Chinook, Calgary, Canada

The Chinook is a warm wind which periodically blows over the Rockies and rapidly raises the temperature, melting the snow in a few days. The warm wind pushes back the cold air and snow cloud and forms what is called a 'Chinook arch' in the sky. The temperature in Calgary can rise from 30 degrees below to 30 above in a few hours. The aircraft in the picture are flown by trainees from Australia and other countries of the Empire Air Training Scheme undergoing their training in Alberta, Canada. Ralph Malcolm Warner was appointed Official War Artist in 1943, covering the activities of the RAAF in Canada, United States and the Bahamas. His first mission was in Papua New Guinea recording Australian operation against the Japanese. In 1945 Warner continued to work as a war artist recording civil and industrial war efforts and food production in areas of New South Wales and Victoria. After the war he returned to commercial art, designing posters, murals and postage stamps and illustrating books.