88:
30:
345:
If there could be named a "Father of Canada's Post War Air Force", Wilfred Curtis would be the outstanding nominee. Through his drive, interpersonal skills, sense of humor, compassionate understanding of aviation and effective leadership, the RCAF became a well-knit, effective and efficient fighting
244:
Flt. Sub-Lieut. (act. Flt. Lieut.) Wilfred Austin Curtis, R.N.A.S. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has on many occasions destroyed and driven out of control enemy machines. On 21 October 1917, in a combined attack with two other pilots, he sent down an enemy machine in flames, and
306:
Canada, where he continued to have a substantial impact on the development of aviation in Canada. He always devoted time to other aviation concerns: was
President of the RCAF Association for two years until he was appointed Grand President of that organization, founded and organized the Canadian
269:
On his return to Canada he maintained his interest in military as well as civil aviation. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, he served as an officer in the
Toronto Scottish Regiment Reserve. For some time there were no available non-permanent military aviation positions. However, when the
290:
The singular success that marks his air force career in wartime decisions was rewarded by his appointment in 1947 as Chief of the Air Staff. In this appointment he guided the RCAF through the difficult stages of reorganization which followed the war and through the expansion of Canada's
317:
The Air
Marshal had a great interest in the development of the Canadian aircraft industry. During his term of office, he continually and successfully directed his efforts to secure money for experimental work on and production of a jet trainer and twin engine fighters, the
253:
He proved his worth as a highly successful fighter pilot by shooting down 13 enemy aircraft confirmed; his final tally was 4 enemy planes destroyed, 3 of which were shared victories; also, he drove down 9 enemy planes out of control, one of which was shared.
1034:
270:
opportunity presented itself in 1933, he became involved in the formation of No. 10 (Army Co-operation) Squadron. Curtis became
Officer Commanding in 1935 and initiated experimental air operations in mid-northern Ontario.
691:
1014:
1009:
684:
1019:
1004:
299:(NATO). He received French, American and Italian decorations in recognition of his contributions. He remained Chief of the Air Staff until his retirement in January 1953.
677:
994:
342:
squadrons being dispatched to Europe. This major contribution of 300 front line aircraft was the principal air defense force on that continent during the 1950s.
307:
National Air Show in 1939 and served as chairman of its scholarship fund and was appointed the
Honorary Wing Commander of the No. 400 (City of Toronto) Squadron.
582:
866:
369:
236:
173:
169:
314:, of which he was elected Chancellor in 1960. He served as Chairman of the Canadian Opera Company and President of the Canadian Inter American Association.
989:
1039:
700:
609:
197:
1029:
1024:
999:
542:
484:
245:
twenty minutes later he followed another enemy scout from 10,000 to 2,000 feet, and sent it down in a vertical dive, which ended in a crash.
856:
296:
165:
534:
938:
922:
393:
846:
381:
181:
278:
Wing
Commander Curtis was called to active duty in the RCAF on 1 September 1939 and became deputy air officer commanding,
800:
602:
549:
225:
105:
363:
346:
force. He materially contributed to the glorious saga of Canada's military and industrial aviation accomplishments.
871:
579:
279:
876:
613:
201:
117:
527:
Above the
Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920
422:
Above the
Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920
335:
229:
109:
29:
729:
647:
795:
754:
744:
375:
177:
984:
979:
815:
881:
769:
749:
734:
724:
714:
436:
508:
456:
513:
461:
441:
851:
836:
538:
530:
356:
213:
57:
669:
841:
820:
651:
586:
387:
311:
303:
258:
161:
113:
902:
764:
739:
661:
339:
973:
953:
897:
326:
suitable for interception operations in the northern
Canadian climate. Early in the
319:
948:
943:
861:
790:
774:
759:
719:
323:
151:
912:
147:
137:
958:
917:
907:
810:
624:
529:
Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990.
497:
CRABE, FS William Eugene (R205588) - Conspicuous
Gallantry Medal (Flying) - No
292:
330:, he convinced the cabinet that the RCAF should make a major contribution to
302:
On his retirement from the RCAF he accepted the position of Vice-Chairman of
496:
327:
1035:
Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
310:
Other interests included the chairmanship of the committee that formed
74:
193:
93:
282:
in London in 1941. He became a member of the Air Council in 1944.
331:
673:
399:
Honorary Doctor of Laws from York University (LL.D.) (1968)
239:(DSC) for his skill and courage. The award citation read:
228:
in 1915; he graduated on 11 August 1916 and joining the
235:
In 1917 Curtis was promoted to captain and awarded the
192:(21 August 1893 – 14 August 1977) was a Canadian
1015:
Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
1010:
Royal Canadian Air Force air marshals of World War II
708:
Officers Commanding / Directors / Senior Air Officers
574:
931:
890:
829:
783:
707:
157:
143:
133:
123:
99:
81:
64:
44:
36:
20:
216:, having received his early education in Toronto.
