During World War II, more than 1,000 Allied students received advanced flight training at the Vulcan Aerodrome as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP)—one of Canada’s most significant contributions to the war effort. Under this ambitious program, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) established aircrew training schools across the country, welcoming trainees from Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other Allied nations.
Vulcan, Alberta, became the site of the RCAF Aerodrome Vulcan, which hosted two key training schools under the BCATP: No. 2 Flying Instructor School (FIS) and No. 19 Service Flying Training School (SFTS).
No. 2 FIS was the first instructor training school in Western Canada and one of only three in the entire country. It specialized in preparing pilots to become instructors at other training facilities. Meanwhile, students at No. 19 SFTS trained on twin-engine Avro Anson II aircraft, with most graduates going on to serve in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command in England.
Today, little remains of the aerodrome’s wartime prominence. Many original buildings have been removed or dismantled, and prairie grasses are gradually overtaking the runways. Still, the legacy endures, kept alive through remembrance and our ongoing tribute to those who served and sacrificed for freedom.
