Newsletter No. 16 April, 1982 – Canadian Museum of Flight

Museum Newsletter

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION No. 16 April, 1982

A Home For CMFT? -Details on Page 8

NOTICE OF MEETINGS

April 17, 9 a.m. Directors meeting. CMFT storage site, Zalesky farm.

April 22, 7:30 p.m. Minoru Pavilion committee room 1 (big building off Granville Ave. west of pool, same area as art centre). Annual meeting election night.

June 24, 7:30 p.m. Minoru Pavilion. General meeting.

Sept. 23, 7:30 p.m. Minoru Pavilion. General meeting.

MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION JAN. 20, 1982, RICHMOND ARTS CENTRE, RICHMOND, B.C.

Welcome Meeting called to order at 1940 hrs.

REPORTS, OLD BUSINESS

P.R.-Article in White Rock Sun Jan. 6, 1982. Front page editorial Aerostream Digest Nov./Dec., 1981. Peninsula Times, Victoria, re NAIS, Dec., 16, 1981. North Delta News, Dec., mention. Vancouver Sun article, pic but no caption.
Vancouver Island Branch-Bruce Duncan. Auster nearly ready for recover. Mrs. Fletcher offered to sew up bags. Workshop being built with buy back agreement of owner of property at end of term, at value donated and purchased materials. Field trips to other parts VI being planned to generate interest.
PVI Symposium-Bruce Duncan. Symposium of aircraft engineers being held feb. 11, 12, 13. Volunteers to man table: Ross Gregory, Bert Prothero, Dave Finnie, Bruce Duncan and Wilf Lawson.
Military Museums Display-March 15, 16. Forty people expected. Bruce Duncan to handle.
Shop-Ed Zalesky. Drywall ready except for taping. Wiring needs finishing up. Needs heat.
New Acquisitions-Ed Zalesky, Seabee, Fairey Battle.
Wonder Jackets Rose Zalesky. Orders coming in. Deadline for orders for first batch Jan: 30. Place name on order list.
Elections-April 14, 1982. Nomination committee is Barry Jackson. Directors’ meeting April 14, 1982, prior to regular meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

Membership Drive-Wayne Manning displayed a display/collections box he is making, suggestions for making received. CMHA suggested as source for inexpensive makeup. Committee is Wayne Manning and Ross Gregory.
Goodbye-Marjorie Nicol leaving for 15 years in China to teach.
Flea Market-Flea market/book exchange/book sale/open house/barbecue/public display day discussed (for late spring or early summer). No . offers of help
Dinner Meeting-2nd annual. Discussed. Auction session to be short. Worthwhile door prize to be offered. John Moutray and Mike Latimer are committee.
Surrey Zoning Problem-Ed Zalesky reported that member response with letters to Surrey have resulted in a request to apply for special zoning to accommodate CMFT on Zalesky property.
Plastic and Wood Model Kits Offer-A collection of models and engines offered to CMFT. Require sponsor for purchase. Price is $1500 for the lot plus $800 for 19 collector engines, plus $620 for ordinary engines. Most are
Meeting Format-Question of more formal meetings in future. Moved new. To be mentioned in newsletter. and seconded that informal meetings continue.
Meeting Dates Change-Due to conflict with Quarter Century in Aviation Club meetings, will try to re-schedule spring 1982 meetings. Members to try to locate alternate sites and report to Rose. Changes, if any, will be reported in newsletter.
Donation-Roy Willis donated another transmission for $55 helicopter.
Break-No film or slide show shown in respect of members’ requests for more time to talk. Door prizes were a flight bag donated by Air Canada, a first-date stamp cover, a military aircraft stamp collectors set and a Snow birds poster.
Adjournment-2130 hrs.

VANCOUVER ISLAND BRANCH, FEB. 17, 1982, METRO TOYOTA, VICTORIA

The meeting opened at 7:20 p.m. with 17 in attendance. The minutes of the last meeting were read, followed by the financial report. A progress report on the Island Branch workshop came next. The walls are up and the roof will be going on shortly. The recovery trip to Saltspring Island was discussed and Feb. 21 was set up as the date for the trip. (More details of this recovery trip will be found in the following pages). The remains of a Fairchild aircraft were also recovered for the museum. (Look for a story on this in a future issue of the newsletter).

