RCAF Aviation History: Crash Tender Boats

RCAF Crash Tender Boats

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3583312)

RCAF Crash Tender Arrow, M.537, a 60 foot supply vessel (Type III). Based at Western Command, Vancouver, British Columbia, 20 June 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No.

RCAF Crash Tender Haida, M.206, 82=foot supply vessel Type II, CGXT. Based at Western Air Command, Vancouver, British Columbia, 27 December 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3583031)

RCAF Crash Tender BC Star, M.427, 72-foot wooden supply vesel Type II, 20 August 1943. This was a Western Command vessel lost with all hands off Cape St. James, BC, on 24 July 1943,

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581368)

RCAF motor launch Red Wing 32-40 HP, c1939.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4327278)

Eastern Air Command, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Warrant Officer Second Class E.D. Fudge at the wheel of an RCAF rescue boat, 15 Aug 1945.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4327277)

Eastern Air Command, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. E. Crockett of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and R. Purcell of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on a 40-foot Range Boat Type III (Armoured Target Boat), M.204 or B122, based at Eastern Air Command, 15 August 1940.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4327275)

Officers on board an RCAF vessel, Eastern Air Command, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 15 August 1940.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3581400)

P.O.s Veau and Harrison operating an RCAF crash boat, 31 July 1939.

The original high speed launches used by the RCAF Marine Unit within Western Air Command as 'crash boats', were the 70-foot Scott-Paine design. Six boats were built in Lachine (Montreal) by Canada Power Craft. They were powered by a pair of Packard-built V-12 inline engines each producing 1,350 horsepower. Speeds varied depending on water conditions including 33-37 knots cruising to 47 knots at full throttle. The craft closely resembled the motor torpedo boats the company built for the Royal Canadian Navy. A total of four served on the west coast.

RCAF M-231 'Malecite'

RCAF M-232 'Takuli

RCAF M-234 'Montagnais

RCAF M-235 'Huron.

For more information on the RCAF Fleet, visit this site: http://jproc.ca/rrp/rcaf_marine_craft_ver2.pdf

...and this site: https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~andersonfamily/genealogy/RCAFMarine.htm

(Port Alberni Maritime Heritage Society Photo)

RCAF 38-foot Aircraft Crash Boat Pelican, M.264, VXCW, based at Western Air Command, Ucluelet, British Columbia, 1941.

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