RCAF Station Mossbank | |||||||||||
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Mossbank, Saskatchewan Near Mossbank, Saskatchewan in Canada | |||||||||||
Coordinates | 49°56′N105°52′W / 49.933°N 105.867°W | ||||||||||
Site information | |||||||||||
Operator | Formerly Royal Canadian Air Force | ||||||||||
Site history | |||||||||||
In use | 1940-1944 | ||||||||||
Garrison information | |||||||||||
Occupants | No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School(1940-1944) | ||||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||||
Identifiers | IATA: none, ICAO: none | ||||||||||
Elevation | 2,320 ft (710 m) AMSL | ||||||||||
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Airfields |
RCAF Station Mossbank opened 28 Oct 1940 and was home to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School. The station was a Second World War, British Commonwealth Air Training Plan training facility located near Mossbank, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was similar to the gunnery school at Dafoe, Saskatchewan. The proximity to a lake (Old Wives Lake) was important since the lake could be used for bombing and gunnery practice. Aircraft used include the Westland Lysander, Bristol Bolingbroke, Avro Anson, and Fairey Battle. The school closed 15 December 1944, after having graduated 2,539 air bombers and 3,702 air gunners. [1]
In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at 49°56′N105°52′W / 49.933°N 105.867°W with a Var. 18 degrees E and elevation of 2,300 ft (700 m). Three runways were listed as follows: [2]
Runway Name | Length | Width | Surface |
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18/36 | 3,450 ft (1,050 m) | 150 ft (46 m) | Hard surfaced |
12/30 | 3,450 ft (1,050 m) | 150 ft (46 m) | Hard surfaced |
6/24 | 3,400 ft (1,000 m) | 150 ft (46 m) | Hard surfaced |
Today the airfield is abandoned with only the gunnery backstop, hangar pads and weedy, broken runways to see. It is used as a "practice airshow airport" for 431 Air Demonstration Squadron (The Snowbirds) as it is conveniently located in their training area CYR 303 (restricted).
On December 10, 2004, a collision between two CT-114 Tutor jets from the Snowbirds occurred during training over Mossbank. The collision led to the death of Capt. Miles Selby. Capt. Chuck Mallett survived the collision and subsequent crash after he was "thrown out" as the airplane disintegrated.
Selby Road on the eastern edge of the airbase has been dedicated in the memory of Capt. Miles Selby.
A cairn is located at the entrance of the Mossbank Golf Course, which borders the old base. The cairn is dedicated to all the people that have served at Mossbank.
Turvey Centre, located near IPSCO (Interprovincial Steel and Pipe Corporation)(new name is Evares as of 2008) in Regina, was originally an aircraft hangar from Mossbank. The building, which now has a stage and second floor balcony, is now used for events such as wedding receptions, hobby shows, swap meets and other activities.
St. Thomas Municipal Airport located 3.5 nautical miles east of St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada is a small airport serving the general aviation needs of the area. It was established in 1941 as an air training base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Program. The base was operated by the Department of National Defence until the late 1940s as a relief field for No. 14 Service Flying Training School Aylmer, Ontario and No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School Fingal, Ontario. It has six runways, and four IFR approaches.
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant was a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station in Mount Pleasant, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Two of its runways remain in use by members of the Experimental Aircraft Association.
Prince Albert Airport is located 1 nautical mile northeast of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Swift Current Airport is located 4 nautical miles east of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, also known as 15 Wing Moose Jaw, is a Canadian Forces base located 4 nautical miles south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is home to RCAF Pilot training and 431 Squadron, the Snowbirds, which is the RCAF's air demonstration squadron.
RCAF Station Charlottetown was a Royal Canadian Air Force station located in Sherwood, Prince Edward Island. Today's Charlottetown Airport maintains a remnant of the airfield's runways near its general aviation terminal, but all buildings and most infrastructure have been removed.
Canadian Forces Detachment Mountain View, also CFD Mountain View, is a Canadian Forces airfield located in Prince Edward County, Ontario, south of Belleville. It is geographically close to CFB Trenton, which has administrative responsibility for the facilities.
RCAF Station Dafoe was a Second World War Royal Canadian Air Force station located near Dafoe, Saskatchewan, Canada. The station was home to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan's No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School. The school opened January 1941 and closed January 1945. Aircraft used included the Westland Lysander, Bristol Bolingbroke, Avro Anson, and Fairey Battle.
RCAF Station Assiniboia was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) flying training station located near Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Canadian Forces Base Picton was a military installation located in Picton, Ontario. The base was active from the Second World War to 1969 and served the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Army. Today, the site functions as the Picton Airport.
Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome is a heritage-listed airport in Evans Head, Richmond Valley Council, New South Wales. The airport is approximately 1 km (0.62 mi) north of the village. During World War II it was Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Station Evans Head supporting RAAF No 1 Bombing and Gunnery School (1BAGS) and subsequently the RAAF No 1 Air Observers School. At the height of operations there were three asphalt runways and one grass strip. Only a single asphalt strip is still in use by private aviation. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 November 2002.
Mossbank is a town in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The town is south of Old Wives Lake and 68 km south of Moose Jaw.
RCAF Station Macdonald was a RCAF air training station located 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.
Royal Canadian Air Force Station Dunnville was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Dunnville, Ontario. The station was home to No. 6 Service Flying Training School and is usually known by that name. Service Flying Training schools trained pilots, either single engine or multi-engine, and 6 SFTS was a single engine school. After graduation the new pilots were assigned various duties, which might be overseas in the Royal Air Force or an RCAF squadron; or in Canada as instructors or staff pilots in the BCATP, or for duty in RCAF Home Defence squadrons.
RCAF Station Paulson was a Second World War, British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facility located near Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada.
RCAF Station Estevan was a World War II, British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) base operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). It was located South of the City of Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada.
RCAF Station Caron was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Caron, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).