Something special is coming to Brandon this fall. Join us Sunday, November 1 for the CATPM Benefit Concert featuring the Mark Humphries Orchestra at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. It's an afternoon of wonderful music in support of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial and the stories, aircraft and history we are working to preserve for generations to come. Sunday, November 12:00 p.m.Western Manitoba Centennial AuditoriumAdults $40 | Students $20 Gather some friends and spend an afternoon with us. Every ticket helps support the Museum. Tickets available now:

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum is growing, and we’re looking for a Facilities & Operations Manager to join our team. This is a new role at an exciting time for CATPM. Working closely with the Director General & CEO, the Facilities & Operations Manager will help oversee our historic facilities and grounds, day-to-day museum operations, maintenance and safety, contractors, and operational volunteers — while helping us prepare for a significant period of redevelopment. We’re looking for someone who can plan ahead, solve problems, work with people, and isn’t afraid to be hands-on when needed.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Something New in the Hangar: CATPM Welcomes the Norseman Home BRANDON, MB - There is something new, very big and very yellow, in the hangar at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum. After nearly two years of planning, coordination and hard work, a Noorduyn Norseman has arrived at CATPM in Brandon, adding one of Canada's most iconic aircraft to the Museum's growing collection. The Norseman has long been an important aircraft for CATPM because its story connects the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and wartime aviation. “This is an exciting day for our Museum,” said Zoe McQuinn, Director General & CEO of CATPM.

Whitney M. Hodgins is a Master of Arts Student from Athabasca University focusing on Heritage and Social History.  In my previous blog post where I discussed “Trading the Hangar for History Panels: A students’ guide to the CHA”, you will find that I was once again missing from my usual spot in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum. As a Masters Student I took to the stage for the first time academically to present a small piece of my own research as well as a presentation at two different history conferences running back to back in the same day.

Harry was far more than a volunteer at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, he was part of its very foundation. As a member of Phoenix Squadron, a Director, an archivist, researcher, and dedicated volunteer, he helped build not only the Museum itself, but also the values that continue to guide it today. His passion, generosity, and unwavering commitment became woven into the fabric of this place. Those who knew Harry knew that he believed every story mattered. He understood that behind every aircraft was a crew, behind every name was a family, and behind every casualty was a life of service and sacrifice that deserved to be remembered.

Whitney Hodgins is a Master of Arts student at Athabasca University focusing on Heritage and Social History. Picture this: You are tending to your field as a farmer when all of a sudden you see a shadow on the ground approach you in the distance. When you look up into the sky, you see this round dark orb blocking out the sun with a weird looking shaped item floating beneath it on strings. It is approaching the ground… then you realize it is approaching you! You back up and then turn to run as fast as you can away from it.

This post is by summer student, Rory M. He is a music student at Brandon University, this is his second summer with us. The Avro Arrow seems to be a near-mystical phenomenon in the world of aviation, and I have witnessed this lingering hold firsthand. During my time as a summer student, guests have shared countless memories, conspiracy theories, and stories about the Arrow, and much to my surprise, Arrow merchandise is the top seller of all aircraft in the gift shop. This fascination leads to the core question of this blog post: what is all the fuss about the Avro Arrow?

This coming August 12th from 1 - 2 pm, one of our summer student workers, Rory, and his fellow music student, Kurtis, will give a free (with admission) concert in the hangar! Surrounded by historic aircraft, experience an afternoon where music and history come together in an unforgettable way. Read a bit more about this duo below. Rory McCallum (Trombone) and Kurtis Johnson (Piano) are current students and graduates from the Brandon University School of Music. Performing instrumental music in the jazz and contemporary popular music realm, they draw on jazz traditions and contemporary perspectives, using improvisation and interaction in familiar and standard repertoire.

This post is by summer student worker, Whitney M. Hodgins is a Master of Arts Student from Athabasca University. Author's note: I would like to acknowledge and thank Greg Bartlett, a former Canadian Forces firefighter, for peer reviewing this article and taking the time to provide their expertise to this piece to ensure accuracy of content. One of our most interesting artifacts (in my biased opinion), is huddled in a blue display case inside the hangar of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum. At first glance it looks like a frumpy off-white suit, with a tiny window for the wearer to peak out of.

This post is by summer student worker Seraphina. This is their third summer with us. Seraphina is a recent Music School graduate (Brandon University) and will soon be heading to Ottawa at the end of summer to do a Masters program at Carleton University. This is my final summer at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum after three years of working here and it has been a very eventful period of my life. I have done a variety of different things while here such as working the front desk, archival maintenance and cataloguing, and responding to a large number of research requests.

