RAMWC Aircraft Donation to the CATPM

Press Release [Brandon, MB – December 13, 2024] 

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) is excited to announce the arrival of a number of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) aircraft, various aircraft engines and parts, all courtesy of the generosity of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC). The RAMWC of Winnipeg has a long-standing partnership with Brandon’s CATPM.  Over the past 5-6 years, the RAMWC has more clearly defined their mandate and as such, they recognized that certain aircraft and artefacts would not have the opportunity to be displayed.  Therefore as a sound strategic choice to de-accession the following items to Brandon in order that the public will have access to these items and their stories:

  • Bolingbroke Mk IVT – 9869
  • Fairchild Cornell II – FV705
  • North American Harvard II – AJ555
  • North American/CCF Harvard’s 2516, 2937, and an unknown Mark 4.
  • Fleet Fort
  • Armstrong Siddley Cheetah engines
  • Jacobs L4 and L6 engines
  • Kinner B5 engine

The CATPM would like to thank the RAMWC for entrusting our museum with their British Commonwealth Air Training Plan aircraft collection. These items are within our mandate of RCAF training 1939 to 1945 and will be treasured parts of our collection going forward. We have long term plans to restore several of the aircraft to flying condition. 

The RAMWC will now house their restoration team within their museum and their next four restoration projects are:

  • F86 Sabre (more than 6,800 volunteer hours invested already)
  • Junkers F13
  • Hawker Hurricane (5/8)
  • Bristol Freighter

Visitors will now be able to observe their restoration team in action on the museum hangar floor.

Below: photos of some of the aircraft & parts being moved to Brandon

For more information, please contact the CATP Museum

The Mark Humphries Orchestra Concert

What an amazing concert by the Mark Humphries Orchestra on Sunday!  We are so proud to showcase a true musical gem in our community, and grateful that over 400 came to watch because they know it as well!  

Mark, thank you for your incredible generosity, enthusiasm and hard work to get this idea going and brought to life.  To the musicians, thank you for so effortlessly transporting us back in time with such beautiful harmonies. To the sound technicians and all those who help the band look and sound so fantastic (it’s not just lots of practice!) thank you, your efforts have not gone unnoticed.  

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters: Banquets and Bashes, Clover Cakes, Hair Today Mall Barbers, and Krk Auto Fix.  Thank you to our museum volunteers, and especially to Aurora, Danica, Ben, Seraphina, Deacon, Trina, and Emma for helping out on the day. Many thanks to Trevor and the rest of the fantastic staff at the WMCA, another gem in our community that deserves all our support!  Shandar of Banquets and Bashes, you are a true gem as well.  Thank you for all that you do, and we can’t wait to do many more events with you!  

One last thank you- to everyone who came and supported the orchestra and the museum.  If you’d like us to do this again, just let us know!

Big Events in November!

November will see a number of events at/for the museum, so mark your calendar!

November 5th at 1:30 pm will feature renowned author, Ted Barris, presenting a talk related to his latest book, The Battle of Britain: Canadian Airmen in their Finest Hour. Barris is the author of many best selling books, including Behind the Glory (about the BCATP), Dam Busters, The Great Escape, and The Battle of the Atlantic. Copies of his new book will be available at the talk for purchase (also available at Indigo/Chapters and Amazon) and Ted will do some signing as well which will take place in the CATP Museum’s historic Canteen! This event has FREE admission, although we encourage a donation to the museum. Merchandise from our gift shop will also be available for sale.

Ted Barris
Ted Barris BIO_2024Download
BATTLE OF BRITAIN_BRIEFDownload

The second big event is a concert by the Mark Humphries Orchestra at the Westman Centennial Auditorium on Sunday, November 10 at 1:30 pm! Listen to music of the 1940’s! A big bonus – all proceeds go to the Museum! Come out to hear some great big band style music and support Brandon’s best kept secret at the same time! Tickets available soon at the WMCA!

Finally, come on out to honour our veterans on Remembrance Day, November 11 from 1 – 4 pm. We will be hosting a FREE open house (donations welcome!) This will be our last open day of the season, we will close for winter on November 12, re-opening in the spring. Spend some time reflecting at the Memorial Wall and check out our exhibits before our doors close for winter. Note that this open house is dependent on weather, the museum closes in winter out of an abundance of caution in case snow builds up on our roof. All donations will help us keep operating and move towards a permanent fix for the hangar.

CATPM at the Battle of Britain Ceremony

As many know, the Battle of Britain was a major battle fought in the second world war. It took place from July to October 1940 and was fought entirely in the air as Hitler’s forces attempted to clear the RAF from the skies as a prelude to invasion. Many Canadians fought in this battle, many died. To commemorate this important battle, September 15 of each year, the day that the Luftwaffe launched its heaviest assault on Britain. Each year, 17 Wing in Winnipeg conducts a ceremony, and the last several years, the CATP Museum’s aircraft have taken part performing a flypast for the ceremony (when weather permitted). This year, three of our aircraft took part, including the newly restored Fleet Finch, the Tiger Moth DH82c, and the Cornell. Our Stinson was also to take part, but the day it was to depart, weather kept it from leaving Brandon. It is an honour for us to take part in the ceremony commemorating those who fought in this battle, especially in vintage WWII training aircraft. Some photos of the aircraft and the event are below, thanks to one of our pilots, Peter Moodie.