New Permanent Exhibit Unveiled at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Commemorate Centennial of Royal Canadian Air Force and Airport’s 85th Anniversary

On Wednesday, April 24, a new permanent exhibit was unveiled at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) and RCAF Foundation to commemorate the RCAF centennial and 85th anniversary of the airport.

The exhibit celebrates the airport’s strong ties to Canadian military and aviation history and features an original First World War-era Curtiss JN-4 Canuck biplane propeller. The “Canuck”, manufactured by Canadian Aeroplanes Ltd. of Toronto was widely used in training by Canadian pilots during the First World War. The exhibit also includes a collection of nine original pilot’s wings badges, representing the evolution of badges worn by Canadian aviators from 1912-present.

Established in 1939, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has operated on the Toronto waterfront for 85 years and has strong ties to Canadian military history. In its early years, from 1939 to 1943, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport served as a training ground for both the Royal Canadian and Royal Norwegian Air Forces, with neighbouring Little Norway Park named in honour of the Norwegian community that settled around the airport in 1940.

These artifacts are the latest historic art installation at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, and are located next to the airport’s cast bronze statues of First World War flying aces and Victoria Cross recipients William Barker and William Avery “Billy” Bishop – the airport’s namesake.

Learn more about this exhibit here.