The Auster project was the next topic. We will be trying to get the fuselage ready for the upcoming Mayfair Mall show. The fuselage must be ready by May, as Mel Orphan, who is storing it will be moving to Australia. Many thanks, Mel, for all your help. We’ll all miss you.

The Mayfair Mall show has some fantastic prizes. The rides include such aircraft types as a helicopter, a P-51 Mustang, a B-25 Mitchell and 4 rides available in a Cessna 150.

Under new business, a promotional TV program on Cable 10 featuring the recovery trip to Saltspring Island was planned.

The meeting was adjourned at 2200 hrs.

COVER PHOTO: Cornels of No. 24 EFTS lined up at Abbotsford Airport in the early forties, prior to becoming No, 5 OTU and reequipping with Liberators.

ON THE BOOKSHELF

“It was the mud, I think, that made me take to flying.” a memorable quote by William A. (Billy) Bishop, in his book Winged Warfare. It was originally written in 1917, while Bishop was a major on duty with the British War Mission in Washington, D.C. At that time he was only 23, and had already scored 47 victories. Billy Bishop went on to score 72 victories before the war’s end.

This new edition of Bishop’s autobiography has been edited by Colonel Stanley M. Ulanoff. With the addition of some 33 photographs and a number of appendices detailing in words and 3-views many of the aircraft involved in the story, this is by far the best edition of Winged Warfare.

Now available from the CMFT Bookshop in both hard cover and paperback.

Just Arrived-The Brave Young Wings by Ronald Dodds. The story of the Canadian airmen of the First World War. A really first class book.

A Thousand Shall Fall by Murray Peden. A Canadian boy tells his story of service with RAF Bomber Command during World War II.

The AVRO CF-100 by Larry Milberry, and another on the subject, CF-100 All Weather Fighter by Ron D. Page. The best books out on this classic Canadian jet fighter. No library should be without them.

Curtis HS2L G-CAFH of Pacific Airways. Struck off register in 1928. Its fate is unknown.

-NEWS BRIEFS-

March 5-6 saw Gary and Sue Mooney with Ron Krywiak, along with 40 participants at the Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries attending the second meeting of the Military Museum Association of B.C. Craig Evans of the B.C. Provincial Museum chaired the discussions which ranged from how to develop a collection to display techniques.

A very special speaker was Victor Suthren of the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Mr. Suthren gave an informative talk on how the War Museum collection grew into one of the finest in the world. Many new ideas that will help CMFT were discussed with Mr Suthren.

The question of legalities within a museum was the topic of Mr. Dan Galligar of the B.C. Provincial Muesum. Should a curator or a member of a museum be permitted to have a personal collection in the same field of interest as that of the museum he is a member? That question generated a lot of discussion.

Tentatively it was decided that the next meeting of the association would be within the next few months in Victoria, B.C. The topics for the next symposium will deal with restoration and preservation of museum artifacts.

At the conclusion, the doors of the Royal Westminster Regiment Museum were oponed for a tour of this small but very fine establishment. it is open for the general public during the afternoons. Be prepared for a pleasant tour.

The CMFT dinner meeting will be held one evening in May. John Moutray and Mike Latimer are organizing this event. Please contact them with your ideas and help to make this evening a great success. John Moutray can be reached at 321-2231 and Mike Latimer at 941-0195.

Make a point of marking Sunday, July 11, 1982 on your calendar. That will be the date of the CMFT open house, barbecue and swap meet at the Crescent Road storage site. Offers to help organize and carry out the project will be gratefully accepted by Rose. Phone her at 531-2465, 278-9804.

The Caterpillar Club, originated by the Irvin Air Chute Company of Buffalo, N.Y., began in 1920. The club was open to persons of any nationality who had made an emergency jump wearing an Irvin parachute. The word Caterpillar and the gold silkworm badge are trademarks of the Irvin Air Chute Company. In the early days parachutes were made of pure silk, hence the ‘caterpillar silkworm. Today, most modern parachutes are manufactured of nylon.

Between the date of the first emergency parachute jump and the end of 1939, 11 lives were saved in Canada by Irvin parachutes. After the outbreak of World War II, a great many airmen, both in Canada and overseas, became members of The Caterpillar Club. It was almost impossible to trace every single man whose life had been saved by a parachute jump, but where possible a gold caterpillar lapel pin was presented to every airman that could be traced.

