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Canadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox, is a Canadian Forces Base located north northeast of Comox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is one of two bases in the country using the ''CP-140 Aurora'' anti-submarine/maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 19 Wing, commonly referred to as 19 Wing Comox. CFB Comox's airfield is also used by civilian aircraft. The civilian passenger terminal building operations are referred to as the Comox Valley Airport operated by the Comox Valley Airport Commission. The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA officers at this airport can handle general aviation aircraft only, with no more than 15 passengers ==History== The Royal Air Force (RAF) constructed the airfield at the strategic location of Comox in spring 1942. RAF Station Comox was built to guard against any possible Japanese threat to North America. In 1943, the RCAF took over control of the airfield, renaming the facility RCAF Station Comox. The RCAF used Comox for training crews of transport aircraft for the rest of World War II, basing a training squadron flying the Douglas ''Dakota'' in 1944. From 1946 until 1952 the base was mothballed until tensions resulting from the Korean War and Cold War prompted reactivation and the establishment of a permanent RCAF base on Canada's Pacific coast. No. 407 Maritime Patrol Squadron initially used the Avro ''Lancaster'' then Lockheed ''P2V Neptune'', followed by the Canadair CP-107 ''Argus'' and now the CP-140 Aurora. No. 409 All Weather Fighter Interceptor Squadron was equipped with the Canadair CT-33 ''Silver Star'' and Avro CF-100 ''Canuck'', followed by the McDonnell CF-101 ''Voodoo'', an example of which can be found on display at the main entrance of 19 Wing. In 1954, Comox became home to a Pinetree Line radar early-warning station, operated by the "51 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (radar)". This facility was closed in June 1958 with the advent of more advanced radar systems such as the Mid-Canada Line and the Distant Early Warning Line (DEW Line). In 1964, RCAF Station Sea Island near Vancouver International Airport was closed and turned over to the Canadian Coast Guard. Sea Island's "121 Composite Unit" moved to Comox and was reorganized as "442 Transport and Rescue Squadron", flying the Grumman ''Albatross'' fixed-wing and Piasecki ''H-21'' helicopter, later re-equipping with the CH-113 ''Labrador'' and CC-115 ''Buffalo''. The Labrador helicopter was replaced with the CH-149 Cormorant starting in 2001. On February 1, 1968, the RCAF merged with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and Canadian Army to form the unified Canadian Forces. RCAF Station Comox was renamed Canadian Forces Base Comox, shortened to CFB Comox. During a 1975 reorganization of the Canadian Forces, Air Command (AIRCOM) was created to operate the air element. Long before CFB Comox began sharing the airport with scheduled airlines and other civilian aircraft, a Northwest Airlines B-747 became the first jumbo jet to operate at the field when it made an emergency landing there on June 5, 1979. The flight, chartered by the U.S. military to transport 368 active duty personnel and their families from Travis Air Force Base to Japan and South Korea, was over Cape Scott following an intermediate stop at Sea-Tac when fire broke out in one of the aircraft's engines. Efforts to extinguish the flames were unsuccessful; the crew declared an emergency and requested permission to land on the 10,000 foot runway at CFB Comox. Though no flames were visible, the fire warning light was still flashing in the cockpit as the plane landed. There were no injuries to the passengers or to the 13 crew members. Base officials, practiced at hosting large numbers of Canadian Forces personnel, ensured that the plane's occupants were comfortable while awaiting a new aircraft to carry them to their destinations. In 1980, 407 Squadron began re-equipping with the Lockheed CP-140 ''Aurora''. In 1984, 409 Squadron moved from CFB Comox to CFB Cold Lake leaving the base with the duties of coastal patrol, anti submarine and transport missions, and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. In 1989, a strike force of KC-135E tankers from the Washington Air National Guard deployed to CFB Comox, which included vehicles, equipment and armed personnel arriving by landing craft at a local beach, prompting some locals to ask whether the United States was invading Canada? No, it was part of the annual Global Shield exercise. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「CFB Comox」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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