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RCAF Station Edmonton
Municipal Airport



General Information

Base / Station:  Edmonton (municipal airport)

Province: Alberta

Dates of Operation or Period of Information: 1940-44

Units:

  • No.2 Air Observer School
    • Formed – 5 August 1940
    • Disbanded – 14 July 1944
    • Reformed in Winnipeg, Manitoba – 15 November 1955
    • Aircraft Flown:
      • Anson,
      • Boeing 247D,
      • Lockheed 10A,
      • Stinson 105,
      • Menasco Moth
  • No.16 Elementary Flying Training School
    • Formed – 11 November 1940
    • Disbanded – 17 July 1942
    • operated by Edmonton Flying Club
    • Aircraft Flown:
      • Tiger Moth,
      • Fleet Finch

Commanding Officers:

Financial Impact: formed nucleus for municipal airport

Date / Reason for Closure: 14 July 1944, reduced requirement for aircrew

Site Evolution

  • Hangar Fire destroys hangar – Approximately 12 June 1947 (Source Lethbridge Herald – 12 June 1947 – Page 3)
  • The Publication On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) lists the Aerodrome as “Edmonton Muni” – See photos on this page.
  • The Canada Flight Supplement – 19 July 2018 lists “Edmonton City Center (Blachford Field) AB (N53 34 W113 31)” in the Abandoned List.

Current Status:  Airport decommissioned. most runway/taxiway/ramp surface remains in use, 2 or 3 hangars remain

Commemoration:

RCAF Aerodrome Edmonton, Alberta. Image from the RCAF Pilots Manual of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases circa 1942.

On Track – 1978

On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) Edmonton Muni Aerodrome (Part 1)
On Track…the Pilot’s Air Travel Guide (First Annual Edition – 1978) Edmonton Muni Aerodrome (Part 2)

Location – Google Map

Station Magazine
“”

1940

School formed November 1940, No Daily Diary found for November.

December

1942

January

February

March

April (Found misfiled in No 15 EFTS, Regina)

May

June

July

Unit Disbanded.

1940

July

August

September

October

November

December

Fatalities

This list was compiled from the entries in the Daily diaries of No 2 Air Observer School and No. 16 Elementary Flying Training School and other sources.  The list likely does not include all fatalities of personnel who died while stationed at RCAF Station Edmonton, and likely includes some errors. Currently this list contains 4 personnel.

Notable Alumni

Aircraft List

  • 31 May 1942, Civilian Firefighter and Mechanic at No 16 Elementary Flying Training School, John Clyde Watt, 33years of age, set a fire in a small cupboard in a hangar. He did this because he felt his job might be in jeopardy and decided that staging a fire and putting the fire out would make him an invaluable employee ensuring his future employment. He was charged and found guilty, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for this act. (Winnipeg Free Press – 10 July 1942 – Page 7)

Course List
No 16 Elementary Flying Training School

Course List
No 2 Air Observer School


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