241:
445:(Supplement). 19 December 1917. p. 13318.
250:In 1918, Curtis was awarded a Bar to the DSC.
685:
8:
1020:Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath
575:Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame official site
415:
413:
237:Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
170:Commander of the Order of the British Empire
1005:Canadian military personnel of World War I
932:Commanders of the Royal Canadian Air Force
701:Commanders of the Royal Canadian Air Force
692:
678:
670:
591:
580:Canada's 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders
465:(Supplement). 16 March 1918. p. 3395.
28:
17:
995:Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame inductees
517:(Supplement). 2 June 1943. p. 2480.
409:
480:
478:
476:
474:
472:
174:Distinguished Service Cross & Bar
7:
224:He then joined the infantry of the
297:North Atlantic Treaty Organization
166:Companion of the Order of the Bath
14:
990:Royal Canadian Air Force officers
1040:Royal Naval Air Service aviators
86:
1030:People from Peterborough County
1025:Officers of the Order of Canada
1000:Chancellors of York University
554:Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame
394:Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame
162:Officer of the Order of Canada
1:
204:(RCAF) from 1947 until 1953.
226:Canadian Expeditionary Force
106:Canadian Expeditionary Force
382:Canadian Forces' Decoration
370:Distinguished Service Cross
364:Order of the British Empire
232:(RNAS) as a fighter pilot.
182:Canadian Forces' Decoration
1056:
372:with bar (1917 & 1918)
280:RCAF Overseas Headquarters
658:
645:
636:
631:
621:
607:
599:
594:
487:The Canadian Encyclopedia
27:
585:11 November 2020 at the
202:Royal Canadian Air Force
118:Royal Canadian Air Force
891:Chiefs of the Air Staff
830:Commanders, Air Command
784:Chiefs of the Air Staff
550:"Wilfred Austin Curtis"
334:. This resulted in an
230:Royal Naval Air Service
110:Royal Naval Air Service
642:University established
610:Chief of the Air Staff
350:Awards and decorations
257:He transferred to the
248:
198:Chief of the Air Staff
376:Efficiency Decoration
291:participation in the
261:(RAF) in April 1918.
190:Wilfred Austin Curtis
178:Efficiency Decoration
124:Years of service
22:Wilfred Austin Curtis
882:Allan DeQuetteville
656:1959 – 1968
619:1947 – 1953
514:The London Gazette
462:The London Gazette
442:The London Gazette
967:
966:
857:Donald McNaughton
668:
667:
659:Succeeded by
632:Academic offices
622:Succeeded by
595:Military offices
543:978-0-948817-19-9
357:Order of the Bath
214:Havelock, Ontario
187:
186:
58:Havelock, Ontario
1047:
872:David Huddleston
694:
687:
680:
671:
600:Preceded by
592:
564:
562:
560:
519:
518:
505:
499:
494:
488:
482:
467:
466:
453:
447:
446:
433:
427:
426:
417:
274:Second World War
101:
92:
90:
89:
75:Toronto, Ontario
71:
54:
52:
32:
18:
1055:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1048:
1046:
1045:
1044:
970:
969:
968:
963:
939:André Deschamps
927:
923:André Deschamps
886:
867:Fred Sutherland
842:Allan MacKenzie
825:
821:Clarence Dunlap
779:
703:
698:
664:
655:
652:York University
643:
640:
627:
618:
605:
587:Wayback Machine
571:
558:
556:
548:
523:
522:
507:
506:
502:
495:
491:
483:
470:
455:
454:
450:
435:
434:
430:
419:
418:
411:
406:
388:Order of Canada
366:(C.B.E.) (1943)
352:
312:York University
304:Hawker Siddeley
288:
276:
267:
259:Royal Air Force
222:
220:First World War
212:He was born in
210:
180:
176:
172:
168:
164:
150:
128:
116:
114:Royal Air Force
112:
108:
87:
85:
73:
69:
56:
50:
48:
23:
12:
11:
5:
1053:
1051:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
972:
971:
965:
964:
962:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
935:
933:
929:
928:
926:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
903:Lloyd Campbell
900:
894:
892:
888:
887:
885:
884:
879:
877:Scott Clements
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
833:
831:
827:
826:
824:
823:
818:
813:
808:
806:Wilfred Curtis
803:
798:
796:Lloyd Breadner
793:
787:
785:
781:
780:
778:
777:
772:
770:George Johnson
767:
765:Lindsay Gordon
762:
757:
755:Lloyd Breadner
752:
747:
745:William Barker
742:
740:Lindsay Gordon
737:
732:
730:Ronald Redpath
727:
722:
717:
711:
709:
705:
704:
699:
697:
696:
689:
682:
674:
666:
665:
662:Floyd Chalmers
660:
657:
644:
641:
634:
633:
629:
628:
623:
620:
606:
601:
597:
596:
590:
589:
577:
570:
569:External links
567:
566:
565:
546:
521:
520:
500:
489:
485:Wilfred Curtis
468:
448:
428:
425:. p. 131.
