communities like Brandon, and after the war ended many of the B.C.A.T.P. buildings became community halls, hockey rinks, housing, and business structures. Not surprising, with young men & women from all parts of Canada coming together during training, it was probably one of the greatest unifying forces in our history,' shares Hayter. 

"That military history is a national story that is preserved at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum and on Sunday, June 5th we will celebrate our Armed Forces," he adds. 

"We've invited the military out so we're hoping to get some impressive military aircraft," he explains.  "We're kind of excited because we're going to be showcasing our Fleet Finch, which is newly restored   It's a bi-plane and it will be flying this season as well!"

To learn more about the CATPM's restoration process of the Fleet Finch click HERE:  Fleet Finch – Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial (airmuseum.ca)

The Sunday event 'will feature the air museum’s own WWII flying aircraft, including the Canadian and British Tiger Moths, our Harvard, our Cornell and Stinson. Also the newly restored Fleet Finch will be on display.  Get up close with the aircraft and talk with the pilots. We are also very excited to have the participation of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the RCA Museum, 26th Field Museum, the Brandon Flight Centre and a number of private historic aircraft, including a T-28 Trojan!' Hayter explains.

The restoration crew at the CATPM are always working on projects and one that has caught their attention is the 'Skyways Exhibit' recently passed to the Brandon museum from Winnipeg's Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

All are invited to celebration Canadian Armed Forces Day, Sunday June 5th at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum!

Located at McGill Field (Brandon Municipal Airport) in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

Gates open 10am, until 4pm, $10 per person, $5 youth and a family rate of $25. All military personnel families and veterans are free. Food vendors on site. 

Noteworthy Facts:

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum is Canada’s only air museum solely dedicated to the preservation of those who trained and fought for the British Commonwealth during WWII. 

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum is proud to be one of the seven Manitoba Signature Museums, a Manitoba Star Attraction and a National Historic Site. 

  

For more information about the CATPM’s event, please visit:  Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial – Dedicated to the plan for training air force personnel for the Commonwealth in WWII (airmuseum.ca)

Contact: Stephen Hayter, Executive Director 

Ph: 727-2444  Fax:725-2334  Email: airmuseum@inetlink.ca