The Canadian Museum of Flight
Glidepath News
Issue 64
Hangar # 3 5333 216th Street Langley, B.C V2Y 2N3
Phone (604)-532-0035
Fax: (604) 532-0056
Winter 2000
Email: museum@direct.ca
How would a Cornell look in the Museum’s hangar? Story on page 5.
Editorial Gogi Goguillot
My mother always used to say “If you can’t say anything nice, be quiet”, this advice is sometimes tough to live by.
The recently completed, very successful raffle which raised about $4080.00 is a case in point. The Snowbird raffle was conceived, organized, advertised and nearly all ticket sales realized by four people. Yes, that is right, four, not fourteen or forty. but ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
Ok, you’re shy, can’t deal with strangers, you only function with people you know, like to work inside where it’s warm and dry-ok-fair enough, but we could still use your skills. How about Gift Shop sales help with clerical work? Hey, how about newsletter editor? Tour guides are always needed as are magazine archivists and library assistants. Maybe you have a new fundraising idea the list goes on and on.
To those invaluable regular volunteers our heartfelt thanks, but let’s find out why 95% of our membership are happy with only a quarterly newsletter, 10% attend the dinner meetings and only 5% are active volunteers. There are a lot of exciting things happening within the organization, new projects, aircraft that need care and maintenance, membership activity days and air shows.
CMF is your Museum, tell us what you want!
Well, Y2K is here! With the momentum gained in 99 the “can do” crew, together with all our supportive members of CMF, can look forward to continued success. May we all enjoy a happy and prosperous year.
Terry Wadhams – President, Canadian Museum of Flight
The CMF Newsletter is published quarterly by the Canadian Museum of Flight. Contributions in the form of articles, news items, letters and photos are welcome, as are comments and criticism. No. payment can be made for any manuscripts that are submitted for publication in the CMF Newsletter. The Editor reserves the right to make changes in the manuscripts without altering the meaning. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact either Gogi or Sandy at the Museum by calling (604) 532-0035. Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m- 4:00 p.m.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Quarterly Dinner Meeting
Saturday, January 22nd, 2000
- Happy Hour : 6:00 pm
- Dinner: 7:00 pm
- Meeting: 8.00 pm
$20.00 Per Person (GST Included)
RSVP by Jan 15th, by calling Sandy at 532-0035.
Our speaker for this first dinner meeting of 2000 will be member and former director the Jack Meadows.
Those of you that attended last springs dinner meeting may remember seeing displayed some of work of Anselmo Swan, a noted young Vancouver artist.
Anselmo was approached by the Museum in 1998 to try to portray a moonlight episode of a Mosquito night fighter in an unnaturally close position under the tail of a Ju88G night fighter as described by Jack in an article in AEROPLANE.
MEMORIAL FLY PAST
A memorial fly past is planned to honour our fellow members and friends Stan Vivian and Alvin Schafer. Due to doubtful and unpredictable weather at this time of the year, we are hopeful for a date later in the year. We will keep you posted as plans are made.
2nd ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT
Your darn right-we’re going to do it again! Last year saw the Museum overwhelmed by the response to the 1″ Annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year, we have made some changes including pre-selling tickets in order to control numbers. Captain Lazer will once again be bringing in the Easter Bunny, and if you were here last year, it is definitely a sight to see. This year’s event will be Saturday, April 22 Watch your next newsletter for more details.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting and election of officers will be April 15 2000 at the Museum. It’s not too soon to start thinking are there agenda items you would like to bring forward- will you run for office? It’s your Museum, and your responsibility.
CAPA CONVENTION
The 1999 Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association meeting was hosted by the Aerospace Museum Association of Calgary and the Nanton Lancaster Society Air Museum in Nanton Alberta on the weekend of October 29/31. 1999
Sandy Tinsley and your editor represented CMF at the meeting. Delegates from 9 Provinces started their duties with a meet and greet on Friday evening, and having set the tone, spent the next two days and one evening with workshops, meetings, and even a chance to tour the two Museums.
During the course of the weekend we were able to have interesting conversations with RCAF & Crown Assets delegates & confirmed our special Museum bidding status. All the delegates reported their activities with many addressing concerns similar to what we find ourselves dealing with. There were presentations on acquiring funding for Museums, along with restoration projects and the need for co-operative action.
It is impossible to give a complete report of the entire weekend with our newsletters space restrictions, but if you would like to know more about the convention, please feel free to talk to either Gogi or Sandy.
A very special thanks to the gracious hosts at both Calgary and Nanton.
SNOWBIRD RAFFLE WINNER
Who will be the lucky winner? Photos by Don Butterley
CMF volunteer Doug Moan is shown presenting the Snowbird Mahogany model to Anne-Marie Driediger of Langley. Doug sold the lucky ticket to Anne-Marie.
WE DID IT!
