CFB Rivers
Encyclopedia
CFB Rivers was a Royal Canadian Air Force
base located in Manitoba
, Canada.
It was originally opened as RCAF Station Rivers in May 1942 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
(BCATP) as the home of No. 1 Air Navigation School. The base remained open after the war, becoming a training centre for Army pilots and flying instructors from the Army, RCN and RCAF. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and the Air Dispatch School made Rivers their home.
Other post-war units stationed at Rivers included the Canadian Parachute Training Centre, the Army Aviation Tactical Training School, the Joint Air Photo Interpretation School, the Basic Helicopter Training Unit and the Army Air Tactical Training School (AATTS). The Royal Canadian Navy began sending trainees to Rivers after the closure of their own training facility at Shearwater
, N.S. Units established at the station included No. 6 Signal Regiment, the Air Support Signals Unit, No. 1 Transport Helicopter Platoon (No. 1 THP), The Canadian Airborne Regiment and 408 Tactical Fighter Squadron. As a result of the unification of the Canadian military, RCAF Station Rivers was re-named CFB Rivers.
The station closed in 1971 and the former station is now a hog farm called Aero Farms Ltd. The airfield is marked as abandoned by the Canada Flight Supplement. Some scenes for the 1993 movie For the Moment
, a film about an Australian pilot who comes to Manitoba
to train under the BCATP, starring Russell Crowe
, were filmed at the former air base.
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
base located in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada.
It was originally opened as RCAF Station Rivers in May 1942 under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
(BCATP) as the home of No. 1 Air Navigation School. The base remained open after the war, becoming a training centre for Army pilots and flying instructors from the Army, RCN and RCAF. Additionally, the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals and the Air Dispatch School made Rivers their home.
Other post-war units stationed at Rivers included the Canadian Parachute Training Centre, the Army Aviation Tactical Training School, the Joint Air Photo Interpretation School, the Basic Helicopter Training Unit and the Army Air Tactical Training School (AATTS). The Royal Canadian Navy began sending trainees to Rivers after the closure of their own training facility at Shearwater
Shearwater
Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. There are more than 30 species of shearwaters, a few larger ones in the genus Calonectris and many smaller species in the genus Puffinus...
, N.S. Units established at the station included No. 6 Signal Regiment, the Air Support Signals Unit, No. 1 Transport Helicopter Platoon (No. 1 THP), The Canadian Airborne Regiment and 408 Tactical Fighter Squadron. As a result of the unification of the Canadian military, RCAF Station Rivers was re-named CFB Rivers.
The station closed in 1971 and the former station is now a hog farm called Aero Farms Ltd. The airfield is marked as abandoned by the Canada Flight Supplement. Some scenes for the 1993 movie For the Moment
For the Moment (film)
For the Moment is a 1993 film written and directed by Aaron Kim Johnston and starring Russell Crowe and Christianne Hirt. The plot revolves around airmen training in rural Manitoba, Canada, with the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War. The main focus of the story is...
, a film about an Australian pilot who comes to Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
to train under the BCATP, starring Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
, were filmed at the former air base.