On the Wings of War and Peace: The RCAF during the Early Cold War

by Randall Wakelam (Editor), William March (Editor), Peter Rayls (Editor)

Overview

Bringing together leading researchers on Canadian air power, On the Wings of War and Peace captures the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the first decades of the Cold War – a period which marked the zenith of air force accomplishments in peacetime Canada. The volume covers topics that go beyond straightforward flying operations, examining policies that drove operational needs and capabilities and the personnel, technical, and logistical functions that made those operations possible. With contributions written by former RCAF members who have both expert and personal knowledge of their topics, On the Wings of War and Peace brings new perspectives to the RCAF’s role in shaping the modern Canadian nation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781487526788
Publisher:	University of Toronto Press
Publication date:	11/01/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	464
File size:	21 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Randall Wakelam served in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as a tactical helicopter pilot and educator for more than four decades; he has taught and written about air power and leadership for the past twenty-five years and is now an associate professor emeritus of the Department of History at Royal Military College.

William March is a freelance historian and writer focused on aerospace power history, Canadian military history, and leadership. He previously served as a maritime air navigator in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for over forty years.

Peter Rayls earned his PhD in history from Queen’s University. He previously served in the US Army as a tank platoon leader, personnel services detachment commander, and history instructor at the US Military Academy.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Gen (retd) Paul Manson

Preface
Glossary

Introduction
Randall Wakelam

Section 1:

Introduction
Peter Rayls

1. The Expansion and Contraction of Canada’s First Line of Defence: The RCAF in the Cold War, 1945-1968
Bertram Frandsen and Peter Rayls

2. No 1 Air Division, Royal Canadian Air Force
Raymond Stouffer

3. The RCAF, USAF, and Continental Air Defence, 1945-1957
Richard Goette

4. NORAD PEAKS, 1957-1964
Joseph Jockel

Section 2:

Introduction
Randall Wakelam

5. Hubris: The CF-105 Avro Arrow Program and the End of the Golden Age of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Russell Isinger and Donald C. Story

6. Educating Air Power Practitioners
Randall Wakelam

7. Training the Flyers: The Legacy of Canada’s International Air Training Schemes:  and the NATO Air Training Plan
Rachel Heide

8. RCAF Air Maintenance
Terry Leversedge

9. The Forgotten Decade: Women and the RCAF 1952-1962
Allan English

10. The Air Reserves:  A Functional Second Line of Defence?
Mathias Joost

Section 3:

Introduction
William March

11. The RCAF at the Dawn of the Space Age, 1958-1965
Andrew Godefroy

12. The Search For Rescue Leadership
James Pierotti

13. On Wings of Hope and Peace:  The RCAF and Humanitarian and Peacekeeping Operations, 1946 – 1967
William March

14. Maritime Air
Ernest Cable

15. From Army Co-operation to Army Co-optation: Canada’s Struggles with Aviation Support to the Land Force
Dean Black

16. Air Transport Command: Versatile and Ready in Cold War and Hot War
Bertram Frandsen

Annex A: Budgets, Personnel and Organizations

Annex B: Chiefs of the Air Staff

Notes on Contributors

Index

What People are Saying About This

Terry Copp

“A well-chosen collection of evidence-based essays on the RCAF and the Cold War. Essential reading for Canadians in today's renewal of the Cold War.”

J.L. Granatstein

“Celebratory but also blunt and critical, this collection marks the centenary of the RCAF by focusing on its golden age. Virtually every aspect of its history from 1945 to 1968 is treated — from peacekeeping to NATO, from NORAD to space, the reserves, and maritime air. This is the Royal Canadian Air Force's history told well.”

John R. Ferris

“This well-researched and well-written collection illustrates how Canada used airpower to shape the early Cold War, and why it then chose to abandon that capability.”

Editorial Reviews

“Celebratory but also blunt and critical, this collection marks the centenary of the RCAF by focusing on its golden age. Virtually every aspect of its history from 1945 to 1968 is treated – from peacekeeping to NATO, from NORAD to space, the reserves, and maritime air. This is the Royal Canadian Air Force’s history told well.”—J.L. Granatstein, author of Canada’s Army: Waging War and Keeping the Peace
“This well-researched and well-written collection illustrates how Canada used airpower to shape the early Cold War, and why it then chose to abandon that capability.”—John R. Ferris, FRSC, Professor of History and Fellow at The Centre for Military and Strategic Studies, University of Calgary
"A well-chosen collection of evidence-based essays on the RCAF and the Cold War. Essential reading for Canadians in today’s renewal of the Cold War.”—Terry Copp, Director Emeritus of the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada, Wilfrid Laurier University

From the Publisher