Glidepath Issues 94 Summer 2007 The quarterly newsletter of the Canadian Museum of Flight Page One
Tel: 604.322.0035 Fax:604.532.0056 muscum direct.ca Langley, BC V2Y 2N3 Hangar #3 5333-2160h 20. www.canadian fight.org
What’s New at the Museum
At the CMF’s Annual General meeting held April 21st a new board of directors was elected. We would like to thank everyone for their participation in the election and for attending the AGM meeting. Thanks also goes to our guest speaker, Chris Weicht for his presentation of the early years of Langley Airport.
As for goings on in the hangar, work continues on the Vampire and we are happy to announce that it will soon have a semi-enclosed shelter built for it next to CMF hangar. The Fleet Finch is ready for its first test flight since it’s restoration and that should. take place before the end of June.
The major components of the Waco INF will be painted in the coming weeks and assembly will soon follow.
Recently an airplane that had been missing in the BC wilderness for 37 years was discovered. This airplane was Fleet Canuck CF-EAQ. Since its discovery a team of CMF volunteers took part in the airplane’s recovery and it is now at the CMF site. We would like to thank Wally Hall and the entire team for bringing the airplane off of the mountainside just north of Mission, BC.
Prototype of the Fleet FE-80 Canuck
The CMF staff would also like to thank all the volunteers that took part in the Lougheed Mall and Willowbrook Mall displays. Your dedication and hard work has greatly helped the CMF in meeting its funding needs.
As the Glidepath continues to evolve, I am happy to announce that we will be having a guest writer joining the team. His name is Jerry Vernon and he is an aviation historical writer. He is also the President of the Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. Please watch for his upcoming submissions in “Jerry’s Corner.”
This summer is going to prove to be a very busy one and the CMF needs volunteers to man our information booths. Please consider volunteering and helping get the word out about our great museum. For more information on volunteering please contact Rob Currington by calling the CMF office at 604-532-0035.
Member’s Day and BBQ Dinner August 18th, 2007 For more information see page 8
Contents
- PAGE 1: What’s New at the Museum
- PAGE 2: CMF Directors and Staff/President’s
- PAGE 3-4: Avro Arrow Lady Story
- PAGE 5: Breaking News/New Members
- PAGE 6: John Spronk 60 Year Solo Anniversary
- PAGE 7: Mystery Plane Reveal/New Mystery Plane
- PAGE 8: Upcoming Events at the CMF Message
Board of Directors and Staff
- Gord Wintrup President
- George Miller Vice President
- Rich Ulvild Treasurer
- Matt Offer Secretary
- Capt. Bill Thompson Lifetime Director
- Terry Brunner General Manager
- Rob Currington Volunteer Coordinator
- Carol Bellavance Director
- Brian Lott Director
- Ralph Peake Director
THE CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT
President’s Message “Working Together”
I would like to thank our members for voting for me as a director in our recent election and further thanks to our directors for honouring me with the position of President.
One of the key responsibilities as president is to collaborate with like minded associations to promote and preserve our rich aviation history. With your support I hope to work with all of our CMF members in “Bringing British Columbia’s aviation past into the future.” This can and will be achieved as we all pull together.
At recent workshops held for our executive and volunteers we identified the top five items that we feel vital to our museum and that we wish to implement or improve upon. Topping the list is the construction of a new facility that will house our entire collection, create a restoration area and leave room for future additions to our collection. While this may seem like an enormous challenge, we can reach this goal providing we all work together.
Fundraising plans must be implemented by a coordinated group of members and as our group roll up their sleeves, share ideas and energies, a new facility will become a reality. Our members and volunteers already make the CMF one of the best aviation museums in the country; can you imagine what we will be like as we christen a new facility? I feel very fortunate and excited to work with you, as together we achieve one of our biggest accomplishments to date.
Gord Wintrup President
The Lady From Avro
Several times a year Langley’s Canadian Museum of Flight (CMF) reaches out to the public and participates in various fundraising events where great stories of flight are exchanged and relationships are discovered all under the guise of aviation. Earlier this year one such venue; Semiahmoo Mall in White Rock, reaped the benefits of a successful fund raiser as well as striking up a wonderful relationship with a fascinating lady of history and who remains an aviation buff at 86 years old. One of ten children this dear octogenarian worked at many careers to carve out her own existence. A timely career change was called upon during the late 50’s and early 60’s as an aviation electrician for Betty Nicholas was about to have the opportunity to work on Canada’s first supersonic fighter plane the Avro Arrow.
Betty Nicholas lives in a lovely decorated condominium in White Rock now surrounded by many family photographs and almost as many beautifully framed aviation photographs or graphic artwork dealing in aviation subjects. She proudly displays her vast collection of predominantly Arrow memorabilia then sinks in to her chair amongst her collection to tell Glidepath her story.
Betty’s career as an aviation electrician began as a nurse. This young nurse joined the RCAF’s WD or Women’s Division in 1942 where oddly enough she learned to solder. After her military stint and plenty of exposure to the airplane environment, she married, moved to Toronto and answered an ad in Nov 1950 to fill a need for skilled personnel in Canada’s leading edge aviation technology. Canada was seeking out the finest trades-people from around the world to fulfill a national dream. She joined AV Roe Canada on Nov. 13 1950 and began serving out her electrician’s apprenticeship working on the wings of the CF 100 at Malton, Ontario. Having no qualms about leaving the nursing field she adapted to her new career well and rather quickly. Her skills and winning personality did not go unnoticed by management as she was quickly made a lead hand. She, along with fellow technicians certainly enjoyed the status of working on the Avro Arrow. Betty’s employment at AV Roe was kind of a family affair as her husband also worked there as a steam fitter.
Post war Canada required top notch aviation technicians to build the Avro Arrow, North America’s first line of defense against the supposed supersonic bombers from the Soviet Union. Betty was a part of an elite group of skilled workers who worked at times under closely guarded secrecy, building precision components. She was well aware that her hands were building a piece of Canadian history. The Avro was a plane of’ firsts’; fly by wire, computer control, integral missile system and capable of Mach 2 plus. Often, work orders for the Arrow would hit the assembly floor marked Top Secret. Most of this obviously destined for some technically sensitive section of the Avro but some of her handy work was undoubtedly funneled toward the Avro car or Canada’s Flying Saucer. The Avro car, known only as Project Y, was also developed under intense scrutiny at the Malton plant. This saucer shaped, vertical take-off concept became a contract awarded to Avro by the U.S.A.F. Along with this top secret American military contract came yet more secrecy however, our intrepid Betty managed to view the fascinating flying contraption in what appeared to her “an appalling tiny room”:
In 1954 Avro Aircraft came under Canadian government control. The eyes of the world would be watching the development and soon, the production of the world’s premier twin engine, supersonic interceptor. The CF-105 Arrow was rolled out and introduced to the public on Oct 4 1957 the same day the USSR launched Sputnik. History records that a disaster was looming for the Arrow project and it had nothing to do with the anticipated Russians. On Feb. 20 1959, Prime Minister John Diefenbaker announced the cancellation of the Arrow project along with the Iroquois engine division. That very same after noon an estimated 14,000 skilled trades-people employed at the A.V. Roe Canada plants in Malton were discharged along with subsequent 2500 subcontractors and suppliers linked with A.V. Roe and the Arrow project Avro had been instructed to immediately halt all work, and to destroy all working planes, prototypes and plans. Despite the devastating loss of jobs for so many there were only two survivors within Betty’s work battalion and she was one of them. Back to wiring the wings of the CF-100, Betty witnessed the removal and utter destruction of all Arrow components and like the rest of Canada was deeply saddened over the wasteful carnage. Our place in aviation history as the best was lost and its a footprints being eliminated. For days the stench of the torched Arrow stayed in her lungs. The immediate destruction of everything Avro continued around Betty around the clock. She stated that even their blessed lunchtimes saw no respite for the wrecking crew from Hamilton. It’s all there in history’s books to view.
Betty Nicholas put in 10 years at Avro before it became De Havilland property. She then went on to ply her electrical skills for another 11 years with MacDonnell Aircraft but it’s obvious where her heart lies. Just to Betty’s right is a photograph taken during AV Roe’s 30th anniversary and dinner… it’s of her and famed Arrow pilot Jan Zurakowski. The aviation mementos that decorate Betty’s walls and most horizontal spaces reveal her fondness for those wonderfully exciting days where she spent her career building aviation history. Betty keeps herself busy these days as a long standing Charter Matron of the Eastern Star.
Written By: Mike Craig
Sandy Sideroff Leaves the CMF
As some of the membership may already be aware; as of June 1st, 2007 Sandy Sideroff has left her position as Executive Director of the Canadian Museum of Flight due to health reasons. She spent the last 10 years working hard to keep the CMF afloat through a time found difficult by all museums in Canada. Her intensity and passion for aviation was evident in her dedication to the museum. It is sad to see her leave our organization. From all of us at the Canadian Museum of Flight we wish Sandy good bye and good health. Hopefully she will pop in once in a while to the place she could easily have called home. Sandy you will be missed.
To handle the departure of Sandy from the CMF, Terry Brunner has been selected as general manager. He is a very capable individual with a kind voice and a strong vision for the CMF’s future.
A Warm Welcome to our Newest Members!