Are you a member of The Caterpillar Club? If so, how about dropping us a line as we would like to hear from you. Write us a letter telling how you become a member of the club. The address is: The Caterpillar Club, c/o CMFT, 11040 Cambie Road, Richmond, B,C., V6X 1L2.

CMFT was mentioned in the Vol. 4, No. 4, January 1982 issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling magazine from England. In a 15-page article detailing the Westland Lysander by Paul A. Jackson, our Lysander remains were listed as two of the very few Lysanders in existence.

FROM NORWAY-June 5, 1980, at Rygge Main Air Force Base saw the historic reunion of Group Captain R. S. Mills (Ret.) and Gloster Gladiator N5641. Mr. Mills, one of the few survivors of 263 Squadron’s sojourn to Norway in April of 1940, was reintroduced to his mount of those days, N5641 HE-B.

The plane was one of the 13 Gladiators that were left in a damaged state at Lake Lesjaskogsvatn, when the RAF airmen left the area rather quickly in front of the advancing German Army. The aircraft was found by Mr. Ludvig Hope who moved it up to his cabin by the lake and built a shed to protect and conceal it. In 1977, the Gladiator was given to the Norwegian Defence Museum, and transported to Rygge Air Force Base, southeast of Oslo. Here the Airplane was completely restored, work being completed in January, 1980. It will remain at Rygge until it is transferred to the Norwegian Air Force Museum.

Maintenance symposium well attended

“A resounding success” is how Sea Island Campus Principal Gordon Dupont described the Pacific Vocational Institute’s Aircraft Maintenance Symposium held February 11-13 at the Richmond Inn, Richmond, B.C. “We had hoped for 300, prepared for 350 and got over 400 delegates,” Dupont said.

The majority of delegates were aircraft maintenance engineers from all over British Columbia, Alberta, the Yukon and the USA.

Thirty-six exhibitors from the aerospace industry filled all available places in the exhibition hall. Well-known specialists in aviation engineering, government and law led seminars on a variety of subjects.

Keynote speaker at the symposium banquet was Sheldon “Torch” Lewis, Vice-President of Lear Avia, Nevada. He spoke on the revolutionary new Lear Fan, an executive aircraft built of Kevlar composite material and powered by two Canadian Pratt and Whitney PT-6 engines driving a single pusher propeller.

Now we look forward to next year when the institute and the industry people will again work together to make the aviation symposium bigger and better-for the second time around.

The CMFT display booth at the PVI symposium at the Richmond Inn, Richmond, B.C. Photo by Earl Gerow.

AIRSHOW! The thrill returns

It’s almost that time of year again. You stand among the spectators on the tarmac. The ground shakes from the sound of the high-pitched jet engines roaring overhead. In a quieter moment the homebuilts, the antiques and the classics lift gently into the skies. All these aircraft blend together to create another summer airshow. Make your plans now to attend one of the Pacific Northwest airshows. Bring your family, friends and a picnic lunch and give us a hand in our display booth. We still need a coordinator for these events. If you can help contact Rose Zalesky at 278-9804.

Langley Days Air Fair, June 19-20, Langley, B.C.
Bellingham, Air Show, July 4-6, Bellingham, Wash.
Salmon Arm Fly-In, June 26-27, Salmon Arm, B.C.
Washington State International Airshow, July 17-18, Everett, Wash.
Antique/Classic Fly-In, Aug. 6-8, Shelton, Wash.
Antique/Classic Fly-In, Aug. 7-8, Chehalis, Wash.
Abbotsford International Airshow, Aug. 13-15, Abbotsford, B.C.
Evergreen Antique Airshow, Aug. 21-22, Vancouver, Wash.
Northwest EAA Fly-In, Aug. 27-29, Arlington, Wash.

Ed Zalesky presenting a print of the Tiger Moth to “Torch” Lewis of Lear/Avia on behalf of CMFT. Photo by Earl Gerow.

