RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge
Encyclopedia
RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge was a Royal Canadian Air Force
training base located in coastal Charlotte County
, New Brunswick
in the hamlet of Pennfield Ridge.
Construction of the aerodrome
began in the summer of 1940 after a suitable site was selected on a ridge high above the surrounding coastal plain
of the north shore of the Bay of Fundy
, east of the town of St. George
. Proximity to a Canadian Pacific Railway
line running between St. Stephen
and Saint John
eased the transport of building materials. General contractor Dexter Construction had 200 workers on the project by August 1940 and the runways were finished by November. The base was located southwest of the Camp Utopia, an army training facility for southwestern New Brunswick.
The first test flights took place on January 1, 1941 and the base officially opened on July 21 of that year, housing the No. 2 Air Navigational School (ANS) and later the No. 34 Operational Training Unit (OTU), under the command of the No. 3 Training Command, which was headquartered in Montreal
as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP).
By the end of summer 1941, over 40 buildings were constructed on the base, including 4 large hangar
s, an observation tower, barracks, drill hall, mess halls and classrooms, along with a water supply and internal telephone system. The three runways were lengthened in the fall of 1941 into the classic BCATP triangle arrangement.
The air base was decommissioned by the RCAF toward the end of World War II
, with air force activities in eastern Canada being concentrated at RCAF Station Greenwood
, RCAF Station Debert
, RCAF Station Summerside
and RCAF Station Chatham
. The Pennfield Ridge base became the operational location for Heavy Transport until it was purchased several years later and operated by a commercial airline company as an alternative to the inadequate airport serving Saint John at Millidgeville
.
After the new Saint John Airport
was opened in the early 1950s, Pennfield Ridge closed as an operational airfield. One of its runways was used as a drag racing
track by the New Brunwsick Drag Racing Association during the 1950s-1970s. Today, 2 of the 3 runways are used for drying seaweed
which is then marketed as a natural plant fertilizer. The remaining runway is still able to handle small aircraft under visual flight rules
(VFR) conditions; there is a small fuel reserve tank for the use of J.D. Irving Limited
and New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources aircraft.
Less than 2 km (1.2 mi) to the east of the airfield is the location of the Jim Mollison
landing in August 1932, in which Mollison completed the first solo east-to-west transatlantic flight
. His aircraft was a de Havilland
Puss Moth
(G-ABXY) dubbed "The Heart's Content".
On September 24, 2006, a memorial was erected at a nearby park in Pennfield by "The Charlotte County War Memorial Committee" to honor the sixty men that died while on training at Pennfield Ridge.
Subsequent research by Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society shows that they are seventy men who died while training at Pennfield Ridge. There was also six civilian casualties as well.
45°07′38"N 066°41′40"W
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...
training base located in coastal Charlotte County
Charlotte County, New Brunswick
Charlotte County is located in the southwestern portion of New Brunswick, Canada.In most of the county, fishing and aquaculture dominate the local economy, although the town of St. Andrews is a tourist mecca and St...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
in the hamlet of Pennfield Ridge.
Construction of the aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
began in the summer of 1940 after a suitable site was selected on a ridge high above the surrounding coastal plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
of the north shore of the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
, east of the town of St. George
St. George, New Brunswick
St. George is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick.St. George is nicknamed the "Granite Town" and is located on the Magaguadavic River between Passamaquoddy Bay and Lake Utopia. It is 70 km west of Saint John....
. Proximity to a Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
line running between St. Stephen
St. Stephen, New Brunswick
St. Stephen is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, situated on the east bank of the St. Croix River at .-Climate:...
and Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
eased the transport of building materials. General contractor Dexter Construction had 200 workers on the project by August 1940 and the runways were finished by November. The base was located southwest of the Camp Utopia, an army training facility for southwestern New Brunswick.
The first test flights took place on January 1, 1941 and the base officially opened on July 21 of that year, housing the No. 2 Air Navigational School (ANS) and later the No. 34 Operational Training Unit (OTU), under the command of the No. 3 Training Command, which was headquartered in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
as part of 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).
