MOVE OF 412 (T) SQUADRON FROM ROCKCLIFFE TO UPLANDS
Ottawa, Nov 8. After having spent 16 years at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, 412 Transport Squadron today changed its home address. Early this morning moving vans arrived at the Rockcliffe hangars prepared to move the whole unit including office furniture and equipment, technical spares and instruments, emergency and survival gear, safety equipment, an air movements unit, etc, etc,. Aircrew were busy ferrying aeroplanes to their sparkling new hangars at RCAF Station, Uplands.
The move out of the two old hangars on the flight line at Rockcliffe into the spacious cantilever at Uplands was a welcomed change. Shiny new offices and plenty of space to park and maintain aeroplanes are now available to the Squadron. The small airfied at Rockcliffe also imposed a restriction on take-off weight of the heavy aircraft. Uplands aerodrome got a face lifting some two years ago and has runways to spare, the longest one being eight thousand eight hundred feet.
The move is in keeping with Air Force policy of getting aeroplanes away from Rockcliffe. The runways being short, aircraft landing and taking off at times fly low over residential districts creating a disturbing amount of noise to people living near the approaches.
For many squadron personnel now residing near the east end of the city, a domestic move as well was involved. The families living on Station Rockcliffe have the usual 60 days after date of squadron transfer to find new accommodation.
As far as current operations were concerned, no commitments were dropped to allow the squadron to make the move. Aircraft departing this morning used Rockcliffe airport to take-off from and will land at Uplands upon return. Tomorrow will see squadron business as usual out of the new accommodation and all enroute aeroplanes will come back to the field at Uplands.
The evolution of this transport unit dates back to 1939. In that year it was formed at Rockcliffe and designated No 12 Composite Flight. In 1940, squadron status was gained and was made up of three flights. It remained in this role and designation until 1947 when it was renamed 412 Communications Squadron. In 1949, it got its present title 412 Transport Squadron.
Transport aeroplanes too have come a long way since the first days of 412. The original squadron aeroplanes were Tomtits, a Gruman seaplane and a Fleet Finch. Since then there have been Lockheed 10's and 12's, Lodestars, Norsemen, Gruman Goose, a Liberator until today the squadron flies Expeditors, Dakotas, North Stars and, the pride of the fleet, the C-5 luxury liner.
The squadron operation consists mostly of transporting very important personnel (VIP's). Senior statesmen and royalty from many countries have been carried across Canada, USA and abroad into countries too numerous to mention.
When 412 received their two De Havilland Comets two and a half years ago, a detachment of approximately 50 men was set up at Uplands to maintain them and the other squadron multi-engine aircraft. The crowded hangars at Rockcliffe and the small airfield made this operation necessary. Much commuting was involved in having some of the squadron aircraft at one aerodrome and the remainder at the other, however, the squadron has a very enviable record of on-time arrivals and departures (a tolerance of three minutes is used).
When W/C Miller, Squadron Commanding Officer, brings Mr Pearson home from the tour of Russia, Middle East and Indo-Chino he will undoubtedly by pleased with the big change in the old unit.