RCAF Station Caron

RCAF Station Caron was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Caron, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was operated and administered by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).[2]

RCAF Station Caron
Caronport, Saskatchewan Near Caron, Saskatchewan in Canada
RCAF Station Caron
Coordinates	50°28′N 105°49′W[1]
Site information
Owner	Dept of National Defence
Operator	Formerly Royal Canadian Air Force
Controlled by	RAF (1942); BCATP (1942-19440
Site history
In use	1942-1944
Fate	now the village of Caronport
Garrison information
Occupants	No. 33 EFTS
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: none, ICAO: none
Elevation	1,875 ft (572 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 13/31 2,800 ft (850 m) Hard Surface 7/25 2,800 ft (850 m) Hard Surface 1/19 2,800 ft (850 m) Hard Surface
Airfields

History

World War II

The Station hosted No. 33 Elementary Flying Training Schools (EFTS). The school was opened by the Royal Air Force on 5 January 1942. The Aero Club of BC took over operation of the School 25 May 1942 and the school was closed 14 January 1944.[3]

Aerodrome Information

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed as RCAF Aerodrome - Caron, Saskatchewan at 50°28′N 105°49′W with a variation of 18 degrees east and elevation of 1,875 ft (572 m). The aerodrome was listed with three runways as follows: [1]

Runway Name	Length	Width	Surface
13/31	2,800 ft (850 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced
7/25	2,800 ft (850 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced
1/19	2,800 ft (850 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced

A review of Google Maps on 10 June 2018 shows that none of the former aerodrome remains. It appears that the old taxiway and 13/31 runway are now occupied by housing and the remaining runways have been completely reclaimed for agriculture. The coordinates from the c.1942 publication appear to be slightly north of the actual location of the former airfield a more likely coordinate would be 50.461395°N 105.811784°W based on the drawings in the reference.

Relief landing field – Boharm

The primary Relief Landing Field (R1) for RCAF Station Caron was located approximately 10 mi (16 km) south-east. The site was located approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) south of the unincorporated community of Boharm, Saskatchewan. The Relief field was laid out in the standard triangular pattern on a turf all way field. In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed as RCAF Aerodrome - Boharm, Saskatchewan at 50°20′N 105°43′W with a variation of 18 degrees east and elevation of 1,983 ft (604 m). Three runways were listed as follows [4]

Runway Name	Length	Width	Surface
5/23	3,300 ft (1,000 m)	---'	Turf
17/35	3,300 ft (1,000 m)	---'	Turf
11/29	3,300 ft (1,000 m)	---'	Turf

A review of Google Maps on 10 June 2018 shows a body of water at the location indicated, no trace of an airfield exists at this location, although the body of water is not possibly large enough to cover the whole airfield if it was at this exact location.

Present

The aerodrome is now the village of Caronport.

References

1. Staff writer (c. 1942). Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 2. Royal Canadian Air Force. p. 36.
2. From, Joel (2019). In Plain Site. Victoria: Friesen Press. ISBN 978-1-5255-4056-1.
3. Hatch, F. J. (1983). The Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, 1939-1945. Ottawa: Directorate of History, Department of National Defence. ISBN 0660114437.
4. Staff writer (c. 1942). Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 2. Royal Canadian Air Force. p. 31.

External links

• Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page