Page 11 - Feb2020

This collection was eventually assembled into the
museum’s showpiece wall.
Other companies also hung their shingles above the door,
the last of which was Kenting Helicopters. Upon their
departure in 1985 they offered Museum founder Bill
The building in which the museum calls home had its Watts the use of the hangar for the Aero Space Museum.
origins in the founding of the British Commonwealth Fortunately for the fledgling organization, Kenting
Air Training Plan (BCATP). Built in 1941, it was the Helicopters had paid rental on the building for the
drill hall for #37 Service Flight Training School. remainder of the year and granted that money to the
The BCATP was Museum, allowing them to take occupancy rent free for
developed to their first few months of existence.
provide As the Museum’s collection grew, the facility had to
Commonwealth change to keep up. In 1997, new hangar doors were
airmen with an installed, enlarging the entrance for the aircraft and
opportunity for allowing more of the collection to be housed indoors. This
training. move was the first in a series of major changes to the

Over 130,000 airmen graduated from the plan, with Museum infrastructure over the next few years.
many seeing action in the skies of Asia, the Pacific
and Europe. These airmen trained long and hard at
hundreds of sites across Canada, including Calgary.

The drill hall was one of 7,000 buildings built in
support of the BCATP. It was used for various
activities including sports. One of the airmen who
likely walked the floor of the drill hall was
Commander Peter Middleton, the grandfather of
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge. Commander
Middleton was stationed in Calgary from 1942 to Upcoming Events in Zone K (Sask.)
1944.
Annual General Meeting Apr 14, 2019
Left vacant and unused for a time post war, the
building eventually became home to Bullock
RWF Annual FunFly Jun 22/23, 2019
Helicopters. Bullock Helicopters performed oil
exploration, search and rescue, and transport for Sanction # 2019-859
seismic crews and their equipment. REGINA WINDY FLYERS INC

One of the first tasks Evan Bullock and his team Annual Summer FunFly Jul 13/14, 2019
undertook was to tear up the original wooden floor Sanction # 2019-13
and pour a concrete slab in its place. Also, during K-TOWN SKYSCAPERS RC CLUB
their tenancy, Bullock Helicopters built the area that
currently features the Museum gift shop. At the time Saskatchewan, Zone K provincial Jul 27/28, 2019
it was used as their reception area and FunFly
administrative offices. As an interesting side note,
Sanction # 2019-15
visitors to the Museum often comment on the
K-TOWN SKYSCAPERS RC CLUB
beautiful stonewall that backdrops the gift shop
inventory. The Bullock pilots would return from trips
Annual Goose Festival FunFly Sep 21/22, 2019
up north with unusual stones and fossils they
Sanction # 2019-14
discovered.
K-TOWN SKYSCAPERS RC CLUB