The RCAF's Winter Experimental Establishment uses Watson Lake YT as one of their bases of operation for the testing of fighter and interceptor aircraft. Shown is one of Winter Experimental Establishment dispersal points at Watson Lake, YT. DND photo

DND photo.

DND photo.

DND photo.

DND photo.

The RCAF's Winter Experimental Establishment uses Watson Lake YT as one of their bases of operation for the testing of fighter and interceptor aircraft. Written off 9th July, 1954. DND photo.

Photo by John Kimberley

This Otter was delivered to the US Army as 55-3264 in April 1956. One time support aircraft for the Golden Knights Parachute Team, it flew with the Civil Air Patrol (N5339G) 1976 - 79. Pictured leased to BC Yukon Air Service 1980 - 83, it went to Air North Charter. After a crash in a narrow pass on August 13, 1986, the aircraft was rebuilt in Kenora, ON. Returning to the air in 1994 with BC Yukon, it was sold to Black Sheep Aviation in 1997. Converted to turbine in 2002, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic in-flight breakup after loss of control for undetermined reasons on March 31, 2011 .

US Air Force 45-35875 was used post-war by Rock Island Oil & Refining Co registered as N4816E. Coming to Canada in 1963 as CF-PGF, Air Spray bought it and after conversion, put it into service in 1970 as their first A-26 air tanker. Airspray has a few A-26s left at their Red Deer, AB base after retirement of the fleet and there are plans to keep Tanker 1 and someday mount it on a plinth.

Canadian Pacific Airlines used this registration on a Lockheed Lodestar and a Bristol Britannia before taking delivery from Boeing of CF-CPE December 20, 1968. The aircraft was sold to PEOPLExpress in March 1983 as N434PE. CPA served Watson Lake from 1942 when the US Army built the airport as part of the Northwest Staging Route to Alaska and Russia. The log construction terminal building was designated a Yukon historical site (joining the Sign Post Forest along the Alaska Highway) in 2019.

Originally this Otter was delivered to the US Army as 55-2975. Watson Lake Flying Services owned it 1977 - 1997. Sold to P&D Aircraft Leasing, the aircraft was leased to Blok Air flying out of Thompson, MB. Returned to P&D in 1999 when Blok Air ran into difficulties, they instead took over and restructured the company, re-naming it Venture Air. On September 15, 1999, the float plane was flying to Nicholson Lake, MB when a cylinder cracked with the engine losing power and catching fire. Setting down on an unnamed lake, everyone escaped but could only watch the aircraft burn.

This Mu-2 came to Canada for Iron Ore of Canada in 1970. Later with Dome Petroleum and Gateway Aviation (whose logo faintly remains on the tail), it's pictured while registered to Klemke & Sons Construction. Exported to the USA as N211RV in December 1985, it was withdrawn from use circa 2009 and the registration cancelled in 2011.