DON'T SAY I DIDN'T tell you!
AVRO ARROW DAY - Book Launch & Presentation at Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.
NOVEMBER 12, 2011 - 1 pm in the Dome
AVRO ARROW POWER POINT PRESENTATION by Author Marc-Andre Valiquette. Regular admission, FREE to members.
Following the presentation, Marc-Andre Valiquette will launch his latest book on the Avro Arrow, "DESTRUCTION OF A DREAM - Volume 4". Avro Arrow artifacts from Marc's personal collection and the Museum's collection will be on display.
=☆= The MEMPHIS BELLE =☆=
The Belle makes a grand landing.
It ain't often CANADIANS get to see a real live B-17 at a Canadian air show. Hamilton was visited by two!!
Very few people know that the RCAF took on strength and operated six B-17s in bare-metal finish during WW II!
…was a lotta' fun—
TOO LONG has ::: the HAMILTON AIR SHOW ::: been gone from the scene.
Previously run by a third party, the immensely popular regional air show became a losing venture. So it had to end. Once the middleman took his cut, there wasn't much left for the museum.
AND that—just wasn't right.
So the CANADIAN WARPLANE HERITAGE MUSEUM did what it always does…MADE THINGS RIGHT! It took over the event, it took back control, and hosted its own air show!
Proceeds will go to CWH this time. As they should. What great work they do keeping Canadian history alive!!!
Great job Warplane!!
I had an EXCELLENT time!
For those who DIDN'T go…we don't hate ya', we'll just never forgive ya' ~
…think.
AND WHEN it does, it will be the only flying Bristol Bolingbroke in the world!
Put that in your pipe and smoke it!!
COAST PROTECTORS and TRAINERS… that's what these twin-engine bombers were used for in Canada.
RCAF CANADIAN BOLINGBROKES were manufactured by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd., Longueil, PQ. Canada. The Quebec factory built a total of 687 Bolingbrokes between 1939 and 1943.
The Pic shows us the FUTURE, the PRESENT, and the PAST.
SEE Assembly Video:
www.thespec.com/news/local/article/307111--monumental-ass...
THIS IS Flight Lieutenant D.E. Hornell, VC's Canso of RCAF No. 162 "Osprey" Squadron.
Well, THIS WAS the paint scheme of Hornell's Canso (PBY Catalina, to the Americans) and brought back to life through the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, in Hamilton, Ontario. Here CWH's Canso is being put back into the hangar after an unscheduled flight on Thanksgiving Day.
Hornell's Canso attacked, and sunk, U-boat U-1225 on June 24, 1944 using depth charges at co-ordinates 63.00N, 00.50W which is north-west of Bergen, Norway.
AND ALTHOUGH, David Hornell born in Toronto, was awarded the Victoria Cross for both his conduct in the attack of U-boat U-1225, which they sank, and whilst awaiting rescue in their dinghy (they were also shot down during their attack), he isn't worthy to title a Toronto airport.
Namely, Toronto Island Airport.
Nope, that honour must go to Billy Bishop who apparently is the only Canadian war hero Toronto City Council has ever heard do of.
And… he ain't from TO.
The mayor of Toronto, David Miller, recently stepped down as mayor.
Good riddance.
The MUCH AWAITED Heritage Flight was nixed today on Father's Day.
The North American B-25, the Fairey Firefly, the Avro Lancaster and the new-member-to-the-club Westland Lysander were supposed to meet up in the sky, and do a together, heritage flypast over the skies of Hamilton—
Didn't happen.
What did happen is that shortly after takeoff, a hydraulic warning light went off in the cockpit of Victory Aircraft Canadian-made (made in Toronto… dontcha' love how I emphasize where it was made) Lancaster.
The Lanc' pilot executed a cautionary move, left the Lanc's gear down, thereby deciding not to chance raising them… since he might not get them back down for landing and broke ranks from the Heritage fly-past formation.
He immediately swung the gentle giant around, lined her up (see above), and made an emergency landing amidst a sea of fire-trucks!
The other three WW II aircraft followed through with a flypast, the Lysander taking up the rear to launch herself into a solo effort for the public on her first public day out. The Lysander WAS ALSO made in Toronto!
Good news… there was no resultant damage for the Lanc' upon landing. The Lanc' will now get an intensive look over to fix any problems and to ensure she is flight worthy… ASAP!!
(Long distance photo)
SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT in deteriorating weather conditions on November 13, 1941, RCAF Avro Anson W1672 with a training crew of five aboard slammed into Caledon Mountain…not far from the legendary Forks of the Credit.
The crew had lost their bearings.
The pilot thinking he was still near Hamilton, Ontario dropped to an elevation of 1200 feet above sea level, taking the Anson just below cloud cover when disaster struck. While that might have been a safe aerial height for RCAF Station: Mount Hope…it wasn't for Caledon Hills, Ontario.
Three British RAF navigators perished in the mishap.
One in the arms of a rescue worker, another was discovered dead after having crawled 200 feet from the wreckage, and the third later in hospital. Dennis Donahue, Denis Drayton and Reginald Gillman became the first training casualties of No. 33 RAF Navigation School based out of Hamilton, Ontario commonly known as YHM and Hamilton International Airport (hi). By the war's end there would be eleven others. They all rest in peace, nearby, at St. Paul's Glanford Anglican Church on the "Mountain".
Surprisingly the pilot and the wireless operator survived!
Take a second look at the Anson's nose will ya—
Miracle.
Majorie Cluff who resided two miles away on Highway #10, spotted the aircraft going down and alerted other locals. The wreck was found four hours later by Arthur Bracken, a Caledon farmer, who discovered the tragedy after hearing someone cry out. No lights around for miles, and brambles everywhere "in the hills" the aircraft was not an easy find.
Not even ten years after this crash, hockey legend Conn Smythe, owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs (1927 - 1961), and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens would buy 2,000 acres of Caledon land where he both lived and ran Smythe Racing Stables. Smythe and his son led the Leafs through their glory years and he also found time to breed his own horses and win the esteemed Queen's Plate twice! This former Anson crash site was located on his property and not far from his actual home.
(Photo by Ruth Braiden, courtesy of daughter, Urla Braiden and Fay McCrea of Caledon Village Heritage, Post-Production - Special Projects In Research)
You guys know what I am talking about.
When groups here in Canada want to prevent our singing of the national anthem publicly…as far as I am concerned war has been declared.
So CANADIAN FREEDOM will have to be fought for all over again, but not over there in Europe, or the Far East, or Africa, but right here on our own soil.
In Canada.
So,
"Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong!'"
FREEDOM must always be earned…by each generation…it seems that IS the will of God.
And if your don't care about freedom…your freedom will be taken away. Inch by inch…or by blitzkrieg. That's the rule.
THOSE HEROES flying our Canadian bombers knew it. Do you?
There SHE is.
The SILVER DART.
100 years later.
Replica.
In Hamilton, Ontario.
YHM.
Yes, safe inside the world famous hangar of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, being disassembled as NWAII looks on, to be crated and sent on to Baddeck Bay, Nova Scotia for its 100th Anniversary celebration flight, a mere two weeks from now on February 23, 2009.
What IS the Silver Dart besides being a “Drive” (road) around the inside perimeter of Toronto’s Pearson International Airport?
From the Canadian Encyclopedia:
“The Silver Dart, was the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to fly in Canada; designed and built by the Aerial Experiment Association (Oct 1907-Mar 1909) under Alexander Graham BELL (yeah…the same Canadian guy who invented the telephone), a flight enthusiast since boyhood.
After several successful flights at Hammondsport, NY, early in 1909 the Silver Dart was dismantled, crated and brought to Baddeck Bay, NS, the Bells' Canadian home. The "aerodrome" (Bell's preferred term) had a 14.9 m wingspan and an all-up weight of 390 kg, pilot included.
J.A.D. MCCURDY was the principal designer and pilot; Glenn H. Curtiss developed the water-cooled engine, an advance on the association's earlier experiments. Pulled on230to the ice of Baddeck Bay by horsedrawn sleigh on Feb 23, the silver-winged machine rose on its second attempt after travelling about 30 m, flying at an elevation from 3 to 9 m at roughly 65 km/hr for 0.8 km.
Over 100 of Bell's neighbours witnessed the first flight of a British subject anywhere in the Empire.
The Silver Dart flew more than 200 times before being damaged beyond repair upon landing in the soft sand of Petawawa, Ont, during military trials in early Aug 1909. The engine was later retrieved and restored and is now on display at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa. A full-scale model of the Silver Dart may be found in Ottawa's National Aviation Museum.” (Norman Hillmer)
Former Canadian Space Shuttle astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason flew the newest Silver Dart replica, just a few metres above Hamilton runways, on both Friday and Sunday. Incidentally this replica was built by a group of volunteers from Welland Ontario. And one of those volunteers is incidentally related to J.A.D. McCurdy, the Dart’s original pilot!
Another replica of the Silver Dart crashed in 1959 from flight instability originating from the airplane’s nose. The nose of any version of the Silver Dart has a strong tendency to move up and down uncontrollably, and Bjarni Tryggvason has wind-tunnel tested and engineered some changes from the original aircraft’s design to correct this flaw.
Other minor changes were made to the replica aircraft as well.
Nylon has replaced the original Dart’s silver coloured silk, and oddles of HOCKEY TAPE help keep the ancient design together. Where the reader can see stick framing surrounded by black splotches on all the aircraft’s joints, that is, hockey tape doing its thing!
Real Canadians use hockey tape, NOT duct tape, Mr. Green.
Oh and Bjarni and company…do tell the media and public when you decide to fly your beastie!
We really are interested in any Silver Dart flight…if you only give us a chance!!
I had to drive at breakneck speed, avoid two head-on collisions, and ended up mowing down two unsuspecting old ladies on the outskirts of Mount Hope…just to get to the Museum, and for what? You had already flown the Dart.
The disassembly was fascinating to watch though.
One stick at a time–
"The Hurricane Mk 4 of Vintage Wings of Canada is painted in the markings of RAF 6 Squadron, “The Flying Tin Openers”, which operated the Hurry in the “tank- busting” and ground attack role.
