RCAF Detachment Grand Bend, located near Grand Bend, Ontario, was built in 1942 as a relief, or auxiliary, aerodrome for student pilots training with No. 9 Service Flying Training School at RCAF Station Centralia. Grand Bend was home to No. 1 Flying Control School from 1951–1957. The station was used by Centralia until 1961 when is began use with the Canadian Army. It was given back to the RCAF in 1962 and was used by RCAF Station Centralia until the aerodrome closed in 1963.
Today. the Grand Bend Motorplex uses one of the three runways and the taxi area as a drag racing track. The remainder of the airfield operates as the Grand Bend Airport, utilized by the Grand Bend Sport Parachuting Center. The only RCAF building that remains is the hangar, with the control tower perched on top.
References[]
- Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page
- Grand Bend Sport Parachuting Center
- Grand Bend Motorplex
The original article can be found at RCAF Detachment Grand Bend and the edit history here.