The Snowbird Raffle was a complete success with $4080.00 being raised. There were a total of 173 books of tickets signed out to members. Thank you to everyone that helped sell tickets, and also purchased tickets. Even if you weren’t able to sell a complete book, the fact that you tried shows your support for the Museum.
We would be remiss to not thank a small core of individuals who went above and beyond by selling a minimum of 10 books of tickets, Myron Olson and Jerry Vernon, Ken Knutson, and Milt Lake.
As a thank you, a Mahogany Tutor Model will be given to the Canadian Forces Snowbirds where we have been told it will be put in a “place of honour” at the Squadron.
Welcome to our newest members
D.E. Anderson Joanne Beamish Delta, BC Vancouver, BC William Martin Randy McCartney Surrey, BC Langley, BC Nathan Booth John Browne Matthew Dale Don Mclver Donald Munro Surrey, BC Vancouver, BC North Vancouver Germany Brian Nelson Ken Norman Chris Parlees Marcel Grenier Langley, BC Abbotsford Delta, BC Langley, BC Langley, BC Abbotsford, BC Gordon Hole Ray Howland Ted Jones Abbotsford, BC White Rock, BC Ken Ratcliffe Lisa Sawatzky Abbotsford, BC Cultus Lake, BC The Kuzenko Family Aldergrove, BC Pat Sheach Surrey, BC
One of our new members also has the privilege of being our youngest member. Nathan Booth is 6 years old, and is very proud to show his membership card every time he comes to the Museum with his grandfather.
Looking for a birthday present for your grandchild…how about a Museum membership.
IT’S TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIPS
All memberships will come due on March 1,2000. To help make things easier on the Museum staff, please try to renew your membership as early as possible. You can pay by Cash, Cheque, Visa or MasterCard, in person, by mail or over the phone. Dues are as follows: Adults $37.45 Seniors /Students $26.75 Family $48.15
FROM THE DESK OF THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
As a relatively new member and even newer to this position, I’d like to point out the fun I have had this past year working as a volunteer. The Abbotsford Air Show was my initiation (all three days) followed by Cottonwood Mall in Chilliwack, the Chilliwack Flight Fest, Guildford Town Centre, the Museum’s Gift shop and bartending at the Tiger Moth Christening and New Years Eve party.
It has been an excellent way of meeting new people, and I have had fun at each event. You will meet people from all facets of the aviation industry, from people who learned to fly in the 1920’s, W.W.II bomber and fighter pilots, along with 1940 & 50’s airline flight attendants. As a volunteer you will hear very interesting stories. While guiding a small group through the Douglas DC-3, I met a grandmother who worked as a flight attendant in the early 1950’s in the Okanagan on those planes.
During the next few months all current members will be contacted, so please consider being a volunteer. it has been a very good experience and NONE of it has been hard or demanding work.
Ken Knutson, CMF Volunteer Coordinator
CORNELL
Fleet or Fairchild, PT26A or PT19, or maybe PT23. Ok, let’s keep it simple and go with “Cornell”. What- ever, we have one and after the AQC6 WACO, CF-FLY donated to CMF by Walt Landon is next in line for restoration.
The Cornell was a tandem two seat, primary trainer, and although produced in the thousands is very close to extinction. Our Cornell was in flying condition 10 years ago, but 10 years in different sites has produced the inevitable loss of parts caused by dismantling, disassembly and questionable storage. Thankfully, most missing items seem to be relatively easy to replace if cost is ignored.
Restoration of a British Commonwealth Air Training Plan trainer is a worthy project for CMF. So, after the WACO, a new and fascinating project will start needing of course, research, work and inevitably…..money.
HAMPDEN TO GET PROPELLERS
For those of you that have been following the restoration of the Handley Page Hampden over the years. you may know by now that we have made “mock” engines and placed them on the aircraft. There was still a major need to complete our “Static” H.P. Hampden, and that was a pair of propellers. Through a somewhat convoluted set of circumstances, they are almost a reality.
First, Fred Beauchesne of Fred’s Aero offered us a “real deal” to make two props (he made the original. molds). Then, Fred Gardham one of our longest serving volunteers offered to donate the payment. So we have two Fred’s who are really helping out CMF, and moving the Hampden much closer to display condition. From everyone at CMF, a very special thanks to the both of you.
CCW PROGRESS REPORT
Most all of the shop crew is hard at work on CCW. Sandbag, hammers, and English Wheel have in skilled hands replaced panels in boot cowl area, new instrument panel, rebuilt fin and rudder plus elevators and rebuilt tail wheel and did the aft end. Trim system is now in place thanks to the loan of some brackets by a friend from the south of the border – similar source got us wheels & brakes.
Speaking of brakes, CCW has a mechanical system through a Johnston Bar to supply differential braking to each wheel. However, CCW having been on floats for 40 years may be missing some important bits. As of this update, the rebuilders are still trying to sort out the system, are there any WACO brake experts out there in our membership who can help?