Wings and Wheels Auction Sets Record Prices in Florida

Current problems in the automobile industry were not in evidence at Christie’s auction of the contents of the Wings and Wheels Museum in Orlando, Florida on December 6, 1981 when a 1934 Packard five passenger sport phaeton fetched $350,000, a world record auction price for any American car. Acquired by Bob Adams of Union Grove, Wisconsin, who said he had been “in love with the car for many years,” it brought the top price in a three hour auction in which a rare Sopwith Camel plane from World War I brought $120,000, a 1928 Travel Air monoplane fetched $100,000 and a 1917-18 Curtiss JN-4 (lot 94), known as the Jenny to thousands of pilots in World War I, and used for barnstorming in the 1920’s, sold for $80,000. The three planes were bought by Richard N. Holbert for a new aircraft museum in Arkansas.

A high price was also realized for a 1930 five passenger red Duesenberg with a black leather top, that went for $110,000 to Martin Gordon of Dunedin, Florida accompanied by applause from the audience that included 400 registered bidders and about 600 observers. Mr. Gordon went to the sale intending to buy a pick-up truck for his son. but bought the Duesenberg “on impulse” for his wife.

In addition to the purchases made by the new museum, established museums from various parts of the world were active bidders. An aeronautical museum in Brazil acquired a Caudron used in World War I for $22,000, and a reproduction of a 1915 Nieuport II, the mainstay of the French Air Force Service in 1916. It brought $11,- 000. A foundation in the Netherlands, “Early Birds,” successfully bid $45,000 for a 1918 Fokker D-VII, made by the Dutchman Anthony Fokker. during his stay in Germany. The plane was considered the greatest of all Germany’s single seater fighters of World War I. This particular plane once belonged to Howard Hughes and was used in his classic 1927 film “Hell’s Angels” and again in 1937 in “Men with Wings.”

The National Aeronautical Collection in the National Museum of Science and Technology in Canada acquired a 1912 Farman MFII Shorthorn for $55,000. Douglas L. Champlin acquired a 1918 Pfalz DXII for a museum in Arizona devoted to fighting planes. This is the only example known to have survived except for those in The Australian Air Museum, the French Musee de l’Air and The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The San Diego Museum of Air acquired a 1916 S.P.A.D. VII for $48,000, and a 1912 Deperdussin Model C, its predecessor, for $42,000.

A private collector from England successfully bid $48,000 for a 1928 Commandaire while a private buyer from the State of Washington successfully bid $80,000 for the only known surviving example of the 1921 de Havilland outside museums.

An enterprising buyer from England bought a 1918 Nieuport 28 described in the catalogue as “a true basket case.” However, the catalogue also noted that “if restored it would be one of the seven or eight aircraft of this type known to survive.” Estimated to bring between $3,000 and $5,000, the British firm paid $22,000 plus 10% buyer’s premium.

The Wings and Wheels Museum was established four years ago when two not-for-profit organizations and a private collector pooled their resources to form one of the largest collections of classic aircraft and vintage automobiles in the world. In a hangar leased from the Orlando International Airport, the museum displayed the cars and planes supplemented by exhibitions of photographs, prints, and models as well as films tracing the history of transportation between the two World Wars. Having lost their lease and not being able to find suitable space, the museum trustees decided to disband..

Patrick Lindsay, a Director of Christie’s International and in charge of the Old Master Pictures Department at the firm’s headquarters in London, came to Orlando to conduct the auction. A collector of cars and planes himself, Mr. Lindsay enjoys an occasional switch from auctioning paintings by Poussin to auctioning cars like the Mercedes Benz at a Christie’s sale in California for a world record $400,000.

Christie’s has auctioned planes and cars in Eng. land, Scotland and the European Continent for many years and has been holding auctions of planes and collectors’ cars in America since shortly after the firm established its gallery in New York City in 1977. The majority of these sales are organized by Christine Eisenberg, in Christie’s West Coast office in Beverly Hills.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES-

Two mall shows are coming up in the near future. Mayfair Mall in Victoria will host one for the Island branch May 25-29. Contact Dave Jones at 479-4582, evenings. June 7-12 are the dates for the show at Cottonwood Corners Mall, Chilliwack. Contact Rose Zalesky at 278-9804. We could use someone to coordinate this show.

The Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association will be meeting June 17-18 this year, in Hamilton, Ont. Members of CMFT will be in attendance at this conference. The highlight of the meet will be the Canadian Warplane Heritage Airshow June 19-20 at Hamilton.

WORK BEES-The majority of the airplane hulks and parts were ‘thrown in’ under cover in December and early January. Unfortunately the miserable weather since has discouraged further work at the farm site. Original plans called for work parties every weekend but this has proven unworkable, as the Zaleskys get no time off.

A schedule should be ready by the time this newsletter is printed. If you want to help. phone Rose at 531-2465 for a copy.

YARD AND BUILDINGS PROJECTS-Rearrange, sort, identify, mark and catalog the material in the storage sheds. Start by putting individual airplanes and their attendant parts and components together where possible. Due to the urgency in getting the aircraft inside for the winter, parts got separated and scattered. How about one or two people taking on the project, calling on help from other members as required. This will take months to complete and need not be restricted to work-bee days.

AIRPLANE REBUILD PLANS-Once we have accomplished the work schedule relating to the shop, we can begin our planned rebuilds as follows:

1. Radioplane Target Drone. Requires repairs to butchered metal, repainting, assembling and overhaul of the McCulloch engine.
2. Primary Glider. Complete going over of woodwork and replacement as necessary. Clean, prepare and repaint all metal parts. Recover and reassemble.
3. Lysander. Or another large project. To strip and paint. Sand, clean. Prepare and repaint bare fuselage frame for storage.

These projects can be done concurrently. The sheet metal men can attach themselves to the Radioplane project, the woodworkers to the glider and those without special skills can work on all three projects as needed.

It is obvious that we need someone to take on the organizing and carrying out of each of these projects. Any offers?

The target drone and glider were chosen because CMFT needed some small, easy-to-display items. Both of these will look very good. Other projects, such as the L4, can be started once these are out of the way.

Craftsmen wanted

The following items are needed by CMFT. We will provide materials, although we will most certainly not refuse the donation of them. Can. someone offer to build the following items:

Display board blanks-A signwriter has offered. to make up descriptive signboards describing each of our flying airplanes, and rebuild projects, but wants us to supply the ready-to-use boards. We need lots of them made of hardboard, with edges neatly sanded, measuring 24″ by 16″, and some 30″ by 20″. These are to be primed and painted in white satin or gloss enamel. About 20 of each size.
Display stands-Light aluminum (conduit) tripods to hold above signs. Should be collapsible for easy storage and transport.
Poster rack-We’ve gone through two of them so far, and need a “class” stand to display posters at shopping centres, air shows, etc. The present. one might be partially salvaged by an ingenious carpenter. The ideal one (which we hardly dare hope for) would be a vertical, free standing rack that would have the posters individually mounted in metal (or plastic) frames that are hinged- something like those used by wallpaper and linoleum sales outlets but custom fit to the posters, which measure 25″ high by 35″ wide. Has anyone a source for extruded or formed aluminum channel that would be suitable, something like the material used in making up window screens, and for the acrylic sheet that is needed as protection for each poster? Please let us know what you can arrange. We’re trying to come up. ‘th good stuff as cheaply as possible.

OUR FUTURE HOME?

CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AND TRANSPORTATION

Has been searching for a home for 5 years.

An option has now been offered on Fort Langley Airport. This is an excellent location for the following reasons.

1. Already an existing airport
2. Waterfront facilities on the Fraser River for float planes
3. Trackage for railway and steam buffs.
4.50 acres. Room to relocate and amalgamate all transportation museums….
5. Hanger storage and tie downs for those who wish to rent or lease.
6. Coffee shop (planned)

$1,000,000 IS NEEDED!

A benefactor or group of benefactors who could come up with the sum of $1,000,000 plus. Time is of the essence. Monies to be paid in over a period of 5 to 10 years.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW!

This is a chance of a lifetime! Please help out your museum by letting as many people as you can know about our endeavours.

All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE and receipts will be issued.

NEW MEMBERS

Jim Phillips, Victoria, B.C.
Kevin Cromie, Richmond, B.C.
Meaghan Cromie, Richmond, B.C.
Stuart Johnson, Williams Lake, B.C.
J. Rebordosa, Calgary, Alta.
Ted Brown, Lancaster Park, Alta.
Roderick MacDonald, Vancouver, B.C.
Bruce Pritchard, Vancouver, B.C.
Ernie How, Cutknife, Sask.
Sheldon Boles, Langley, B.C.
Steven Kennedy, Richmond, B.C
Terry Elgood, Richmond, B.C.
Bob Styan, N. Vancouver, B.C.
Gavin R. Wood, N. Vancouver, B.C.
Jeff Pritchard, Ladner, B.C.
R. Bullivant, Ferndale, Wash. W. A.
Lawrie, Burnaby, B.C.
J. A. Clarke, Jr., Delta, B.C.
Mark Fortune, W. Vancouver, B.C.
Carell Alden, N. Vancouver, B.C.
Ross Kimmerly, Surrey, B.C.
R. P. Kimmerly, Surrey, B.C.
Wilf Lawson, Richmond, B.C.
Bill Stormont, Delta, B.C.
Mrs. Patti R. Clarke, Delta, B.C.
R. Clouthier, Delta, B.C.
Gary J. Westhora, Chipewyan, Alta.
Brian Holt, Burnaby, B.C.
Robert M. Stitt, Surrey, B.C.
Rudolph Yancie Jr., Legend, Alta.
R. Earle, Coquitlam, B.C.
Marilynne Shewchuk, Delta, B.C.
Bruce Tout, Victoria, B.C.
John Gilmore, Victoria, B.C.
A. G. Leask, Victoria, B.C.
Brent Palmer, Victoria, B.C.

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.

ElectionTime Again

Museum director election time is rolling around again. Would you like to become an active director in our museum affairs? April 22, 7:30 p.m. is the deadline for the nomination of new officers for the year. Contact Barry Jackson of the nomination committee at 985-1321 (office), or 534-0815 (res.)

RECENT DONATIONS-

many thanks from the museum for the many donations that have been coming into the collection. Our thanks go out to

Ernie Clark,
L. D. Molstal,
Hugh Lylye,
Dennis Fadden,
Led Abbey,
Marjorie Nicol,
Dave Wilson,
Roy Willis,
John Lyne,
Earl Warren
Cheryl Fleming.

CLASSIFIED ADS

The Classified Ads will be a new feature of our newsletter. If you have anything to trade or sell and are a member of CMFT, just drop us a note c The CMFT Classified, 11040 Cambie Road, Richmond, B.C., VEX TL2.

CMFT needs those old plastic models kits that you may have sitting around the house gathering dust. We would like to be able to construct some displays for use at mall shows. Contact Rose at 278-9604.

CMFT is the owner of a light trailer. This trailer is perfect for use at airshows as a mobile sales and display stand. Before this can be done, we need someone to reconstruct the trailer for this use. Please contact Rose Zalesky if you are able to take on the project.

We need a photo lab. Could any of the photographers in our group take on the project! We need expert advice on how to design a photo lab for copying those old snaps that have been coming into the collection. Contact Rose at the CMFT office

From Ross Gregory-Whoever borrowed a German Air Force pass book from me, please return it to Rose Zalesky. I have donated it to our mu seum.

Who would like to go on a tour of the Boeing Aircraft construction plant? We are trying to put together a tour of the facility. It will probably be limited to 20 persons. You will have to provide your own transportation or organize some car pools. Contact the CMFT office.

More bookshelves are needed for our museum library. Most of the materials are on hand but we need someone to build the shelves. If you can help out, please phone the museum office at 278-9804.

WANTED 2-5 gallon fuel tank for use on portable diesel generator, 531- 2465, 271-9804.

Sponsor wanted

CMFT has been offered, at $240, a set of 10 encapsulated sterling silver medals, 38mm in diameter, in a red presentation case as issued by Air Canada in 1977 to mark their 40th anniversary, and minted by the Royal Canadian Mint. A descriptive leaflet is included.

The seller might trade for coins. We can issue a tax receipt for either the cash or the coins (if they are accepted in on trade). Phone Rose at 278-9804 or 532-2465 if you can help in acquiring this set of medals for the permanent CMFT collection. All or part of the required funds will be greatfully accepted.

Anyone can support the printing of this newsletter in the following novel and inexpensive way: CMFT will print your business card for $10 per issue. As you are aware, our members are a very supportive group, and will, we are sure, pass on any business to you, regardless of what your line is. If you don’t have a card, send us the $10 and we’ll print your name and the fact that you helped sponsor the newsletter in a box the size of a card.

