Glidepath The quarterly newsletter of the Canadian Museum of Flight Issue #114 Fall 2012 Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year From Terry Brunner, Museum of Flight General Manager
Terry Brunner, General Manager, Canadian Museum of Flight
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members and volunteers a wonderful holiday season. The year started out a little harum-scarum, not knowing where the operating funds were coming from. However, since the second quarter we have closed out the year in a strong position.
In this time we have managed to complete numerous projects around the Museum:
- The wing has been completed and re-installed on the Hampden.
- The Waco INF has been completed and is just waiting for some minor touchups from the paint shop.
- The Fleet Canuck is 3/4 of the way to completion.
- The DC-3 has been completely gutted, and volunteers have been working on the new interior.
- We have acquired numerous additional models for display. .
- Our engine display has grown with two additions: a Wright Cyclone R- 3350 and a Rolls Royce Nimbus. .
- Our biggest fait accompli was the acquisition of the CONAIR FIRECAT
- Thanks to our tireless volunteers our leaking roof has been given a new lease on life.
Our VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR is Jim Beswick who gives so much of his time to the Museum. In closing, I want to thank all the volunteers and members who have supported us with their hard work and donations throughout the years. Without YOU there would not be a Museum. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.
Jim Beswick, the Gogi Memorial Trophy “CMF Volunteer of the Year” for 2012
Mark your calendars! The Canadian Museum of Flight Annual Fundraising Gala will be a happening, March 16, 2013. Please join us and support your Museum. Be sure to visit www.canadianflight.org or on Facebook “Canadian Museum of Flight” for more news and for frequent updates on events.
The Canadian Museum of Flight CANADIAN MUSEUM OF Bringing British Columbia’s Aviation Past into the Future
- Board of Directors
- Bruce Bakker President
- Bruce Friesen Vice President
- Inder Matharu Treasurer
- Vic Bentley Secretary
- Mike Luedey Director
- Guy Miller Director
- Chris Ryan Director
- Gord Wintrup Director
- Bill Thompson Lifetime Director
- Museum Staff
- Terry Brunner
- Douglas Tait
- Caitlin Ringland
- Caitlin Perreault
- Museum Coordinates
- Telephone 604-532-0035
- Fax 604-532-0056
- e-mail tbrunner@telus.net
- Website www.canadianflight.org
- Facebook Canadian Museum of Flight
- Address Hangar #3 5333-216th Street Langley, BC V2Y 2N3
- Museum Hours: daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
To all our Staff and Volunteers: A Huge Thank You for 2012, from the CMF Board
by Bruce Bakker, President
As 2012 draws to a close, the CMF can look back on another successful year. Many notable activities took place including:
- 1) A successful Gala Fundraiser;
- 2) Great progress on our numerous restoration projects;
- 3) Networking with our counter-parts in the Pacific Northwest;
- 4) A community outreach event, Octoberfest; and
- 5) A significant donation by Conair to CMF’s collection, a Firecat water bomber.
Of course the most significant activity of the year, as it is every year, is the dedication and support of our members, volunteers and staff. Whether it is engaging in infrastructure repair and maintenance of our facilities, managing the collection, participating in outreach programs, helping at museum functions or providing financial support, our members are the foundation of this museum. The glue that holds all of the efforts of our members together is the dedication of our staff. From working at the front counter, to working behind the scenes in one of the nook and cranny offices, to managing the daily operations, the museum staff provide support and energy for the continued success of CMF.
I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the entire Board, to thank each of our members, volunteers and staff for the huge effort provided during the past year. The success of CMF is truly your success. 2013 promises to be another significant year for the CMF, and it is my hope that everyone will join our CMF family to help celebrate those moments.
Bruce Bakker, and the entire CMF Board, thank the Museum 2012 staff, above, left to right in alphabetical order:
- TERRY BRUNNER,
- CHRIS LEE,
- CAITLIN PERREAULT,
- MATTHEA POHL,
- CAITLIN RINGLAND,
- AND DOUGLAS TAIT.
- (NO PHOTO: KYLE CHESLEY)
The Glidepath is published quarterly by the Canadan Museum of Flight; Editor Bruce Friesen. Contributions of articles, news items, letters and photos are always welcome, as are comments and suggestions. Note that no payments are made for any items published.
Flying Operations 2012 “Flyboys and Grease Monkeys”
Fixing
Bob Fowles keeps the paperwork in order, and the fleet legal.
Dave Beales fits a starter motor to the replica SE5a, during Movember.
A clean machine, a shiny machine? You bet, says Bill Findlay.
Dave Beales and Vic Bentley confer on some details of Tiger Moth maintenance.
Flying
The core of the CMF Operations team review their flight plans and safety items, at the Abbotsford Air Show. Left to right: George Kirbyson, Bob Fowles, Bill Findlay, Vic Bentley, Jim Beswick, Dave Beales
The big smiles tell it all, after John Morgan takes a Harvard flight with Bill Findlay.
The Conair Firecat arrives over Langley Airport in style; pilots Ray Horton and Bill Findlay.
Vic Bentley completes the cycle from Piper Cub to DC-10 to Tiger Moth display pilot at Abbotsford.
The crew relaxes on their return from displaying the Waco Cabin in Alert Bay: left to right Bill Findlay, Dave Beales, Bob Fowles.
Restoration Projects 2012 “The Patient Craftsmen”
Hampden Wing Reconstruction
The Wingmen: Left to right Peter Roberts, Gord Varney, Cyril Meadows and Alfie Frost, four core members of the Hampden wing reconstruction team, take delight in standing beneath their newly-installed port wing.
Rotating a wing: Left to right are Cyril Meadows, Peter Dittaro, Brant Gladstone, Mike Luedey, B. J. McMillan, Hank Koehler, Chris Ryan, Alfie Frost, Gord Naslund, Jim Beswick, and Gord Varney.
Brant Gladstone fabricates a tail cone.
Alfie Frost and Cyril Meadows. Cyril is a master carpenter; just don’t tell Handley Page what we have done to their wing! Hank Koehler paints an aileron.
Fleet Canuck
Ray Fessenden, Intent on the job.
Bill Butler and Roy Demcheson perfect their window interior trim piece.
Peter Dittaro wonders: is it an airplane, or a hedgehog?
The Canuck’s new instrument panel.
Engines
David McIntosh is making the mighty Merlin shine like new.
Alfie Frost rebuilding a DeHavilland Gipsy engine for display.
GAT-1 Trainer
Jim Christiaens flips through numerous electrical schematics for the GAT-1.
Derrick “flies” the GAT-1, as Bob Smith provides “advice”.
Douglas DC-3 Tender Loving Care
John Jouan, DC-3 project leader, installs replacement interior panels, the backing for a new cloth headliner.
John Harssema and Ralph Rowe on the wing of the mighty DC-3.
Tim Horton and Wai-shuen Wong agitate sealent, lots of sealent.
John Harssema leans into his work, sealing a window.
Lee Kun Woo fits new landing light lenses; low voltage bulbs were wired up by Bob Gilles, for nighttime display.
Snowbird
Our Snowbird is alive again. Thanks to work by Bob Gilles (above, left) and Mike Luedey (above, right) to install a battery and modify the wiring it is now safe to cycle the canopy, and provide Museum visitors a view of the cockpit.
Facilities Upgrades 2012 “The unsung heros behind the scenes”
Visitors
CMF’s chief tour guide, Matt Offer, enthralls another group of future aviation enthusiasts with his “engine sounds”.
Bob Fowles, right, shares the latest museum happenings with Doug Moan.
Equipment
Wayne Baldwin gives our antique Clark forklift yet more tender loving care.
Gary Wiles and B. J. McMillan coax our tug “Big Bertha” to life once again.
Shelter, Take Three
B. J. McMillan shuffles the pieces to “repurpose” yet again the greenhouse donated by President Bruce Bakker, this time as an equipment shed.
The Roof Repair Cats
Up on the roof, Jim Beswick, on the left, bends his back to the work. B. J. McMillan, on the right, finds time to smile for the camera as the sun beats down.
Jeff Jeffries manages his stock of reclaimed building materials.
Bob Smith tackles reorganization of the maintenance shop layout.
Museum Collections 2012 “Listers and listeners and seers”
Collections Management
Douglas Tait manages the Museum “In Box”, documenting new acquisitions and issuing tax receipts as appropriate.
Trevor Harrison and Colin MacDonald add another item to the inventory.
Boxes, boxes and more boxes. Colin MacDonald says “A place for everything, and everything in its place”.
Curating The Past
Stan Walter continues his patient plow through the Museum’s accumulation of images, both prints and slides-scanning, documenting, organizing for future utility.
Phil Mulholland listens intently and studies his sound quality display, extracting as much information as possible from the Museum’s collection of aviation history interviews on tape.
During 2012, Colin MacDonald completed his computer replacement project, such that all Museum staff and functions now have access to modern computer hardware and suitable software. Over a period of several years, Colin has picked away at this challenge scrounging what he could and, as necessary, topping up with contributions from his own pocket.
2012 Acquisitions
Our new Rolls Royce Nimbus helicopter engine is admired by Peter Dittaro, Bob Smith and Dave Beales.
Peter Roberts admires the detailed work on our new Lockheed Lightning model.
Vic Bentley helps load up our new Pietenpol Air Camper.
Terry Brunner supervises safe placement of our Wright Cyclone R-3350 on a trailer for its trip from Comox.
Join us to learn more about the Waco AQC-6 Cabin! The next edition of TechTalk will be:
Tech Talk – Waco Cabin Canadian Museum of Flight in the hangar, rain or shine February 2 starting at 9:00 a.m.
An in-depth exploration of the Waco Cabin design, construction, operation, and maintenance led by CMF members with years of experience with the type.
Two lucky participants will win a flight in the Cabin.
Cost: $25 for CMF Members; $35 for the general public.
To book your place, or for more details, please contact the Museum at 604-532-0035.
For more information on Canadian Museum of Flight collections, displays and events, please visit our website at www.canadianflight.org Be sure to visit the Museum Facebook page “Canadian Museum of Flight” frequently, for news and views.
Volunteers Welcome!
The Canadian Museum of Flight is always looking for new volunteers. We are always in need of history and aviation enthusiasts of all kinds, for aircraft restoration, gift shop operations, facility maintenance, and many other tasks. No experience is necessary. We invite everyone, from young students to retirees, to join the team. Please contact the Museum General Manager, Terry Brunner, at 604-532-0035.
Mark your calendars! The CMF Gala 2013 will be on March 16 Your opportunity to contribute to the Museum A great line up of auction items and door prizes
Thank you for reading our newsletter, and for your interest in the work we are doing, “Bringing British Columbia’s Aviation Past into the Future”.
Please consider supporting our work. Join us as a Member, volunteer, or make a financial contribution.