RCAF Station Mount Pleasant

Not to be confused with RAF Mount Pleasant.
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
Near Ellerslie, Prince Edward Island in Canada
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant is located in Prince Edward Island
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
RCAF Station Mount Pleasant
Coordinates46°35′54″N 064°00′24″W / 46.59833°N 64.00667°W / 46.59833; -64.00667
Site information
OwnerDept of National Defence (Canada)
Airfield information
Elevation110 feet (34 m)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
2/20 3,048 feet (929 m) hard surface[1]
8/26 3,002 feet (915 m) hard surface[1]
14/32 2,994 feet (913 m) hard surface[1]
Airfields
Two aircrew examining a target drogue at No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School, RCAF, Mount Pleasant, P.E.I., 1944

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.[2]

World War II

The aerodrome opened during World War II in 1940 under the auspices of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). It was intended to serve as a relief landing field for No. 9 Service Flying Training School, which was located at nearby RCAF Station Summerside.

In September 1943, RCAF Station Mount Pleasant evolved from a relief field to a full training facility when it began hosting No. 10 Bombing and Gunnery School (B&GS).[3] Aircraft used for this training include the Avro Anson, Fairey Battle, Bristol Bolingbroke and Westland Lysander. No. 10 B&GS ceased operation in June 1945.

The airfield was used as a storage depot for a short time before being decommissioned by the RCAF in 1947.

Aerodrome information

The airfield was constructed in the typical BCATP wartime pattern, with runways formed in a triangle. In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at 46°36′N 64°00′W / 46.600°N 64.000°W / 46.600; -64.000 with a Var. 25 degrees W and elevation of 110 feet (34 m). Three runways were listed as follows:[1]

Runway name Length Width Surface
2/20 3,048 feet (929 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard (asphalt) surfaced
8/26 3,002 feet (915 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard (asphalt) surfaced
14-32 2,994 feet (913 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard (asphalt) surfaced

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Staff writer (c. 1942). Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 1. Royal Canadian Air Force. p. 32.
  2. ^ "A Short History of Abandoned and Downsized Canadian Military Bases - Introduction". Military Bruce Historical Writings. Bruce Forsyth. Archived from the original on June 1, 2010.
  3. ^ 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.


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