By the late summer of 1940, the new Westland
Lysander , a highwing monoplane, was coming off the production line at Malton
airfield in Toronto. They replaced the 1924 vintage Atlas Air Cadets. As well,
a Blackburn Shark, built by Boeing in B.C., became stationed here. Its duty was
hauling the drogue, a windsock that was towed behind the shark on a long cable.
Army gunners would practice firing at the drogue as an aerial target.
At the time in 1940-1941
when the defences along the coast, including Partridge Island, were
camouflaging their gun emplacements, army officers were taken up in the
Lysanders so they could observe the effectiveness of the camouflage. Also, the
aircraft had a dawn flight, the purpose of which was to have an aircraft out
over the bay looking for enemy ships or submarines.
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College - Saint John.