408:
407:
405:
402:
401:
400:
397:
391:
385:
379:
373:
367:
360:
351:
348:
287:
286:Post-war years
284:
275:
272:
266:
265:Interwar years
263:
221:
218:
209:
206:
185:
184:
159:
155:
154:
145:
141:
140:
135:
131:
130:
125:
121:
120:
103:
97:
96:
83:
79:
78:
72:(aged 83)
68:14 August 1977
66:
62:
61:
55:21 August 1893
46:
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
25:
24:
21:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1052:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
977:
975:
960:
957:
955:
954:Al Meinzinger
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
936:
934:
930:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
898:David Kinsman
896:
895:
893:
889:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
847:Kenneth Lewis
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
834:
832:
828:
822:
819:
817:
816:Hugh Campbell
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
801:Robert Leckie
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
786:
782:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
715:Ernest Janney
713:
712:
710:
706:
702:
695:
690:
688:
683:
681:
676:
675:
672:
663:
654:
653:
649:
639:
635:
630:
626:
617:
615:
611:
604:
598:
593:
588:
584:
581:
578:
576:
573:
572:
568:
555:
551:
547:
544:
540:
536:
535:0-948817-19-4
532:
528:
525:
524:
516:
515:
510:
504:
501:
498:
493:
490:
486:
481:
479:
477:
475:
473:
469:
464:
463:
458:
452:
449:
444:
443:
438:
432:
429:
424:
421:
416:
414:
410:
403:
398:
395:
392:
390:(O.C.) (1967)
389:
386:
383:
380:
377:
374:
371:
368:
365:
361:
359:(C.B.) (1946)
358:
354:
353:
349:
347:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
320:CF-100 Canuck
315:
313:
308:
305:
300:
298:
294:
285:
283:
281:
273:
271:
264:
262:
260:
255:
251:
247:
246:
240:
238:
233:
231:
227:
219:
217:
215:
207:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
160:
156:
153:
149:
146:
142:
139:
136:
132:
126:
122:
119:
115:
111:
107:
104:
98:
95:
84:
80:
76:
67:
63:
59:
47:
43:
39:
35:
31:
26:
19:
16:
949:Michael Hood
944:Yvan Blondin
862:Larry Ashley
837:William Carr
805:
791:George Croil
775:George Croil
760:Albert Cuffe
725:Arthur Tylee
720:Billy Bishop
646:
637:
608:
557:. Retrieved
553:
526:
512:
503:
492:
460:
451:
440:
431:
423:
420:
344:
336:air division
324:CF-105 Arrow
316:
309:
301:
289:
277:
268:
256:
252:
249:
243:
242:
234:
223:
211:
189:
188:
152:World War II
144:Battles/wars
70:(1977-08-14)
15:
985:1977 deaths
980:1893 births
913:Steve Lucas
852:Paul Manson
750:James Scott
735:James Scott
509:"No. 36034"
457:"No. 30581"
437:"No. 30437"
362:Commander,
355:Companion,
208:Early years
148:World War I
138:Air Marshal
37:Nickname(s)
974:Categories
959:Eric Kenny
918:Angus Watt
908:Ken Pennie
811:Roy Slemon
648:Chancellor
625:C R Slemon
404:References
340:F-86 Sabre
338:of twelve
293:Korean War
82:Allegiance
51:1893-08-21
638:New title
129:1933–1953
127:1916–1919
603:R Leckie
583:Archived
328:Cold War
322:and the
295:and the
100:Service/
77:, Canada
60:, Canada
559:7 April
200:of the
541:
533:
396:(1973)
384:(C.D.)
378:(1945)
194:airman
158:Awards
102:branch
94:Canada
91:
614:RCAF
561:2005
539:ISBN
531:ISBN
332:NATO
196:and
134:Rank
65:Died
45:Born
40:Wilf
650:of
976::
616:)
552:.
537:,
511:.
471:^
459:.
439:.
412:^
693:e
686:t
679:v
612:(
563:.
545:.
53:)
49:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
