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- View of the Canadian side of RCAF Station Goose Bay - 1949.
Note the typical wartime triangular configuration of the runways. All of the runways were of approximately equal length in the 1940s (within a thousand feet or so). The 17 end of runway 17/35 was extended slightly around 1952. Runway 05/23 was the short runway. I remember the 17 extension because before it was completed we had a USN Privateer undershoot and connect with the sand piles short of the runway. It broke off the undercarriage and the aircraft belly flopped on the runway and burned to a crisp. There were no fatalities.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Larger image of RCAF Station Goose Bay - 1949.
Runway 09/27 was extended to 10,000 feet by 300 feet in the 1950s. This runway also had a 1,000 foot overrun and a 1,000 foot underrun - and during the winter months, effectively providing a 12,000 foot runway. There were many occasions when aircraft would make use of the entire 12,000 feet by backtracking to the very edge of the underrun area for departure.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Unidentified RCAF ATC employee in the control tower - 1949.
While this photo is somewhat blurred, you can see the original control tower at the opposite end of the hangar. The original tower was being dismantled when this photo was taken.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- The old tower as seen from the original control tower on hangar #1 - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- The Canadian hangar line - 1949.
(L-R) - The Maritime Central Airways office, hangar #3, the Nose hangar (ME section) and hangar #1.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Larger image of the hangar line - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Larger image of hangar #1 depicting both of the control towers - 1949.
We assume that air traffic control was operating out of the newly constructed control tower, and that the original control tower had not yet been demolished.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- The "Airlines Hotel" was operated by Allied Aviation and it was located near the approach end of runway 17 - 1949.
When Gander and Montreal closed in weatherwise, everything on the overseas routes ended up in Goose Bay, and the passengers needed a place to bunk.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Larger image of the "Airlines Hotel" photo at Goose Bay - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- AVRO York on Winston Chrchill's visit to Canada - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- AVRO York on Winston Churchill's visit to Canada - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- RCAF Honour Guard during Churchill's visit - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- RCAF C-47 and American Overseas Airlines DC-4 inside of #1 hangar - 1949.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Lancastrian G-AKDP as seen from the control tower - 1949.
A "Lancastrian" was a Lancaster bomber which had been converted into civil use. Note the pointy ends.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Larger image of the Lancastrian G-AKDP - 1949.
This particular aircraft was enroute to Brazil to fly "beef" point to point.
Courtesy Vic Gray.
- Radio Operators position aboard a Lancastrian - 1949.
Courtesy Air Canada photo X-20365 via Spud Roscoe.
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