Former Mid-Canada Line Sites 412 & 413

 demolished, former air force base, early warning radar

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Two of approximately 90 unmanned remote radar stations spanning Canada along the 50th parallel, Sites 412 & 413 were co-located on Bear Island in lower Hudson Bay and were activated for service with the Mid-Canada Line in April of 1957. Reporting to, controlled by and maintained by Sector Control Station 400 at Great Whale River, the Detection Sites consisted of 28 X 60 feet prefabricated buildings divided into power, equipment and living quarters, with external 350ft tall steel lattice towers mounting the four Doppler transmitters facing East/West in transmitting/receiving pairs which functioned as a a low-altitude "trip wire" defense against Soviet aircraft.

Site power for both sites was provided by three diesel electric generators per site, two of which were usually on automatic standby. Heat exchangers on the generator exhaust lines provided heat for the station living area, detection and communications equipment rooms. The buildings also were equipped with a small galley, sanitary facilities and berthing for the technicians who would deploy to the sites to perform maintenance tasks. Unlike other MCL sites which were accessible only by Helicopter, sites 412 & 413 shared a 4,500ft airstrip intially built to support site construction but saw later use as the primary resupply and crew transport facility for both sites.

Remaining operational through the life of the Mid-Canada Line, Sites 412 & 413 and the rest of the Eastern Sector were formally shut down in April of 1965. After being left to the elements for the better part of 40 years, both sites were demolished and environmentally remediated in the early 2000's to restore the island to a natural state.

lswilson.dewlineadventures.com/scs400.htm