Museum Newsletter SPRING 94
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION 13527 Crescent Road, Surrey, BC, V4P 1J5 PH. (604)535-1115 #42 CF-AXN CF-BAN CF-BFR
IN THIS ISSUE
Put A Ford in Your Airplane…. 4 10 Hampden Centerfold 16 . Book Reviews 3 Letters From the Desk of the Head Elf .. 13 15 Around the Site 18 Other Groups .. …
The Newsletter is compiled and published Quarterly by the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation.
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 CMFT Newsletter. The editor reserves the right to make changes in manuscripts which he believes will improve the material without altering the intended meaning.
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION
The C.M.F.T. is a non-profit society dedicated to the preservation of aviation and transportation heritage. Membership can be obtained by paying the dues. Charitable status allows for the issuance of tax deductible receipts for donations of artifacts, goods and money. The C.M.F.T, is governed by a board of Direc tors who are elected by the members at the General Meeting in April.
CURRENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Don Dines .433-4039 Bill Emerslund .298-6374 Doug Fraser Steve Heinemann 946-2293 .535-5683 .270-0010 Neil Holmes. Ron McWilliams Jack Meadows .590-0226 .535-9020 Carol Morelli lan Morrison Jerry Vernon .538-0741 ..987-3004 .420-6065
LIFETIME DIRECTORS/GOVERNORS
Barry Jackson. ..932-2367 .277-3827 Ron W. Stunden W.A. (Bill) Thompson 883-2445 Ed Zalesky Rose Zalesky .535-1115 …535-1115
EXECUTIVE COMMITEE
President. Jerry Vernor Bill Thompson Vice President. Seceratary Treasurer Rose Zalesky
STANDING COMMITTEES
Abbotsford Airshow Vancouver Island George Proulx Tom Palmer Membership Volunteer Co-ordinator . Open Oper Open Corporate Liason Public Relations Jack Meadows Special Events Newsletter. Brad Thomas Carol Morelli Restoration Research Mark Zalesky Jerry Vernon Photo Reproduction Computer Services Don Olson Micheal Read Exhibits Maintenance Flying. Grounds .Open Mark Zalesky .Operi Open Library Collections Ed Zalesky Tony Hudak Transportation/Hauling Meetings/Entertainment ….Open Bingo Hampden (Ad Hoc) George Proulx Fred Gardham
CALENDER OF EVENTS
Feb. 8 CAHS MEETING.. Directors Meeting, CMFT… Feb 10 Dinner Meeting, Yic’s…. Feb. 18 Mar 19 Aviation Expo Annual General Meeting, Yic’sApr. 1816 May 14 Season Opening Wings & Wheels, Sunday.. July 10 . BBQ, Meet, Volunteer Night July 15 Internationl Nissan Meet.. July 18 British, European Car Meet Sept 11
COVER PHOTO:
Two early Norsemans and a Fairchild 82 of Mackenzie Air Services. The year is 1938 and the planes are docked on the Snye backwater at Mc Murray. Credit: Gordon Croucher Collection 184.2
LETTERS
AVIATION PIONEERS
Will you please forward to me your book on the early pilots. I lived in Fort St. James and Pinchi Lake B.C. and we had five pilots up there.
Russ Baker, Grant McConachie and the pilot that shot the mad trapper in the Yukon hills. Wop May, a very famous pilot that brought serum to the many sick people and flew in very terrible weather but made it. Sheldon Luck was another of our pilots who when his plane had engine trouble, landed his plane on some trees and climbed down safe and uninjured.
A young couple paid for a wedding photo shoot with the museums Harvard during the summer. Photo:C93.08.01.28
I hope they are included in there as we had some very brave pilots. They flew in very bad weather and made it into the fort where we lived. My husband would meet them when they came in and bring the provisions on to the fort.
Russ Baker was our neighbour for 5 years so we know him really well. Russ has a memorial in Fort St. James that his wife had put up on the hill where he used to bring his plane in. (There is a) picture of him on the monument and a verse that she had composed. He was manager of Pacific Western Airlines before he died. His first plane he flew in (was) installed in our lot that we owned when we lived in Fort St. James on Stuart Lake. Thanks so much.
Mrs. Evelyn Castagner Burnaby, B.C.
HARVARD FUND GROWS
Enclosed is (a) cheque to the value of 50$ for membership dues and the balance to the Harvard fund. I was trained at 5BFTS Clewiston, Fla. and the AT6 (Harvard) was used for advanced training and as such holds a special memory of those days.
Congratulations on the Fall 1993 Newsletter which made excellent reading. Your appeal for articles is bearing fruit. We just hope that something can be done about a home for the Museum in the very near future. It would be nice if the two senior governments would kick in a few dollars to have a large hanger type building built in Surrey so that people could view the aircraft and other related items in dry warm conditions all year-such as in Calgary and Winnipeg museums and, of course, the big ones back east. However, you must have heard such talk on many occasions with nil results.
Let us hope.
June and Les Knibbs Sorrento, B.C.
I DON’T KNOW… MAYBE I’M JUST GETTING BORED
SOMETIMES I THINK I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING
I WAS WRONG. THAT’S THE FIRST TIME I’VE EVER SEEN A BUSH PILOT!
1982 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE, INC
TAFORD IN YOUR AIRPLANE!
Recently, Antique member Bill Honda of Los Angeles, California, submitted some beautiful photographs of home- built airplanes of the mid 1930s. The planes were built by Los Angeles designer Neil McGaffey, utilizing production Ford V-8 engines and the famous looking 1935 car grille. Also shown in the photographs are some beautiful Ford products of the period.
The Ford flyer with its odd twin boom configuration. There is no shortage of bracing struts on this plane.
The pilot and a well dressed friend pose in front of the Ford flyer. Note the matching grille of the 1935 Ford car in the background.
It is not known if these planes were built with the support of Ford Motor Company or were an advertising promotion by the local Ford dealers. What is known is that on January 12, 1936, Ford announced the re-entry, by his company, into competition to produce a new “Fliver” plane. (It should be noted here that Ford had ceased production of the popular tri-motor [Tin Goose] in June 1933).
The newspaper account stated in part:
“An experimental model of a new type fliver” plane, powered with a newly developed Ford V-8 engine and built behind the closed doors of the Ford Motor Company’s airplane division in Dearborn, has been licensed by the Federal Bureau of Air Commerce. It is reported that Henry Ford is primarily interested in the development of an automotive engine suitable for use in aircraft, although he is known to be more than mildly interested in the development of a low-priced easily operated runabout aircraft in which his engine might be installed.”
Three months later, a photograph was released to the press showing a plane similar to that pictured here with the 1937 cabriolet. Its caption read;
“Presenting the new fliver of the air! Pictured at Detroit, after its inspection by Henry and Edsel Ford, the new light plane, which has a top speed of 100 miles an hour and a cruising speed of 90, soon will go on production in Lincoln, Nebraska, to sell at less than $1,000. Equipped with a typical automobile motor that can be serviced at auto service stations or replaced at a cost of less than $5000, the new airplane can travel 350 miles on 20 gal. of gas.”
Some say that 10 all-aluminum V-8 engines were produced about this time before the project was dropped. I wonder if any of those engines have survived?
Using a Ford car engine in an airplane was not new. It had been done with the Model A engine soon after the Model A was introduced. But, because of weight and reliability, most pilots say that an automobile engine is not suitable as an aircraft engine. After all, in a car, if the engine quits you just get out and walk.
However, with some conversions, the Model A engine did have some advantages. At 1800 rpm, an ideal cruising speed, the engine produced its maxi-mum 38 to 40 hp and torque peaked at the amazing low speed of 1000 rpm. This meant that it could turn a big propeller at low rpm and pull a fairly heavy load off the ground.
In a plane, the engine is mounted backward with the propeller mounted to the crankshaft in place of the flywheel. In this position the Model A block had another plus. Because of its heavy flywheel, the rear main bearing was extra long, thus providing good support for the propeller load.
Other features of the engine, such as ignition, lubrication, and cooling, however, were not suitable and had to be modified.
The Ford fliver of the air on display with a 1937 cabriolet.
One of the popular conversions in the Midwest was Ben Pietenpol’s 1930 “Air Camper.” Its Model A engine weight was reduced from 350 to 244 lbs, allowing a gross weight of 1800 lb and a useful load of 385 lb. Take-off speed was 40 mph, landing 35 mph, and top speed 75 mph. While this barely matches today’s automobile speed, the panoramic view of the countryside must have been spectacular.
A set of Pietenpol’s plans detailing changes to the Model A engine could be bought from Modern Mechanics magazine. In Pietenpol’s conversion the Model A distributor and generator were discarded for a magneto mounted at the front of the engine and driven off the crankshaft. With the engine in the plane mounted in reverse, the number four cylinder was at the front and higher than the water pump outlet, causing a hot spot. This problem was solved by drilling a hole in the head over the number four cylinder and installing an additional hose to the radiator.
To solve the gravity feed lubrication system, Pietenpol installed oil tubes inside the valve chamber to pressure feed each main bearing. Another tube was installed from the existing hole outside the block, at the oil pump, to the oil pan to feed the splash pan.
According to Sport Flying magazine, one of Pietenpol’s Air Campers was restored by Pete Bowers of Seattle, Washington and was still flying with its original Model A engine as recently as 1970.
Peitenpol Sky Scout CF-BAA powered by a Ford Model A engine. Built in 1936 by Pete Wong, an aircraft engineer and a member of the Private Aircraft Club of B.C. Photo:C.G.Peters
More recently, Stan Wallis, an automotive engineer at Ford’s Engineering Centre in Dearborn, built a two-place biplane with a converted 351 Ford V-8 powerplant. Even though it is a moden homebuilt, it has the appearance of a 1920s biplane. The Red Wing Blackbird, as Wallis named it, was started in 1971 and made its first flight in December 1976.
When Wallis started the plane’s design, he decided it had to look like it was at least 50 years old, yet not be a replica of any specific plane, and it would not have cylinders of a modern, horizontally apposed aircraft engine protruding from the side of its cowl. “I must have succeeded,” he said, “because many people at the field come over to compliment me on the beautiful job of restoring an antique.”
The airframe construction is typical of the method used in the mid 1920s: steel tube, wood stringers and fabric and wood wings with truss-type ribs.
The Ford engine of the museum’s Peitenpol resting on a pallet in the storage building. It has a very custom welded stainless steel manifold.
However, what is unusual is the way Wallis arrived at the finished design. No plans were drawn of the overall plane. He just made sketches on scraps of paper of the individual parts being worked on. Then a trial component was fabricated from scraps of steel, pipe, conduit, plywood or even cardboard. As the parts were assembled to the overall structure, they could easily be changed. Each piece then was studied, sometimes for months, before it was either kept, changed or scrapped. When he was satisfied with the temporary part, he than fabricated the actual part out of aircraft material.
The engine selected was a new 1971 351
Cleveland high-performance “Boss” intended
for competition racing. With a compression
rate of 11.5 to 1, its maximum output is 300 hp, although not all of that power is used. The output is restricted by a propeller that absorbs 800 foot lb of torque when driven to 1600 rpm through a 2.46 to 1 gear reduction.
The block is virtually stock except for hacksawing and filing off some small lugs to reduce weight. The 31-lb exhaust manifold offered major weight savings as it was discarded in favour of a welded sheet metal one at 9 lb.
Propeller drive is through two sets of planetary gears from a Ford C6 automatic transmission, giving a ratio of 2.46 to 1, housed in a fabricated 6″ diameter aluminum tube welded to a mounting flange. Power flow to the gears is through a one-way roller clutch, also from the C6 transmission, which provides a unique free wheeling propeller when throttling down.
The propeller presented a problem that Wallis had not counted on. After an extensive search of museums and old literature he concluded that there was no propeller in existence to fit his need. So, he carved his own from 42 separate pieces of select grain Douglas fir and coated with one layer of fibreglass.
Now, each summer, on nice days, the Red Wing Blackbird can be seen flying the skys over Plymouth, Michigan, a few miles west of Detroit. Other planes are known to have been built using the Ford Falcon 6-cyl engine and the Tempo 4-cyl. It appears that whatever engine Ford will build in the future, someone will use it in a homebuilt airplane.
By Mark De Angelis. Mark does a Ford Facts column for Antique Automobile magazine.
Stan Wallis designed and built his own “Red Winged Blackbird” which is powered by a 351 Ford
FIFTY YEARS AGO
On December 1 1943, one of the six US Navy giant Martin Mars flying boats made a world distance record non- stop flight of 4,375 miles from its Patuxent River Base to Natal, Brazil.
The Navy sold off their four remaining planes in the late 1950’s for $26,350 to a junk dealer. In 1959 Dan McIvor of Macmillian Bloedel bought the planes, 36 engines and 90 tons of spares and started Forest Industries Flying Tankers Ltd. at Patricia Bay, Vancouver Island. Fairey Aviation of Canada modified the craft to carry and dump 7,200 gallons of water. Two of the Mars flying boats are still flying off of Sproat Lake, Port Alberni area, to fight fires in the province of B.C.
CMFT IS NOT FOR SALE!
Although sales of artifacts may become part of our future homesite fundraising plans, we are not currently selling off any of CMFT’s duplicate or surplus aircraft or artifacts. Therefore, if you are approached by an individual purporting to have some of CMFT’s aircraft available for sale, please know that no one is acting as our agent with our approval. If and when the time ever comes for disposing of items, we will do so by offering them on a direct basis.
J.E. (Jerry) Vernon President
GENERAL ARRANGEMENT DRAWINGS FOR SALE!
We have a large stock of 3 view drawings of aircraft. All types of general aviation, WWI and WWII at different scales. These are available as 8 1/2 “x 11” photocopies at $2.50 each + $1.00 postage and handling.
For modellers we have 1/72 scale drawings of a wide variety of aircraft. Send us a list of planes you would like plans for and we will send you a set of 11 3/4″ x 17″ photocopies. Please allow $2.50 + $1.00 postage & handling for each plane you order. (For sets with more than 2 pages add $1.00 per page.)
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION 13527 Crescent Road Surrey, B.C. V4P 1J5
OVERLEAF
This picture of a Handley Page Hampden cockpit was taken from the June 1939 Illustrated London News. The photo was contributed by museum member E.G. Davis of Cape Town South Africa and should prove a valuable resource for Fred Gardham’s rebuild of the museum’s Hampden.
JUNE 10, 1939 THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS 1025 A BOMBER’S FLYING CONTROLS: THE PILOT’S COCKPIT OF A “HAMPDEN.
DETAILS OF THE DASHBOARD AND CONTROLS OF A HANDLEY PAGE TWIN-ENGINED “HAMPDEN” BOMBER.
- 1. Rear view reflector mirror.
- 2. Dashboard light.
- 3. Oxygen regulator.
- 4. Instrument flying- panel.
- 5. Air-speed Indicator.
- 6. Sensitive altimeter.
- 7. Direction indicator.
- 8. Artificial horizon.
- 9. Rate of climb indicator
- 10. Turning indicator.
- 11. Engine-cylinder thermometers (port and starboard).
- 12. Engine-speed indicators (electrical).
- 13. Undercarriage position indicator and switches.
- 14. Flap position indicators (port and starboard).
- 15. Switches. 16. Fuel-contents gauges.
- 17. Engine-ail temperature thermometers.
- 18, Engine-vii pressure-gauges.
- 19. Fuel pressure-gauges.
- 20. Engine-boost Gauges.
- 21. Brake air-pressure gauge.
- 22 Retractable undercarriage control.
- 23. Wireless panel.
- 24. Engine controls.
- 25. Rudder-bar.
- 26. Control column.
- 27. Compass.
- 28. Lever for adjusting pilot’s seat.
The pilot of a modern bomber has a very crowded instrument panel to watch during flight and when landing for the adoption of flaps, slotted wings, retractable under- carriages, and other devices has necessitated a corresponding increase in gauges and Indicators. Our photograph shows the cockpit of a Handiey Page “Hampden ” twin-engined bomber which is powered with two Bristol ” Pegasus XVIII.” engines, and was designed to form a link in size between the “Blenheim” and the big bombers. It has a maximum speed of 265 m.p.h. and a range of 1790 miles. The “Hampden” has been in quantity production for the R.A.F. for some months, and is unique among British multi-engined bombers in that three of its guns are fired from manually-operated mountings instead of power-driven turrets, while the fourth is fixed and fires through a port in the nose. The rear portion of the fuselage I: distinctive and takes the form of a boom for carrying the tall. (L.N.A.)
AIRCRAFT RECOGNITION
Alright folks! Let’s put your skills to the test for this one. It is an oddball so we have been kind and put the answer on page 18 of this issue.
NOTICE OF MEETING
WINTER/GENERAL MEETING FRIDAY FEBRURARY 18, 1994
Yics Dinning Lounge, 13639 104th Ave at King George Highway, Surrey, B.C.
NO HOST BAR 6:00 DINNER 7:00* GENERAL MEETING 8:00
Great selection of Chinese and Western food, soup and good desserts, Smorgasbord style,
$12 per person including taxes
Our guest speaker on this evening will be aviator Frank Quigg, who will recount some of the most extraordinary adventures he experienced during his around the world in an open cockpit biplane record breaking attempt. Learn what the greatest hazard to modern aviation is!
Guests and friends are welcome. Please phone and make your reservations now. 535-1115
FROM THE DESK OF THE CHIEF ELF
NEW EDITOR OF MUSEUM NEWSLETTER
You might have noticed a slightly different look, and definitely a different style to this and the last two newsletters. Brad Thomas has taken up the challenge to edit and help produce the newsletter, much to the joy of Rose Zalesky. Except for two short years when April Zalesky handled the task, Rose has done them all since inception, a job that has become increasingly difficult to fit into her schedule.
Please give Brad your co-operation by providing him with short, timely, historic but interesting material for the newsletter, which Brad vows will now be sent on the originally planned- quarterly basis, postage and production costs permitting. “Minis” will continue to be sent to bring members up to date in the intervening periods.
We still need help to collate, fold, bag, label, and stamp them so please volunteer. If you have offered to help in the past, please renew your offer now time availability and circumstances change..
We also need a friendly printer or photocopy shop who can print the 1,000 to 2,000 copies (4 to 5 pages both sides) for each mailing at a price we can afford. Camera ready laser print copy provided.
GIFT SHOP CLERK HIRED.
Mari Komatsu has taken a semester off from SFU in order to earn money to continue her studies towards a degree in Science. She works at the Museum Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays helping in the gift shop and with general office tasks; and at two other part time jobs the rest of the week – a very busy girl.
Mari is learning fast, and her cheerful and cooperative attitude will be a real asset to the Museum when dealing with visitors this coming season.
Money to pay Mari’s salary comes from biweekly Bingos held at Guildford Bingo Palace.
Lori Cockerill now comes in only occasionally to spell Rose off in cases of emergency. We really miss her, but between John Reid and Mari, her work is getting done.
OFFICE CLERK WANTED
Approximately 20 hours per week (no weekends). This is a paid position, and duties are to assist the Accessions Clerk (working with donations of artifacts, materials, cash, etc. given to the Museum), some word processing, and lots of computer data entry using a customized and very powerful but complex high level data base program.
Pay is modest, but the job offers valuable training for an entry level applicant. Knowledge of airplanes is not necessary, but a cooperative attitude and an ability to learn quickly are a must. Min 50 wpm typing speed.
If you or someone you know is interested, please apply in writing (no telephone or in-person calls) and include a hand written cover letter.
VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS
For the first time in the history of the Museum, we actually have a small crew of dedicated volunteers who come in on a regular basis and work enough hours each week to take on specific projects. As a result, a huge amount of work has been accomplished over these past few months on the periodicals (magazine) collection, the mountains of unfinished work in the library have been reorganized for easier completion, accessioning of new objects proceeds, and a start has been made towards making room in the storage buildings to store and display some the aircraft now outdoors. It’s wonderful!
A very special thank you to John Reid (full time), George Proulx and Fred (Hampden) Gardham (about 30 hrs per week each), and Inky Klett, who comes in almost daily. There is a whole new, optimistic attitude around the place as a result. Ingy and Chris Wikene, John Nuttall, and Brad Thomas work at least one full day a week on their projects, while Jerry Vernon and Kathy Kalwajtys work a part day each week, but the glue that holds it all together is still the Zalesky family, who are gradually decreasing their involvement.
BINGO HELPERS NEEDED
George Proulx, Brad Thomas, Kelly Vouri, Basil and Chris Watson, Basil and Dorette Cooke are the volunteer component for the Bingo operation at Guildford every other Sunday, but more people are needed to share the project. Volunteers help with the accounting of cards, hand out winnings, call numbers, and empty ashtrays. Hours are from 12:30 to 4:30.
Please call George Proulx at 538-3836 to offer your help.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR NEEDED
There is a desperate need is for a dedicated Volunteer Coordinator who can spend enough time to effectively co-ordinate and supervise volunteers. There are many jobs to be done, and there are good volunteers, but it has been ages since the 2 were effectively co-ordinated.
The job involves understanding what needs to be done, establishing how to do it practically, and organize the materials and the people to get the job done.
Year round work is mainly grounds and buildings upkeep and improvement, grooming aircraft. Others are one-time projects. Right now, urgent projects include moving materials out of the storage buildings to make room inside for aircraft now outdoors, building a roof over the fuel storage tank, and building and fixing lots of shelving.
There is no opportunity to work on aircraft until hangar space is made available to store or display them. Several aircraft projects need to be brought up to display standard.
Several people have tried to do the volunteer co-ordinating, but it hasn’t worked out because each had full time jobs, and could not spare the time required to effectively do the job. As a result, neither the work to be done or the too few people who showed up to do it were organized, so little work was accomplished. People became frustrated and often hard feelings resulted.
We would like this to be a paid position, but at present there simply is not the money to effect it. We can provide a small honorarium to cover cost of gas and a little extra.
DONOR LIST AND NEW MEMBERS WILL BE READY FOR NEXT NEWSLETTER.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Set aside Saturday April 16th 1994 to attend the Spring Dinner / Annual General Meeting. 15 members are to be elected (or re-elected) to the board of directors. Directors meet the 2nd Thursday of each month (excepting July, August and December) at the museum at 7:00 p.m. You must be paid up to vote!
The museum has not matured to the point where it can attract sufficient high profile people from the business community, much as such people are desired. Present directors often take on committee duties as well, which are not onerous. Until we can afford more staff, or more volunteers take on more of the routine tasks, this situation will prevail.
If you would like to become a director, please call Barry Jackson at 985-1321, or leave at message at the museum at 535-1115.
If you would like to become involved in the decision making but do not want to commit to a directorship, become a member of one of the standing committees. Committee representatives attend director’s meetings and take an active part in decision making but do not vote. Perfect “training” for future directorship.
HOW ABOUT FORMING AN AUXILIARY ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT CMFT?
That such a support group can work has been amply proven by the formation of the “Senior’s Wing” in 1986 to support the very successful Stampe restoration project at Expo 86. This group was active for several years and was instrumental in building a large hauling trailer, and the renovation of a portable building into the Senior’s Lounge.
Many museums and most major aviation museums have support groups, some registered as Non-Profit organizations with Charitable status in their own right, formed for specific projects. The Friends of the Canadian Warplane Heritage (CWH) Lysander support group is restoring a Westland Lysander for the Canadian Warplane Heritage, and the Friends of the RAF Museum regularly fund or restore aircraft for that museum are examples.
How about such a group to support the CMFT by way of restoring one of the important aircraft in its collection? The project would have to be carried out off site, and the work would have to meet accepted international standards. The organization would have its business plan, restoration schedule and staff approved by CMFT Restoration Committee, who would also perform periodic inspections. The organization would otherwise be autonomous and responsible for finding the resources and raising the funds to carry out the restoration or project.
AROUND THE SITE
LIBRARY VISIBLE
A minor miracle has occurred in the CMFT library. The floor and table tops are visible for the first time in years. This incredible feat was accomplished by our always energetic George Proulx with assistance from Inky Klett and John Clark.
MAGAZINES READY FOR SALE
Part of the job for George Proulx when digging out the library was to organize the magazine collection. He spent weeks in the ATCO trailers sorting and stacking and bagging and as a result the trailer across from the gift shop is ready for magazine sales this summer. The magazines are organized alphabetically and are bagged by the year. For those of you looking for those rare reference materials please call George at 538-3836 for an appointment to visit the magazine room.
Serious magazine collectors may send us a list of any Aviation magazine wants and we will quote a price for you. Please write to the museum.
STORAGE CONTAINERS
If you visit the site this winter you will notice several large transport containers at various places on the site. Two of the containers belongs to the museum and will be used to store many of the lower priority artifacts. The shelves in the storage shed are being cleared so that the building can be used as winter storage and summer display. Come out and help do some moving!
The other containers belong to Airplane Supply Co. who are also removing the parts that they have stored in sheds 1 and 2. The museum directors have authorized the purchase of both buildings 1 and 2 from the Zalesky family for $36,000 plus taxes.
John Clark, Inky Klett and George Proulx in action in the library.
BOOK REVIEW
IMAGES OF FLIGHT
By William J. Wheeler
Hounslow Press, 135 pages $39.95 Order # 4794
This is a beautiful book, the kind that wows you when you first pick it up.
Spend some time with it and your initial impression will be confirmed- over and over.
This book captures, in 51 stunning full colour paintings by 15 brilliant Canadian Aviation artists, the wonder, the intricacy and the infinite variety of aeroplanes.
The format is a simple one that Hounslow Press has used before in their railway books. On the right hand page is the full colour reproduction of an historic Canadian aviation painting; on the left is text.
With the text Wheeler tells the story of the history of aviation in Canada. He provides fascinating backgrounds to the aeroplanes and, in some cases, of the celebrated pilots that flew them.
Registrations and designations are explained and a list of Canadian aviation museums is included for those who want to see the marvels of the 20th century for themselves.
William Wheeler grew up near the Current River seaplane base in Ontario where he would watch Norseman and, later, Beaver aircraft. He took advertising and design courses at the Ontario College of Art and eventually became a freelance artist who specialized in painting aeroplanes. Several of his works are included in the book.
Canada has a spirited tradition of aviation which is shown by Images of Flight. However, it also leads one to ponder how much the aircraft industry in Canada has been diminished since the second world war.
The Spirit of Miami
From National Geographic
RETIRED AIRLINER HOSTS MARINE JET SETTERS
A Boeing 727 ended its career with a splash this September when it was intentionally sunk 80 feet deep three miles off Miami, Florida. Dade County had already deep-sixed 36 ships and two oil rigs to serve as artificial reefs. For something new, they called Stephen O’Neal a Miami diver, pilot and aircraft salvager. How about a jet? they asked.
“At first I thought they were insane,” O’Neal says but eventually I purchased the plane and it all came together.” Already divers are watching barracuda and jacks swimming through the stripped fuselage, which should become a mature coral reef in about 30 years.
The mothballed 727, for which O’Neal paid an undisclosed price, had flown 4.6 million passengers more than 16 million miles. To prepare, transport and sink it cost $130,000. A barge carried the plane offshore; then a crane lowered it to is final touchdown. Divers used ten anchors to secure the jet, christened “The Spirit of Miami” by O’Neal. A final cargo rode down with the 28-year-old- airliner-126 science projects from eight area schools. Some experiments, each housed in a milk crate, will test whether materials like metal, tile, or wood can create good underwater habitat; other crates will test corrosion resistance. Student divers will monitor the results. Ed: And we spent how much to bring the Hamden UP from the bottom!?
AIRFORCE ONE
In his book The Government Racket, Martin Gross reports that the U.S. government, as part of its $200 billion miscellaneous expenses for 1992, spent $57,000 on gold-embossed playing cards for Air Force One.
OTHER GROUPS
CMFT INVITED TO JOIN B.C. INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE GROUP
On November 20 the museum was invited to participate in a meeting called by John Stuart the curator of the North Vancouver Museum. John is trying to get the various Industrial Heritage Societies to come together under the same umbrella to share knowledge, group their forces to aid in fundraising and engage in mutually beneficial projects. (Industrial Heritage refers to buildings, machinery and processes that the people of this province have used to earn their living and build our society.)
Some of the groups in represented included Heritage Trust, Luxton Farm Equipment, Tool Collectors Association, Underwater Archaeology Society, Vancouver Maritime Museum, Brittania Society, Vancouver Island Blacksmiths and antique machinery operators.
The Industrial Heritage Group plans to hold some informal “Lunch Meetings” to discuss the problems we are all having in running our various operations and to co-operate in presenting the story of BC’s Industrial Heritage to the province. It would also like to produce a simple newsletter.
It was decided to try and organize a workshop in March. It should be an open discussion of down to earth problems of being artifact collectors. How do you move large objects, keep the roof from leaking, lubricate old equipment, interpret artifacts and raise funds? The CMFT was asked to make a short presentation (with slides) on any topic relating to our museum. If any museum member has ideas about a presentation or would like to participate please contact the museum.
13 th Annual
Pacific Aircraft Maintenance Symposium & Trade Show
3-5 Februrary 1994
For more info phone PAMEA at (604) 279-9566
PIONEERING AVIATION IN THE WEST
The Museum’s 330 page soft cover book, full of b&w photos, is an enjoyable way to learn about our aviation history through the words of those who helped create that history, and a fresh insight into the roots of one of BC’s major major industries. The book covers the period beginning with BC’s first flight from Minoru Park, Richmond in 1910 to the early 1950’s. A very complete index makes it easy to find references to companies people and places. The book is available from the Museum Giftshop.
Price is $22.95 plus $1.60 GST and $2.30 postage for a total of $26.85. Members get a 10% discount which is a total price of $24.40.
WHAT IS IT?
We tricked you on this one, It is a movie prop put together by MM Enterprises for filming a HIGHLANDER episode at Boundary Bay a Stampé airport. It consists mostly of a with the lower wings removed.
This Hawker Hind was restored by member George Neal of Ontario, former de Havilland Chief Test Pilot, on behalf of the National Aviation Museum, where it is now on exhibit. Photo: George Neal.
MEMBERSHIP DUES DUE?
Please check your address label, which lists the expiry date of your membership in the top right corner. If you are overdue, or nearly so, please send a cheque or credit card number to
Canadian Museum of Flight & Transportation 13527 Crescent Road Surrey, B.C. V4P 1J5
Please include your name and membership number. We need you!
Dues are $20 for general membership, $30 for Family or consider a lifetime membership for $300. Your membership entitles you to free admission to the museum exhibits during the open season, a subscription to the newsletter, and a 10% discount on most purchases from our well stocked gift shop.