The airfield at Comox was built during the Second World War as a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan base for the RAF. Construction commenced in 1941 and the facility was completed and in use by early 1943. It was handed over to the RCAF in a formal ceremony in 1944 with the arrival of the first squadron of Canadian-operated Dakotas. For the remainder of the war years, the base served as a transport operational training unit. At the end of the war the facility was considered surplus to the needs of the post war Air Force and placed into caretaker status.
In 1952, RCAF Comox was ordered to re-open and 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron was re-established to counter the growing threat to the Pacific Coast by the Soviet Union. 407 Squadron moved onto the base with Lancaster bombers modified for use for Maritime Patrol duties. 407 Squadron to this day remains one of the main units at Comox having flown the Lancaster, Neptune, Argus and currently the CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft.
In l954, 51 Aircraft Control and Warning (AC&W) Squadron (radar) was formed at Comox as part of the Pinetree line. This unit remained operational until the beginning of June 1958 when it was closed. The buildings were eventually taken over by the newly formed Radar Approach Control (RAPCON), a part of the stations Air Traffic Control section.
In the late 1950's Comox's strategic location as Canada's only West Coast airbase was recognized and 407 Squadron was joined by 409 All Weather Fighter Squadron flying the Canadair CF-100 Canuck in the Air Defence role. Later the CF-100 would be replaced by first the CF-101 Voodoo and then CF-101B Voodoos. In addition, 409 Squadron operated the T-33 Silver Star.
The 1960's saw Comox grow again. Search and Rescue came to Comox with the closure of RCAF Station Sea Island (Vancouver) in l964. 121 Composite Unit was moved to RCAF Station Comox and became part of a reactivated 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, when 122 RTU was moved from Sea Island in Vancouver to the base. What is now 442 Search and Rescue Squadron moved to Comox operating the Grumman Albatross and the H-21 Piasecki helicopter. 442 traded those aircraft in for the CC-115 DeHavilland Buffalo and the CH-113 Boeing Vertol Labrador helicopter. In 2002 442 re-equipped again with the state of the art CH-139 Cormorant helicopter. 442 Squadron is responsible to RCC Victoria for the smallest by size but busiest rescue region in Canada.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, CFB Comox served as the primary air defence base in western Canada and, as part of NORAD's continental defence structure, was a deterrent to Soviet air forces. When 409 Squadron moved to Cold Lake, Alberta in 1984, the loss of the squadron with its personnel and air force heritage was deeply felt by the community.
VU 33 came to Comox from Pat Bay, located north of Victoria, in 1985. A Maritime Utility Squadron, VU 33 operated CP-121 Tracker and T-33 Silver Star aircraft in support of the operations of Maritime Command's Pacific Fleet. VU 33 was disbanded in 1983 and the Tracker aircraft were retired from service. Their responsibility of Coastal and Fisheries Patrol was passed to the crews of 407 Squadron. The T-33 aircraft were transferred to 414 Combat Support Squadron, which moved to Comox from CFB North Bay in the same year. They remained in operation with 414 Squadron until it was disbanded in June of 2002. The T-33 is now retired from CF service and one of the last aircraft in Comox has become part of the Heritage aircraft collection
In 1966 the unification of the Military in Canada into the Canadian Armed Forces saw RCAF Station Comox become Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Comox. That title remained until an Air Command re-structure in early 1990's saw the re-establishment of Air Force Wings with Comox being assigned number 19. Today the base is referred to officially as 19 Wing Comox.
Updated: April 13, 2005