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Canadian Military Aircraft Serial Numbers Canadian Armed Forces February 1968 to present |
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| Unification of the Canadian Armed Forces The three Canadian military arms, the RCAF, the RCN, and the Canadian Army, were integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces in February 1968. From that date, aircraft procurement and numbering fell under a single authority. Since then, some aspects of integration have been "undone", mainly to boost moral and recruitment. Centralized aircraft procurement and serial numbering, however, has remained unchanged. |
| A new Canadian type identifier system in
the
1950s Prior to integration, the RCAF had begun to identify new aircraft types with a two letter, three number Type Designation, starting with the CF-100 Canuck. The first letter is always C. The second letter, known as the Basic Mission Symbol, defines the basic aircraft mission, and is largely based on the American DND type identifiers. The three digits were issued sequentially, starting with 100. Several out of sequence numbers were used, to align with American aircraft designations. Shortly after integration, all in service types not already covered by this numbering were given a designation within this system. See the table below for a list of type designations I've identified so far. For a more detailed explanation and history of this system see Andreas Parsch's excellent web page. The assigning of Type Designations and Popular Names was controlled by CFAO 36-37, but this was replaced in 2007 by A-GA-005-000/AG-001 and C-05-005-001/AG-001, which are apparently not available to the public. |
| A new Canadian serial number system from
1968 This designation system became the basis for a new "unified" serial number system that was was introduced in phases. New procurement began using this new system as early as May 1968. By this time, the Canadair built CF-5s had received new six digit serial numbers starting with 116701, in place of the 5 digit RCAF serials they were originally ordered with. For new procurement from 1986, only 6 digit serial numbers are to be used. This post integration serial number always starts with the 3 digits of the Type Designation. For new procurement, the last 2 or 3 digits are usually sequential. In a few cases, the last digits are based on manufacturers numbers, or on previous military serial numbers. |
| Remarking the existing fleet For those existing aircraft given new serial numbers within this system, the last 2 or 3 digits are usually the last 2 or 3 digits of the old RCAF or RCN serial number. For example, RCAF CF-104 Starfighter 12645 became CAF 104645, and Canadian Army CH-113A Voyageur 10418 became CAF 11318. The selection of the 3rd and fourth from last digits, and the timing of each change over, insured that there would never be two aircraft operating with the same last four digits (often used as a radio call sign). For example, the CC-117 Falcons had to be remarked before the CF-100 Canucks, so that Falcon 20504 would not be operated at the same time as Canuck 100504. |
| Existing aircraft were
renumbered from May 1970
to about 1973. Remarking of operational aircraft
of the same type was generally done in as short a time as
possible, so it is very rare
(unknown?) to see a photograph of 2 or more aircraft of the same type
with a mix of pre- and post-integration numbers. The "first
date" in my database for these aircraft is the effective date of the
CAF order authorizing the new serials. Officially, 30 days were
allowed from this date for the remarking. In practice, some types
took longer. In particular, aircraft in storage or in use as
Instructional Airframes were sometimes not remarked until they returned
to
flight status. For some aircraft, this meant they completed their
CAF career without ever being marked with their assigned number.
Remarking the entire
inventory took about three years. Obviously, not all of the
original fleets of these existing types survived to
be renumbered on integration. My database only contains those
aircraft
that I can positively identify as having been actually remarked, and is
probably far from complete. If you have documented proof (like a
photograph) of an aircraft being remarked that is not in my lists, I
would love to hear from you. |
| Some recent trends The CAF followed a common trend amongst world air forces, and began leasing aircraft, especially trainers, in the 1990s. Some of these were operated with civil registrations, in the current Canadian C-Fxxx or C-Gxxx series. These civil registered aircraft do not have Canadian Forces Type Designators, except for the Jetrangers that were originally purchased and owned by the Forces. These civil registered aircraft now have their own web page. |
| By the end of the last century,
the Forces had begun to assign Type Designators in blocks. The
original block continues in rough numerical order, having reached 150
with the Airbus A310. A
second block was started for leased aircraft, with the CT-155 Hawk
in 2000, shortly followed by the CT-156 Harvard II.