PARTS, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS WE BUY & SELL SALVAGE PARTS PROCUREMENT SERVICE AIRPLANES

AIRPLANE SUPPLY CENTRE Owned and Operated by: ED’S WESTERN AVIATION SALES LTD.

1104 CAMBIE ROAD RICHMOND, B.C. CANADA V6X 1L2 Phone: (604) 278-9804

E.V. “ED” ZALESKY

Brian, Mike, Eileen and Heather Weeks indicate their support of this publication by the purchase of this space at $10.

Consolidated Privateer Report

The third and final semi-load is now enroute to Michigan, and the rest of the airplane is in storage.

The receiving museum has requested no publicity at present, and will make an announcement at the appropriate time.

A Spitfire Mk. II, in relatively good condition, has appeared recently on the sands of the beach west of Calais, France. It’s not known as yet the circumstances that led to its loss, or even the aircraft’s identity, but knowing the dedication of some of the British aviation archaeologists, it won’t be long before the whole story of this aircraft is discovered.

FROM WALES-The crash site of Lysander P1719 has been found at Hafod Heulog, about 6 miles SE of Port Talbot, Wales. Lysander P1719 of Air Gunnery School Stormy Down, crashed on 12 Feb., 1942, while engaged on a target towing exercise. The pilot of this aircraft was Sgt. A. V. Roffey, RCAF. Both pilot and observer were killed in the accident. The remains of this aircraft will more than likely be moved to the Gwalia Aviation Research Group Museum in Wales.

Hampden crash site cleaned up

On January 14, 1944, RAF Handley-Page Hampden No. 126 flew into the side of Mount Tuam, Saltspring Island, killing the pilot, Flying Officer Birch. The aircraft had been on a test flight from Pat Bay Air Station…

Over the years, various members of CMFT had been to the wreck site and viewed the remains.. About a year and a half ago, our museum group received permission from the Ministry of National Defence to salvage the remains for display purposes.

We sent a survey team over to the island on Feb. 21, to plan how the remains could be removed. The recovery group left Swartz Bay ferry terminal at 8:40 a.m., Feb. 28, 1982. The convoy consisted of 6 trucks, a trailer and a couple of cars. Before the crash site could be reached, the old logging road to the area had to be cleared. Many rocks and dead branches had fallen onto the road.

A quick survey of the area, and the crew went to work. In six hours the crash site had been completely cleaned up. While part of the crew were doing this, the rest were loading the Hampden remains onto the trucks and trailer. Increasing darkness brought a halt to the recovery work. All the remaining wreckage was removed by the clean-up crew on the following weekend. A. memorial for the site is presently under construction by the museum. We are going to make it as vandal-proof as possible.

Our thanks go out to the crew members that helped save the Hampden remains. A lot of cuts, scratches and bruises can be seen on Sue and Gary Mooney, Dave Jones, Tom Palmer, Wally Juene, Ward Strocher, Frank Roche, John ‘Griz Lyne, Mike Merriman, Peter Knowles, David Knowles, Dave Lane, Charles Knowles, Bob Bullough, Brent Palmer, Ernie Clark, Wayne Cromie, Rob Kennedy, Wayne Manning, Ron Krywiak and a special thanks to Brian Davies for the loan of his truck.

Bequests To CMFT

The subject has been brought to your attention before, but it’s important, so here we go again…

If you have something that is illustrative of aviation or transportation history, be it large or small, that you treasure, please give some thought to providing that it be bequeathed to CMFT in your will. There are two very good reasons why you should not put it off.

First, changes in the tax laws allow for the appreciated value of the goods to be used for issuance of an income tax receipt, which might have beneficial effects when computing succession duties on your estate. You might consider this an important enough factor to make it worthwhile to part with the item during your lifetime.

Secondly, if you do not specify disposition of this material, and your executors or trustees are not interested, irreplaceable items may be lost or dispersed to insensitive people who have no interest in preserving our heritage. The Department of Supply and Services, who dispose of properties not otherwise provided for, has no heart.

It is not in bad taste for those who are in a position to advise clients that a bequest be made to CMFT. A donation of goods or money, no matter how small, helps in our efforts to preserve our heritage for future generations.