12/15/2017. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "About half (1,103) of the 2,201 Fairey Battles built were shipped to Australia and Canada for work under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. From August 1939, when the first batch arrived in Canada, a total of 739 Battles served with the RCAF as dual-control trainers, target-tugs and gunnery trainers. Among the Battles shipped to Canada, 202 were later fitted with gun turrets and 97 were converted to target-tugs. All the earlier Canadian Battles (560) were given numerical RCAF serials (1301-1320 and 1601-2140); the remainder retained their British serials.
The pictured aircraft was built as a trainer and was delivered new to Canada, where it was taken on strength at de Havilland Canada, Toronto, Ontario on November 29, 1940. On January 2, 1941, it was assigned to No. 1 Training Command and served with No. 31 Service Flying Training School at Kingston, Ontario. On July 21, 1942, it was assigned to conversion as a Mk.IT gunnery trainer and subsequently fitted with a redesigned canopy with a Bristol gun turret aft of the pilot's cockpit.
On November 21, 1942, the aircraft was transferred to Fairchild Aircraft at Longueuil, Quebec, and experimentally re-engined with an 840 hp Wright R-1820-G3B Cyclone radial. The idea was that routine installations would follow if the supply of the standard Rolls-Royce Merlins failed. In the picture above the turret is removed. Redesignated Mk.IIT, the aircraft went to No. 3 Training Command on April 14, 1943, for evaluation by the Test & Evaluation Detachment at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. A year later, April 24, 1944, the aircraft was transferred to No. 9 Repair Depot for scrapping. It was struck off charge on June 28, 1944, as reduced to spares and produce."