According to urban legend, the 155 block was selected
because all these aircraft would be used by 5 Wing at
CFB Moose Jaw. The
third block, for unmanned vehicles, began with the CU-160 Eagle a few
years later, and has reached at least CU-170 (perhaps with gaps,
perhaps
not). The CF-18 remains a block onto itself, at CF-188, as does
the new CC-177.
Northern aeronumerologists await the next issue of a Type Designator
with great anticipation, but the current budget situation makes these
events few and far between. |
| Some un-official Canadian designations and
popular names Starting in the 1960s, several American aircraft manufacturers began referring to sales (or even potential sales) to the CAF by using the American designation with a "C" prefix. For example, the CUH-1N (really a CH-135), and the CF-5 (the CF-116). Even the Canadian press, and some members of the CAF, will use these unofficial designations from time to time. To add to the confusion, two of these names (the CF-5 and the CF-18) have been adopted as the official Popular Name. I am in the process of updating my data base to use only the official Type Designation and Popular Name. |
|
|
| The table below will connect you
to two types of listings of these
aircraft. The "Brief lists" present a minimum amount of information
about as many aircraft as I can fit on a reasonably sized page.
Use these lists to
identify individual aircraft, or to quickly scan a large range of
serials. The other lists contain all the information currently in
my database, and are broken into many more pages to keep the data
manageable. |
| Type Designation |
Name and type (closest equivalent US or civil designation) |
Lists | ||
| CF-100 | Avro Canada Canuck, all weather fighter | detailed list  22 records updated 19 January 2008 |
||
| CF-101 |
McDonnell
Voodoo, all weather fighter (F-101B, F-101F) |
note: first series retained their RCAF 5 digit serials until returned to USAF in late 1960s | ||
| second series: 101001 to 101067 detailed list 67 records updated 27 December 2008 |
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| CT-102 |
Grob
Astra, primary trainer (G120A) |
The use of CT-102 for the Grob may be
unofficial, but it has appeared in several DND publications. The
aircraft carry civil
registrations. No known serial allocations. NOTE: 102 was originally skipped to prevent confusion with Avro Canada C-102, the Jetliner |
||
| 103 |
Not used, possibly reserved for the Avro Canada C-103 (design project for swept wing CF-100) | no known serial allocations | ||
| CF-104 |
Canadair
Starfighter, attack and reconnaissance (Lockheed F-104D, F-104G) |
two seaters detailed
list 36 records updated 21 July 2009 |
||
| 104700 to 104771 45 records updated 10 March 2006 |
104772 to 104832 45 records updated 10 March 2006 |
104833 to 104900 46 records updated 10 March 2006 |
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| CF-105 | Avro Canada Arrow, all weather fighter | all scrapped prior to integration, see RCAF 5 digit serials 25201 and up |
||
| CC-106 |
Canadair
Yukon, transport (CL-44) |
106921 to 106932 12 records updated 12 March 2006 |
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| CP-107 |
Canadair
Argus, maritime reconnaissance |
10710 to 10742 32 records updated 21 april 2006 |
||
| CC-108 |
de
Havilland Canada Caribou (C-7) |
Retained RCAF serial numbers until retired in June 1971 | ||
| CC-109 | Canadair
Cosmopolitan, transport (C-131) |
detailed
list 9 records updated 26 August 2005 |
||
| CSR-110 | Grumman
Albatross, search and rescue (HU-16) |
Retained their RCAF serial numbers until retired in December 1970 | ||
| CT-111 | Slingsby
Firefly, trainer (T-3) note: originally reserved for Lockheed Starfighter, as CF-111, prior to integration |
This may be an unofficial type designation.
