Aircraft Identity Corps
Encyclopedia
The Aircraft identity Corps was a Canadian civil defence organisation operating between 1940 and 1945. It was formed in 1940 by Air Vice-Marshal George Croil
George Croil
Air Marshal George Mitchell Croil CBE, AFC was a Royal Flying Corps pilot during World War I who went on to become the first Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Canadian Air Force...

. By war's end it had over 30,000 members.

The corps was to report suspicious aircraft and guard against German, Japanese, and Italian attack. The use of observers was deemed important since Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...

 was not yet in widespread use.

There was also a Newfoundland Aircraft Detection Corps.

The Commissioner of Defence for Newfoundland was L.E. Emerson. At the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...

's behest he amalgamated the Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland
The Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland
The Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland was created by the Commission of Government during World War II.Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland was an all-volunteer civilian unit meant to observe for suspicious planes and ships....

 with the Canadian Aircraft Detection Corps.

In a March 15, 1942, Commissioner Emerson circulated a letter stating the "Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland" would be organized by the RCAF as a unit of the "Canadian Aircraft Identity Corps".

One of the letter's recipients was a volunteer named P.W. Crummey. Crummey also received a letter from Flight Lieutenant H.H. Graham, commanding officer of Torbay Airport (No. 1 Group RCAF. St. John's); glosseries of airplanes and ships; an identity card and procedural instructions. At war's end volunteers received a brass Volunteer Aircraft Observer button and certificate of thanks from Canada's Ministry of Defence.

See also

  • Aircraft recognition
    Aircraft recognition
    Aircraft recognition is a visual skill taught to military personal and civilian auxiliaries since the introduction of military aircraft in World War I. It is important for air defense and military intelligence gathering....

  • Ground Observer Corps (USA)
    Ground Observer Corps
    The Ground Observer Corps was a series of Civil Defense programs in the United States to protect against air attack. First begun in World War II by the Army Air Forces, the 1.5 million civilian observers at 14,000 coastal observation posts used naked eye and binocular searches to find invading...

  • Volunteer Air Observers Corps (Australia)
    Volunteer Air Observers Corps (Australia)
    The Volunteer Air Observers Corps was an Australian air defence organisation of World War II. The VAOC was formed on 31 December 1941 to support the Royal Australian Air Force by sighting and observing aircraft over Australia. The VAOC swiftly established observation posts across Australia and...

  • Royal Observer Corps (United Kingdom)
    Royal Observer Corps
    The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....

  • The Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland
    The Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland
    The Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland was created by the Commission of Government during World War II.Aircraft Detection Corps Newfoundland was an all-volunteer civilian unit meant to observe for suspicious planes and ships....

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