NORTHROP KD2R5 ‘SHELDUCK” BASIC TRAINING TARGET DRONE RESTORED BY CMF VOLUNTEERS.
The Northrop KD2R5 “Shelduck” basic training drone was used by the armed forces of many countries. The KD2R5 was a training device for ground-to-air gunnery practice. It was also used as a training target for surface-to-air missiles
MEMORIES OF OUR DEPARTED MEMBER AND FRIEND
I first got to know Stan Vivian a few years ago when he moved to Langley and established just around the corner from our home. I forget our first meeting, but it was soon established that he was ex Canadian Pacific Air Lines, and aircraft engineer who not only flew but had a stable of light airplanes on the local airport. He and I quickly became aviation compatriots and spent many happy hours together in his hangar tinkering (not a term that an AME would appreciate) with his aircraft. He was the expert, and I the novice. I held the light and handed the tools, he torqued the bolts, and he set the timing. I could clean and wipe, and he could stop oil leaks and change gaskets, things like that. It was a good combination. When each chore was done the aircraft had to be flight-tested, flyability was my determination, the performance was his, still a great combination.
The finest aircraft in Stan’s fleet was the Navion C-GIGN. A fairly heavy four place low wing aircraft with a bubble canopy. It flew much like Harvard, designed and built just after the war. Old, but like the two of us, dependable, stayed serviceable and had no bad habits. At least we liked to think so.
Stan decided at one time, and for some reason that the Navion was perhaps a bit antiquated, a bit unrefined and perhaps somewhat plebeian, at any rate it was no longer turning as many heads as it once did. He wanted something with a little more pizzazz, not that he had any intention of selling the Navion. So…enter the Breezy. I am not sure how Stan found this machine, but before long we were off to Naniamo to fetch it home. Stan assured me that this aircraft was mechanically sound and a snap to fly, and also reasonable priced, I was to help fly it home. Well, I suppose most of you have seen it, every turnbuckle, every cable, every sparkplug, and every thing that moved or held something together was exposed, you could get your fingers into everything (a mechanics delight). Well, we did the first flight, Stan had not told me that the chap that owned it had only flown it once and immediately put it up for sale. You can guess why!
I did the take off, and about the time that I didn’t think that it was going to fly, it did. It shot off the ground, I was busy with airspeed and adjusting to feel when I had the strange feeling that somehow I was sitting on a sawhorse on the end of a plank being chased very closely by an aircraft, a very odd feeling indeed. I put the machine into a turn; I could not have been looking around much up to this point when suddenly I noticed the treetops at my elbow. There was nothing between those treetops and me; in fact the only thing that was directly above the floorboards at this angle was my right foot. Even the floorboards were clear plastic! Then came that terrible urge to let go of everything and HANG ON! Stan on the other hand was so engrossed in engine performance etc.; he didn’t even see the trees. The next day we brought the Breezy home.
I remember that trip most clearly. Alvin flew the Breezy to Boundary Bay; I was the white knuckled passenger in the back. Stan flew the Navion and did circles around us all the way back. I remember thinking what ever am I doing a way up here over the Straight of Georgia at 75 miles per hour, with an aircraft that glides like a brick and floats like a stone. We flew it at 3 Abbotsford Air Shows and many of our friends had a ride it in, very few asked for a second flight.
We have many memories of flying, memories of associations with the people that lived and flew and became a part of our wonderful history of aviation, a history written within our lifetime. The airplane made this history. Some of these machines are still around, old airplanes are seldom scrapped, they are just rebuilt and keep flying on. Some of our pilots seem the same.
Stan I will miss greatly. In time he will take his place as one of that great band of brothers, dear friends now departed, loved, remembered, and a part of my life never to be forgotten.
Written by CMF member – Bill Marr
HAVE YOU SIGNED UP?
One of the most satisfying and critical tasks anyone can take on is that of a tour guide. Help to pass on to our young people some of the fascinating stories from our aviation heritage. CMF is co- operating with most of the school districts from Vancouver to Hope, may of whom have aeronautics or aviation history as part of their curriculum. From a more mercenary viewpoint, their attendance spreads our name and the nominal admission helps fund some of our activities.
Back to the beginning, we need tour guides. An average tour takes about 1-%½ hours, and there is generally lots of advance notice. A group of our regular guides are hosting a workshop January 15th at 11:00 a.m. It’s a great chance to get involved, share our expertise with students, veterans, and all our guests.
If you can help, give the Museum a call and we will add your name to the list.
Part of a collection donated by Herb Hill-Tout of New Westminster. Note RAF label these WWI flyers are all aces.
To see more drop in and visit our WWI display being put together by Lew Twambley and new member, Bob Jadis.