Aircraft were leased, and carried civil
registrations, including C-GSTQ
(coded "205"). A recent (2005) CF flight safety report used the
"CT-111" designation. |
||
| CH-112 | Hiller
Nomad, trainer and AOP helicopter (H-23) |
detailed list
20 records, updated 25 November 2007 |
||
| CH-113 | Boeing
Vertol Voyageur and Labrador, transport and SAR helicopter (H-46) |
detailed
list 15 records updated 30 June 2006 |
||
| CT-114 |
Canadair
Tutor, trainer |
I have identified 176 Tutors that received CAF serials (out of 190 built for RCAF) | 114001 to 114050 48 records updated 24 October 2004 |
|
| 114051 to 114100 49 records updated 24 October 2004 |
114101 to 114150 43 records updated 24 October 2004 |
114151 to 114190 33 records updated 24 October 2004 |
||
| CC-115 | de
Havilland Canada Buffalo, transport, SAR (C-8) |
115451 to
115465 15 records updated 4 February 2005 |
||
| CF-116 | Canadair CF-5, light fighter (Northrop F-5A, F-5B) |
single seaters: | 116701 to 116745 45 records updated 9 December 2005 |
116746 to 116789 44 records updated 9 December 2005 |
| two seaters: | 116801
to 116846 46 records updated 9 December 2005 |
|||
| CC-117 | Dassault Falcon, transport | 117501 to 117508
8 records updated 23 July 2006 |
||
| CH-118 | Bell
Iroquois, utility helicopter (UH-1H) |
118101 to 118110
10 records updated 14 January 2006 |
||
| CO-119 | Cessna
Bird Dog, AOP (L-19 / O-1) |
detailed list 23 records updated 7 January 2007 |
||
| CT-120 | de Havilland Canada Chipmunk, trainer | detailed list 52 records updated 14 January 2006 |
||
| CP-121 | de
Havilland
Canada Tracker, maritime reconnaissance (Grumman S2F / S-1) |
detailed
list 57 records updated 18 November 2005 |
||
| CP-122 | Lockheed
Neptune, maritime reconnaissance (P2V / P-2) |
retained their RCAF 5 digit serial numbers until retired in mid 1968 | ||
| CC-123 | de
Havilland Canada Otter, transport and SAR |
Designation CSR-123 was also used. Retained their RCAF 4 digit serials until retired. | ||
| CH-124 | Sikorsky
Sea
King, ASW and utility helicopter (SH-3A) |
detailed
list 39 records updated 14 April 2006 |
||
| CH-125 | Vertol H-21, transport and SAR helicopter | retained their RCAF 4 digit serial numbers until retired in early 1970s | ||
| CH-126 | Sikorsky
H-34, transport and SAR helicopter (Sikorsky S-58) |
retained their RCAF 4 digit serial numbers until retired in early 1970s | ||
| CH-127 | Vertol
H-44, transport and SAR helicopter (Vertol Model 44) |
retained their RCAF 4 digit serial numbers until retired in early 1970s | ||
| CT-128 | Beechcraft
Expeditor, trainer (C-45) |
At
unification, the Canadian Forces inherited 159 Expeditors with a mix of
serial number types, most of them
in storage. 21 of these Expeditors in the 1500 range were given
new 4
digit serials, to avoid conflict with RCN serials for
CP-121
Trackers. These aircraft are in the detailed list below.
The CF history of the remaining aircraft is recorded with their RCAF
history, on the appropriate RCAF 4
digit serial page, the post war RCAF
page, or the RAF serial number page.