By the end of summer 1941, over 40 buildings were constructed on the base, including 4 large hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s, an observation tower, barracks, drill hall, mess halls and classrooms, along with a water supply and internal telephone system. The three runways were lengthened in the fall of 1941 into the classic BCATP triangle arrangement.
The air base was decommissioned by the RCAF toward the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with air force activities in eastern Canada being concentrated at RCAF Station Greenwood
CFB Greenwood
Canadian Forces Base Greenwood , commonly referred to as "14 Wing Greenwood" or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located in Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora...
, RCAF Station Debert
CFS Debert
Canadian Forces Station Debert was a Canadian Forces station located in Debert, Nova Scotia. It was most recently used during the Cold War as a communications facility and was home to a "Regional Emergency Government Headquarters" complex.Originally this facility was developed with an airfield...
, RCAF Station Summerside
CFB Summerside
Canadian Forces Base Summerside was an air force base located in St. Eleanors, Prince Edward Island, Canada, now part of the city of Summerside.-RCAF Station Summerside:...
and RCAF Station Chatham
CFB Chatham
Canadian Forces Base Chatham or CFB Chatham was a Canadian Forces Base located immediately south of the town of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada. Parts are now operating as Miramichi Municipal Airport since 1974 with a partial runway available .From 1970 until 1985 Chatham had a Base Rescue Flight...
. The Pennfield Ridge base became the operational location for Heavy Transport until it was purchased several years later and operated by a commercial airline company as an alternative to the inadequate airport serving Saint John at Millidgeville
Millidgeville, New Brunswick
Millidgeville is a Canadian neighbourhood in the city of Saint John, New Brunswick.Millidgeville is situated on the northern edge of the city, on Brothers Cove off the Kennebecasis River at the point where that westerly flowing river meets the southerly flowing St. John River...
.
After the new Saint John Airport
Saint John Airport
Saint John Airport is an airport located east northeast of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.Part of the National Airports System, it is owned by Transport Canada and operated by Saint John Airport Inc....
was opened in the early 1950s, Pennfield Ridge closed as an operational airfield. One of its runways was used as a drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
track by the New Brunwsick Drag Racing Association during the 1950s-1970s. Today, 2 of the 3 runways are used for drying seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
which is then marketed as a natural plant fertilizer. The remaining runway is still able to handle small aircraft under visual flight rules
Visual flight rules
Visual flight rules are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minimums, as specified in the rules of the...
(VFR) conditions; there is a small fuel reserve tank for the use of J.D. Irving Limited
J. D. Irving
J.D. Irving Limited is a privately owned conglomerate company headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Its activities include many industries: forestry, paper products, agriculture, food processing, transportation, shipbuilding...
and New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources aircraft.
Less than 2 km (1.2 mi) to the east of the airfield is the location of the Jim Mollison
Jim Mollison
James Allan Mollison was a famous Scottish pioneer aviator who set many records during the rapid development of aviation in the 1930s.-Early years:...
landing in August 1932, in which Mollison completed the first solo east-to-west transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight
Transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. A transatlantic flight may proceed east-to-west, originating in Europe or Africa and terminating in North America or South America, or it may go in the reverse direction, west-to-east...
. His aircraft was a de Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
Puss Moth
De Havilland Puss Moth
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London, Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10010-7-External links:*...
(G-ABXY) dubbed "The Heart's Content".
On September 24, 2006, a memorial was erected at a nearby park in Pennfield by "The Charlotte County War Memorial Committee" to honor the sixty men that died while on training at Pennfield Ridge.
Subsequent research by Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society shows that they are seventy men who died while training at Pennfield Ridge. There was also six civilian casualties as well.
External links
- Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society – Professional research since 1989. The former track director for "Pennfield Dragway" (1989-1996) is conducting an intensive research project into the former Air Station. This website serves as a tribute to those who served there.
- Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society Blog - A blog dedicated to keep people updated to the on-going research by Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society to preserve the rich history of Pennfield Ridge Air Station and A-30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (Camp Utopia).
- Pennfield Ridge War Memorial Project - A funding raising project by Pennfield Parish Military Historical Society to erect a memorial stone remembering the 76 personnel killed at Pennfield Ridge Air Station.
45°07′38"N 066°41′40"W