This post is by our summer student, Seraphina. Sera has been with us 3 summers now and is heading to Ottawa at the end of summer to do a Masters program at Carleton University. She has written seveal blog posts for us over the past 2 years. When it comes to museums, the primary focus is often on the artifacts in both the public exhibits and in the archives. What kind of artifacts? How many? How old? The questions go on and on. I know whenever I go to a museum, it’s the artifacts that I look forward to seeing the most (I often also try to get tours of the archives when I can).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Honours Stephen Hayter Following 27 Years of Leadership Brandon, Manitoba - After 27 years of dedicated service, Stephen Hayter, Executive Director of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM), will retire at the end of June, concluding an extraordinary career devoted to safeguarding Canada's aviation heritage. Since joining the Museum in 1999 as its first full-time Executive Director, Hayter has helped transform CATPM from a volunteer-led organization into a nationally recognized museum while remaining true to its founding mission of sharing and honouring the history and legacy of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Whitney M. Hodgins is a Masters of Arts Student at Athabasca University focusing on Social & Heritage History. Whitney is a student summer worker at the CATPM, this is her third post for us. Some folks might have noticed my usual spot at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum was empty during the first week of June. That is because I traded a week of talking about World War II aviation history for stepping inside a modern aircraft myself, taking flight all the way to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. While PEI is famously celebrated as the birthplace of Confederation, it recently served as the backdrop for my own professional milestone: attending the Canadian Historical Association’s (CHA) Annual Meeting.

Another interesting post by summer student, Rory. This is Rory's second summer working for the CATPM, he is a Music & Political Science student at Brandon University. Note on Methodology: This blog post examines a recently acquired General Electric Beacon by analyzing attached identifying information related to the artifact and utilizing digital tools, such as Google Lens, recently introduced to me by the CATPM archivist. These sources enabled me to infer the artifact’s origin and historical context through consultation with relevant online histories and archival databases to the best of my ability.

This post is by one of our summer workers. Whitney M. Hodgins is a Master of Arts Student at Athabasca University. Picture this: your loved one is going to war. You are left with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Will they come back or will they be injured or killed in action? Naturally, you do not want that person to be put in harm's way fighting against the Axis. Yet, you let them go knowing that while you are on the homefront, you are being as patriotic as your loved one on the battlefront.

There is lots going on on Armed Forces Day at the CATPM! Read all about it below! COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN MUSEUM TO HOST ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION FEATURING HISTORIC AIRCRAFT, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, HERITAGE FLIGHTS, AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum will welcome veterans, serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, cadets, families, aviation enthusiasts, and visitors from across the Prairies for Armed Forces Day on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Held within the Museum’s historic 1941 Second World War training hangar at Brandon Municipal Airport, the event will combine living aviation history, military displays, family programming, heritage flights, STEM activities, and community partnerships in a day dedicated to honouring service - past and present.

This post is by one of our summer workers, Rory McCallum has submitted several blog posts over the last year, this is his latest. Rory is a Music student at Brandon University. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum acquired a Stearman Kaydet last season ( and we are thrilled to welcome it to our fleet of flying aircraft this summer. For the rest of the summer, the Stearman will be available for the CATPM’s remaining flight days, which, barring unforeseen circumstances, will occur on Armed Forces Day weekend (June 6-7) Canada Day, July 18th, and 19th, and more!

This post, her first of many (I hope) is by one of our summer workers. Whitney M. Hodgins is a Master of Arts Student at Athabasca University. This black round object caught my eye in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, it was inside the workshop, sitting humbly on a display case. At first I was perplexed about what it could be. At first I thought it reminded me of the Bob-ombs from Super Mario Bros. But instead I found out it was much more than that. Sitting humbly on the shelf were flare pots.

Our summer workers return, including Rory M., who continues his blog post features with this one exploring the ITS. Rory is a student at Brandon University. As the school year comes to an end, students across Canada, including myself, are preparing for final exams by reviewing notes, late-night studying, and are excited for warmer summer weather. During the Second World War, the young men from across Canada who entered the Commonwealth Air Training Plan and faced the Initial Training School had a similar moment. However, their tests carried greater weight, and within weeks, their performance on course materials decided their path as a pilot, navigator, or air gunner in the Allied air effort. 

So, we had a visit from Michal from Travel Manitoba. He talked to some of our volunteers and too a flight in 2 of our aircraft! Check it out. Thanks to Travel Manitoba and Michal!

