RCAF Station Vulcan, also referred to as RCAF Aerodrome Vulcan, was a Second World War flying training station located southwest of the town of Vulcan

Vulcan, Alberta

Vulcan is a town located midway between the cities of Calgary and Lethbridge on Highway 23, in the prairies of southern Alberta, Canada. The population of the town was 1,940 in 2006, and the population of the county, which is also named Vulcan, was 3,718. The town's economy is mainly tourism and...

, Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, 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 one station of many that were established in 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...

 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...

.

The Vulcan aerodrome was officially opened on October 30, 1942 and hosted No. 2 Flying Instructor School (FIS), which had moved to Vulcan from Claresholm

RCAF Station Claresholm

RCAF Station Claresholm was initially a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan station that trained pilots for wartime service. The station was located near Claresholm, Alberta, Canada. No. 15 Service Flying Training School was opened on June 9, 1941, and closed in March 1945. Ansons and Cessna...

. The aircraft used were Cornells, Cranes, Fawns

Fleet Fawn

In the 1930s, Fleet Aircraft manufactured a series of single-engined, two-seat training aircraft, based on US designs. The Fleet Model 7B and Model 7C, known respectively as Fawn I and Fawn II were purchased by the RCAF as primary trainers...

, Finches

Fleet Finch

-See also:* List of British Commonwealth Air Training Plan facilities in Canada -Bibliography:* Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.* Page, Ron D. and Cumming, William. Fleet: The Flying Years. Erin,...

, Harvards, Oxfords

Airspeed Oxford

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...

, Tiger Moth

Tiger moth

Tiger moths are moths of the family Arctiidae.Tiger moth may also refer to:*de Havilland Tiger Moth, an aircraft; an aerobatic and trainer tailwheel biplane*de Havilland DH.71 Tiger Moth, an earlier monoplane produced by de Havilland...

s and Ansons

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...

. In April 1943, No. 2 FIS moved to the Pearce

RCAF Station Pearce

RCAF Station Pearce or RCAF Aerodrome Pearce or BCATP Station Pearce, was a Second World War training air station of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan . It was located northeast of Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada....

 aerodrome near Fort Macleod and No. 19 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) took over the facilities, training future bomber pilots using the Anson. No. 19 SFTS ceased operation on April 14, 1945.

For a period of time the old station operated as the Vulcan Industrial Airport. Although the runways still exist, the aerodrome has seen many aircraft since the war. Six of the original seven hangars remain standing. The remaining hangars are used for storage and for private industrial purposes.Three of the building owners are working to restore their hangars.

In 2009 new ownership began re-invigorating the airport and in 2011 was reopened as Vulcan/Kirkcaldy Aerodrome

Vulcan/Kirkcaldy Aerodrome

Vulcan/Kirkcaldy Aerodrome, , is located southwest of Vulcan, Alberta, Canada. The airport, which was reopened in 2011, was originally RCAF Station Vulcan as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War....

and is being operated by Wheatland Industries. The aerodrome is currently being used by private aircraft and one commercial operator, Vertical Extreme Skydiving. One of the main runways is being resurfaced.