RCAF Station Hamilton

RCAF Station Hamilton was an air force base of the Royal Canadian Air Force located in Mount Hope, Ontario, Canada, 15 mi (24 km) south of Hamilton.

RCAF Station Hamilton
Canada
RCAF Station Hamilton
Coordinates
Site information
OwnerDepartment of National Defence
OperatorRoyal Canadian Air Force
Site history
Builtc.1940 (c.1940)
In use1964 (1964)
Garrison information
GarrisonNo. 10 Elementary Flying Training School
No. 33 Air Navigation School

History

World War II

During the Second World War, it was a base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, teaching pilots from allied commonwealth nations the basics of elementary flying. Schools located here were No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School (No. 10 EFTS), which flew De Havilland Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch aircraft, and No. 33 Air Navigation School (No. 33 ANS), which flew the Avro Anson. No. 10 EFTS relocated to RCAF Station Pendleton in 1942; No. 33 ANS closed in October 1944.[1][2]

Aerodrome Information

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed as RCAF Aerodrome - Hamilton (Mount Hope) Ontario at 43°10′N 79°56′W with a variation of 7 degrees west and elevation of 771 ft (235 m). Three runways were listed as follows:[3]

Runway Name Length Width Surface
11/29 2,789 ft (850 m) 150 ft (46 m) *Not Specified
16/34 2,789 ft (850 m) 150 ft (46 m) *Not Specified
10/28 2,965 ft (904 m) 150 ft (46 m) *Not Specified

Post war

After the war, it became a base for Hamilton 424 Reserve Squadron, supported by regular force personnel. During the post-war years, 424 Squadron, under Air Defence Command, flew the P-51 Mustang and Vampire jet fighter. Later, under Air Transport Command, 424 flew the Beechcraft Expeditor and the De Havilland Otter. Other units located here included No. 16 Wing (Auxiliary), No. 2424 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (Auxiliary), which trained Pinetree Line radar operators, and the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve's No. 1 Training Air Group.

Although the popular notion is the amalgamation and reorganization of Canada's armed forces caused the closure of RCAF Station Hamilton in 1964, those who served in the RCAF at the time know that the closure was a result of an infamous austerity program initiated by the Diefenbaker government - the same government that forced the scrapping of the Avro Arrow.

Post closure

The airport was known as Mount Hope Airport for many years and today is called the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. The airport is also the home of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

References
  1. Hatch, F. J. (1983). The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-1945. Ottawa: Directorate of History, Department of National Defence. ISBN 0660114437.
  2. Forsyth, Bruce (1998). "A Short History of Abandoned and Downsized Canadian Military Bases". Military Bruce Historical Writings by Bruce Forsyth. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  3. Staff writer (c. 1942). Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 1. Royal Canadian Air Force. p. 120.
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