RCAF Station Hamilton

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RCAF Station Hamilton was a station of the Royal Canadian Air Force located at Mount Hope, Ontario, Canada, fifteen miles south of the City of Hamilton.

During the Second World War, it was a base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, teaching pilots from allied commonwealth nations the art of combat flying. Schools located here were No. 10 Service Flying Training School (No. 10 SFTS), which flew De Havilland Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch aircraft, and No. 33 Air Navigation School (No. 33 ANS), which flew the Avro Anson. No. 10 SFTS relocated to RCAF Station Pendleton in 1942; No. 33 ANS closed in October 1944.

After the war, it became a base for Hamilton 424 Reserve Squadron, supported by regular force personnel. During the post-war years, 424 Squadron, under Air Defence Command, flew the P-51 Mustang and Vampire jet fighter. Later, under Air Transport Command, 424 flew the Beechcraft Expeditor and the De Havilland Otter. Other units located here included No. 16 Wing (Auxiliary), No. 2424 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (Auxiliary), which trained Pinetree Line radar operators, and the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve's No. 1 Training Air Group.

With the amalgamation and reorganization of Canada's armed forces, RCAF Station Hamilton closed in 1964. The airport was known as Mount Hope Airport for many years and today is called the Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport.

Mount Hope is the location of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

[edit] See also

Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport