MINI NEWSLETTER 39.4 JULY 2, 1992

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION 13527 Crescent Rd, Surrey, BC, V4P 1J5 (604) 535-1115, FAX 535-3292

Captain Bill Thompson’s Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 “Yellow Peril”. Bill does promotional flights on behalf of the CMFT.

“TOP 50” VOLUNTEERS TO BE HONOURED

SALMON BARBECUE/GENERAL MEETING JULY 17

PLACE:
- MUSEUM GROUNDS
TIME:
- NO HOST BAR AT 6:00 PM
- BARBECUE AT 7:00 PM
- GENERAL MEETING AT 8:00 PM

The JULY GENERAL MEETING is being combined with a VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION SALMON BARBECUE. “Top 50” volunteers will receive a free ticket for themselves and a guest, while other members will be charged $5. (that’s right, only $5.)

If the phone committee hasn’t called you by the time you get this newsletter please call the office at 535-1115 or 535-1841 to reserve your meal. You can pay at the door, but we MUST HAVE YOUR PRIOR RESERVATION.

Those who wish to attend the general meeting only (at 8:00), please make yourself known so we can register you in. No charge of course.

A special thank you to Vice President Bill Thompson of Pender Harbour, who provided the fresh salmon at his expense. Canada 125

SPECIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE 1992

JULY 3 KIDSUMMER DAYS – Free day for children at the Museum
JULY 4, 5 DELTA AIRPARK FLY-IN – Sales booth, info. Delta Airpark, Delta
JULY 11,12 WINGS & WHEELS – Community service display. Museum grounds
JULY 17 SUMMER BARBECUE / GENERAL MEETING/VOLUNTEER NIGHT- Museum grounds
JULY 25 PENTICTON AIR SHOW – Sales booth, info (IF enough people come forward to take on the project). Penticton
AUG 1, 2 COMOX AIR SHOW-Sales, info. Comox Air Force base
AUG 5 KAMLOOPS AIR SHOW – Sales booth, info (IF enough people come forward to take on the project). Kamloops
AUG 7-9 ABBOTSFORD AIRSHOW – Sales of Abbotsford Airshow souvenirs. Abbotsford Airport
AUG 13 SURREY FAMILY DAY- Families Free at the Museum
SEPT 12 CHILLIWACK DAYS – Sales, Info. Chilliwack Airport
SEPT 13 BRITISH & EUROPEAN CAR MEET- Sponsored by British Car Society
SEPT 17 FALL DINNER/GENERAL MEETING- Yic’s Dining Lounge, Surrey.
SEPT 20 ALL NISSAN MEET – Sponsored by Datsun Roadster Assn

Changes and additions will be announced or included in next newsletter.

HOMESITE REPORT

A request for proposals from the Purchasing Commission of British Columbia was sent to parties with an interest in the British Columbia Transportation Museum at Cloverdale, which closed on June 30.

The Homesite Committee met with other groups and individuals in an attempt to present a viable plan which would recommend that the Cloverdale collection and our own be, Integrated in some way and moved to the new CMFT homesite as a practical solution to “save” both the BCTM collection, and perhaps our own. Surprisingly, we have had no cooperation from the Save the Transportation Museum Committee which has been getting all the publicity.

A combined facility would truly have the potential to become a world class tourist facility. A win-win situation, but needing sponsors to make it happen. None has come forward, and likely will not until we have a presence on the new site, and some kind of commitment from the local governments. Accordingly, we did not submit a proposal. The next step will depend on how the B.C. Government Purchasing Commission handles the proposals that are submitted.

THANK YOU!

A very special thank you to those members who took the time to write to politicians about the matter. Sadly, the responses were stereotyped and all spoke of our “wish to save the Transportation Museum”. All missed the point of the integration and the practical move to the new site.

For those of you who did not write – why didn’t you? You cared enough about the Museum to purchase a membership, which in some cases you have faithfully renewed for 15 years. This is your Museum, it faces a major crisis, and you have the power to help by simply writing a letter. If by some miracle the BCTM stays where it is, real success will elude the BCTM and the CMFT. If it fails, and the BCTM collection is sold or disbursed and still nobody wins.

