An Inauspicious Beginning

Kittyhawk I AK954 after an 'oopsy' at Rockcliffe on November 29th, 1941.

This was just nine days after AK954 (later RCAF 1061) was taken on strength with the RCAF.
On July 16th, 1942, while being ferried from Cold Lake, Alaska to Unmak Island, Alaska for
combat operations against the Japanese, AK954 was one of six Kittyhawks that crashed on
Unalaska Island after their pilots had become lost in fog and low cloud.


Library and Archives Canada - Larger Image


Library and Archives Canada - Larger Image

Thirsty Hawk

Fueling a Kittyhawk I of 111 Squadron at Patricia Bay, British Columbia, January 15th, 1942.


Library and Archives Canada

Where To?

Pilots of 111 Sqn look over a map at Anchorage, Alaska in June, 1942.


Library and Archives Canada

On Patrol, Alaska 1942...

Front to rear: Kittyhawks I, AL194, AK905, AK940.


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

A closer look...


Project 914 Archives (S. Donacik collection) - Larger Image

Rufe Killer

Squadron Leader Kenneth Arthur 'Ken' Boomer led 111(F) Squadron from August 17th, 1942
to May 31st, 1943. On September 25th, 1942 Boomer became the only pilot from a Canadian
Home Defence outfit to down an enemy aircraft when he flamed an A6M2-N 'Rufe' near
Kiska Island. 'Ken' Boomer was killed on October 22nd, 1944 while flying a Mosquito
with 418 Squadron during a 'Day Ranger' op near Munich, Germany.


Library and Archives Canada - Larger Image

Gathering of Hawks

Kittyhawks of 111 Sqn at Kodiak, Alaska in 1943. The squadron codes are gone, but
individual aircraft letters remain. The ship in the foreground is AK875 (RCAF 1047),
named 'BITSA' ('Built In Time to Save Alaska'). She survives today in the collection
of the National Air & Space Museum... see our page for AK875 HERE...

More about this Hawk will be added in a future update.


Library and Archives Canada - Larger Image

Wet Hawk

Kittyhawk I AL194 (RCAF 1087) suffered an 'oopsy' at Fort Greely, Kodiak Island
on April 19th, 1943. I currently have no further details concerning this incident.


RCAF photo via silverhawkauthor.com - Larger Image

Sharpening the Talons

111 Squadron armorers engage in a bit of dustin'-n-cleanin' of AK905's fifties.
It's not clearly visible in this image, but she's been remarked with her RCAF serial,
which should be 1052. But the erk swinging the spraygun frakked up the second two
digits and it actually reads '1025', which is the serial for a Fleet Finch. Tsk, tsk...


Project 914 Archives - Larger Image

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