RCAF Air Traffic Control
Goose Bay, Labrador


Comments by Don Hodgson - These photos were taken when I was stationed in Goose bay for the summer of 1959. It was the time between my second and third years of University. I was a Flight Cadet assigned to work as a Flying Control Officer. At that time, the term Air Traffic Control was not used in the RCAF. It was "Flying Control".

I did very little actual "controlling" in Goose Bay as there was serious air traffic at that base. I should have been sent to an Canadian air base where I could have had a chance to practise. The USAF SAC base provided most of the activity, followed by commercial flights. It was at the end of the propellor age and trans-oceanic flights were still needing to refuel. Mixed in with this were the flights of the RAF V-Bombers. Goose Bay was their staging post. There was some RCAF traffic, but very little. All in all, it required highly skilled controllers at all times.

The pictures were taken with a borrowed camera which had no telephoto lens. I was often sent to the end of the runway to relay messages to construction crews (the runway was being extended) to warn of impending touch-downs. So I was able to get close to the "action". The aircraft photos show the wide variety of air traffic which existed at Goose Bay.



Click on the descriptive text to view the detail.
  1. The RCAF manned Control Tower at Goose Bay - July 1959.
    The hangar was used by the RAF.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  2. Unidentified ATC personnel in the Control Tower at Goose Bay - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  3. A USAF B-47 bomber on the tarmac - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  4. A USAF B-47 prepares for departure - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  5. Three USAF B-47 bombers awaiting take-off - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  6. A USSR Aeroflot TU-104 airliner parked on the Canadian side - July 1959.
    This was a rare visit by a Russian airliner. Personnel were allowed to visit the empty plane. Note the Control Tower in the background.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  7. A general view of the USAF SAC base as seen from the Control Tower - July 1959.
    There were approximately 5000 American military personnel at Goose Bay in 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  8. A number of USAF KC-97s lined up on the ramp - July 1959.
    There were propeller driven refuelling tankers used by the USAF.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  9. A Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-124 Globemaster prepares for departure - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  10. A USAF KC-135 prepares to land - July 1959.
    These aircraft were modified B-707 refitted for in flight refuelling.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  11. A USAF T-33 waits for a USAF KC-135 to depart - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  12. A USAF KC-135 on departure from Goose Bay - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  13. An assortment of RAF V-Bombers on the ramp - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  14. An RAF Valiant bomber heading for departure - July 1959.
    Note the American base in the background.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  15. An RAF Victor bomber - July 1959.
    The ground crew have removed the tail cone to refit the drag chute.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  16. An RAF Valiant bomber parked on the ramp - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  17. An RCAF B-25 Mitchell bomber - July 1959.
    This aircraft was on the way to an air show in Europe.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  18. An RCAF Lancaster bomber - July 1959.
    This aircraft was on the way to an air show in Europe.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  19. An RAF Valiant bomber and an RCAF CF-100 in front of the Control Tower - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  20. An RCAF Dakota - July 1959.
    The DC-3 served as the "workhorse" of the RCAF for many years.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  21. A TCA L-49 Super Constellation on the ramp - July 1959.
    This was virtually the last of the line before jet airliners took over.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  22. A Maritime Central Airways (MCA) C-46 parked on the ramp - July 1959.
    Courtesy Don Hodgson.

  23. LAC Hopkins at work in the control tower - 22 January 1959.
    Courtesy Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre.



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Updated: June 5, 2005