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION

11th ANNUAL WINGS & WHEELS

SAT & SUN JULY 11 & 12 10:00 4:00 • Display of vintage aircraft, autos, motorcycles, and much more! • Helicopter rides Flying Displays and Fly bys • Childrens Play Area • Food Served All Day ⚫ Free Parking Lots of Door Prizes

13527 CRESCENT ROAD, SURREY (near Crescent Beach) ADMISSION: $3.00 FAMILY $10.00 Children under 6 FREE 535-1115 278-9804 FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Work will soon resume on the restoration to flying status of the Fleet (Fairchild) Cornell II.

F11C-2 Goshawk

RESTORATIONS REPORT

Fred Gardham continues to make progress on the Hampden. Bob Gordon has been helping out on an almost daily basis, while Don Dines and Tom Siddelman work when they can. The whole project has moved to a new location in Vancouver, but still is the foster-child of Jerry Olsen and J&M Fiberglass to whom the Museum is Indebted for providing the workspace, equipment and tools for the project, and for assistance when needed by Jerry and his staff.

Work on the Waco C-6 is, as usual, held up for critical parts which we cannot locate, borrow, or even find patterns for. The lower wings had been farmed out and are now undergoing considerable re-restoration in an attempt to match the quality of the work on the upper wings done by Chuck Haigh, Hank Koehler and others. Another delay.

VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR REPORT

Volunteer Co-Ordinator Carol Morelli is taking on more and more work, including computer and office work, and supervision of effort. Volunteers Steve Gordy, Reuben Bredenhof, Lee Marshall and John Clark have been coming out of an fairly regular basis and we are managing to get some of the most urgent work done. Others come out on occasion, but much more help is needed. Ed Zalesky is on the lawn mower almost daily because there aren’t enough other people willing to help with the REAL behinds the scene operations. Steve Heinemann does most of the phoning, but has little time to join work parties due to his new job. Thanks to all of you.

Please, don’t wait to be asked. Offer your help, but as we continue to point out-we DON’T NEED RESTORERS (unless you are willing to help Fred Gardham who can be reached at 681-6886). We DO NEED PEOPLE TO DO YARD AND OFFICE WORK, and to wash and wax the airplanes.

JOHN CLARK ONE MAN VOLUNTEER RIDES COMMITTEE

A special thank you to John Clark who carries the Top 50 list of volunteers with him, and phones them in turn to go flying in his Cherokee.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1992/1993

Please note the following corrections to the Board of Directors and Standing Committees listed on page 6 of Newsletter 39.3:

Michael Gatey is no longer a director.

Jerrold (Jerry) E. Vernon is an elected director and President.

Bill Thompson Vice President and is a member of the Homesite Committee.

STAFF A GREAT TEAM

Part timers Tony Chan, Lisa Barrett and Clinton Wong are doing a great job, but much work remains undone, so if you can volunteer some time to catch up on the old backlog, please do.

Lorl Cockerill Is employed full time this summer before going back to her Sports Medicine courses in the fall, and has ably taken over the acquisitions functions, and whatever else needs doing, but she, too, would appreciate more help.

VOLUNTEER JOBS

WASH AND WAX AIRPLANES AND EXHIBITS.
GROUNDS AND YARD MAINTENANCE.
BUILDING UPGRADE AND MAINTENANCE.
FENCE TO BE BUILT.
FOOD BOOTH UPGRADE.
OFFICE AND DATA ENTRY.
GIFT SHOP CLERKING AND INVENTORY.

Another member of our staff gets little recognition, but performs one of the most important jobs in the entire museum. Ralph Emory is our accountant and keeps track of what is a pretty complicated set of books. Ralph works about 20 hours per week, and his salary is paid by a sympathetic corporate sponsor.

Our last staff member is Mark Zalesky, whose salary is also paid by a corporate sponsor is loaned to the CMFT to restore airplanes, but still gets little chance to do so. In years past he has spent most of his time supervising volunteers, but was determined over the past 18 months or so that it was time someone else took over that Job, so that he could get on with the restoration work. The process is extremely frustrating, and he sometimes demonstrates a great lack of tact. This has unfortunately resulted in the loss of a few very good volunteers, who feel that some of the security measures he demands border on paranoia, but casually ignoring the few safeguards demanded could cost us dearly.

Mark will be leaving once two major projects in progress are complete, to take over the long dormant family business of restoring aircraft, so we’ll be looking for a FULL TIME volunteer restorer who is able to produce quality restorations under inadequate conditions and without the right equipment.

