The Former CFB Summerside, Located on Prince Edward Island, Will Host the 2025 Air Show Atlantic
Story by Ken Kula, photos by Ken Kula and Scott Zeno
The former Canadian Forces Base Summerside will host the 2025 Air Show Atlantic over the last weekend of June 2025. The base is rich with military history, which began during the early years of World War II.
North American Harvard IIB
Originally, the air base was known as the Royal Canadian Air Force Station (RCAF) Summerside, located on the northwestern shore of the Province of Prince Edward Island. Constructed during 1940, it was a flight training base which was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The initial flying unit based at Summerside was the No. 9 Service Flying Training School RCAF equipped with Harvard trainers. In 1942, the No. 9 SFTS moved out and the No. 1 General Reconnaissance School RCAF moved in with Anson twins. Other squadrons would come and go through 1945.
Canadair CP-107 Argus
After World War II ended, the base was shuttered, however it reopened in 1947 to host NATO’s No. 1 Air Navigation School. Later, the No. 2 Maritime Operational Training Unit was stationed there too. As the Cold War ramped up, the island hosted many maritime patrol aircraft, including Lancaster bombers, CP-122 Neptune, CP-107 Argus and CP-121 Tracker aircraft. Search and Rescue aircraft included CC-115 Buffalo and CH-113 Labrador helicopters. Numerous units operated from RCAF Summerside, including the 415 Maritime Patrol Squadron’s CP-107 Argus(es) and the Royal Canadian Navy’s 880 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron’s CP-121 Trackers. Several Maritime Patrol Squadrons would ultimately transfer to RCAF Greenwood, Nova Scotia.
DeHavilland Canada CP-121 Tracker
In 1968, Canada’s major military branches were combined and Summerside was renamed Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Summerside. In 1977, CFB Summerside’s main function was to house CP-121 Trackers which patrolled the new Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) up to 200 miles off of the Canadian coast. This included Georges Bank and Grand Bank, two important fishing areas. In 1989, the EEZ patrol was transferred to a civilian company and the Trackers were retired. As a military base, it was closed in 1992, but a civilian facility named Slemon Park, after Air Vice Marshall Roy Slemon, was developed. One of the airport’s main focuses was and still is on aircraft maintenance.
Collings Foundation Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX
Some of the past air shows at Slemon Park/Summerside were held in 2015 and 2018. Featuring the crowd favorite Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds and the Skyhawks parachute teams, the shows included civilian aerobatic performers and warbirds too. 2025’s show will commence on June 28th and 29th, this month! The event will feature the Snowbirds and Skyhawks, along with the Collings Foundation’s Spitfire Mk.9 (2025 is the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain), the Northern Stars Aerobatic Team in their Pitts biplanes, a CF-18 Tactical Demonstration and a CP-140 Aurora demo, and several more warbirds. The show’s ground displays will include Canadian military and government-operated aircraft, as well as local commercial and general aviation planes.
Stay tuned for a review of the 2025 Air Show Atlantic right here at https://www.Photorecon.net
