Museum Newsletter
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION Sept., 1982 No. 18
NEWS BRIEFS
This was our main fund-raising event for the year and our best opportunity to publicize our musuem. The weather co-operated for a great air show, except for some worrying showers on opening day.
Preparations, as always, went on for weeks ahead. These included getting the stock collected, sorted, priced and rolling and marking hundreds of posters. PVI students came out in force one day to help with rolling and labelling posters. Students Mike McGowan and Boen Tang and always-willing Ross Gregory came back day after day to roll posters and work on the portable poster booth.
COVER PHOTO:
Fairchild FC-2, no. 627 of the RCAF. This aircraft (serial no. 19) was built by the Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corporation of Long Island, N.Y.. in 1927 and first registered to the DND as G-CYYT on Nov. 4, 1927. The aircraft was renumbered and in 1931 converted to a model 51A with a 300 hp Pratt and Whitney Junior replacing a 220 hp Wright J-5. In March, 1942, no. 627 left military service and joined that great of Canadian airlines, Austin Airways, as CF-BVY. This aircraft was finally deleted from the register in 1947, having been withdrawn from use and scrapped. The FC-2 was the most widely used of the Fairchild utility aircraft.
The booth was the brainchild of John DeVissor and Rose Zalesky. John arranged for the materials. and he and Terry Gilbraith started construction. Mike McGowan, Ted Harris, Wayne Manning and Rose completed the project in time to set it up in the pouring rain at Abbotsford the night before the airshow. Thanks for doing that miserable job to Mike McGowan, Wayne Manning, Ted Harris, Boen Tang and Ed and Ma Zalesky. Thanks also to Lock Madill who stuck hundreds of crests on hats, to Ken Swartz and Ron Krywiak for folding brochures, and to the crew who actually worked during the show, either at PR or at selling in the booth. These include Dave Jones, Griz Lyne, Boen Tang, Jim Cline, Wayne Cromie, Wayne Manning, Ron Stunden, Ross Gregory, Jerry Vernon, Paul Symons, Bruce Duncan, John and Stella Moutray, Frank and Shirley Hubbard, Frank Stevens, Gordon Dann, Eleanor Spence, Pete Knowles, Barry and Bev Jackson and Danielle and Harry, the four Zaleskys, office girl Karen Wright and Bill and Wilma Thompson who came down for four days to help with the hauling, putting up and tearing down. We wish also to thank John Spronk and the Abbotsford Air Show Society for their co-operation.
Rick Baggett of the EAA, as usual, allowed us to tag along on their flying exhibit. Mr. Tom Mairs loaned us his van as a portable warehouse as all the material had to be packed away each night and set up fresh each morning.
There is so much more to the airshow than the three days of the show itself. Please, let’s offer more help with the preparation and knock-down next year.
The eye-catching crest leading off this report was designed by John Moutray, a very talented artist and member of CMFT.
CANAMAN MUSEUM FLECITY Our intrepid aviators and their arch-villians!
A BIGGER AND BETTER ONE NEXT YEAR! CMFT Open House a Huge Success
On Sunday, July 11, 1982, The Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation held a very successful Open House/Swap Meet/Yard Sale/ Barbecue at its storage and restoration site on Crescent Road in Surrey, B.C.
As the day approached the usual few people were frantically attempting to cope with the hundreds of details of preparation. Much muttering about cancellation went on, but members and supporters turned up to help, including the Aircraft Maintenance Class from PVI.
Blackberries, thistles, nettles and junk were disposed of; parts and pieces collected and moved out of sight; airplanes assembled, washed and placed on display. Picnic tables, display tables, booths, food stand, grill, fridges, freezer, parking, tours, P.A., P.R. all somehow got built, moved and working in time. Thanks to all of you who gave up your time to do the hard and dirty preliminary work.
The event was attended by some 700 people, including members and the general public, who were given tours of the site where many of the museum’s 40-odd aircraft are kept or under restoration. A super yard sale of items from the basements of museum members was well attended. In addition, the museum’s Gift/Book Shop did a brisk trade of surplus copies of aviation magazines.
The Bill Thompson family put in many hours making the man-powered mockups used in a comc dogfight. Bill was the Black Knight, Ron Krywiak his gunner, with Brian and Eileen Weeks and Randy Morrelli making up the British Squadron. A small-scale airshow was presented featuring the museum’s Fleet Finch and Waco INF biplanes in a flypast, and Frank Stevens in his Pitts Special and Tony Swain in his Harvard doing aerobatics. Demonstrations were held all day with a pair of Kasperwing Microlights. Chilliwack Air Services miniature Sopwith Camel and Snoopy also put in an appearance.
Evelyn Thompson and Irene Stunden cried their way through the slicing of a half sack of onions. Colin Walker and Evelyn Thompson slaved over the hot grill all day, and Dave Jones spent the day on the roof and did a super job of “winging” the announcing. (Next year you get a schedule, Dave.)
“Griz” Lyne organized and ran the magazine swap/sale, while Ross Gregory and Jim Cline looked after the gift shop. Bev Jackson, Barb Adams, Chris Smart and Brian Bannister did a superb job of setting up and running the yard sale. The Weeks family were out in force as usual. Eileen and Carol looked after memberships and helped Wilma Thompson and Shirley Hubbard sell food tickets. The White Rock “Pathfinders” (Sr. Girl Guides) were there to help with admission tickets, food and run errands. “Grandma” Rose presided over crates of strawberries, mountains of potatoes and somehow figured out where to find all the things people kept needing from the kitchen.
Roy Briscoe loaned us his soft drink dispenser and he arranged for some of the food and pop. The gas grill donated will be set up and operating for the next event.