With the assistance of Job Creation grants and “restoration blitzes” CMFT has produced some excellent restorations, some mediocre and some much less than that. The goal is to make ALL restorations good.

ALL DATSUN SWAP MEET JUNE 28

The first All-Datsun Swap Meet was organized by the Datsun Roadster Association and held on the Museum grounds. Nearly 300 visitors came to swap, buy, sell and talk Datsun, and view the airplanes on display.

John Clark had lots of problems trying to keep the parking organized, as promised assistance did not materialize. Thank you, John.

The day began with showers, but later brightened. Helicopter rides were provided by Pacific Rim Helicopters, but were cut short when the aircraft was called away to help fight a fire in North Vancouver.

Several fly pasts were arranged, but no formal ones materialized, except for a great fly past by member Captain Bill Thompson in his Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 seaplane. Bill spent years restoring this WWII trainer, which is sometimes called the “yellow peril” and often mistaken for a Stearman. Bill’s airplane is mounted on a single main float with two wingtip floats.

SALUTE TO THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS “RANGER”

Captain Bill Thompson and the N3N were on the program to salute the outward passage of the Ranger during its recent visit to Vancouver. No more appropriate aircraft to do the salute could be found than the “N” which was used as a primary trainer for Navy flyers during WWII. While the arrangements were to have two of the carrier’s helicopters fly up to take photos while he circled the carrier, it didn’t quite work out that way. Still, the crew lined up on the decks acknowledged the flypast with lots of waving of hats, and we are sure enjoyed watching Bill as much as he enjoyed doing the flypast.

Another thank you to Bill and the “N” for representing the Museum.

B-17 “MEMPHIS BELLE” VISIT JULY 1

808 Sqdn arranged for a Canada Day visit of the B-17 to Cassidy Airport at Nanaimo, and once again, Bill Thompson represented CMFT with an N3N fly-past salute to the B-17. Thank you, Bill.

JULY 1 CANADA 125 CELEBRATION AT BEAR CREEK PARK

Laila Bird and Myra and Ken Danyluk represented the CMFT at the festivities, and (wo) manned a souvenir sales table. In spite of some showers, it was deemed a success and a few welcome and needed dollars earned.

“MAXI” NEWSLETTER COMING

Newsletter #40 is slowly coming together, but will not be ready for a month or so at the present rate of progress.

There is still time to send along your letters to the editor, anecdotes and stories for inclusion in the next or a future newsletter, and to offer your help in making it up. Call Rose at 535-1115.

WINGS & WHEELS ’92 JULY 11 & 12

It’s coming up fast! This year’s event will follow the usual successful pattern of lots of stuff to see and do, flypasts and aerobatic displays, “Snoopy and the Red Baron Skit”, children’s entertainment, helicopter rides, lots of displays, and food served all day.

The 746 Cloverdale Sqdn Air Cadets will as usual handle traffic and parking, but volunteers are still needed to do the other 101 jobs that it takes to put on an event like this. Help is needed not only on the two days of the event but in the weeks preceding it to get ready and the clean up afterward.

Carol Morelli has taken on much of the big job of organizing of exhibitors and events, on top of her work as volunteer co-ordinator, and juggling a job in Richmond and the care of her daughter. Great work, Carol.

ABBOTSFORD AIR SHOW SOUVENIR SALES

The CMFT has again been accepted as one of the non-profit organizations to participate in the souvenir sales program at the Abbotsford Air Show August 6, 7 and 8. This year, all food and souvenir sales are being managed by “Umbrella Foods”, with 32 service groups providing volunteers to work in the various food and souvenir booths, and share in some of the profits. The revenue from the Abbotsford Air Show is very Important to the Museum, and we are pleased to be included. We do not wish to jeopardize being invited back again.

18 people per day are required, and this year Laila Bird is handling the whole thing, organizing the crews, transportation and so forth. Call the office at 535-1115 and leave a message for Laila or call her direct in the evenings at 533-3414 if you would like to help. This is not just a passport to see the airshow for free. You have to work – hard and you must be an efficient salesperson who can make change correctly. If you can’t stand the heat or to be on your feet, don’t apply.

Mooney M18C “Mite” C-GHIY is the newest addition to the CMFT collection. This one is in flying condition and flew regularly until transfer to the CMFT.