As mentioned in Doug Fisher's article in this issue on discovering a neglected Lysander, many surplus Canadian aircraft were dragged away to farms to become playthings or serve as sources of bits and pieces that might prove useful for the farmers. However, the majority of aircraft did not meet such a benign end and were simply destroyed at their storage bases. The constantly growing threat of Hitler had led to the British Commonwealth Air Training Program (BCATP) that would see the training of tens of thousands of airmen in the safety of Canada, but huge numbers of aircraft would be needed. The workhorse of the multi-engine training was the sturdy Avro Anson Mk. Ⅱ. Already in production in the UK, a plan was concocted to build the all-wood wing in Canada and assemble the aircraft from British components that would be shipped in large quantities. However, this scheme collapsed when the UK was incapable of filling the orders. A rush decision was made to build the Mk. Ⅱ in Canada but suppliers had become fully booked with the Nazi invasion of Poland in September 1939. Looking south, the Canadians finally struck a deal with Jacobs to supply L6MB radi-als for the Mk. Ⅱ. A massive construction program was drawn up that would see numerous companies building the type. The first Anson Mk. Ⅱ (RCAF 7070) went aloft on 14 August 1942 and production rapidly built up with the last two Anson Ⅱs being delivered on 16 May 1943. The Canadian war effort yielded some 1822 of the twin-engine trainers. It does not appear that a single Mk. Ⅱ was sold surplus to go on the civil register (this honor would go to the later Anson Mk. V, a much different aircraft) and not one example was preserved in honor of this incredible production and training effort. However, a few museums do have the remains of several Mk. Ⅱs.
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