Our Thanks to EAA Chapter 85 for the loan of their chairs, Canada Safeway for the coffee urns, Sport Aviation for their pricer, PWA, Peter Knowles and Mark Zalesky for their equipment for P.A. The 1930 fire truck that was supposed to be on display broke down and we couldn’t afford the hot air balloon that was planned.
Lots of Food and Drink
The food concessions did a brisk business all day, followed by a barbecue for members and guests in the evening. Surplus dairy products and popcorn were donated to the CKNW Orphans Fund. Other surplus food items were sold at cost to members and some were kept for future work bees and a fall cookout for members,
The evening barbecue was a little anti-climactic. Everybody was too tired to do much more than eat and go home. The steaks were excellent and the barbecue that Terry Gilbraith built for us worked great. The meal was too “pricey” and we’ll have to figure out a better way of admitting guests.
We’ll be doing it all over again next year with improvements including better traffic control (more pretty girls at the gate), a cash register at the food stand, (no more tickets for food except for the barbecue) and John Moutray won’t have to spend the day making signs. Special thanks go to Gordon Dann who planned the day’s activities and was everywhere he was needed; to Bey and Barry Jackson and their family who “go-ferred” for days. Bev seemed to be right there when something needed doing.
We have mentioned only a very few of the people who put in many long hours either in the preparatory and cleaning and building jobs, or during the day of the event. Your participation has not gone unnoticed, but as we grow it becomes increasingly difficult to acknowledge everybody. Please don’t be offended or fail to show up for other jobs if we missed you. Our organization is a success because members are supportive and come out to help when needed. Thank you!
Shopping Centre Displays
The week-long display at Cottonwood Corners in Chilliwack netted a number of articles including the original prop from the ex-P.A.M. Cornell and an old Cheetah prop.
Brian Henderson helped Rob Kennedy, Ken Jordan, Bill Henderson and the Zaleskys set up the display. Brian was on hand every day to close up and give Rose a chance to go home and somehow try to fit the usual full day of museum office work in the evenings. Donna Sambrooke put in a shift as did Bruce Duncan, but where were the rest of you who have time during the day?
The Vancouver Island Branch will have a display at Rutherford Village Mall in Nanaimo August 3-7, 1982.
We set up a week at Guildford Sept. 27- Oct. 2 and help is needed. Guildford is a busy mall, so call in and volunteer.
From the Gift Shop
May/June ’82 (Vol. 2, No. 3) of High Flight is in, full of interesting and well-researched aviation historical items. We still have all the issues from No. 1 on. Price is $2.75 each, or subscription (6 issues per year) $15. Order from CMFT.
New books come in all the time, including some that are no longer in print.
Great new T-shirts with a full-colour Spitfire. Shirts are blue and come in small, medium and large in men’s sizes and 10-12 for children. Price is $8. Tiger Moth Tees are still on hand in blue only.
Abbotsford Air Show patches. Red screened onto yellow with red embroidered edge. They are 3″ round and price is $2 plus tax.
Work Party Scheduled
We need the space so the T-33 must go outside. A work party will be needed to help assemble this airplane and the Vertol helicopter for display at the farm storage site.
If you can help, contact the museum office and let them know.
Coming Soon…
A members’ open house and barbecue. After the success of our last open house, we are looking forward to one just for members. The dates to be announced. CMFT/Sept., 1982 5
NEW MEMBERS
S. F. Lyons, Victoria; Howard Hill, Victoria; Bruce Jubb, Victoria; F. D. Copper, Victoria, Co. G. W. Patterson, Victoria; R. Burley, Surrey; Sinclair Healy, Vancouver; John Maybin, Victoria; Dave Webb, Richmond; Paul Christofferson, Banff, Alta.; Bruce McIntyre, Tacoma, Wash: Brian McGeachy, Surrey: Pat Leslie, W. Vancou ver; R. McCoo, Richmond; Norman Keene, Garden Bay; J. Griffin, Vancouver; Lorraine Dronen, Burnaby; Harold Veresh, Port Moody: Tim Puddington, Sardis; Cliff Douglas, Courtenay (Honourary Membership); John Bonner, Victoria; A. E. Levington, Nanaimo; Olive V. Quayle, Victoria; John Gibbling, Nanaimo; E. O. Bowsfield; Steven Todd, Campbell River; Wilf Rice, Richmond; David P. Wilson, Pitt Meadows; C. V. Lynch, Vancouver; A. Sagar, Vancouver; Eleanor Spence, Burnaby; W. F. Hardy, Richmond; P. F. Graham, Brentwood Bay: Bob Noren, Brentwood Bay: Larry Goodmanson, Brentwood Bay: Don Ball, Sidney, B.C.; Oman Korlikian, Richmond: Paul Costergo. Richmond; Barry Steenerson, Richmond; George Webster, Richmond; John Parkins. Burnaby; Mr. F. “Ferdy” Vachon, Richmond (Honourary Membership): Pacific Vocational Institute, H. E. Justesen, Burnaby: Howard Kitney, Richmond; William Redpath, N. Vancou ver; Ken Spencer, Delta, B.C.; Barry Rimmer, Vancouver; Clark Lee, Burnaby: Joe Barrett, Vancouver; Eileen Weeks, Surrey; Stephen Roberts, Castlegar, B.C.; Peter Roussy, Surrey. James Ng, Vancouver; Wade Logan, Surrey; Michael MacGowan, New Westminster: Yvonne Thompson, Vancouver; Christine Smart, Vancouver; Harry Culham, Langley; Dannielle Culham, Langley: Rene Batt, Langley: Irene Stun den, Richmond; Roger Willems, Aldergrove: H. N. Craven, Vancouver; Chris Richardson, Richmond; Michel Ferland, Vancouver; Mike Picard, Vancouver; John Marshall, Richmond; Harvey Miller, Surrey; Walter Strell, Surrey: Brad Coates, Delta. Murray LaPoint, Burnaby: Norman Hidber; James W. McRae, Vancouver; Denis Phillips, Burnaby; Mark W. Adams, Port Moody: J. B. Davy, Port Coquitlam: Terence Gilbraith, Langley: Sean Walker, Surrey; Greg S. West. New Westminster: Rolph Schreiden, Surrey: Jeff Helps, Victoria; W. R. Mortensen, Richmond; George Clow, Burlington, Ont.; Boen Tang, Port Coquitlam.
British Approve Auto Gasoline
On April, 10, 1982, the British CAA became the world’s first airworthiness authority to permit the use of auto fuel in light aircraft. A list of 120 aircraft, including many homebuilts, has been given the green light. Some restrictions were placed on the fuel use-a 6,000 ft. pressure altitude ceiling and a requirement that the fuel must be purchased on the airport. Further, the fuel specified is “four-star mogas”, roughly equivalent to our premium grades. An aircraft fuel tank temperature of less than 20 degrees C will be required before take-off.
Most of these restrictions are considered to be of a preliminary “cover your bureaucratic backside” nature and likely will be removed as operational experience dictates.
The list includes the Continental 0-200-powered Cessna 150, and just about every homebuilt you can think of. Both high- and low-wing aircraft are included.
From the Mouths of Babes!
The following letter was written by a Fifth Grader at San Mateo (Calif.) Park Grammar School.
“I want to be a pilot when I grow up… because it’s a fun job and easy to do. That’s why there are so many pilots flying today. Pilots don’t need much school, they just have to learn numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps so they won’t get lost. Pilots should be brave so they won’t be scared if it’s foggy and they can’t see, or if a wing or motor falls off they should stay calm so they’ll know what to do. Pilots have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can’t be afraid of lightning or thunder because they’re closer to them than we are. The salary pilots make is another thing I like. They make more money than they can spend. This is because most people think plane flying is dangerous except pilots don’t because they know how easy it is. There isn’t much I don’t like except girls like pilots and all the stewardesses want to marry pilots so they always have to chase them away so they don’t bother them. I hope I don’t get air sick because I get car sick and if I get air sick I couldn’t be a pilot and then I’d have to go to work.”
25th Anniversary for PV Institute
Twenty-five years ago, the Federal-Provincial Trades and Technical Institute opened its doors in temporary facilities at the Pacific National Exhibition grounds, Vancouver, B.C. A 2-year aircraft maintenance program was offered.
In 1960, the aircraft maintenance program, along with the other courses housed at the PNE moved to the campus of the B.C. Vocational School in Burnaby. 1977 saw the big move to the old PWA hangar at the Vancouver International Airport. in 1980, the hangar site officially became the Sea Island Campus of the Pacific Vocational Institute.
Over the years, the training program has seen many changes. It started as a two-year course, was restructured and reduced to a one-year program, and now has the addition of continuing education night courses to better serve the aviation industry.
Information regarding the continuing education night courses can be obtained by calling 278- 4831.
Wants and Needs Dept.
A good typewriter, a three-hole punch, paper for the photocopier and 8×11 loose leaf binders. Also a better computer (IBM Micro, Radio Shack Model II or equivalent). We’ll buy at a cheap price or issue a tax receipt.
Shop equipment is needed. A table saw, spray gun, all sorts of metal and woodworking tools as well as hand tools.
Someone to make up magazine storage bookcovers out of plexiglass we have on hand. Requires only a table saw and a drill.
We need a cash register, preferably one of the old style, hand operated ones that a flag comes up with the amount of purchase in the top glassed-in portion. Also display cases and counters.
Someone to repair aircraft models. We have a number on hand that require the expert touch of a dedicated modeller.
A tent trailer needs to be turned into a travelling display booth.
Help is needed with the bookkeeping. Very little of the work is the sort that can be taken away. The help is needed right in the office and preferably on a fairly regular basis.
The Canso: Spotter, Fighter, Bomber
“One of the world’s finest aircraft.” That is the tribute which has been paid to the Catalina Flying Boat, alias the “PBY”, alias the “Canso.”
This aircraft, produced in Canada by Canadian Vickers Aircraft Division in Montreal and by Boeing Aircraft in Vancouver, was a familiar sight and most people do not realize what a fine and glorious part the Canso played in WWII.
Everybody remembers that it was a Canso which spotted the German battleship Bismarck when the latter was but a few hundred miles from the French coast and safety. Few people know that the Canso was an important factor in defeating the German submarine campaign, and in holding in, and eventually pushing out, the Japanese from the Aleutian Islands.
When the Japanese landed on Kiska and Attu, Cansos were sent out on missions for which they were never intended. Torpedo racks were attached under the wings of the big amphibians. They bombed everything in site on Kiska, hit ships in the harbor there, and would even dive down to drop bombs on ships spotted on the trip to and from Kiska. It often took both pilots’ efforts to pull a Canso out of a dive. The wings would flap like a seagull’s and it was surprising that they held together under the tremendous strain. During the early days of the war in the Southwest Pacific, I when the Japanese were forcing the evacuation of some islands, 39 persons were taken off one island by a Canso and, while the passengers were packed somewhat like sardines for several hours, they all remember that Canso with affection. Another Canso was attacked by Japanese fighter planes but returned to its base with over 250 bullet holes and its port engine dead.
Many a German submarine lies at the bottom of the Atlantic because the crew of a Canso spotted it, and some Cansos have two or three submarines “to their credit.”
Though by many the Canso is regarded as only a patrol reconnaissance aircraft, it has served as a bomber, dive bomber and more than one Japanese fighter crashed into the Pacific because he did not have the proper respect for the Canso as a combat fighter.
Anson and Bolingbroke 10121 Join the CMFT Vintage Fleet
By Dave Jones
On July, 19, 1982, 6 members of CMFT departed for Melfort, Saskatchewan, Dauphin, Monitoba and Cochrane, Alta., to recover an Anson and another Boly.
We left at approximately 9:30 a.m. and drove as far as Blue River, B.C. the first day. The day was rather uneventful with the exception of two vehicles running into each other, but that’s another story.
The second day found us at North Battleford, Sask., the third day at Melfort and then on to Star City. Here is where the fun began.
After several hours of searching, asking questions of local people, and of course, phoning Vancouver, we discovered we were in the wrong town!
Finally, that evening, we located the Anson about 5 miles north of Melfort among a group of deserted houses. After about 4 hours of cutting and unbolting, the plane was loaded and ready to go. Then off to the campsite for a much-needed shower and to rest up for the next day.
The fourth day found us at Dauphin, Manitoba. After contacting the owner of the boly, we arrived on the site and began to undo screws and bolts- hundreds of them! The British must love screws, nuts and bolts.
Bomber Command Museum Announced
Plans are now in progress to expand the RAF Museum at Hendon, England. A museum for Bomber Command covering 6,000 square yards is to be erected. A specially designed building will house a collection of RAF bombers to depict the history of Bomber Command. The facility will also serve as a memorial to the 55,000 RAF bomber crew and the 65,000 Americans of the USAAF’s 8th and 9th Air Forces who lost their lives during the Second World War.
Aircraft are now being earmarked for the collection. The Lancaster, Wellington and the Vimy replica at Hendon will be moved to the new building when it’s ready. The Halifax rescued from a Norwegian lake, Vulcan XL318 ex of 617 squadron, a DH.9A from Poland and a BE.2B now being rebuilt will also be joining the collection.
The next day the Boly was disassembled. From here on in it was relatively simple. By the end of the day we had it loaded and ready to start our travels again.
The 7th day we left Dauphin and drove as far as the Alberta border at Rosetown where we stayed for the night. We were to get more Boly parts, however.
Cochrane, Alta., was the next stop where various parts of another Boly were collected.
Sicamous, B.C. was the next stop where we ended the day. Here we took time to do some repairs to the vehicles. Breakfast was in Kamloops the following morning where we met the evervigilant weighmaster who stopped two of the trucks. One was allowed to continue while the other had to go back to town to have a breakaway switch installed on the trailer. Two hours and $110 later we were on the road again, arriving with 3 rigs and 2 airplanes at the storage site in the early evening.
Our thanks go out to the stalwart crew of Pete DeVries, Gerry Van Humbeck, Brent Palmer, Jim Cline, John Lyne and Dave Jones.
Vertol Arrives
The Vertol H-21 arrived at the storage yard in July with a minimum of fanfare. The complex job of hauling the big machine was accomplished by Viggo Peterson and his assistant using Airplane Supply’s 1-ton flatdeck and their big trailer.
Over the years Brent Newberry and John Sutherland nursed the machine through its various moves around the Fort St. John airport, which were getting ever closer to the fire practice pit. Brent and the Okanagan crew deserve a warm thank you for having looked after the helicopter and for organizing and helping with the loading onto the truck and trailer.
Due to its size, plans are to reassemble it for outside storage.
The H-21 is a single-engine, tandem-rotor helicopter manufactured by Vertol.
Purchased by the RCAF in 1954, the H-21A was soon pressed into service to airlift equipment into aircraft detection sites along the Mid-Canada Line and to assist in search and rescue work. It has a range of 350 miles and can carry 20 passengers or 12 litters or 4,000 pounds of cargo. (See photo on back cover).
CMFT’S LATEST ACQUISITIONS-
The H-21 Vertol (above) awaits assembly at the storage site while restoration has been started on the Boly (below) brought back from Manitoba. Contact Wayne Cromie at 277-3394 if you want to help.
‘Boly’ Memories
The following article and drawing were taken from the Bolingbroke technical manual with additional details from several sources including the excellent “Canadian Aircraft Since 1909” published by Putnam.
Fairchild Aircraft Ltd., Longueil, Quebec, produced 626 Bristol Bolingbrokes for the RCAF between 1938 and 1943. Perhaps the most unusual version of this aircraft was the Bolingbroke Mk. III seaplane. Intended for coastal reconnaissance, this version was the first to see the introduction of the 920hp Bristol Mercury XV engines in place of the original 800hp Mercury VIII. The prototype, RCAF 717, was first flown at Longueil as a landplane on July 25, 1940, and as a seaplane on August 28. Directional stability performance was highly praised with the aircraft capable of a maximum speed of 241 mph at 12,000 feet.
No. 5 (BR) Squadron evaluated this aircraft at Dartmouth from September 30 to February 1942 at which time the Bolingbroke reverted to wheeled undercarriage. No. 717 was finally struck off RCAF strength on June 26, 1944.
A pair of Edo floats manufactured by McDonald Bros. Aircraft of Winnipeg were fitted to the Mk.III. These were attached to the aircraft by four streamlined struts. Two struts ran from slightly outboard of the centre of the float to the joints between the wing and centre plane spars, and two ran inboard from the deck combing of the float to special fittings at the bottom of the front and rear spars at the juncture of the centre plane and fuselage. The floats sat approximately 18 feet apart and 85 inches below the Boly. A 20-pound anchor was stowed within the float between the front and rear struts.
The undercarriage wheel-well was faired over on the Mk. III and the existing undercarriage hydraulic system was modified to activate an hydraulic water rudder retraction jack. The pneumatic brake lines were extended to provide the water rudder directional control. At the rear of the fuselage the fabric-covered fin assembly was bolted to the underside of the fuselage at the tail wheel mounting brackets.
Perhaps as many as 24 Bolingbrokes were strengthened to accept the float arrangement, but only one example was ever completed.
PVI Receives First Business Jet
Twenty-five years ago, the era of the executive jet began in North America. In early September, 1957, the prototype Lockheed Jetstar took to the air at Burbank, California, becoming the first executive jet to fly on this continent. Today, this same historic aircraft has found a new home, serving as an advanced instructional training aircraft at the Pacific Vocational Institute’s Sea Island campus.
At a ceremony held at this past Abbotsford International Airshow, Mr. Kelly Johnson, representing the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation of California, handed over ownership of Jetstar N3291 to Mr. Henry Justesen, Principal and Chief Executive Officer of PVI. The aircraft was flown from California for the occasion and later made its last flight when delivered to Vancouver International Airport.
The Jetstar now becomes the most valuable plane at the PVI campus. Its advanced and varied systems allow PVI’s aircraft maintenance students to perform a variety of inspections and tests not previously possible with the school’s less sophisticated equipment.
The aircraft’s transfer was made possible through the Industrial Benefits Program of the Government of Canada and comes to the institute with a generous supply of spare parts, including a replacement engine and a variety of components, manuals, technical data and specialized tools.
FROM ENGLAND-Recent departures from Canada for English collections include Lancaster KB889 from Oshawa for Doug Arnold’s collection and Bolingbroke 10201 for Sir William Robert’s Strathallan Aircraft Museum, replacing a similar aircraft auctioned off last summer. When in London, don’t miss visiting the RAF Museum where one can see Canadian Vickers-built Supermarine Stranraer No. 920. This aircraft served on the West Coast for many years, first with RCAF squadrons 7(BR) and 9(BR), and later as CF-BXO with Queen Charlotte Airlines and Stranraer Aerial Enterprises.
FROM CANADA POST-Four new aircraft stamps will be issued Oct. 5. They will depict Fairchild FC-2W1 G-CAIP, Norseman CF-SAM, Fokker Super Universal G-CASK and DHC-2 Beaver prototype C-FFHB.
IN PRINT
Canadian Aircraft Since 1909, by K. M. Molson and H. A. Taylor is the first definitive work on Canadian-built aircraft. This superb book has over 500 pages of company and aircraft histories, specifications, photographs and production information. CMFT’s Senior Skyrocket and Mosquito Mk. 26 are mentioned briefly. The book can be obtained directly from CMFT.
High Flight is a magazine on Canadian military aviation that just seems to improve with each issue. The July-August issue includes the story of Canada’s first Hurricane fighters and begins a history of the Canadian Vickers Vedette. The mid- Canada Line is also remembered and Vancouver Historian A. E Hill recounts the story of Canada’s first “warplane”-the Burgess Dunne. Throughout this issue, photos appear of Hurricanes and Vedettes, and Mid-Canada Line DC-3s and helicopters. Many readers will find the cover photograph of Hurricanes over Vancouver most impressive. Available from CMFT.
FROM VANCOUVER This year Marks CPAir’s 40th anniversary. The company formally commenced the majority of its operations as Canadian Pacific Airlines Limited, on July 1, 1942, although some aircraft had begun flying with the CP insignia earlier in the year, and the acquisition of predecessor companies had been going on through 1941. It was 25 years ago this year that CPAir inaugurated service to Lisbon and Santiago.
CPAir have now retired all their DC-8s, 21 years after the type first entered service. The last revenue flight was flown by The Empress of British Columbia’, C-FCPS, during the early summer and by the end of August, all remaining aircraft had been sold or flown to Las Vegas to await purchase.
Inotech Aviation moved into their new, $9 million facility at Vancouver International Airport during the summer.
Information Wanted
Jules Taylor of Time-Life Publications is looking for photographs of the landing of 3 Russian pilots in Vancouver, June 21, 1937, after a flight from Moscow, on their way to California. The pilots’ names are Chkalov (leader), Baidukov and Baidakov. Anyone with information on these three fliers can contact him at time-Life Publications, 777 Duke Street, Room 24, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, USA.
Plans Available For Needed Display Cases
CMFT is in need of travelling display stands to carry our message out to libraries, banks and other public-access areas. The project has been well researched and we now lack only the people and the money to complete. Is anyone interested in sponsoring the purchase of materials, which includes plexiglass, wood, hardware, conduits and cakepans (that’s right) at about $360 for 5 identical units, to be used singly or in any multiple, either hanging or self-standing. Is anyone interested in taking on the job?
An excellent set of professionally-drawn plans are available in the CMFT office.
Bonds Available From CMFT Office
The 1982 Canada Savings Bond campaign will shortly be underway in mid-October. It is expected that they will pay a better interest rate than the current bank term deposit rate. However, rates have not yet been announced.
The museum is now able to save its members the hassle of bank lineups by acting as agent for Canada Savings Bonds.
Phone the CMFT office for all the details.
ACROSS THE USA-The USS Yorktown CV-10 Association has received permission from the U.S. Navy to recover preserved warplanes from the bottom of Lake Michigan just 30 miles from Chicago. The aircraft were ditched on training flights when they ran out of fuel, missed landings on carriers or encountered other emergencies. As many as 100 planes were lost. The crash locations have been logged and many aircraft have been found in good condition. Twenty scuba diving clubs and 100 divers are expected to take part in recovery efforts.
FROM VICTORIA-Staff of the Provincial Museum in Victoria are researching the history of helicopters in B.C. for a forthcoming book. If you worked or were familiar with the early days of helicopters in the province, leave your name with Ken Swartz, 922-6745, evenings, who will co-ordinate CMFT’s assistance in this project.
IN THE PRESS
The July issue of Flypast carried two articles of interest. One was on commercially-operated Catalina flying boats in which several photographs and reference appear concerning Boeing Vancouver-built PB2B-2s in Australian and British service. The other article details restoration of Graham Warner’s Bolingbroke 10038 at Duxford.
Canadian Aviation News carried a good writeup on Mike Meeker’s restoration of Mosquito B35. VR796, CF-HML, in the July issue.
FROM ABBOTSFORD-Conair recently sold three of their Grumman Firecat (CS-2 Tracker) conversions to the French Protection Civil for forest fire suppression. Another six aircraft have been ordered.
FROM SEATTLE-The Museum of Flight is nearing completion of Phase One of their building plans. The original Boeing factory, the ‘Red Barn’, is now almost completely restored and on new foundations at Boeing Field. Completion of an administration building, joined to the Red Barn, is expected within a month. The Red Barn will open to the public next March, to be followed by construction of a large display hall. The museum’s Boeing B-47E Stratojet is now fully restored and will be officially rolled out on Sept. 30.
The co-pilot looked down and saw water lapping about the rudder pedals. He thought about that for a moment, and then he said to the Captain: “This is ridiculous, we’re sinking. Now what do we do? ” “Why,” replied Alice, coolly, “we either lower the boats or raise the ship…”
The Day They Sank The Strainer
(From Canadian Aviation) By D.C. Findlay
There used to be a cartoon tacked to the wall in the old Wardair maintenance shack at Yellowknife Airport, and maybe there still is. It showed a pair of cool cats PX-ing from the north end of Supermarine Stranaer.flying boat CF-BXO as follows: “BXO is by Contwoyto Lake at 500 feet and climbing. Everything normal…” The state of normality was emphasized by a strained look on the face of the “Strainer” and contrails of nuts and bolts and spare parts streaming behind the machine toward the tundra below.
Since Contwoyto Lake is 250-odd miles northeast of Yellowknife, the inference was clear that a rate-of-climb of 1:2640 was usual for the “Strainer”, and there was an implication, probably unfounded, that the vertical speed instruments were calibrated in units of the rare kpf system- kilometers per fortnight.
Although this may have been the unknown Yellowknife artist’s view, it was a view apparently not shared by the “Strainer’s” real-life pilots, since I recall one of them telling us that the thing would get off the water as quickly as an Otter. What happened after that he could not or would not say.
At any rate, CF-BXO was a familiar sight around Yellowknife for a brief period a few years ago. And there was a time when it provided the cheapest pound-per-mile field service available. This in spite of a cadre of skeptics who maintained that the unit did not actually fly but was merely a tricky optical illusion chartered out at $1.50 a mile.
But it flew alright and we got to know it fairly well one summer, and eventually to respect it, the way you might admire a tough old three-toed sloth that just keeps on hanging in there.
And then one day it sank on us. After we got it unsunk, the captain, who was somewhat put out over the whole incident, got in it and flew away grumpily and we never saw it again.
This was in 1953, and we were at a place in the Northwest Territories called Speers Lake, about 320 miles north of Yellowknife and not far from the Big Bend in the Coppermine River.
There was a lot of heavy flying to be done that year, in the spring before the ice went out; drilling rigs and parts, diesel fuel, drill rods, bags of calcium chloride and all the other paraphernalia that accompanies an operation of this type. Speers Lake was our airstrip, and we used a bulldozer to carve out a mile-long slot in the snow, and then some big log timbers dragged behind a Bombardier tractor to level it. the term “level” was relative, however, and our strip was a chronic source of irritation to the pilots, who maintained that they would just as soon land on the Himalayas as on Speers Lake. Since none of us had seen the Himalayas, we were not in a position to argue, although we did, vehemently and usually profanely.
Our main freighting vehicle was CF-CZQ, a DC6-AB, flying at the time in Wardair colours, but on lease from Canadian Pacific, in later years we rode on it from time to time after it had turned respectable again and operated intermittently on the Edmonton-Whitehorse run. By then, of course, it was all spruced up, with seats inside, curtains on the windows, and the oil wiped off the engine nacelles daily. But it was CZQ and if you were to peek beneath the floor carpet when the stewardesses were otherwise engaged peeling potatoes or boiling soup, you could no doubt find scratches and gouges on the cabin sole, where our heavy drill derrick pieces had clanked around.
When the ice rose and the water of the lake came up and mixed with the snow to form sticky slush that CZQ could not handle with grace or even impunity, the bulky Bristol 170 Freighter replaced CZQ, waddling through the mush and opening up its improbable great purple schnozz to disgorge drill-rods, more fuel and interminable bags of calcium chloride.
After the ice went out we made do with Otters and Beavers and the odd buzzing Cessna-until the time came when we needed a new drill motor. At Speers Lake we wondered how they would get it into us, but we were not prepared for the day when the skies opened and the “Strainer” rained down on us, like a leftover scene from the Blue Max.
“What in the world is that?” asked one of the off-duty drillers, as we stood on the shore watching the “Strainer” come toward us, plowing the water like a square-rigger under full canvas.
“Maybe part of the Lions Gate Bridge?” someone offered.
“If it was yellow, it could be one of them Tiger Moths,” opined the drill foreman knowledgeably.
“You’d never get me up in a thing like that, and that’s a fact, Babe,” said the cook.
It was an hour’s hard labour to get the drill motor untangled from the “Strainer”, and safely ashore. Afterward we all agreed that for sheer entertainment, it was far superior to the movies that came in on the weekly service flight regular as clockwork, whenever they remembered to put them on board at Yellowknife. The Strainer went away and we forgot about it.
Late in the summer it came in again, for the last time, lugging a load of bulky and complicated geophysical logging equipment needed to make various measurements in the boreholes once the drilling was finished. There were two technicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma riding herd on the equipment, and there were two of our guys from Ottawa riding herd on the technicians. Around all this, they had somehow got the “Strainer” wrapped; the task of unwrapping it fell to us, the Speers Lake Irregulars.
We stood on the dock watching him come in. There was a strong cold wind blowing against our shore and there were whitecaps off the end of the dock. The water level in the lake had dropped and there were rocks sticking through it here and there along the shore.
The “Strainer” slid off to leeward of the dock, and we could see that he was getting in pretty close to some of the rocks. There was a belch of blue smoke and the outboard engine shut down. The Strainer began to weathercock, swinging around toward the dock. Then it seemed to hesitate in the water, barely making headway. We could see movement in the cockpit up front; there was a blast from the leeward engine and the ship coasted up for a very pretty docking, considering the wind.
We all grabbed hold- and there is one thing that could be said for the “Strainer”; there is plenty to grab. The window hatch on the copilot’s side opened up and a guy stuck his head out.
“How much water you got here?” he shouted.
“About four feet,” somebody yelled in answer. The co-pilot said something that sounded like ‘aaaaaghh’ and withdrew, like a turtle into its shell.
In a few moments the hull door opened and the easy riders crawled out onto the dock. They were followed by the pilot and the co-pilot.
“We hit something in the water back there,” the Captain announced.
“We thought you were going right up on shore,” someone from our side yelled.
“Yeah,” said the Captain. “Bleeping wind.” he spat into it, showing his contempt for basic aerodynamics.
“Hey.” It was someone still inside the machine. “You always carry water inside this thing too? Aint there enough outside?”
“Just ballast,” said the co-pilot airily.
“What?”yelled the Captain, and disappeared back inside the hull. We all crowded around for a look. Presently the Captain re-appeared.
“Well,” he said, “I guess she’s sinking.” He thought about it for a moment. “How much water you got here?”
“Still about four feet,” someone answered. “less what you got inside now, of course.” But the Captain was not amused.” Well,” he said, “you better get this thing unloaded in a hurry.” He looked out over the water and then he looked at us and shook his head. Then he said some other words which, fortunately, were carried away by the wind before they could be recorded.
We worked like maniacs, but by the time we wrestled the last of the heavy green metal boxes out, the water inside the “Strainer” was up around our knees. For us, there was an element of hilarity about it all, because at the end of a long spell at Speers Lake (some of us had been in here for nearly five months by that time), it took only a minor disaster to plunge us into hysterics. A major event like a sinking airplane might well prostrate us for days.
The “Strainer” was sagging in the water like a punctured Man-O-War. Then we noticed that the water level had stabilized and was the same inside the hull as out. A ragged cheer went up. Like the Mariposa Belle we were sunk, fair and square and resting on the bottom.
In the meantime, while we worked at unloading, the Ways and Means Committee had not been idle. Directed by the Captain, the drill foreman had backed the big red Bombardier J-7 tractor down to the beach beside the dock. With a maximum of effort and confusion, the flying boat was rotated, with the aid of the winch, about the end of the dock so that its stern lay just off the beach. We got cables and ropes on its hindquarters, and with the winch cable on the tractor, plus a lot of profane shouting, we got its hull up on the beach where it rested like a stranded whale.
Inside the hull, along the keelson, there was a thin, clean slit in the skin, as neat as a surgeon’s incision. We collected jute bags, 2x4s and anything else that was lying around, and put on a jury-rigged band-aid, held in place by 2″x4″ cross-braces and makeshift wooden wedges. When it was all tidied up, it resembled Amateur Day in the Surgery, and there was still water seeping in along the edges of the patch, but nothing that you couldn’t turn your back on.
The Captain turned his back and spat again, this time downwind. Everyone learns from experience. “Pumps,”he said. (continued on next page)
“Right,” said the co-pilot, making a note in his log.
“Come and get it before I throw it out,” yelled the cook from the cookhouse.
“Promises, promises,” someone muttered, but we all trooped up the hill for sustenance.
There was a little gas pump in the aircraft and after supper the Captain and the co-pilot hooked it up and started it going. A trickle came out. The foreman looked at it and shook his head. He went away and after a while he was back with one of the big drill pressure-pumps on the back of the Bombardier. He got it going and the trickle from the Strainer’s innards turned into a waterfall.
In the morning it was clear and cool and again there was a stiff onshore breeze. The smell of fall was in the air, and in the evenings the loons were beginning to move around, rising just before dusk and circling the lake restlessly. Like the loons, we were getting restless, and the problems with sunken machines loomed unimportant.
We got the pumps going again, and after a halfhour or so, the Strainer was relatively dry. The pilots got in and fired up the engines and yanked the machine off the beach. Soon it was only a faraway smudge, disappearing against the MacKenzie sky.
“Them fellows were in such a hurry they forgot to say thanks,” the foreman said.
“For what?”I asked.
“For throwing them back. The nex’ one of them things we catch, we’re gonna keep. It might be the last one.” He turned away and got into his Bombardier, already worrying about more important things.
GENERAL MEETING
Held at Minoru Pavilion, Richmond, B.C., June 24, 1982
- OPENING: Meeting called to order at 7:40 p.m. with 28 members and guests present. Minutes of the April 22, 1982 meeting were posted. Motion to approve by Barry Jackson, seconded by Wayne Cromie.
- TREASURERS REPORT: March 31 1982 report posted. Mall displays successful with a gross of $4,782.63 from Mayfair Mall, and net of $2,654.93. Richmond Square netted $1,670.99, and Cottonwood Corners $1,106.99. Langley Days brought in $325.02. As of June 23 there is $9.501.66 in the bank.
- OLD BUSINESS: Nominations committee (Barry (Jackson) reported results of appointments of officers for the 1982-83 period as follows:
- President, E. V. Zalesky: Vice-President, A. B. Duncan; Secretary-Treasurer, Rose Zalesky: First Vice-President, Vancouver Island, Dave Jones; Secretary-Treasurer, Vancouver Is land, Bob Bullough; Personnel, Ron Stunden.
- Committee heads are: Newsletter, Rob Kennedy: Airshow, Frank Stevens and Wayne Manning: Gift Shop, Wilma Thompson; Recovery, Ron Krywiak.
- Swap Meet: Gordon Dann reported coming along. Planning meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 26.
- Shopping Centre Displays: No report on Mayfair. Richmond Square reported by Wayne Cromie. A success. The Boly was the star attraction.
- P.R.: Rose sent out news releases on May 18 which was Museums’ Day. Many papers picked up on it. Local papers also reported on the Langley Council meeting re Fort Langley.
- Shop Building: Ed Zalesky reported that Brian Weeks has repaired some of the shop equipment. PVI students in for a couple of days to tidy up. No restoration work starts till shop organized.
- Vancouver Island Report: No rep, no report. A Baby Granau Glider with trailer, in airworthy condition, had been donated to CMFT.
- Recovery Trips: Fort St. John, Cochrane, Alta., Dauphin, Manitoba, for H-21 Helicopter, Avro Anson and Bolingbroke remains. Meeting for interested persons scheduled for 9:30a.m., Sat., June 26th.
- CAPA Conference: Bruce Duncan reported on the 4th annual conference. Good representation from other museums. Discussed CADC releases. (Seven Argus went to government- sponsored museums).
- Langley Days: Barry Jackson reported on Langley’s first fly-in. Very successful. Fleet and Waco flew on Sunday. Will get a better spot next year. Jerry Vernon reported on PR work done. Contacted lan Gray, CPAir, wrote various magazines. RR Conways available at $900 per engine, stripped.
- NEW BUSINESS-
- Cornell Project: Gordon Dann all ready to go again on project. Now living in Clearbrook, Who will help?
- Mosquito Showing: Still delayed. Problems with drop-ins may jeopardize our organized showings. Put your name on the list if you want to go.
- Building Materials Offer: Ernie Clark has arranged for the sal vage material from a 90’x90′ building in Ladner. There are a number of good items ideal for a hangar building or future display building. We are to supply 6 or 7 people to help with the teardown. Bob Harvey is arranging for crane. Time frame is last week in July. Who will help?
- Plaques: Need someone to make up thank you plaques. Offers? None.
- Museum Visit Trip to England: Can be arranged. One or 2 week charter to Britain to visit major museums. What interest? September suggested as month to go. Only 2 interested persons came up.
- FILM AND COFFEE BREAK: “Australian Flying Heritage” was the film. Many prizes were given out as door prizes.
- ADJOURNMENT.
Fairey Battle Shot Down
Editor, Sir:
I am writing this letter in reference to an incorrect comment made in the Museum Newsletter of June, 1982, under the caption Did you know? on page 14.
With all due respect, I suggest whoever is responsible for these comments should do a little more historical research on whatever aircraft is used.
The Fairey Battle was never built to be, or considered a fighter as we understand the term, let alone a first-line fighter. As a former certified instructor in aircraft recognition during WWII, I believe I can set the record straight.
Designed under the Air Ministry Spec. P.27/ 32(1932), the Fairey Battle prototype set the fashion for single-engine, low-wing monoplanes in the RAF and formed one of the main types during the “panic” expansion of 1935 and onwards. It was designed to be a general purpose/light bomber and was, from the onset, armed with one fixed, forward-firing .303 Browning machine gun and one Lewis observer gun on a free Lewis gun mounting the rear cockpit, and provision for 1,000 lbs of bombs under the wings.
Hoping this information will correct the “fighter” mis-quotation.
Yours very truly, A. “Chris” Christofferson, Victoria, B.C.
Oops! We goofed! Thanks for catching that one, Chris. Somehow it slipped right past the whole bunch of us. It’s very gratifying to know that someone besides the production staff is reading the newsletter.
Wrong Airplane, Wrong Airport, Right Province!
Re Newsletter cover photo issue No.17:
Sorry, people, but the newsletter boys aren’t going to take the blame for this one! We copied the caption from the back of the photograph. Rest assured, all of you that pointed out our mistake, the caption on the back or the picture is going to be changed.
A number of members, including Joe Bertalino, who should know as he was there when the photo was taken, pointed out that the caption on our No. 16 newsletter cover photo was incorrect. The airplane at left is a Waco belonging to the Sprott-Shaw School of Aviation, while the other two are Gipsy Moths operated by Dominion Airways. Joe also told us that the location is not the Vancouver Airport as we know it today, but the old Lansdowne race track, which is where the Lansdowne Shopping Centre in Richmond now stands.
NEXT GENERAL MEETING 13527 CRESCENT RD. SURREY NOV. 18, 1982 8:00 P.M.
NEXT MOSQUITO SHOWING 10 AM – 2 PM OCT.23 ONLY
H-21A PIASECKI ‘workhorse’ helicopter, serial no. 9611 of the RCAF’s No. 121 Search and Rescue Flight, at Sea Island, Vancouver, in the mid-1950s. CMFT’s recently delivered Piasecki H-21B is similar to this aircraft and will be restored as a RCAF rescue aircraft. Photo courtesy of Vancouver Public Library