CAF
serials in the 12801 and up range were allocated for the Expeditors,
but I can find no evidence that any were applied before the last of the
fleet was
retired in 1972.
|
||
| 5179 to 5199 21 records updated 6 April 2007 |
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| CC-129 | Douglas
Dakota, transport (C-47 Skytrain) |
At unification, the CAF fleet of 94 Dakotas carried 3 digit, 4 digit and 5 digit RCAF serial numbers, and RAF serial numbers. For this reason, the 71 still owned when the fleet was renumbered did not use the old last two or last three for any of the new serials, in the 12901 to 12971 range. | ||
| detailed
list 71 records updated 17 July 2005 |
||||
| CC-130 | Lockheed
Hercules, transport (C-130) |
|||
| CX-131 | Canadair
CL-84 Dynavert, experimental tilt wing VTOL |
Serial numbers starting 13101 were allocated, but never marked. Retained their RCAF serial numbers throughout their life. | ||
| CC-132 | de Havilland Canada Dash Seven, transport | 132001, 132002 (2 records) updated 21 May 2006 |
||
| CT-133 | Canadair T-33, trainer (Lockheed T-33) |
The only T-33s remaining in service when renumbered where all Mk. 3s, although the CAF did not use this notation. Of 656 Mk. 3s delivered to the RCAF, I have identified 158 that received new serial numbers. | ||
|
51 records updated 19 August 2005 |
133353 to 133508 51 records updated 19 August 2005 |
133509 and up 56 records updated 19 August 2005 |
||
| CT-134 | Beechcraft Musketeer, trainer | CT-134,
as delivered: 13401 to 13425 |
CT-134,
as renumbered in 1973: 134201 to 134225 |
CT-134A: 134226 to 134246 |
| CH-135 | Bell
Twin Huey, utility and SAR helicopter (UH-1N) |
135101 to 135150 50 records updated 16 June 2006 |
||
| CH-136 | Bell
Kiowa, observation helicopter (OH-58A) |
136201 to 136274 75 records updated 7 July 2006 |
||
| CC-137 | Boeing
707, transport and tanker (C-137) |
13701 to 13705 5 records updated 14 July 2006 |
||
| CC-138 | de
Havilland Canada Twin Otter, SAR (UV-18) |
13801 to 13809 9 records updated 14 July 2006 |
||
| CH-139 | Bell
Jetranger, trainer helicopter (H-57) |
139301 to 139314 later received civil registrations |
||
| CP-140 | Lockheed
Aurora and Arcturus, maritime reconnaissance (P-3 Orion) |
140101 to 140118
Aurora 140119 to 140121 Arcturus 21 records updated 28 October 2006 |
||
| CC-141 | reserved
for planned purchase of Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, project not proceeded with |
Serial numbers 14101 to 14104 were reserved during contract negotiations. The purchase was canceled when the Boeing 707s (CC-137s) became available. | ||
| CC, CT-142 | de Havilland Canada Dash Eight, transport and trainer | 142801 to
142806 6 records updated 1 March 2007 |
||
| CH-143 | MBB BK-117A-3D, test bed helicopter | 143106 1 record updated 12 March 2006 |
||
| CC, CE-144 | Canadair Challenger, transport and EW trainer | 144601
to 144618 18 records updated 25 August 2005 |
||
| CT-145 | Beechcraft
Super King Air, trainer (C-12) |
145201 (2 different aircraft) and 145202. Now replaced by leased BE90s, with civil registrations, including C-GMBC |
||
| 2
additional civil B200 King Airs were leased in June 2009 from Aero
Support of London, Ontario, for use by the new Multi-Engine Utility
Flight at CFB Trenton. Initially received with civil
registrations C-GDVF and C-GDNH, it appears the serial number of one
may be 145208 (still to be confirmed). |
||||
| CH-146 | Bell
Griffon, utility and SAR helicopter (Model 412) Note that the trainers used at the former CFB Portage are sometimes referred to as CT-146 Outlaws, probably unofficially |
146400 to
146449 50 records updated 30 June 2007 |
||
| 146450 to 146499 50 records updated 30 June 2007 |
||||
| CH-147 | Boeing
Vertol Chinook, transport helicopter (CH-47C, CH-47D) |
147001 to 147009, 147201 to 147206 15 records updated 14 April 2009 |
||
| First
batch, purchased new, in service 1974 to 1992. Second batch: six CH-47D purchased second hand from the US for use in Afghanistan. By the end of 2008 several were in use with the Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing at Kandahar. Initially carried US style serials, including "0-01651", which is 86-1651 (converted from CH-47A 65-8015). Press releases identify these helicopters as CH-147D. By early January 2009, Canadian markings had been painted, in the open at Kandahar. |
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| CH-148 |
