On 1 April 2024, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) celebrated 100 years of service as a distinct military element.
As the Centennial year comes to a close, the RCAF would like to thank everyone who has supported us throughout this unforgettable journey! Together, we’ve celebrated 100 years of service, innovation and the incredible people who make the RCAF what it is today.
For current news and activities from the RCAF, please visit https://www.canada.ca/en/air-force.html
#YourAirForce #RCAF100
Youth: Inspire & STEM
The RCAF Centennial campaign is poised to INSPIRE Canadian youth in the fields of STEM and Health Promotion to enrich the lives of current and aspiring aviators and their families.
Home |
The Canadian Cadet Organizations help develop skills that will help youth transition into adulthood, from good citizenship, leadership, and a focus on physical fitness, Cadets have experiences that you don’t find anywhere else. Air Cadets focus on aviation related activities including flying, gliding and studies in aerospace.
The RCAF has partnered with Youth Science Canada to help fuel the curiosity of Canadian youth by providing a variety of opportunities to get involved in exciting, and imaginative, inquiry and project-based STEM.
Indspire is an Indigenous national charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. In partnership with Indigenous, private, and public sector stakeholders, Indspire educates, connects, and invests in Indigenous students so they will achieve their highest potential.
For the RCAF Centennial, Michaels SALUTE Resource Group is proudly supporting the Canadian Armed Forces, Personnel Support Programs, Summer Camps with an assortment of arts and crafts supplies. These supplies will be used by children and youth across Canada to participate in RCAF Centennial colouring activities as well as create some unique arts and crafts projects based on S.T.E.M. curriculum and programs.
You too can join in on the fun by colouring one of our Astra colouring sheets, download links are below. Want to share your colouring masterpiece? Ask a parent to help you post it online, tag us on Facebook and use the hashtag #RCAFASTRA and #RCAF100.
Ingenium represents a collaborative space where the past meets the future in a celebration of creativity, discovery, and human ingenuity. Under the Ingenium brand, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is an incredible resource that provides sensory experiences that immerse young and old alike in the countless ways science and technology connect with Canadians’ everyday lives.
Explore some of the science and technology activities that they offer in your own home with these fun hands-on activities and science experiments.
Food colouring flows through water and around a toy airplane, mimicking how air would flow around a real aircraft.
Create
Tornados, whirlpools, even galaxies are all vortexes. Explain how they work with this fun and simple tornado-in-a-bottle.
Create
They might seem too far away for you to study, but in this demonstration, you’ll make your very own cloud in a jar.
Create
Activities and fun facts about the most complex and powerful space telescope ever built!
Create
You might not be able to feel it, but air actually has a lot of weight pushing down on us. See what happens when you create a soda can that can’t fight back!
Create
Opening as an air training school in 1917, seven years before the formation of the RCAF, Borden has operated continuously through war, peace, depression, war, and again peace, as a training centre for Canada’s Air Force. Although no “birth certificate” points to Borden (or to any other place for that matter), as the birthplace of the RCAF, Camp Borden is truly the only place that can claim such title.
The birth of the RCAF was not an overnight event. It was achieved through a transition period that went on from the creation of the Air Board in 1919, the Canadian Air Force in 1920, and a major reorganization that culminated in 1924 with the proclamation of a new “Royal” Canadian Air Force. Soon after the royal assent was given by King George V, the new RCAF adopted the sky blue uniforms and insignias patterned after those in the Royal Air Force.
On the day of the official birth of the RCAF, Camp Borden was by far the most important station in terms of assets, personnel, and flying activities. With its 24 Officers and 125 Other Ranks, Camp Borden was home to more than half of the personnel of the RCAF. Camp Borden was also the only station involved in year-round military training activities.
CFB Borden/16 Wing History
The CF-104 Starfighter still is the fastest RCAF aircraft of all time, setting many world altitude and speed records.
[linkbutton text=”Learn More” url=”https://www.canada.ca/en/air-force/services/aircraft/cf-188.html” newwindow=”yes”
The CC-177 Globemaster III strategic airlifter transports troops, cargo and oversized combat equipment. Rapid, reliable and flexible, it is equipped with advanced digital avionics.
…the largest representation of RCAF members is found at 8 Wing / CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ontario.
Learn More
There are many other RCAF roles that are incredibly important and contribute to the overall operational readiness of our Canadian Armed Forces.
The RCAF is a part of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. It defends and protects Canadian and North American airspace in partnership with the United States. With more than 100 different occupations, the RCAF provides amazing career opportunities and personal growth.
More Information
