by Bruce Forsyth (www.militarybruce.com), with permission
In 1940, the federal government took over the Saskatoon Municipal Airport for use as an RCAF training facility. On 16 September 1940, No. 4 Service Flying Training School officially opened as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, with Relief Landing Fields at Osler and Vanscoy. The airport facilities were completely overhauled with new hangars, barracks and administrative buildings being constructed. The airfield was expanded and the runways were paved.
No. 4 SFTS closed on 30 March 1945, having graduated over 2000 airmen, but a small RCAF contingent remained at the Saskatoon Airport. 406 (Lynx) Squadron, a fighter squadron that had been adopted by the City of Saskatoon during WWII, was re-activated in 1947 as a light bomber squadron in the RCAF Auxiliary (Reserve). Officially re-named 406 (Lynx) City of Saskatoon Squadron, the squadron took up residence in several of the former No. 4 SFTS buildings.
During the 1950s, Saskatoon became one of the major military centres in Western Canada. As a result of the RCAF’s post-war expansion, RCAF Station Saskatoon re-opened as an air training facility in October 1950. That same year, No. 23 Wing was formed to oversee 406 (Lynx) Squadron and several other Auxiliary (Reserve) Squadrons in Western Canada. Permanent Married Quarters were built at the end of 1952, and the following year, the Air Marshall Curtis School opened for the children of station personnel.
No. 1 Advance Flying School opened at the station in 1952, one of the many Flying Training Schools opened across Canada to train RAF, RCAF and NATO aircrews. Students at the school trained on Mitchell Bombers and Expeditor aircraft trainers. Other lodger units at the station included No. 3043 Technical Training Unit (Auxiliary) and No. 4002 Medical Unit (Auxiliary).
RCAF Station Saskatoon honoured former Saskatchewan Lieutenant Governor A.P. (Archie) McNab in 1955 when the PMQ community at the station was named McNab Park.
In 1956, the Instrument Flying School moved to Saskatoon from RCAF Station Centralia, Ontario.
In 1962, control of RCAF Station Saskatoon was transferred from Training Command to Air Transport Command, but this change would be short-lived.
In the early to mid 1960s, a reorganization and consolidation occurred within the Canadian Military. Several Army, Navy and RCAF bases were either downsized, merged or closed. As a result, RCAF Station Saskatoon closed in 1964 and both 406 Squadron and 23 Wing were disbanded. Squadron Leader J. Shaw was the last CO of the station.
RCAF Detachment No. 1005 Technical Support Depot was established at the site, occupying four of the station’s hangars. The detachment served as a disposal and storage facility for disused aircraft, including the C119 Flying Boxcar, Expeditor, Neptune and Harvard trainers and the Yukon Transport aircraft. In fact, it was at No. 1005 TSD that the last five Harvard aircraft in the RCAF inventory were brought for disposal.
The Air Marshall Curtis School was transferred to the Saskatoon Public School Board in 1965 and re-named McNab School. The McNab Park PMQ homes were sold off as private residences.
The remainder of the property was turned over to the federal Department of Transport and reverted to its original role as a civilian airport, now known as the Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport.
No. 1005 Technical Support Depot, re-named 407 Technical Services Detachment after the Unification, remained at the Saskatoon Airport until 1978, when the Air Force finally departed Saskatoon.
Parts of the former RCAF Station Saskatoon remain today, including the ground school, supply building, airmens mess and officers mess, the airmen and officers barracks, the post-war “Arch” hangar (all built in the 1950s), 4 ammunition storage buildings and the WWII-era drill hall. The five WWII era hangars were torn down several years ago, leaving just the cement pads. The PMQs also remain, but some are vacant and boarded-up.
Among the tenants of the airport are the National Aviation Centre, providing servicing and facilities for aircraft.
406 Squadron’s traditions live on in Saskatoon through 602 Lynx Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force Association. 406 Squadron was re-activated and is currently located at 12 Wing Shearwater.
The abandoned airfield is all that remains at the former RCAF Detachment Vanscoy. A faint outline of the runways can still be seen at the former RCAF Detachment Olser.
Source material: Twinaire (newspaper of RCAF Station Saskatoon), Vol. 1, No. 7, March 1955, “Memories of Flying – Old Home Week for Airmen” by Dean Creswell, Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 22 September 1971, information supplied by June Flegg, Historian, Saskatoon Public Library (2000), National Aviation Centre/National Aviation College web site – http://citylightsnews.com/nac.htm, information supplied by Jeff O’Brien, City Archivist, City of Saskatoon (2000), information supplied by Will Chaburn, Member Regina Chapter, Canadian Aviation Historical Society (2003), information supplied by Shelley Anklewich, Contract Administrator, Saskatoon Airport Authority (2003), information supplied by Harry Setchell (2004), Ozzy’s Place: Abandoned Aerodromes of Saskatchewan – http://ozzzy.dyndns.org, information provided by Vintage Wings – www.vintagewings.ca & information supplied by William A. Restall, Saskatoon Airport (2001).