Back

Caption: Lieutenant, Canadian Air Force, 1920-1924

When the Canadian Air Force was authorized in February 1920, they were given the dark blue uniform seen in this painting of a pilot ranking as a lieutenant. Rank was shown by the traditional army system of crowns and stars, and pilots wore wings on the left breast. King George V granted the designation Royal Canadian Air Force in 1923. When the service was made a permanent part of the Department of National Defence the following year, it adopted the lighter 'RAF blue' uniform worn by its British counterpart. Reconstruction by Ron Volstad. (Canadian Department of National Defence)