Google has this wonderful little tool that we use quite often in the archives. You go to google search and tap the icon that looks like a camera on the far right of the search line. You can then take a photo of your item and by the magic of the internet find out what you are looking at (reverse image search). It doesn't always work but it does give you some hints as to where to look. This item, a carbine lantern, donated in 1991 by Barry Sobchuk of Brandon turned out to be a gem (see photo on the right).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 26, 2026 Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Reopens for the Season April 1 Brandon, Manitoba - The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum will reopen for the 2026 season on April 1, welcoming visitors back to the hangar just in time for Spring Break. The Museum will be open daily from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm beginning April 1, offering families, visitors, and aviation enthusiasts the chance to explore one of Canada’s most important Second World War training sites. Over the winter months, staff and volunteers have been busy behind the scenes working on new exhibits, caring for the collection, maintaining aircraft, and preparing for the next stage of the Museum’s growth.

March 2026 Dear School Administrators and Teachers, When planning your field trips for this school year, please consider the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon. We offer a student friendly environment with tours to suit all grade levels with specific curriculum links from Grade 1 to 12. We are available for tour bookings now up until the end of October. We normally get booked up for tours all through spring, so book early, or consider a fall field trip! Our museum tour can be adapted to meet your needs and time constraints.

The past few years, a video reviewing the museum's activities over the previous year has been created, and the 2025 version is now available. You can view it - and many other museum videos on our YouTube channel! 2025 was an exciting year: a new Director General, acquiring a Norseman and a Stearman, a huge bequest, and much more! Watch the video to see it all.

When Canada was called upon, we stepped up. Through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, communities across this country trained 220,000 personnel and helped shape the outcome of the Second World War. Small towns across Canada made a big impact. That spirit still guides us at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM). This year, our Director General participated in UNESCO’s global Live Museum training - joining museum and heritage professionals from around the world to explore how museums can foster dialogue across cultures. From Brandon, Manitoba, we stood shoulder to shoulder with institutions including the…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Issues NRFP for Major Redevelopment of Historic WWII Hangar and Aviation Campus Brandon, Manitoba — [F] — The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) has officially issued a Negotiated Request for Proposals (NRFP) for Design-Build services supporting a major redevelopment of its historic aviation site located at Brandon Municipal Airport. The project represents a significant step forward in safeguarding one of Canada’s most important surviving Second World War aviation training facilities while preparing the Museum to meet growing operational, preservation, and visitor needs.

When the previous long time editor of our newsletter, Contact!, passed away, the newsletter faded. Greg Sigurdson had looked after Contact! for many years, putting out interesting content. Good news is that Contact is being resurrected in digital form. You can click here to see the latest issue, and this link will take you to the Contact archives - new issues will be added here as they are published, so bookmark this page!.

This post was submitted by Rory M., one of our summer students, who continues his association with the museum even as he is back attending classes at Brandon University. In the museum workshop, beneath the original WWII era chalkboard artifact created by Greenway school in Winnipeg, lies the in progress fuselage of an aircraft known as the Fairey Battle – carefully assembled by thousands of hours of work by dedicated volunteers at the CATPM. While for many, the Battle is not an aircraft associated with WWII such as the sleek Spitfire, reliable Tiger Moth, or imposing Lancaster; the aircraft has an interesting history, and today it is one example of living history at the CATPM.

A late Westman resident left $1.6 million in his will to Brandon’s Second World War air training museum. John Balushak, who died in March 2024 in Treherne at the age of 89, donated the significant…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECommonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Announces Transformative Legacy Gift from the Late John Balushak Brandon, MB — January 9, 2026The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) is honoured to announce a remarkable legacy gift of $1.6 million from the late John Balushak, a long-time supporter, life member, and friend of the museum. A retired engineer with Manitoba Hydro, Mr. Balushak passed away on March 22, 2024, at the age of 89. Throughout his life, he combined a love of engineering and aviation with a quiet commitment to preserving Canada’s Second World War history.

Archives volunteer, Lisa, came across a recipe for "war cake", so she made one for us to try at the volunteer lunch this month. To recreate an authentic feel, the story and recipe were written out - by hand! The cake was enjoyed by volunteers. If you try it yourself, please let us know how it went in the comments! At left is a photo of the cake made by Lisa following the war time recipe. Below you can read the story behind the cake and the recipe.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Join Us for Remembrance Day at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Brandon, MB — Following morning Remembrance Day ceremonies across the community, the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) and RCAF WWII Memorial invite the public to a free Open House on Tuesday, November 11, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. This annual event offers a meaningful way to continue the day’s reflection in a place that honours those who served and trained through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Visitors are welcome to explore the museum’s exhibits, view historic aircraft, and spend a quiet moment at the RCAF WWII Memorial.

Jeff Bell is responsible for flying eight wartime aircraft in Brandon. The chief pilot at the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Bell leads a team of volunteer pilots who take oldies like the…