The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum is ready to welcome the public to their Brandon Airport location on Tuesday, April 1st, and they've got a few surprises for this year.
Museum staff and volunteers have been working on display upgrades throughout the museum. From their museum artifacts depicting the life the many who were members of the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, to their hangar that shares multiple aircraft, vehicle and equipment from that era, there is an abundance of things to see!
The CATPM is Canada’s only air museum solely dedicated to the preservation of those who trained and fought for the British Commonwealth during WWII. The museum shares rich history from the Commonwealth Air Training Plan and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan flight and maintenance programs.
"Our gallery will be unveiling new interpretive displays explaining the BCATP," shares Executive Director, Stephen Hayter. "Visitors will be invited to travel back to the 1940s while touring a WWII vintage hangar serving as a display area for aircraft, vehicles and hundreds of artifacts from that era. RCAF that lost their lives during WWII are honored on the museum’s RCAF WWII Memorial wall."
Staff and volunteers are excited about this week Tuesday's opening date as they've got new aircraft added to their collection.
"We have a Harvard that we're going to be painting in BCATP colors. And so, when we're flying our other Harvard to events, we will always be able to represent that aircraft, so that's a real boon to our collection," shares Hayter.
"We also have a Bolingbroke," he adds. "Many of you know that we have a bowling broke on the Trans-Canada Highway in Brandon in front of the Comfort Inn. It's quite a large bomber aircraft and we were very fortunate to acquire a Bolingbroke that actually has never been restored. It was parked after the war and nothing has happened with it, so it's kind of a fascinating time capsule of the aircraft. And it tells an interesting story as well. So, you know, we're excited about the future of that aircraft."
The Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke is a maritime patrol aircraft and trainer plane used by the RCAF during the Second World War.
Hayter says they will be unveiling more significant additions to their museum located at Hangar #1 at the Brandon Municipal Airport over the next few weeks. As well, the museum hosts a significant Armed Forces Day each year the first Sunday in June. This year that will be June 8th. They will be hosting more unique partnership events this summer as well as Canada Day flights and more!
"It'll be great to promote the fact that business is supporting the museum and that we're able to showcase a new part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan by acquiring these aircraft."
"It's nice to be able to bring new things into the collection and redo our displays," he adds. "We want people to come out and be impressed with the stories we have to tell!"
Please listen to more with Stephen Hayter below!
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. Visit the CATP Museum located at Brandon Municipal Airport, on HW #10, 1.6 km north of the City of Brandon.
The CATPM will be opening their spring season beginning Tuesday, April 1st from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Brandon Municipal Airport. The museum is open each and every day, Monday to Sunday. April hours of 1-4 pm continue until May 1st, when hours will begin for summer months, from
For regular updates on events please visit their website or Facebook page.
(photo credit the CATPM)