About the museum
The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) was founded in the early 1980’s by a dedicated group of people in Brandon, Manitoba who felt it was important to preserve the memory of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. A second objective was to also honour the men and women who so generously gave to the World War II effort, whether they be RCAF staff at No. 12 Service Flying Training School in Brandon, RCAF airmen and airwomen and personnel of the other Commonwealth Air Forces, or civilians contributing to the war effort on the Home Front. The CATPM is the only museum dedicated solely to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-45, and is operated as a memorial by a group of highly motivated people oriented volunteers and a small staff.
From its humble start in Hangar No. 1, volunteers and staff have, over the years, built the museum into an impressive facility renowned all over the world. The museum consists of five buildings, large collections of aircraft, motor transport vehicles, artifacts and archival items, and the impressive RCAF WWII Memorial Wall. We love to have visitors come and see our collections, browse our web site, or follow us on social media.
Early volunteers gathered artefacts of all types, including aircraft, from fields and collected donations to start the CATPM.
Learn more about the museum here!
Learn more about the British Commonwealth Training Plan (BCATP) here!
Want to donate or volunteer? Click here!
Want a flight in one of our vintage WWII trainers? Click here to learn more!
We are proud to be recognized as one of seven Manitoba Signature Museums. Along with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, the Manitoba Agriculture Museum (Austin), the Mennonite Heritage Village (Steinbach), the New Iceland Heritage Museum (Gimli), the St. Boniface Museum (Winnipeg), the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (Morden), and the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (Winnipeg), have all received this honour. This designation is aimed at selected museums which showcase special collections and have the potential to be significantly enhanced heritage tourism attractions. In addition, the CATP Museum is also designated as a National Historic Site and a Manitoba Star Attraction.
Museum Staff and Board of Directors
Email: airmuseum@inetlink.ca Telephone: (204) 727-2444
- Museum Executive Director & Business Manager: Stephen Hayter
- Administrative Assistant: Kathryn Sheppard
- Board Officers: President – John McNarry, Vice President – Art Brown, Treasurer – Peter Moodie, Secretary – Mike Nantais
- Directors: Jeff Bell, Art Brown, Judith Grierson, Robert Harrison, Barb Henderson, John McNarry, Peter Moodie, Mike Nantais, Mark Odegard, John Robinson, Jeremy Roberts, Shawn Wood
As a Signature Museum, we are providing our latest audited Financial statements, (click here to view) and our Annual Report for 2022 (click here to view).
Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial 