Museum Newsletter
Summer 1986 CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION MUSEE CANADIEN DE VOL ET DES TRANSPORTS No. 30
LYSANDER II EXPO EDITION
CMFT NEWSLETTER
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION No. 30 Summer 1986
CONTENTS
CMFT Expo Displays… ..4 News Briefs…. Correction from last Newsletter……..15 New Members…. Wants and Needs… 7 Donations……. …17 Intact Hampden Discovered in Canada…..9 Membership Information… 18
COVER PHOTO:
CMFT’S Westland Lysander on display at the Expo 86 site, Vancouver B.C., May 1986. The Lysander is temporarily covered in a clear Tedlar coating to enable the public to see the inner workings of the aircraft. Ed Zalesky photo.
Board of Directors
Adams, Michael Lang, Marvin Robinson, Jane Anderson, Ian Elgood, Terry Stunden, Ron Fraser, Doug Gardhom, Fred Thompson, Bill Thompson, Wilma Gerow, Earl Hudak, Tony Vernon, Jerry Way, Peggy Zalesky, April Jackson, G. Barry Jackson, Stoney Knowles, Peter Zalesky, Ed Zalesky, Rose
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION 1986/87 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
E.V. (Ed) Zalesky, 531-2465 President J.E. (Jerry) Vernon, 420-6065 Vice-Pres Rose Zalesky, 531-3744 Secretary/Treas Stoney Jackson, 386-9997 Chairman, Van.Is Bruce Jubb, 479-1187 Vice-Chairman, Van.Is Tom Palmer, 477-5706 Sec/Treas Van.Is
COMMITTEE HEADS
Frank Stevens, 580-6252 Flying Phone Mary Dewberry, 278-0755 April Zalesky, 531-3744 Special Events Joe Smith, 590-6262 Display/Buildings Jerry Vernon, 420-6065 Mark Zalesky, 531-2465 Jerry Olsen, 687-6805 Underwater Recovery Research Ken Swartz, 688-4810 Communications/PR April Zalesky, 531-3744 Sean Keating, 984-2070 Recovery/Hauling Newsletter Restoration Peggy Way, 536-6573 Brian Burke, 536-6573 Gift Shop Photography Clyde MacLeod, 685-2529 Computer Services Colin Hamilton, 536-5193 Tour Guides Jane Robinson, 591-6665 Without portfolio Ross Gregory, 874-6763 Without portfolio
The Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation is a non-profit society dedicated to the preservation of aviation and transportation heritage. Charitable status allows for the issuance of tax deductible receipts for donations of artifacts, goods and money. It is governed by a board of 20 Directors, elected annually. Elections held in April.
VANCOUVER ISLAND MEMBERS MEET THE LAST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 7:30 P.M., AT THE BAY STREET ARMOURIES, VICTORIA. PLEASE USE THE FIELD STREET ENTRANCE. ANYONE INTERESTED IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.
NOTICE OF MEETING
NEXT MEETING THURS MAY 15, 8:00 PM, SHOP. GUESTS WELCOME! MEETINGS HELD THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT THE STORAGE SITE, IN THE SHOP.
Editor: April Zalesky Photo reproduction & screening by Brian Burke.
WHAT IS THE MUSEUM?
With so many new members joining every week, we are always asked “How did all this start, and why?” For those who may not know, and to refresh the memory of those who do, here is a condensed version.
In the early 1970’s, a group of aviation enthusiasts made a move to stop the exodus of historic aircraft leaving Canada for the U.S. and Europe. Many of these were removed by speculators, who acquired aircraft for little or no money; then sold them out of the country for huge profits.
A group consisting of G. Barry Jackson, Ron Stunden, Bill Thompson and Ed & Rose Zalesky pooled their resources to acquire as many of these aircraft as possible, trying to stop this mass export of an important part of Canada’s history.
With the collection growing rapidly, and public awareness increasing, The Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation (CMFT) was incorporated as a non-profit society in March, 1977, and empowered by the Federal Government to issue tax-deductible receipts for donations. With this move, CMFT’s credibility was confirmed, and public interest increased dramatically. With a serious museum group now established in B.C., donations – large and small as well as cash and memberships became more frequent.
Through the hard work and perseverance of many dedicated people, CMFT now ranks as one of Canada’s largest aviation museum collections. With over 40 aircraft some in flying condition, others derelict and a membership of over 1300, CMFT has the distinction of being entirely self-supporting, one of the few museums in Canada to claim that status.
The museum has come much farther than any of the founders had ever imagined. The original goal of CMFT was to preserve our heritage for future generations, and to help promote a greater pride and understanding of an important part of Canada’s history. This has not changed, and in fact we are seeing more and more of this goal realized with each passing year.
CMFT is now undertaking efforts to obtain a permanent home for the collection. The intention is to have a family oriented complex which would include other transportation related museum groups from the lower mainland, most of whom, like CMFT, also lack a permanent facility. Unlike most museums of today, this complex will have working displays, where the public can get involved, and will be a major tourist attraction which we, as well as future generations, can all be proud of.
Many times we have been asked why we work so hard to see this dream become a reality. For all of those involved, it can be summed up by one of the Directors: “When you see a 75 year old man who flew one of these birds many years ago showing the airplane to his 5 year old great-grandson – the pride in his eyes, and the smile on the kids face that’s what makes it all – worth while.”
HELP- PIONEER PROFILES
We are still in need of people to help with the transcribing of the taped inter- views from the Pioneer Profiles project. This is very interesting work, as well as a super opportunity to learn word processing. If you can put in some time, please give Rose a call and we will get you started.
SATURDAY WORKBEES
The lack of help with the site on weekends has been disappointing. We really need help getting things cleaned up, moved up and set up for our tour season, as well as for the Open House, which is coming up very quickly. We need as many people as possible to help out every Saturday until set-up is complete. If enough people show up in a day, it will only take 2 or 3 weekends to have the site ready. This year is our greatest opportunity to showcase ourselves to the world, and the way the site looks now we don’t make a great impression. Please try to come out, and if possible phone and let us know you’re coming, so we can plan the day’s jobs.
CMFT EXPO DISPLAYS
The Museum’s displays at Expo 86 are now in full swing. The Lysander, through much hard work and lost sleep, is on display at the Expo site, completely restored – covered in a clear Tedlar coating generously donated by Dupont Canada. This type of covering was done at the request of Expo so the public could see the inner workings of the aircraft. Although we may be blowing our own horn, we can honestly say the Lysander looks fantastic. Credit must be given to Mark Zalesky, who worked steadily to transform a literal pile of scrap into the majestic aircraft that it is now, as well as the many others who put in hour after hour on the project. There were those who said we could never do it, and to those we would like to say: “We sure showed you didn’t we!”
Above: Ian Anderson, Mark Zalesky and Fred Gardhom hanging the Lysander propellor.
Below: J.King Perry, who donated the airframe for BSC looking it over at Expo. All photos this page by Ed Zalesky.
Above: Clem, Fred Gardhom, Ian Anderson and Mark Zalesky installing lift struts on the Lysander.
Below: Viggo Peterson, Fred Gardham and Ian Anderson attaching the right-hand aileron on ‘BSC.
The Norseman CF-BSC is also on display at the site, and again we can pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Thanks must be given to Viggo Peterson for his beautiful work, as well as the many people who helped with the restoration. Thanks also to King Perry for donating the unrestored airframe, and Stanley Deluce & Austin Airways who donated money towards having it painted. Rusty Blakey, the pilot who logged 10,000 hours on ‘BSC, stopped by the site to look at his pride and joy, and remarked that “It looks better now that when I first flew it with 4 hours ferry time from the factory”.
As members of CMFT, you can all be proud of the progress the museum has made. Even with our limited resources and facilities, CMFT is now completing restorations which rank among the finest in the WORLD! Congratulate yourselves, for it is your support which makes it happen.
MODELS – NWT PAVILLION
Late last year, CMFT was contracted to build 12 scale models to be placed on display at the Northwest Territories Pavillion at Expo, some 1:10 and some 1:6 scale. These were all originally subcontracted out to individuals to build, but due to some problems, CMFT had to complete 5 models in our own shop. Due to CMFT receiving these models about 2 weeks before they were due to be hung in the Pavillion, we rallied the troops (including side-tracking the fabric seminar participants) and worked 18 hours a day, seven days a week to get them finished. As it was our first effort with building this type of model, there were many problems and serious set-backs. The models ranged from 10 to 13 wingspan, so needless to say all problems were multiplied directly in proportion to the size of the model. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the following people who gave hour upon hour of their valuable time, and worked late at night to complete the models on time: Jane & Peter Robinson, Terry Elgood, Gogi Goguillot, Candy Besse, Murray Marley, Ian Anderson, Cliff Parker, Frank Stevens, Marv Lang, Ian Morrison, Tany Hudak (and crew), Jerry Olsen (and crew), Doug Fraser, Archie Fraser, Peter Skehor, Bob Gordon, J.Dave Smith, Roy Burgois, Ted Harris, Joe Smith, Richard Wirtz, Don Sooter, Walter Schaffer, Ken Swartz, Lloyd Bungey, Marj Bennetts, Patty Rust, Dan McDougall, Rose, Mark, Ed & April Zalesky, and many more. If you are not on this list and did some work on the models, please let us know as we don’t want to leave anyone out.
The models, when finished, looked great, and are now hanging in the NWT Pavillion at Expo. You can all be proud of a job well done. Thank you all.
EXPO STAMPE RESTORATION
The restoration of the Stampe bi-plane is going full swing at Expo. There are portions of 3 aircraft on site being worked on to make a complete, flying example by the end of the fair. We need lots of help manning the booth, both to help with the restoration and to answer questions by the public about the project and the museum in general. There are 3 four hour shifts each day, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM and 4 people are needed for each shift. Please call and volunteer your time. This is a super opportunity to showcase CMFT to the world, and you can be a part of it. Museum of Flight
Above: Frank Coulter working on a Stampe wing at Expo.
Below: The Twin Otter and other models being delivered to the NWT Pavillion. SA
Left: Mark Zalesky puts the finishing touches on the Twin Otter and Canso Models Staff photos. page 5
TRANSPORAMA DISPLAY
CMFT’s Grunau Baby Glider, which has been supplied by the Vancouver Island branch, (which we really appreciate thanks guys) is now hanging in the Transporama Display, at the foot of Begbie St. in New West. It is a sampling of items from various transportation museum groups in the area, and is open daily through October 1986.
FABRIC-WOODWORKING SEMINARS
The fabric workshop, which was temporarily postponed due to the models, is now back in full swing. This is a great opportunity to learn re-covering techniques from scratch, as well as helping the museum by getting some of the necessary aircraft recovered. This is being taught by Gogi Goguillot, and the current project is the Auster, and next is the Piper L-4 (military Grasshopper version of the J-3). The sessions run every Mon. and Wed. night starting at 7:30. Please call to sign up. If there is enough interest, we will go ahead with an aircraft woodworking seminar as well. If you would like to take part, please let us know and we will schedule one. Cost is $40.00 to cover materials, and the complete course is at least 10 sessions long, possibly more.
STRANRAER PRINTS
We still have some copies of the Graham Wragg print of Stranraer RCAF 915. This is a beautiful fine art print, with a printed matt ready for framing. Prints are $15.00 each, plus $3.00 for mailing, or pick yours up at the gift shop. We also have sets of greeting cards with the print on the cover, sold in packages of 6 with envelopes for $2.95. The print makes a perfect gift, and remember that proceeds from sales go towards restoration and display of museum aircraft.Get yours today!
ABBOTSFORD AIRSHOW 1986
As we do every year, CMFT will be displaying aircraft at the 1986 Abbotsford International Airshow, as well as the usual booths with tee-shirts, posters and other gift shop items. We are not sure yet whether any of the CMFT aircraft will be flying in the show. With the airshow being so huge this year, flying time is at a premium, so we are hoping to be given a spot. As always, we need lots of help, both manning the booths and guarding the aircraft, as well as setting up the booths and aircraft before the show. Please call and put your name in if you can help.
EXPO AVIATION EVENTS
June 5-8: DC-3 Airmada – more than 30 aircraft will rally for a public display on June 6 and a flypast over Vancouver June 7.
Aug. 4-7: AirFair 86 the week before the Abbotsford Airshow will be the Industry Only exhibiton at the Abbotsford Airport.
Aug. 4 & 7: Flight into History – a fly- past over Expo of 40 aircraft, from the Fort Trimotor to the Antonov AN-124, representing 60 years of aviation history.
Aug. 8-10: Abbotsford International Airshow including the largest international military display team show, with the Blue Angels (USA), Snowbirds (Canada), Patrouille de France (France), Frecce Tricolori (Italy), and the Esquadrilha da Fumaca (Brazil) and more.
Above: Remember how the Lysander looked in July of last year? Look at the cover photo, and see just how far we’ve come!
5TH ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE
CMFT’s Fifth Annual Open House will take place June 21 & 22, 1986. With Expo continuing throughout the summer, we can expect a huge increase in crowds at this year’s event as compared to last year. An estimated attendance is 20,000 people over this two days, 8,000 more than last year.
Consequently, we will need more help than last year. As everyone who helped at Open House 1985 will know, it went very well- primarily because of the large number of volunteers. We are hoping to have the same success this time, and we need your help. Please call and put your name down as a volunteer. There are many duties, a lot of which don’t require any knowledge of aircraft, such as kitchen duty, food booth, traffic control, security, gift shop and program sales. As well, we need tour guides, information people, volunteer co-ordinators, etc. If you can even put in a few hours, please call and let us know every little bit helps.
We must also stress that much work is needed before Open House, such as planning, food preparation, yard work (clean-up, grass cutting, etc.) and aircraft sett-up. We need your help starting immediately. Call and let us know what you can do.
As for Open House attractions, we will have all the same clubs and displays as last year, and more. There will be 2 helicopters giving rides, and the Antique Automobile Restorers from Bellingham will be bringing some of their cars. Expect a bigger Open House with more to see and do, and, as every year, a lot of fun for the whole family.
OPEN HOUSE MEETING
Unfortunately, we have gotten a late start to the planning stage, but the first meeting date for Open House has been set for May 28, at 7:30 PM at the shop. Please plan to attend if you will be involved in Open House at all. This is the best opportunity to keep on top of what’s going on, what is planned, and to offer your input into how to make Open House run better. We need your ideas, so please come to the meeting.
WANTS AND NEEDS
WANTS AND NEEDS FOR OFFICE
We need (for the office) the donation of a hard disk back-up system for our computers, or enough money to buy one. A lot of important information such as inventory, library, accessions, interviews, accounting, etc. are all stored in the computer. We need an efficient back-up system to protect against possible loss due to power outages, or other hazards. If you have access to something of the sort, or know where we can get one at a good price, please let us know. Also needed are an overhead projector and an opaque projector.
WANTS AND NEEDS FOR SHOP
We urgently need the donation of shop equipment and hand tools, including: Portable sandblaster, belt/disc sander, propane heater, chisel sets, bench grinder with wire wheel, electric drills, heat gun, mixing machine for epoxy, extension cords, trouble lights, drill bits, clamps and any hand tools, as well as brooms, cleaning fluids and other related shop supplies.
WANTS AND NEEDS FOR YARD
Garden hoses, pruning shears, loppers, weed-eaters, lawnmowers, and all garden tools such as shovels, rakes etc.
INTACT HAMPDEN DISCOVERED IN CANADA
by Jerry Vernon
In 1938, an Air Ministry contract was let for the production in Canada of Handley Page Hampden bombers. This was to be Canada’s first mass-produced modern all- metal monoplane, and was intended to accustom the fledgling air industry for later production of hundreds of Short Stirlings a task that was later cancelled. The “educational contract”, as it was called, was placed with Canadian Associated Aircraft, a consortium of six existing Canadian firms.
Ultimately, 160 Hampdens were produced in Canada, 80 by the Ontario Group (made up of Fleet Aircraft, National Steel Car and Ottawa Car Manufacturing), and 80 by the Quebec Group (Canadian Vickers, Canadian Car and Foundry and Fairchild Aircraft). New assembly facilities were built in Toronto (later to become the Avro Canada plant) and in Montreal. The first batch of 40 aircraft from each Group were serialled P5298 P5386 – P5400 and P5421 – P5436, while the secound batches became AJ988 AJ999 and AN100 A167.
Of the 160 aircraft produced between mid- 1940 and mid-1942, 76 were retained for use in Canada, while the other 84 were shipped by sea to the United Kingdon, where they were issed at random to operational squadrons and training units, and are known to have served with Nos. 44, 49, 50, 83, 106, 144 and 420 Sqns. The majority of the Hampdens that stayed in Canada served with No. 32 OTU (RAF) at Patricia Bay, B.C. These were later joined by 20 “war weary” Hampdens, as attrition re- Pilot: placements, ferried from the UK. to Canada over the reverse ferry routes, either across the Atlantic to Montreal, or “over the top” on the Crimson Route West, via WAG: Iceland, Greenland and Northern Canada to Pat Bay, which is the modern-day Victoria International Airport. Thus, a total of 96 Hampdens served with RCAF and RAF units in Canada.
The Hampdens led a hard life with 32 OTU, with losses as high as two or three per month at the unit over the year-and-a-half after the type had replaced Beauforts and Ansons. On 30 Jan 44, the Commanding Officer issued an order that all Hampden flying would cease at 2359 hours that date, and the type was replaced by Expeditors and Dakotas at the OTU. The 46 remaining airworthy Hampdens were ferried to Sea Island (Vancouver) on 21 Feb 44, and were promptly reduced to spares and produce.
They had been used for crew training, torpedo dropping and long over-water day and night navigation excercises. Many were lost to pilot inexperience, mechanical and engine failures, atrocious and often unforecast weather on the navigation trips, as well as a loss of control due to some of the idiosyncracies of the type. One peculiarity, that shows up in a number of accident reports was the “stabilized yaw” syndrome, where the aircraft would fall off on one wing, usually into the sea, when put into a climbing turn at low speed and altitude. This often happened on the torpedo dropping practices, where the pilot pulled up and turned left…in spite of warnings to the contrary… to see when his torpedo went.
One Hampden that fell victim to the stabilized yaw problem was P5436, the last aircraft from the initial production batch. This aircraft was Taken on Strength on 6 Jan 42, and had flown only 100 hours when it was lost on 15 Nov 42, during dummy torpedo dropping practice in Saanich Inlet, just West of the Patricia Bay airfield. The crew on board, all of whom were very lucky to escape with minor cuts and bruises, consisted of:
Pilot: Sgt. Leonard Harry Robinson, RAF 1314375
Navigator: Sgt. Derick Walter Smith, RAC 1270519
WAG: Sgt. Kenneth Edwin Blood, RAAF 412370
Air Gunner: Sgt. John Ovila Fink, RCAF R90519
The aircraft and crew were detailed to perform Dummy Torpedo Practice, alongside the pickup boat “Amaryllis”. Takeoff was at 1125 hours and the torpedo was droped at approximately 1145 hours, as planned, from a height of 60 feet. The Hampden then climbed straight ahead, to about 200 feet, where a shallow left hand turn was commenced. The Pilot and other members of the crew soon noticed something amiss, as the nose of the aircraft dropped and the machine yawed to the left. Sgt. Robinson took immediate corrective action, applying opposite bank and rudder, as well as opening the port throttle and closing the starboard one. This was all to no avail, and the aircraft struck the water. At an altitude of 50 feet, Robinson realized that a crash was inevitable, and he closed the throttles and pulled back on the control column, luckily causing the Hampden to land upright on the surface of the water. It floated for less than a minute, allowing the Pilot, Navigator and WAG to clamber out onto the wing.
Sgt. Smith, the Pupil Navigator, had entered the nose of the aircraft, after the torpedo was dropped, to de-select the switches. He felt the aircraft skidding out of control, quickly climbed back up behind the Pilot, and had opened one of the hatches before the impact occurred. Sgt. Blood, the WAG, also noticed that control had been lost, and stated that “I noticed the ailerons moving, but taking no effect on the control of the aircraft. The aircraft seemed to have lost all forward headway, and was travelling sideways. I took hold of the rear gun mounting, and braced myself against the side of the aircraft and waited for the crash.”
The Canadian Rear Gunner, Sgt. Fink, was in the lower position, and unable to see very much of what was going on. He too felt the yaw, and was then thrown through the hatch and into the water, coming to the surface about 50 yards away from the floating Hampden.
Before the aircraft sank, several attempts were made by the WAG to release the dinghy, but the mechanism refused to operate. The Pilot gave orders to “abandon ship”, and the remaining crew on the wings took to the sea. As they did so, the aircraft raised its tail and sank out of sight into Saanich Inlet.
Fortunately for the crew of Hampden P5436, a Stranraer flying boat from No. 3 OTU piloted by S/L E. W. Cowan, had just taken off from Patricia Bay, and was clinbing to altitude, and the Captain saw the Hampden skidding by, almost directly underneath. The Hampden was observed to crash, float for 40 to 60 seconds and then sink. Stranraer 947 landed immediately and carried out a sea rescue. The four survivors were quickly taken back to the seaplane base, with minimal exposure to the elements. Their injuries, in fact, consisted mainly of shock, exposure, minor abrasions and bruises. The most serious injuries were to Sgt. Smith, who sustained lacerations above and below his right eye, while being pulled aboard the rescue Stranraer.
The Court of Inquiry was advised that the wreckage had sunk in 100 fathoms, thus making salvage operations almost impossible…a vital clue to the later discovery of the aircraft.
The Investigating Officer felt that the Pilot had been “over-anxious to watch the result of excercise, allowing A/C to get out of control”, possibly complicated by the high winds and wind currents in the area. The Court recommended “That A/C climb to a greater height that 200 feet before executing turns over water, and pay more attention to instruments when high winds prevail…Orders are being issued that pilots are to climb to 500 feet prior to turning after dummy torpedo drops.”
Similar “stabilized yaw” accidents, mostly in left hand turns, also claimed AD767, AJ993, AN101, AN121, An135, AN142, AN146 and possibly P5433 at 32 OTU during 1943 and 1944, with the latter aircraft falling into the water less than a mile from the grave of P5436. In most of these other cases, some or all of the crew perished. Hampden AJ993 was observed, from another Hampden, to crash into the sea while turning back towards base at low altitude, on an aborted navigation excercise over the ocean. It is also possible that several of the other Hampdens that simply went missing, and have never been found, succumbed to a similar loss of control over the Pacific.
Hampden P5436, along with Pegasus XVII engines s/n 11262/196623 and 12890/239979, was written off, as of 01 Dec 42, and so the story ended… or so it was thought at the time.
cont. page 10 page 9
Hampden…cont. from p.9
This writer, as Research Director for the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation (CMFT), has been researching various records for several years, with a particular interest directed to the location of crash sites in Canada, and in particular on the B.C. coast. The Museum already was in possession of a substantial pile of Hampden wreckage, cleaned up from the crash site of AN136, which flew into Mount Tuam, on Saltspring Island, while night flying on 14 Jan 44. Also, the Maude family and their fledgling Commonwealth Military Aviation Museum (CMAM) have cleaned up many of the better artifacts from AN136 over the years. The two museum groups, although often mistaken for one another, are in no way connected, apart from their mutual memberships in CAPA (the Canadian Aircraft Preservation Association).
In the latter half of 1984 and the first half of 1985, attention turned to 32 OTU and the multitude of Hampdens lost by that unit in B.C. This interest was also sparked further by correspondence with FlyPast contributor and Hampden fan Harry Moyle, In the UK. The unit diaries and Accident Card revealed nothing unusual about P5436. There was nothing to indicate that the aircraft had struck the sea gently enough to float around before sinking, or that it had remained unsalvaged by the military at the time. Further research uncovered eyewitness reports and technical details of a number of promising crash sites, particularly in the Victoria and Patricia Bay area.
The details of these finds were immediately passed on to Jerry Olsen, CMFT Director and a partner in C-LOST, the Canadian Lake and Ocean Salvage Team. Jerry Olsen and one of his partners, Varis Smiltneiks, were about to embark in their 25 foot salvage boat on a search for underwater aircraft wrecks. C-LOST had been searching this general area, looking for P5436, over the past several years, covering 4 or 5 square miles with no results. These newly- located records confirmed that the aircraft was indeed not salvaged in 1942, and also allowed a much better pin-point of the location.
The salvage vessel “C-LOST V” is fully- equipped with LORAN-C and plotter, Mesotech color Side Scan SONAR and a small remote-controlled submersible (ROV), also equipped with color SONAR and a video camera. The ROV was tethered to the boat with a 600 foot umbilical cord, which proved very frustrating on the first trip down to the Hampden, which was located at a depth of 585 feet! Needless to say, more cord has been provided for subsequent dives.
After a quick look at some other potential sites, the “C-LOST V hove to in the vicinity of the suspected location of P5436. Success was almost immediate. Not only was a SONAR target quickly found, culminating the search at last, but the screen showed the outline of the wings, tail boom and empennage of a very nice looking Hampden not merely the pile of twisted and crumpled wreckage that many expected to find. Although the mapped location was a bit closer to the reported co-ordinates for PS433, this was obviously P5436… P5433 had dived vertically into the water from 1500 feet, while P5436 had merely ditched and sank.
The submersible was unlimbered and launched, to make more SONAR investigations, as well as a close-up viewing by the TV camerra. Olsen was ecstatic!! Here was the world’s only complete… or near complete… Hampden bomber, on the bed of the inlet, standing on its nose and starboard wing, in a steep tail-up position, just as it had sunk from sight of the crew 43 years earlier. The nose section was either crushed or buried in several feet of silt, and it appears that the engines may also be intact and buried. Fabric could be seen on some of the control surfaces, as could be seen the painted roundels, fin flashes, unit markings and even small stencilling on the tail fins.
HAMPDEN RECOVERY
Photo #1: C-LOST remote-controlled submersible, about to be launched on test dive, Jan. 5, 1985. Jerry Vernon photo.
Photo #2: Hampden wreckage at depth of 585 feet, as seen on the screen of the Mesotech color Side Scan Sonar, scanning in Polar Mode, at 60 foot range, Oct.3, 1985. Mesotech Systems photo.
Photo #3: Closeup of Hampden wreckage on Mesotech color Side Scan Sonar. Mesotech Systems photo.
Photo #4: Raising tail section of Hampden P5436 onto barge, Oct. 4, 1985. Mesotech Systems photo.
Photo #5 (Next page): Hampden tail section and tailwheel assembly, at Jerry Olsen’s shop in Vancouver, Oct. 8, 1985.
Photo #6 (Next page): Hampden tail section at Canadian Museum of Flight, being unloaded for storage. Fleet Finch and SE5a replica in background, Oct. 8, 1985. April Zalesky photo. Jerry Vernon photo.
At this point, one mystery… still unsolved even after the tail has been raised… came to light. Although the aircraft was most certainly P5436, the last aircraft produced in the first batch by the Ontario Group of Canadian Assoc- lated Aircraft, all four tail fin skins are plainly stencilled “FAIR AIR” and “FAIR/CA”, plus some component serial numbers… obviously the tail fins on P5436 had bean manufactured by Fairchild Aircraft of Canada (Quebec Group empennage builders), not by Ottawa Car, of the Ontario Group. Had components been swapped around between manufacturing and assembly groups… or did P5436, in its short 100 hours of flying time, have a replacement tail assembly fitted?
The first step, before any recovery action could be taken or publicity released, was to obtain title to P5436 from Crown Assets and the Department of National Defence… or even from the Air Ministry, if that proved necessary. After many weeks of effort, title was given to CMFT, and the raising of P5436 could proceed… or so we thought. To date, in spite of two lengthy and expensive salvage expeditions, the bulk of P5436 remains firmly on the bottom of the Inlet. Only the empennage, tail cone and tailwheel assemble have been raised so far and these were deliberately plucked off the aircraft to prevent damage during the main operation.
The first salvage operation involved several days on site in early October of No 1985, with the “C-LOST V”, a landing barge and a crane-equipped salvage barge, but this was frustrated by bad weather. sooner had the creu dialed up the right numbers on the LORAN and settled in over the aricraft, than the clouds, wind, rain and rough seas closed in with a vengeance. Instead of an expected easy lift, seven days were spent on the task, with only the rear portions of the aircraft being successfully lifted to show for their effort. Reluctantly, the crew headed back to Vancouver, to plan another attempt when the seas were calmer.
Due to the depth of the Hampden, and budget constraints, it was not in the plan to use either divers or sophisticated manned submersibles, although some of these are available… even designed and built in B.C. The plan which was tried on that first attempt, and also on the second, and which is still the plan of attack to be used, was to encircle the aircraft with a loop of cable, carefully tighten it under the supervision of the camera-equipped submersible, and then raise the remains off the bottom, to be moved laterally into shallower water. The Hampden would then be gently lowered back onto the bottom, in a depth accessible to skin divers, where a more secure lifting harness could be fitted, so that the prize could then be safely brought to the surface for transportation across to the B.C. Mainland.
Several weeks after the first attempt, the salvors rendezvoused one again over the Hampden in late October. Once again the weather played a mean trick after the arrangements were all in place. Once again the main part of the aircraft eluded efforts to raise it from the bottom, although a good pull, up to a 10 ton limit, was made without any sign of movement below.
By this time, a considerable amount of private funding had been expended on these efforts, leading some of Jerry Olsen’s business partners to take a very jaundiced view of World War II aircraft salvage operations. Although this has not been an operation on the scale of the Loch Ness Wellington project, some of the other C- LOST partners were beginning to doubt the wisdom of the whole excercise. At this time, efforts are being made to seek funding donations to complete the job, and to cover the previous outlay. It is estimated that a total of $35 40,000 will accomplish this, including reimbursement for the first two attempts.
What has come up so far, and what is its condition??? What has been examined is truly amazing. The rear end of P5436, as described earlier, is in a remarkable state of preservation, and appears more like something that has been in the water for three years, not 43 years. The fin flashes are still relatively bright, and stencil markings are very legible. Even the large yellow “gas patch” survived on the tailplane. Some sections of the skinning are almost totally intact, while other panels have totally disappeared. In some spots, holes have eaten into the skin, probably started by a break in the cladding. Several stainless components are virtually “like new”, one of these being the rudder trim chain, which still hangs loose and flexible, coated in its original black grease. The tailwheel assembly oleo leg is still bright and shiny, the tire is still filled with air, and the wheel spins freely on its greased bearings. The condition of these parts is a vindication of Jerry Olsen’s long-held belief that aircraft components found in very deep water would have a minimal amount of corrosion.
In order to maintain the condition of the salvaged material, and to keep oxygen away from the metal, the 20 foot tailplane and other items were kept hosed down at all times until they could be deposited in a small pond at the Museum’s storage site. They will remain there, out of the air and with the salt being slowly flushed away, until some conservation efforts can be applied.
The two big problems now are how to raise the funds to complete the task of recovering this prize find, followed by the ticklish job of successfully lifting the major portion of the Hampden. Such a pity that this is the most intact surviving Hampden, considering that 46 of the surviving 32 OTU Hampdens were chopped up for scrap at the Vancouver Airport, in addition to several non-airworthy examples at Patricia Bay.
Any help with the project would be greatly appreciated, as would any leads on the current whereabouts of any of the surviving crew members. It has already been reported to the Museum that a gentleman visited the dock at Patricia Bay in recent years, and stated that he had been on board a Hampden that had crashed into the Inlet… no doubt one of the four survivors from P5436.
Below is a picture of one of the museum’s two Quickies, as it now sits on the Expo site below the 747 nose. It looks great in its new paint scheme of white with yellow, orange and red stripes. We would like to sincerely thank Jerry Olsen and his crew at J&M Fibreglass for doing such a tremendous job. For those of you who saw how it originally looked (it was the black one under the tree at the storage site), it is plain to see the hard work that went into making it look so good. Thanks guys!
The smiling (?) face you see above is Brian Burke, our photo expert, who does the photo screening and reproduction for the newsletter, as well as copying the old and valuable photos loaned to the CMFT for its collection. We would like to sincerely thank Brian for donating his time and talents to do such excellent work in spite of the “too short” deadlines we always force him to meet. Thanks Brian! Brian Burke photo. Staff photos.
Musician/producer/composer David Foster and his wife Rebecca stopped by the Expo site to look at the Lysander. David recently used the museum’s Waco for some scenes in an upcoming TV special to promote his new release Flight of the Snowbirds”. David will be returning later this summer to do some additional filming. page 14
BITS AND PIECES
The Port Moody Heritage Society (Station Museum) is having a membership drive this year. If you are interested in the history of this area, please call 939-1648.
Ex-Air Gunners Reunion, Sept. 5, 1986 in Burnaby, B.C. Please contact Doc Cumbers 464-4463 or Harold Olson, 464-7649.
RCAF Coal Harbour Reunion for 1940-1945 personnel, June 28 30, 1986. Please contact Margaret Eilertsen, 949-6308.
No.39 R.Wing, RCAF (400, 414, 430 Sqn.) Cloverdale Fairgrounds, Aug. 8, 1986. Please contact Fred Barklay, 576-2392.
Aircrew Association Vancouver Branch, recently formed. For more info please contact Ken Reid, 939-7100.
CORRECTION
The following excerpt was inadvertently ommitted from Lock Madill’s article “Tom Gurr, a Helicopter and I” from the last newsletter. It should have been inserted into the paragraph on page 15 that began: “The Beaver kept bringing in supplies and…”
Below is how that paragraph and what followed it should have read.
“The Beaver kept bringing in supplies and fuel from Ft. Nelson and Tommy was busy flying the crews who were setting up fly- camps for the construction of survey towers.
The N.E. corner of B.C. is rather flat, there were no mountains which could be used for observation stations so Ernie McMinn had previously come up with the idea of building towers which extended above the surrounding trees enough that a transit could spot another tower 20 or 30 miles away.
These towers were a terrific feat of contstruction. Most members of the crews were University students on summer jobs.
The toweres were started by selecting three trees of suitable size about 10 or 12 feet apart at the base, limbs were removed as the crews climbed up and spiked diagonal bracing drawing the trees closer together until they ran out of tree and then spike extensions on them until sufficient height was obtained to see over the tops of surrounding trees. This wasn’t the finish, another tower had to be built inside the first one on which the transit instrument was mounted. The reason for this was not to disturb the transit while walking around 360 degrees taking the reading on other towers around the horizon.
The construction of these towers was amazing when you consider that a crew chief and four or five men with the use chainsaws, tackle, climbing equipment and sledgehammers, and hanging on by their toe-nails and finger-nails could complete one of these double towers in ten days or less and this included cutting down and limbing trees or snags for the cross bracing, hauling them up into position and spiking them in place. Some of these double towers were over 100 feet high. The one in the pictures was 115 ft. to the platform and the dome another 10 ft. When I spoke to a logging high rigger and showed him the picture he wouldn’t believe me that it was done in ten days. He almost called me a liar.
This was a very dirty job if the tower was built in a forset fire burn area so I always had lots of hot water ready for the boys when they came back to base.
There were as many as four tower crews at different fly camps at the same time so Tom was kept very busy ferrying supplies and crews. Even cans of water had to be flown out to the sites.
There was the odd mercy trip and in one short period Tom brought in two men from different fly camps who had chopped their left feed in exactly the same place. These men and another who was allergic to black fly bites (his face swelled up to nearly twice) were returned to Vancouver.
When sufficient towers were completed in the area, the observing crews were delivered to the sites, they climbed up the towers and set their instruments in place and took reading of all the towers they could see. This was not possible if a good wind was rocking the towers so calm days were welcomed. There were times when night readings had to be taken with the use of lanterns as the wind abated at night.”
From here the story continues as printed in the last newsletter. We would like to apologise to Lock and our readers for the error.
NEW MEMBERS
Gordon Prigl, Surrey BC, Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, Edmonton AB, Jack Munn, Duncan BC, Aero Space Museum, Calgary AB, Abbotsford AirShow Society, Abbotsford 8C, Air Classics/Air Progress, Canoga Park CA, Port Moody Heritage Society, Port Moody BC, Australian War Memorial, Australia, Random Thoughts IPMS Canada, Ottawa ON, Vancouver Transportation Club, Vancouver BC, Seaflite Oceanographic, Dallas TX, Retired Airforce Officers Assn, Vancouver BC, Pacific Progress/Transport Canada, Vancouver BC, Air Canada Horizons, Montreal PQ, Canadian Warplane Heritage, Mount Hope ON, Curley Chittenden, W. Vancouver BC, Canadian War Museum, Ottawa ON, US Army Aviation Museum, Ft. Rucker AL, Western Development Museum, Moose Jaw SK, Commonwealth Military Aviation Museum, Sidney BC, Planes of Fame Museum, Chino CA, Mike MacDonald, Surrey BC, John & Laurie Kyle, Burnaby BC, John Racey, White Rock BC, Wm.M. Smith, Richmond BC, Rob Faulkner, Pemberton BC, Randy Rouk, Pitt Meadows BC, Don Fair, Comox BC, Wm.H. Elliott, Bracebridge ON, Henry Sass, Richmond BC, Richard Wirtz, Delta BC, Joseph Smith, Surrey BC, Tracy Lee, Surrey BC, Werner Magiera, Burnaby BC, BC Antique Fire Apparatus Assn., Vancouver BC, Kurt Chopty, Richmond BC, Gordon Gregg, Vancouver BC, Graham & Elizabeth McKean, Parksville BC, RAF Museum, Hendon England, The Boeing Company, Seattle WA, OXS Aviation Pioneers, Pittsburgh PA, Art & Shirley Limmert, White Rock BC, Michael Adams, Vancouver BC, Sean Keating, N. Vancouver BC, Darrell Olynyk, White Rock BC, W.J. Argue, Mississauga ON, George Robinson, Ladner BC, David & Jan Anderson, Issaquah WA, Susan Holgate, N.Vancouver BC, Ted Green, Red Deer A8, Ted Watkins, N.Vancouver BC, Roger Harris, Surrey BC, Glas-Aire Industries, Langley BC, Brian Woodford, Singapore, Joel & Margaret Hernandez, Milwaukie OR, Helicopter Foundation International, Alexandria VA.
GENERAL MEETINGS
General meetings are held the third Thursday of each month at 8:00 pm at the Storage Site. Meetings are not held during June (pre-empted by Open House) July, August (too busy with airshows, etc) and December (Christmas). Please try to attend the General meetings as important business is conducted which must have a vote. Unless we have a quorum (40) at the meetings, business such as accepting financial statements and other important items cannot be carried out. Guests are welcome, and there is usually a speaker or slide show for entertainment, as well as coffee and donuts. This is your opportunity as a member to get involved, and to stay in touch with the operation of your museum.
TOUR GUIDES NEEDED
We are desperately short of tour guides for this year’s opening season, and we are already beginning to have an influx of visitors here for Expo, not just on weekends, but throughout the week as well. Due to the extra amount of visitors, we are opening seven days a week for tours, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. These are special hours for the duration of Expo 86 only. We must again stress that tour-guiding is not a difficult job, nor do you have to know everything about the aircraft. We have worked out a training program for new tour guides, as well as a book listing the aircraft in the collection and the important information about each display. We usually get several students on a Summer Employment grant to help take the load off the volunteers, but this year we have not been too successful, and consequently are short of help. Please phone and volunteer your time. It is only 4 hours a day, and even if you can only help 1 day a week, we still need and appreciate your help. It is a fun job, and a great opportunity to meet people from all over the world.
JOB CREATION PROJECTS
CMFT has received 2 Job Development projects from Canada Employment. One provides for 3 apprentice aircraft mechanic trainees plus a manager. This should enable us to finish some of the stalled restoration projects, as well as completing some new ones. The second project is for 2 computer and office skills trainees plus a manager. With this project, we should be able to continue with converting most of the museum’s office operations to computer, as well as get some much-needed library and accessions work done. Both projects are a super training opportunity for those involved, and as usual we are grateful to Canada Employment for the funding.
DONATIONS
We acknowledge, with thanks, donation of the following goods and services received since last reported in Newsletter #29. Some of the donations were small, some sizeable, but all are welcome and cherished.
Please continue to support the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation through your donations of artifacts, photos, clothing, medals, memorabilia, log books, clippings and souvenirs.
Tax deductible receipts for the current market value of the item being donated are available.
DONATIONS (to #1758)
LARGE ARTIFACTS AND AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS
Dan McGowan, Frank Coulter, Dave Hall, Elmer Fossheim, Rose Zalesky, David Rayment, Doug Hennessy, Gary Klatt, Carl Kolody, Paul Horman, Walter Winberg, Gary Klatt, Murray Conrad.
CASH
Gordon Williams, Ralph Nutter, Ken Irlam, David Isaac, Spencer Davies, Alan Evans, D. McPherson, Donald MacMillan, James Guttormson, Beatrice Bell, Ed Zalesky, Fred Gardham, Jack Den Boer, Elmer Fossheim, Clifford Jones, Dr. H. Cooke, GlasAire Industries, Lin Moore, Joel Hernandez
BOOKS, MAGAZINES, PHOTOS, LIBRARY ITEMS
Rex Chandler, Bill Kellett Jr., John Bradford, Rose Zalesky, A.D. Long, Peter Bowers, Lock Madill, White Rock Public Library, John Bradford, EAA Club House, Jack Ivamy, A. Christoffersen, Mrs. Frank Kaweski, Ewan Boyd, E.F. Kelly, Eric Jeffries, Tommy Held, Dick Frankish, Delta Museum and Archives, Fred Gregg, Capt. W.E. Green, William Eckersley, Joe (Art) Lalonde, John Klaholz, Grant Johnson, E.8. Tryon, Stanley Sharp, Brent Wallace, Bill Davies, Mr. & Mrs. Roy Willis, George Fowlie, Bill Thompson, Japan Airlines, Mansell Barron, Canadian War Museum, John Caudell, Bruce Reilly, Neil Cameron, Ed & Jessie Lozanski, W. Herb Topp, Ross Gregory, Bill McGarrigle, Arthur Winnett, Dave Davis, April Zalesky, John Hutchison, Len Peter, Doug Fraser, Wilf Giles, Neil Holmes, Mrs. Bob Parker, Inky & Norah Klett, Gerald Cameron, Rusty Blakey, Peter Skehor, Margery Kyte, Brian Burke, Mrs. Ethel Mowatt, Bernie Bricklebank, Russ Angus, Monty Montezuma.
SMALL ITEMS AND UNIFORMS
Mrs. Ann Coulter, Rose Zalesky, Val Hinch, R.P. Maier, Eric Jeffries, Robert Moore, John Caudell, Tom Palmer, Bob Hillsdon, Bert Prothero, Capt. Bob Maier, Rosemary Douglas, Bill Thompson.
OFFICE & SHOP EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
Jerry Olsen, Henry Sass, Industrial Formulators of Canada, Ken Danyluk, Lock Madill
LOANED PHOTOS
Ewan Boyd, Neil Cameron
BCRIC SHARES
James Ng
NEW GIFT SHOP
We have finally undertaken the separation of the gift shop from the library. The carport adjoining the office has been closed in with windows and finished inside to make a new large gift shop, which will be only a gift shop, without the books, articafts, and other stuff to trip over the way it was before. This leaves the library to expand as necessary, and leaves more room to display the smaller artifacts we now have packed away in boxes, such as uniforms, models, compasses, etc. This gift shop will be set up properly, without the confusion, and will also double as a reception area for visitors when they arrive. The back opens into the office, which has now been moved to the ground floor. We expect this system to work well, and with the extra room should be able to start stocking more new and different items. Come out and see what we’ve got!
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Please check your address label, the date on the upper right hand corner is the date your membership expires. Send in your $15 annual renewal today. CMFT needs your support. Thanks to all of you who have already renewed your memberships.
MOVING?
IF YOU’VE MOVED, OR PLAN TO SOON, PLEASE SEND US A CHANGE OF ADDRESS. IT IS COSTING US A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT IN WASTED POSTAGE WHEN NEWSLETTERS ARE RETURNED (@51c EACH) AND YOU RECEIVE NO FURTHER NEWSLETTERS AS WE DON’T HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE TO SEND THEM. PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND FOR ANY FUTURE MOVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CO-OPERATION.
We Repeat…
you can be a part of the effort to insure that our priceless relics are preserved and properly cared for through future generations if you include in your will a bequest to the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation. You may bequeath cash, securities and real or personal property to the permanent Endowment Fund where the income from your memorial will continue helping to support the museurn. Or you may choose a special purpose such as constructing buildings, acquiring important relics. the reference library, or renovation or restoration of an exhibit. You will find that a living trust will secure your wishes while providing income for you or your designate for the rest of your lives. Think of the Canadian Museum of Flight and Transportation as you look to the future.
Policy
Every letter, newsletter or other communication throughout the year contains a return envelope or other form of solicitation. We urge you to use these forms to recruit new members and to make memorial, tribute, anniversary or other additional contributions. Remember, in order to help build and maintain the Museum, and to acquire outstanding exhibits, we will remind you of the need for funds in every mailing.
Noorduyn Norseman CF-BSC on display at the Expo 86 site, Vancouver, B.C., May 1986. The aircraft is painted in the same black and red color scheme as it was when delivered to Austin Airways from the factory in the mid-1940’s. Ed Zalesky photo.