Lorence Exner Langley, BC Sam Hobbs Langley, BC Courtenay, BC Lloyd Gernack Bill Pottage Harold Flannery Derek Palmer Somerset, UK Langley, BC Monty Bartlett James Green Ray Fessenden A.F. Brunner Bill Levens Langley, BC Adams Lake BC Surrey, BC Dave Pratt Langley, BC Red Deer, AB Abbotsford, BC Richmond, BC Niagra Falls, ON Aldergrove, BC Coquitlam, BC Langley, BC Ron Myhre Darin Currington Jody Schmidt
Walter Zanen
Aviation Humour
1 DON’T CARE L HOW EXPENSIVE FUEL IS-THIS IS A DUMB IDEA!
INFORMATION
“Does anyone else fly to Lake Moosekatonika?
Yes…geese.”
New Contest
A new addition to the Glidepath Newsletter is a random draw for one CMF member and a guest to have a free lunch at Choo Choo’s Restaurant in downtown Langley. This issue’s winner is: member #1629, Mr. William Watling. Congratulations and enjoy your meal! Please call in advance to claim your prize.
Special Thanks
The Canadian Museum of Flight would like to thank Miracle Printing Ltd. in Downtown Langley for printing the Glidepath Newsletter.
The Canadian Museum of Flight is always looking for new volunteers. No experience necessary as all positions have training available. We invite everyone, from young students to retirees to join the team. We are always in need of gift shop volunteers, aircraft restorers, carpenters, facility maintenance helpers, history and aviation enthusiasts. If interested in volunteering, please contact the museum Volunteer Coordinator, Rob Currington at 604-532-0035
John Spronk 60 year Solo Anniversary
Canadian Museum of Flight member John Spronk of Abbotsford was born in 1926 and joined the Dutch Air Force in 1946 with his first solo flight being held on April 10th, 1947 in Tiger Moth # 4.
After flying over 1,968 hours with the Dutch Air Force he immigrated to Canada 1 July 1957. In the summer of 1957 he received his Canadian Commercial Licence and his instructor rating in the winter of 1958. His first job was with Cariboo Air Charter out of Kelowna on a gravel runway! He became Chief Instructor of Penticton Air Charter early 1959 and in 1961 moved to Abbotsford Air Services (Forerunner of Abbotsford Flight Centre. Helping to start the Abbotsford Flying Club, John was their first President. He was very highly involved with the very first Abbotsford Air Show as the director of Flying Events which was for the next eight (8) years, developing a ” How not to Fly” act and was talked in to participating in World Champion “Stock Aircraft Pylon Racing” in Comanche’s and Meyers 200 aircraft, which were held in Pendleton and Bakersfield for four (4) years in a row and was very successful with twice in the #2 position. The “How Not to Fly” act was performed at many air shows in Washington and California.
John Spronk in the cockpit of a Netherlands Air Force Gloster Meteor. Circa. 1947
John moved on to Skyway Air Services in 1964 and operated a very successful flying school out of Hangar # 2. In 1969 he accepted a pilot’s position with Pacific Western Airlines and flew DC-6’s for two years before moving over to the Hercules (Herc’s) and earning the left seat in 1972. The operations he flew were mainly in the High Arctic and Africa. The “Herc” was used everywhere in the world except Australia and Russia. The last two years with PWA he was a Captain on the B737 in mainly Western Canada and retired from commercial flying in 1986.
After retirement, John reinstated his Instructor’s rating and still remains a freelance instructor and a Pilot Examiner until the present.
Total Flying Hours – 21,000 of which 6,500 are on Hercules.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of John’s first Solo Flight in a Tiger Moth, the Canadian Museum of Flight flew John from Langley to Abbotsford in the Museum’s Tiger Moth. Once John landed in Abbotsford, friends and family greeted him and they celebrated this truly momentous occasion. An enjoyable time was had by all. Thank you so much to John for being such a great part of the aviation community in Western Canada; you have put a permanent mark in the history books.
John Spronk in the front Cockpit of C-GMFT April 14th 2007
The Glidepath Newsletter is published quarterly by the Canadian Museum of Flight. Contributions in the form of articles, news items, letters and photos are always welcome, as are comments and constructive criticism. No payment can be made for any manuscripts that are submitted for publication in the Glidepath Newsletter. The Editor reserves the right to make changes in the manuscript without altering the meaning in any way. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Terry Brunner at the Museum by calling 604-532-0035. The Museum is open daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Mystery Airplane
Last issue’s mystery airplane was the Bellanca Aircruiser.
