The Mid Canada Line was planned in 1951, but was not operational
until 1958. It ran from the Alaska border to the Atlantic, and
was made up of eight central stations and 90 unmanned stations.
This system continued to operate until new technology replaced
it, with the western half shutting down in January 1964 and the
eastern section stopping in April 1965.
To facilitate the building and maintenance of the Mid Canada
Line, there were two major and ten minor airfields built, along
with a large number of helicopter pads. Transportation into the
remote sites of the Line was possible by air, tractor train, and in some
cases, by sea. Helicopters became the clear choice for the
majority of transportation needs on the Mid Canada Line. There
were not enough civilian helicopters to carry out such a large
project, so the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was given the
task.
To provide such a large helicopter force the 108
Communications Flight was established at Bagotville on 1 June
1954 with Squadron Leader T.R. Heaslip as the Commanding
Officer. Heaslip was the most experienced helicopter pilot in
the RCAF. Eighteen helicopters were needed, including Six
Piasecki H12s and six Sikorsky H34s that were ordered and
another six H12s were brought in from Search and Rescue units
that were spread out across Canada. The RCAF was also able to
get six more helicopters form the USAF. The work began with the
use of the Sikorsky H19 (S55) helicopters. After an accelerated
training period for the members of the new RCAF helicopter unit,
the work of transporting equipment and men started on 31 May
1955. By September, there were four detachments, including one
in Grande Prairie. Supplies needed for the building and ongoing
operation of the Mid Canada Line were delivered to points at the
end of the rail line and transported north by helicopters
operated by the RCAF. The effort to bring supplies for the
building and maintenance of the Mid Canada Line provided
opportunity for the RCAF to build a strong contingent of
helicopter pilots that remains an effective component of the air
force today.
The Pinetree Line was not constructed along a uniform
latitude like the DEW Line and the Mid Canada Line. It was a
series of radar facilities that were spread out across the more
highly populated southern Canada and northeastern United States
regions.
The massive efforts to create and maintain the DEW Line and
the Mid Canada Line assisted in creating a strong air industry
and air force in Canada that could reach into the far north and
around the world.
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