MINI NEWSLETTER AUGUST 1988
THEGREAT CANADIA AGINO COMPANY LTD
CASINO NIGHT
CMFT is sponsoring a professionally run CASINO NIGHT to raise funds for restoration. Mark the date on your calendar, and try your luck on
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4TH FRIDAY THE 5TH 6:00 P.M-2:00 A.M.
AT THE RICHMOND CASINO 8440 Bridgeport Road (Bridgeport and No. 3 Road) Richmond, B.C. (Across from the Skyline Hotel)
Please tell all your friends about it, and urge them to give it a try. Tear out the notice and post it in your local convenience store, neighbourhood bulletin board, or pass it on to someone who might be interested. If it is successful, we will hold others.
SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR FOR 1988 AT CMFT
AUGUST 16, 17 AND 18-NASA SPACE VAN
Plan to take in the NASA TRAVELLING EXHIBIT on those days, and bring your family and friends. We’ll try to have a few special events, and some door prizes. ADMISSION WILL BE HALF PRICE. (Members free).
SEPTEMBER 18 ALL BRITISH AND EUROPEAN CAR MEET
Organizers expect more than 50 cars to turn out. A great opportunity to see scme of the best in these specialty cars in one spot, as their proud owners will be on hand to show them off.” There will be a flight display and warbirds flyby. door prizes and minimum food service. ADMISSION WILL BE HALF PRICE. Please support this event by turning out. No work required, just come out and enjoy! Remember, members get in free by showing your current card.
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION 13527 Crescent Road Surrey, B.C. Canada V4A 2W1 (604) 531-2465
“OPEN HOUSE” THE USUAL HUGE SUCCESS!
Sunny skies and the work of hundreds of volunteers paid off, and this year’s OPEN HOUSE was the best yet, with over 6,000 people attending the two day event on June 18 and 19.
This year there were proper booths for outside exhibitors, and more exhibits than ever.
By the time the hot air balloon arrived on Saturday, it was too windy to go up, and not only did it not show on Sunday, they didn’t advise they wouldn’t. Those who waited around were understandably disgruntled. We apologize to one and all.
On the list of “NO-SHOWS” was the Valley Model Boat Club. Again, hard to explain to people who came to see an advertised event. The restored Hampden nose, incorporating the forward nose section donated by the RAF Museum, England, was on display amongst the rest of the (unrestored) aircraft, and attracted a lot of attention. Jerry Olsen, Fred Gardham and other dedicated volunteers worked long and hard to get it ready in time. A lot of interest in the project was generated by a BCTC TV news feature filmed at Jerry’s shop and aired the Sunday before Open House.
Admission to Open House Is by donation, and this year’s “soft sell” approach resulted in an average donation of 33c per head. While the main purpose of Open House is to promote the CMFT in the Community, it is also one of the few opportunities open to us to raise much needed funds for restoration and operating costs. The food booth and gift shop did well.
A “post mortem” meeting/free hamburger barbecue was held on the 14th July, with the “Top 50” members (based on hours worked at or in aid of Open House) met to discuss what was done well (many things), and what could have been done better (also many things), and to come up with ideas for bigger and better Open Houses in the future.
More people are needed to help organize the event. Can you help? Special thanks to Pete Knowles, Bruce Jubb and Tom Palmer who came over from Victoria and Joe Lalonde who came over from Alberta, several days ahead, and pitched in to get the grounds spiffed up for the event – even the flower beds, and stayed to clean up afterwards. Peter, we hope your foot heals okay. Thanks also to the more than 140 volunteers who all worked hard to make it a great success.
Our thanks also go out to the local merchants, businesses and other non-profit groups who support Open House through the donation of services and gifts for door prizes. A full list of donors and prize winners will be included in the next Quarterly Newsletter, which is due out the end of August.
HOMESITE UPDATE
Still nothing to report. Any news will be published in the next available newsletter.
CMFT TO ATTEND OTHER AIR SHOWS
CMFT will be attending the Kamloops Air Show on August 10th as an exhibitor and to sell souvenirs. We will also be at the Penticton Air Fair on August 17th, 18th & 19th. After 10 consecutive years at the Abbotsford Air Show, the rules have changed, and we may not be participating as actively and with as much visibility at Abbotsford this year.
RESTORATIONS / FABRIC RECOVER WORKSHOP
This year’s restorations are temporarily on hold but a couple of projects are still awaiting volunteers who wish to get seriously involved:
- 1. LOCKHEED LODESTAR: Paintstripping, and interior clean up crews needed.
- 2. BEECH 18: Paintstripping and interior clean up crews needed.
- 3. HAMPDEN: A long way to go yet. Physical and financial help needed to begin the next phase.
- 4. AERONCA 11AC CHIEF. Old fabric to be stripped off, structure cleaned, and any necessary repairs made. New fabric will then be installed. This project will take the form of the popular “Fabric Seminar” which provides instruction in how to do it, and the chance to work on the “real thing”, to members or non-members who want to learn how it’s done. Cost for the course is $40. to cover cost of materials, and includes a minimum of 6 weeks instruction (7:30- 10:00 Monday and Wednesday evenings starting in September) but will go on as long as needed to complete the job. Those of you who already know how to do it, come along and help, and we’ll discuss waiving the fee in exchange for helping with the instruction. If you’re interested, please fill out and return the coupon below:
- 5. HISTORIC “FLYING DOCTOR” CABIN WACO RESTORATION: We are proud to announce that the B.C. Heritage Trust has approved our application for funding to assist with the purchase of parts and materials for the restoration of Waco AQC6 CF-CCW, formerly owned by Dr. Jack Pickup of Alert Bay. Now it’s up to us to come up with the dollars for the salary of a full time qualified restorer and the volunteers to help him with the project.
If you can help, please return the coupon below:
F/O “Paddy” Burke and his RCAF Fairchild FC-2 used for photo survey work. c. 1928. Photo: B. Burke
FREE ADMISSION TO THE MUSEUM, DISCOUNT ON GIFT SHOP PURCHASES
Don’t forget, members (but not their guests) are entitled to free admission to the museum and a 10% discount on most items in the gift shop.
HELP WANTED
We still need volunteer parking attendants, gift shop clerks, and security people-every day, but especially on the weekends from 10 to 4.
Security is easy. It merely involves wandering around the grounds and asking the odd visitor who finds himself on the wrong side of the ropes to obey the signs.
TOILET TRAILER NEEDED
Any leads on a “two or three holer” portable toilet building to replace the rented one the CMFT now has?
MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS
Check the expiry date of your membership on the top right hand corner of your label, and if your magship has lapsed or is about to, please send in a renewal.
Fees are $20 (General), $30 (Family), $12 (Junior under 16), $100 (Corporate), and if you don’t want to be bothered with having to remember each year, a life time membership costs just $300, and you get a tax-deductible receipt (life member only).
GENERAL MEETINGS SCHEDULE
No general meetings are held during the summer months. The following schedule covers all meetings through till next summer’s recess. Meetings are held at the Elgin Centre (was the Elgin School) at 144th and Crescent Rd, the third Thursday of the month (see schedule for exceptions), at 8 p.m. Members may bring guests. It’s bright, warm and comfortable and there is usually a film or other entertainment scheduled. SEPT. 15/88, OCT. 20/88, NOV. 17/88, JAN. 19/89, FEB. 16/89, MAR 16/89, APR. 21,89 (AGM), MAY 19/89, NOV. 17/89.
The CMFT’s Stranraer No. 915 in better days with No. 4 Squadron. Photo: G.S. Williams
The first Vancouver-built Shark running-up at Jericho July, 1939. Photo: F. Gardham
Jericho Beach was established in 1919 as the first permanent aviation facility in British Columbia. The first aircraft were Curtiss HS-2L boats (ter right) of the Canadian Air Board. Operations included fishing patrols, forest fire spotting and aerial photography and mapping. Photo: Vancouver Library G