RCAF Station Calgary
Encyclopedia
What is referred to here as RCAF Station Calgary was actually a collection of Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) training establishments and other facilities that operated in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s.
In 1935 the RCAF constructed a landing field on a section of the Canadian Army's Currie Barracks located in southwest Calgary. The airfield was known as Currie Field or the Calgary Military Airport . In 1938, the aerodrome was home to two RCAF squadrons: No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron (flying Westland Wapiti
s) and No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron (flying Siskins
and later, Hawker Hurricane
s). No. 1 (F) Squadron was renumbered to 401 Squadron when it was posted overseas for combat duty. During the Second World War, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP) established No. 3 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at the airfield. Aircraft flown at this school were Avro Anson
s and Cessna Cranes
. No. 3 SFTS closed September 28, 1945. After the war, No. 10 Repair Depot was located at the station until 1947 when No. 25 Air Materiel Base Calgary was formed. The base was renamed RCAF Station Lincoln Park. Among the station's functions, Lincoln Park was a training centre for NATO pilots. This training facility closed in 1958 and the station became an emergency landing field. RCAF Station Lincoln Park was closed in 1964, but portions of the base were retained to house military families. The former hangar line at Lincoln Park was taken over by the various Army field units garrisoned at CFB Calgary. The remaining property was sold to the ATCO Company, the City of Calgary and Mount Royal College. The main campus of Mount Royal College
now occupies a section of the old aerodrome while the old hangars are occupied by various businesses, including the Calgary Farmer's Market.http://calgaryfarmersmarket.com/
As well as the primary operational field at Lincoln Park, a satellite or "relief" field existed at Shepherd, just to the southeast of the city. The auxiliary training facilities at Shepard were used for air training using North American Harvard and Fleet Fort
aircraft. No. 2 Wireless school ceased operation on April 14, 1945.
The last vestiges of runways disappeared in 2001 when an industrial park was built and the last runway (north-south) was removed. The north-south runway was used as a dragstrip
from the 1960s to 1983 under the name Calgary International Raceway. No. 37 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) was a Royal Air Force
flying school located at McCall Field , which is now Calgary International Airport
in northeast Calgary. The school opened October 22, 1941. Like all RAF schools in Canada during this time, No. 37 SFTS was subject to RCAF administrative and operational control and formally became part of the BCATP in 1942. Pilots in training flew Avro Anson
s and Cessna Cranes
. The school closed March 10, 1944. An original BCATP building is used by the Calgary Aerospace Museum.
No. 2 Wireless School was a BCATP radio operator school. It opened September 16, 1940 and was located at the old Alberta Provincial Institute of Technology and Art , which is now the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
(SAIT). As one of the largest wireless
training schools, it trained thousands of radio operators.
Calgary was the location of No. 4 Training Command Headquarters from October 1941 to November 1944 after having moved from Regina
, Saskatchewan
. No. 4 Training Command Headquarters was responsible for BCATP operations in Alberta, British Columbia
, and much of Saskatchewan. No. 11 Storage Depot, RCAF, was also located in Calgary until being closed in the early 1950s.
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
(RCAF) training establishments and other facilities that operated in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s.
In 1935 the RCAF constructed a landing field on a section of the Canadian Army's Currie Barracks located in southwest Calgary. The airfield was known as Currie Field or the Calgary Military Airport . In 1938, the aerodrome was home to two RCAF squadrons: No. 3 (Bomber) Squadron (flying Westland Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
s) and No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron (flying Siskins
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin
The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a British biplane single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. The Siskin was one of the first new RAF fighters to enter service after the First World War; it was noted for its aerobatic qualities.-Design and development:The...
and later, Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s). No. 1 (F) Squadron was renumbered to 401 Squadron when it was posted overseas for combat duty. During the Second World War, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
(BCATP) established No. 3 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at the airfield. Aircraft flown at this school were Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s and Cessna Cranes
Cessna AT-17
-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
. No. 3 SFTS closed September 28, 1945. After the war, No. 10 Repair Depot was located at the station until 1947 when No. 25 Air Materiel Base Calgary was formed. The base was renamed RCAF Station Lincoln Park. Among the station's functions, Lincoln Park was a training centre for NATO pilots. This training facility closed in 1958 and the station became an emergency landing field. RCAF Station Lincoln Park was closed in 1964, but portions of the base were retained to house military families. The former hangar line at Lincoln Park was taken over by the various Army field units garrisoned at CFB Calgary. The remaining property was sold to the ATCO Company, the City of Calgary and Mount Royal College. The main campus of Mount Royal College
Mount Royal College
Mount Royal University is a public university in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1910 as a primary and secondary school, Mount Royal became a post-secondary institution in 1931 as Mount Royal College offering transfer courses to the University of Alberta and later to the University of Calgary...
now occupies a section of the old aerodrome while the old hangars are occupied by various businesses, including the Calgary Farmer's Market.http://calgaryfarmersmarket.com/
As well as the primary operational field at Lincoln Park, a satellite or "relief" field existed at Shepherd, just to the southeast of the city. The auxiliary training facilities at Shepard were used for air training using North American Harvard and Fleet Fort
Fleet Fort
-References:NotesBibliography* Holmes, Tony. Jane's Vintage Aircraft Recognition Guide. London: Harper Collins, 2005. ISBN 0-0071-9292-4.* Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.* Page, Ron D. and...
aircraft. No. 2 Wireless school ceased operation on April 14, 1945.
The last vestiges of runways disappeared in 2001 when an industrial park was built and the last runway (north-south) was removed. The north-south runway was used as a dragstrip
Dragstrip
A dragstrip is a facility for conducting automobile and motorcycle acceleration events such as drag racing. Although a quarter mile is the best known measure for a drag track, many tracks are eighth mile tracks...
from the 1960s to 1983 under the name Calgary International Raceway. No. 37 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) was a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
flying school located at McCall Field , which is now Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport
Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary...
in northeast Calgary. The school opened October 22, 1941. Like all RAF schools in Canada during this time, No. 37 SFTS was subject to RCAF administrative and operational control and formally became part of the BCATP in 1942. Pilots in training flew Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s and Cessna Cranes
Cessna AT-17
-References:NotesBibliography* Mondey, David. American Aircraft of World War II . London: Bounty Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7537-1461-4....
. The school closed March 10, 1944. An original BCATP building is used by the Calgary Aerospace Museum.
No. 2 Wireless School was a BCATP radio operator school. It opened September 16, 1940 and was located at the old Alberta Provincial Institute of Technology and Art , which is now the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
-Academics:SAIT Polytechnic offers two full baccalaureate degrees , four applied degrees, 66 diploma and certificate programs, 32 apprenticeship trades and 1,600 continuing education and corporate training courses....
(SAIT). As one of the largest wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
training schools, it trained thousands of radio operators.
Calgary was the location of No. 4 Training Command Headquarters from October 1941 to November 1944 after having moved from Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. No. 4 Training Command Headquarters was responsible for BCATP operations in Alberta, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and much of Saskatchewan. No. 11 Storage Depot, RCAF, was also located in Calgary until being closed in the early 1950s.