Shipbucket

Although that picture is quite conclusive, the Red Ensign was not flown when underway. The site quoted above says it quite explicitly that the Red Ensign was not used by navy only by the army and air force, apart from government buildings.

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

The picture is black and white so I think of the possibility it might maybe had been the blue ensign, though I haven't any documentation that RCN ever had used that

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Work in progress:
DD County Class PNS Babur (1982)(PAK)
FF Type 21 Class D182 PNS Babur (2000)(PAK)
All relevant Coat of Arms

I found this mention of the Canadian Blue Ensign in an on-line version of Alistair Fraser'sThe Flags of Canada, chapter 4.

"Likewise, the Canadian Blue Ensign with the identical badge remained unchanged until 1922, but after 1910, when the Royal Canadian Navy was formed, its use was extended to that of a naval jack."

With this bit of information, I would guess that the flag on the jackstaff of HMCS Warrior is the Blue Ensign.

http://fraser.cc/FlagsCan/Nation/Ensigns.html

And as said before, in use only at anchor...

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Thank you Kim for the crest

"Never fear to try on something new. Remember that the Titanic was built by professionals, and the Ark by an amateur"

Both staffs, bow and stern would be in the way of flight operations. The Sea Fury pilots in the port and starboard views wouldn't be thrilled to see the flags. However, it seems to be common in Shipbucket illustrations to show jackstaffs and flagstaffs on carriers as well as aircarft landing and taking off. But then the idea is highlight details and smoke, steam from catapults, and bow waves would obscure detail.

A bit of a grey area that one.My understanding is the union flag should only be flown in port.And of corse you are correct the staffs would interfere with flight ops.The attraction in drawing carriers for me is playing with the wonderfully drawn aircraft.I don't place them in the same place in all three views,whilst being technically correct that would be boring.I will post the drawings with hopefully the correct flags and if anyone wants to omit them for their own files just take a rubber to them.

Bombhead,

You do great work, we're really just trying to help even if it does not seem like it at times. The flags are usually a colorful addition to usually grey ships. I had not noticed the flagstaffs being rigged while planes are in the air until I looked through a bunch of photos of carriers trying to figure out what the Canadians flew where. I would keep the colorful touch.

No probs mate,put it down to grumpy old man syndrome,funny age. BTW Maggie flew Sea Furies and Fireflies up to 1950 and Sea Furies and Avengers after that.

I look up the history section of the Canadian Dept. of Defense on the web and sent them an e-mail asking if they had any information on flags used by the RCN before 1965. Let's see if they reply.

Practice was the RCN naval ensign only from ships of war. To be honest, I have been around MARCOM/RCN all my life, with a family history dating back to its founding (Including Grandfathers on all three carriers) and I've only ever seen a handful of pictures of RCN ships flying the blue Ensign, all in port or during a review. Underway was only even the naval.

In terms of air groups:

The Warrior flew 803 Squadron (Transferred from the RN in Jan 1946) with Seafires until May 1947 when it began to convert to Sea Furies. Its Seafires were transferred to 883 Squadron which was reactivated (It had been active from Sept 1945 to Feb 1946, but never flew from Warrior in this time). From May to November 1947 883 Squadron flew Seafires off Warrior. After that Warrior was effectively out of service until her transfer.

In May 1948 803 Squadron became active with her Sea Furies and operated off Maggie. At this point 883 Squadron began conversion to Sea Furies, and became active in September 1948. These two squadrons were renumbered 870 and 871 respectively in May of 1951. Maggie would fly either squadron, and sometimes both, until she was taken out of service in early 1957, at which point both squadrons were transferred to the Bonnie.

Between November 1955 and December 1956 both squadrons transitioned to the F2H-3 Banshee together. And, in March 1957, 871 was merged into 870 Squadron. Leaving one squadron flying Banshees until they were retired in Sept 1962.

I'm running out of time so I will skip the details of the other squadrons. The Firefly was flown from March 1946 to Febuary 1953. The Avenger from early 1952 until Feb and Oct 1957 (880 and 881 squadrons respectivly, began converting to the Tracker then). With the first trackers from 880 being able to embark from the Bonnie in January 1959.

Three H04S were operated as plane guards from June 1952. In July 1955 HS50 formed as an ASW helicopter squadron with ten H04S helicopters.

In terms of operational practice, Warrior began with two squadrons of Fireflies, and one of Seafires.
Maggie flew one, later two Sea Fury squadrons, and usually two squadrons of Fireflies, transitioning to two of Avengers.
Bonnie only ever flew with one squadron of fighters, and one of ASW aircraft. By 1960 the HS50 began to be deployed more often the the Banshees however. The RCN decided they could fly any two squadrons, but not all three. They would be 12 Banshees, 12 Trackers, or 10 Helicopters. Any combination of those two. Prior to the complete transition to the Banshee, the squadrons flew 16 aircraft, either fighters or ASW/Recce.