RCAF Station Mossbank
Encyclopedia
RCAF Station Mossbank was home to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School, a Second World War
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
training facility located near Mossbank
, Saskatchewan
, Canada
. It was similar to the gunnery school at Dafoe Saskatchewan
. The proximity to a lake (Old Wives Lake
) was important since the lake could be used for bombing and gunnery practice. Aircraft used include the Westland Lysander
, Bristol Bolingbroke, Avro Anson
, and Fairey Battle
. The school closed in December 1944, after having graduated 2,539 air bombers
and 3,702 air gunner
s.
Today the airfield is abandoned with only the gunnery backstop, hangar pads and weedy, broken runways to see. It is used as a "practice airshow airport" for 431 Air Demonstration Squadron (The Snowbirds
) as it is conveniently located in their training area CYR 303 (restricted).
On December 10, 2004, a collision between two CT-114 Tutor jets from the Snowbirds occurred during training over Mossbank. The collision led to the death of Capt. Miles Selby. Capt. Chuck Mallett survived the collision and subsequent crash after he was "thrown out" as the airplane disintegrated.
Selby road on the eastern edge of the airbase has been dedicated in the memory of Capt. Miles Selby.
A cairn is located at the entrance of the Mossbank Golf Course, which borders the old base. The cairn is dedicated to all the people that have served at Mossbank.
Turvey Centre, located near IPSCO (Interprovincial Steel and Pipe Corporation)(new name is Evares as of 2008) in Regina
, was originally an aircraft hangar from Mossbank. The building, which now has a stage and second floor balcony, is now used for events such as wedding receptions, hobby shows, swap meets and other activities.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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...
training facility located near Mossbank
Mossbank, Saskatchewan
Mossbank is a town in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located south of Old Wives Lake and 70 km south of Moose Jaw- See also :* List of communities in Saskatchewan* List of towns in Saskatchewan* RCAF Station Mossbank- History :...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was similar to the gunnery school at Dafoe Saskatchewan
RCAF Station Dafoe
RCAF Station Dafoe was a Second World War Royal Canadian Air Force station located near Dafoe, Saskatchewan, Canada. The station was home to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan's No. 5 Bomber and Gunnery School. The school opened January 1941 and closed January 1945...
. The proximity to a lake (Old Wives Lake
Old Wives Lake
Old Wives Lake is a shallow saline lake in south central Saskatchewan, Canada, about 30 km southwest of Moose Jaw. The lake is fed by the Wood River but seasonal water relatively flattened the terrain, and as such results in significant mudflats. A Migratory Bird Sanctuary was established at the...
) was important since the lake could be used for bombing and gunnery practice. Aircraft used include the Westland Lysander
Westland Lysander
The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
, Bristol Bolingbroke, Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
, and Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed...
. The school closed in December 1944, after having graduated 2,539 air bombers
Bombardier (air force)
A bombardier , in the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force, or a bomb aimer, in the Royal Air Force and other Commonwealth air forces, was the crewman of a bomber responsible for assisting the navigator in guiding the plane to a bombing target and releasing the aircraft's bomb...
and 3,702 air gunner
Air gunner
An air gunner a.k.a. aerial gunner is a member of an air force aircrew who operates flexible-mount or turret-mounted machine guns or autocannons in an aircraft...
s.
RCAF Mossbank today
Snowbirds
Officially known as the Royal Canadian Air Force's 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds are Canada's military aerobatics or air show flight demonstration team whose purpose is to "demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of Canadian Forces personnel". The squadron is based at...
) as it is conveniently located in their training area CYR 303 (restricted).
On December 10, 2004, a collision between two CT-114 Tutor jets from the Snowbirds occurred during training over Mossbank. The collision led to the death of Capt. Miles Selby. Capt. Chuck Mallett survived the collision and subsequent crash after he was "thrown out" as the airplane disintegrated.
Selby road on the eastern edge of the airbase has been dedicated in the memory of Capt. Miles Selby.
A cairn is located at the entrance of the Mossbank Golf Course, which borders the old base. The cairn is dedicated to all the people that have served at Mossbank.
Turvey Centre, located near IPSCO (Interprovincial Steel and Pipe Corporation)(new name is Evares as of 2008) in Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, was originally an aircraft hangar from Mossbank. The building, which now has a stage and second floor balcony, is now used for events such as wedding receptions, hobby shows, swap meets and other activities.