|
|
||
| CH-149 | EHI
Chimo (order for 15 aircraft canceled), re-assigned to EHI Cormorant, both SAR helicopters |
149901 to 149915
15 records updated 25 August 2006 |
||
| CC-150 | Airbus
Polaris, transport and tanker (A310) |
15001 to 15005 5 records updated 11 December 2007 |
||
| 151 |
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| 152 |
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| 153 |
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| 154 |
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| CT-155 | British
Aerospace Hawk, trainer (Hawk Mk. 115) |
155201 to
155220 (first batch, 2000) 155221, 155222 (replacement aircraft, 2004) 22 records updated 10 September 2005 |
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| CT-156 | Raytheon
Harvard II, trainer (T-6 Texan II) |
156101 to 156124
(first batch, 2000) 156125, 156126 (second batch, 2002) 26 records updated 1 March 2008 |
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| 157 |
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| 158 |
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| 159 |
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| CU-160 |
EADS/IAI
Eagle 1 |
Quoting
from CASR: "DND leased an EADS /IAI Eagle-1 for its
Tofino-based PLIX trials in July 2003. The UAV, designated CU-160 Eagle,
was operated by Israelis on a charter arrangement
and was an IAI Heron conversion prototype,
but fitted with a belly radome."
|
||
| CU-161 | SAGEM Sperwer, UAV | Detailed list
31 records updated 13 December 2009 |
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| CU-162 | Meggitt
Defence System Vindicator UAV |
162001 (at least) Believed to be used as UAV target in air defence training. Serial number 162031 received Category B damage in a launch incident at CFB Gagetown, NB on 31 January 2006 |
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| CU-163 | General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems Altair, long endurance UAV (Predator B) |
163301 leased 2004 for tests in Eastern Canada and Arctic |
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| 164 |
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| 165 |
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| 166 |
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| CU-167 | Advanced
Ceramics Research Silver Fox, mini UAV |
167001 to 167004 (at least) Thanks to our Designated UAV Expert, Stephen Priestley at CASR, for providing much of my UAV information. Now, what happened to 164 to 166? |
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| CU-168 |
Elbit Skylark mini UAV |
Order for 5, plus option for five more, placed
in March 2006 |
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| 169 |
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| CU-170 |
IAI
Heron |
$CDN100,000,000
contract awarded in spring of 2008 to IAI's Canadian partner, MacDonald
Dettwiler, to provide and operate an undisclosed number of IAI Herons
in Afghanistan. Several were in use with the Joint Task Force
Afghanistan Air Wing at Kandahar by end of 2008. Serials
identified so far include 170251 (possible) and 170252 (confirmed). |
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| CC-177 |
Boeing
Globemaster III (C-17A) |
177701 to 177704 4 records updated 1 March 2008 |
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| CF-188 | McDonnell
Douglas CF-18, multi-role fighter (F-18A, F-18B) |
188701 to
188749 (single seat) 49 records updated 31 May 2008 |
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| 188750 to
188798 (single seat) 49 records updated 31 May 2008 |
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| 188901 to 188940 (dual seat) 40 records updated 31 May 2008 |
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| This data has come from a variety of sources, and may contain all sorts of errors. In the future, I will add a complete list of references. For now, some recent Internet references can be found at the links below. I would welcome any corrections or additions you may have. Contact me using the link below. |
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© 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 by R. W. R. Walker All rights reserved under the copyright laws.
This is an amateur site - please don't rely on any of this data for anything important!
Created 28 April 2004. Updated 13 December 2009.