Pinetree Line

One of the earliest Aircraft Control & Warning Units to be formed with the Reserve was 2450 AC&WU (Reserve) located at Sherbrooke, Quebec. This unit was formed initially as the Sherbrooke Detachment (Aircraft Control & Warning Unit) (Reserve) of No. 1 Radar and Communications (Reserve) Unit, Montreal in September 1949. In 1949, it could be found in the Northern Electric Building but when the squadron was formally created, it was housed at 65 Depot. Later on, 2450 Squadron was moved to 121 Depot sharing quarters with the Corps of Signals 14th Independent Signal Squadron and the RCEME's 24th Technical Squadron. As was the case with all of the other Reserve AC&W units, they were equipped with truck-mounted AMES-11C radars. The Squadron maintained its AMES-11 radar on a farm leased from Colonel Lyons near St.-Elie

On 15 April 1951, the Detachment officially changed their name and designation to 2450 Aircraft Control & Warning Unit (Reserve). 2450 AC&WU reported to the RCAF Reserve Group Montreal, as they did when a Detachment of 1 R&C Unit. On 1 November 1951, the Unit changed from Reserve to Auxiliary and on 1 December 1953, the unit changed to Squadron status. 1 October 1958, saw the Squadron reporting directly to Air Defence Command.

The unit deployed to a number of locations including Chatham, New Brunswick, Ste. Foy, Quebec and RCAF Station St. Hubert. Narrative reports on the Pinetree Line web site confirm that 2450 AC&W Squadron was active at RCAF Station St. Sylvestre, QC during the years 1955 to 1957 inclusive, RCAF Station Mont Apica, QC during 1952 and 1953 as well as RCAF Station Lac St. Denis between 1953 and 1955 inclusive.

The Regular Air Force AC&W Squadrons began testing and conversion to the SAGE system in the early Sixties which made the use of Auxiliary Force personnel no longer viable as they had been trained exclusively for the manual system. Therefore, 2450 AC&W Squadron was disbanded on 31 December 1961.