Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) History and Heritage Office

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has a team of history and heritage (H&H) specialists who collect, preserve and communicate RCAF history and heritage. They work closely with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Directorate of H&H (DHH).

RCAF history is the narrative of the RCAF’s role in past events within the broader context of Canadian history. RCAF heritage includes traditions, monuments and artefacts that help define the culture of the RCAF.

Roles and responsibilities

The RCAF H&H Office has a broad spectrum of roles and responsibilities; some of these are listed below.

Capture

• Retrieve and protect rare documents, artefacts, aircraft and photographs for historians and other users to access at museums and archives across Canada
• Review and provide a precedent on issues involving Air Force heritage and artefact preservation
• Work with the DHH to ensure records of RCAF annual historical reports and operations diaries are complete
• Conduct extensive interviews with individuals who have witnessed Canadian Air Force history

Preserve

• Protect and archive materials for future exhibit opportunities
• Author book chapters, encyclopedia sections and journal articles for internal and external stakeholders
• Publish RCAF historical works and support documentaries created by internal and external entities
• Commission historical research by military historians
• Contribute RCAF official history to the DHH’s CAF official histories

Promote

• Provide material for use by RCAF units and in support of RCAF centennial products and activities
• Present RCAF history at historical conferences and to the general public
• Bring internal and external stakeholders together, partner with academic institutions, and support RCAF scholars
• Provide staff support to facilitate heritage-related requests with the DHH

Operationalize

• Establish a framework for historical analysis and leverage synergies with lessons learned
• Incorporate findings from historical reports (operations diaries and other sources) into pre-deployment operations packages, and ensure these reports measure and capture items of historical significance
• Draft and measure new policies for partnerships across the RCAF museum network that better enable the promotion of RCAF history
• Establish measures of effectiveness and alignment to ensure the RCAF History and Heritage Program meets defined objectives

Contact information

8 Wing Trenton
PO Box 1000 Stn Forces
Astra ON K0K 3W0

We are located in the RCAF Aerospace Warfare Centre.