Last issue’s winner is: Vic Bentley
In 1928, Caesare Sabelli, commissioned an airplane to be designed that could fly non-stop from New York to Rome. Giuseppe Bellanca came up with the Bellanca Model K which was not selected by Sabelli, but the design survived becoming the Bellanca Aircruiser. The first Bellanca Aircruiser was built in 1930 and had a distinctive silhouette due to its aerodynamically shaped triangular lifting struts extending from the bottom of the fuselage and continuing up to a point outboard the main wing. Bellanca Aircruiser CF-BTW airborne It was originally called the P-100 Airbus and was powered by a water-cooled engine. It was an efficient airplane design and was capable of carrying 12 to 14 with later versions capable of carrying 15 passengers.
The “Aircruiser” was the most efficient airplane of its day and would even rank high among all airplanes designed to date. With an improved Wright Cyclone air-cooled supercharged radial engine rated at 715 hp, the Aircruiser could carry 4,000lb payloads at a speed of between 145 and 155 mph, a performance that multi-engine airplanes of the period could hardly compete with.
In 1934, US federal regulations outlawed single engine transports on US airline routes, virtually eliminating future markets for the Air Cruiser. With the workhorse capabilities of the Aircruiser, it soon stood out as a good bushplane in the Canadian wilderness. Several were used in northern mining operations ferrying ore, supplies and the occasional passenger into the 1970s.
Bellanca produced 23 Airbus/Aircruisers of which only two remain. Aircruiser “CF-BTW,” built in 1934, finished her service in Gimli, Manitoba with Hooker Air Services, then was flow down to Tillamook, Oregon where it is now on display at the Blimp Hangar Museum NAS. The only other Bellanca Aircruiser left is “CF-AWR” named the “Eldorado Radium Silver Express”, built in 1935, and is presently under restoration at the Western Canada Aviation Museum, Winnipeg.
Bellanca Aircruiser CF-AWR under restoration (www.wikipedia.com)
This issue’s mystery plane:
This issue’s mystery plane appears to be an excellent surf board towing airplane, but it was also an airplane that the RCAF used between WWI and WWII in the infancy of bushflying. It was a second hand airplane from a foreign military, but it helped prove airplanes to be a useful tool in the civilian world.
The “Mystery Airplane” contest is part of the new Glidepath newsletter format. Each issue will have a picture of an airplane and a brief description. It is your job to use your detective skills and correctly identify the airplane. The first correct respondent will receive a small gift from the CMF. Guesses are limited to one per person and they can be communicated to the CMF by fax, e-mail, or conventional mail.
Page Eight UPCOMING EVENTS Member’s Day Dinner Saturday, August 18th, 2007 June 23rd: LAC Homebuilt Fly-In (Langley) Volunteer shifts available Doors Open: 6:00pm – Dinner: 7:00pm Entertainment at 8:00pm Dinner cost is $20.00 and includes BBQ Chicken and Salmon!!! June 23rd: Boundary Bay Airshow (Boundary Bay) 1:00pm-4:00pm To reserve tickets please contact the museum at 604-532-0035 or e-mail at museum@direct.ca July 1st: Canada Day Celebrations (Port Moody) Volunteer shifts available RSVP by 4:00pm Wednesday, August 15th We require 48 hrs notice for cancellations or you will be charged full price for the dinner July 1st: Canada Day Celebrations (Mission) Volunteer shifts available Don’t miss out on this fun evening!! Member’s Day Saturday, August 18th, 2007 July 22nd: Chilliwack Flight Fest (Chilliwack) Volunteer shifts available 9:00am-4:00pm August 4th-August 5th: Historic Motor Races (Mission) Volunteer shifts available We are pleased to offer 20 minute rides to any of our members in good standing in our North American Harvard for $220.00 or a 20 minute ride in the de Havilland Tiger Moth for $80.00 August 10th – August 12th: Abbotsford Airshow Volunteer Shifts Available If you are interested in booking a ride, please contact Rob at 604-532-0035 or by e-mail at museum@direct.ca to reserve your time. August 12th: Pitt Meadows Airport Days (Pitt Meadows) Volunteer shifts available Book Early to avoid disappointment Make plans to join us for dinner and an evening of fun starting at 7:00pm August 18th: Member’s Day and Dinner (Langley) JOIN NOW… WEST JET Official Airline of CAPA SKYWAYS For more information contact the CMF office at 604-532-0035 Gera CAPA CANADIAN AERONAUTICAL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION RECEIVE A FREE ISSUE WITH YOUR NEW MEMBERSHIP (PLEASE MENTION THIS AD) SAMPLE ISSUE $4 PLUS $3 POSTAGE WORLD WAR 1 Geroplanes, INC. 15 CRESCENT ROAD POUGHSP NY, 12601 (845) 473-3679 www.wwlaero.org www.skywaysjournal.org The Museum welcomes donations of used AVIATION BOOKS for the Library and to sell in the Gift Shop HELP SUPPORT THE MUSEUM & receive a tax deductible receipt for yourself! ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DE CONSERVATION AERONAUTIQUE ACCA