Many Canadian pilots flew the cannon-equipped tank-buster variant with 6 Sqn. on operations in North Africa."
Vintage Wings of Canada
CANADIAN PILOTS practiced by flying these "Hurris" only 10 or so feet above the ground. The actual Hurricane used was a Mk IID which was never used as a fighter-plane. They were used for low-level bombing raids against tanks, supply trucks, and large artillery guns (88 mm anti-tank gun).
These HURRICANES were feared by the German Africa Korps because their twin 40 mm cannons could penetrate the very thick armour plating found on their medium to heavy desert tanks.
THE RCAF LIVES ON…and the past carries forward into the future.
We shan't forget!
Why would we? These were the start of glory years for Canada! Think British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
By 1939, Canada was a nation at war with Nazi Germany and beehive of military activity!
Of readying for war, and fighting in the war.
Until 1941, America was still a neutral nation…so on the open seas, U-boats bypassed American vessels and routinely engaged Canadian and British ones.
TENS OF THOUSANDS of Canadians and British subjects were being trained in Canada on all fronts, for the war.
Until 1941, everyone knew where the action was on the North American continent!
CANADA!!
MANY AMERICANS couldn't take it…
Being on the sidelines that is.
And so they came north to Canada. In droves.
HUNDREDS Of AMERICAN FLYERS a month were joining the RCAF for various duties. And they donned the RCAF blue uniforms. 9,000 eventually. 800 eventually died in RCAF service.
There was one notable difference between American and Canadian joiners.
Americans in the RCAF remained under jurisdiction of the RCAF. They swore allegiance ONLY TO THE RCAF and not to the Crown. Swearing allegiance to the Crown, the British monarchy, resulted in forfeiture of citizenship for an American.
And when America joined the war, two years and three months later…these very Americans were free to go back home and join the USAAF. 1, 759 left right after Pearl Harbour. 2,000 more later on, and the rest? Well they stayed.
But those that left took with them one major advantage.
Wartime experience.
Many had already seen combat and/or had hundreds of hours of flying experience in various military aircraft.
And that's all I have to say on this little trip down memory lane…
…but not a frequent one. Lest not on these WW II “beasties”.
AIR MILES while fabulous…don’t try them here.
At the Canadian Warplane Heritage.
Ixnay–
“But I should be able to use them to fly on these planes!” slurs some malcontent behind me.
“Did you just say planes?”
“Uh huh.”
“Listen you mealy-mouthed…(fairy). These aircraft are the royalty of the aviation world. Former RCAF, not commoner aircraft like Air Canard flies. Now, get lost before I forget I’m Canadian, and am supposed to be a nice guy!“
And you, walkaway babe in blue…dressed more for the Promenade, than a flight aboard a warbird…you have yourself a grand flight! And I’ll catch you on the flyover.
THE SPITFIRE, of course, was/is an icon in the world of aviation.
BUT THE SPITFIRE was always more than just an airplane…it became the simultaneous symbol of the Allies' defiance, relentlessness, and victory.
The Hawker Hurricane was the "workhorse" of the Battle of Britain, and the arrival of the American fighterplanes later in the war ensured our eventual win, but the Spitfire gave a country hope in its' darkest hour.
When THE SPITFIRE joined the fray in the skies, it lead everyone to believe THREE THINGS: that "we can do it (we can win this war)", " we will do it", AND "we are going to look good, when we do it!"
And we did.
"THREE THOUSAND MILES across a hunted ocean they came, wearing on the shoulder of their tunics the treasured name, "CANADA," telling the world their origin.
Young men and women they were, some still in their teens, fashioned by their Maker to love, not to kill, but proud and earnest in their mission to stand, and if it had to be, to die, for their country and for freedom.
One day, when the history of the twentieth century is finally written, it will be recorded that when human society stood at the crossroads and civilization itself was under siege, the Royal Canadian Air Force was there to fill the breach and help give humanity the victory.
And all those who had a part in it will have left to posterity a legacy of honour, of courage, and of valour that time can never despoil."
Father J.P. Lardie, Chaplain of 419/428 Squadron
(Engraved on the last panel are these words from his speech at the dedication of the RCAF Memorial at Middleton St. George, Great Britain 15/6/85.)
…ever get.
CF-100 Canuck.
Made in Toronto.
In the 50s.
692 were made. Flew with the RCAF for 29 years.
The Way We Were ::: 1939 ::: CANADA
On September 3rd, Britain, France, Holland, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany.
On September 4th, Britain's Royal Air Force began its first attacks on German warships.
On September 5th, the United States of America made an announcement declaring its neutrality.
On September 9th, it was learned that two Canadian women were on the unarmed ocean liner, SS Athenia," which had been sunk by German U-boats.
On September 10th, CANADA declared war on Germany independently of the British Commonwealth declaration.
TWO INNOCENT Canadian women died… and IMMEDIATELY the whole country rallied for war.
Wow…how times have changed!
Waffle… waffle… waffle…
Afghanistan… should we stay… should we go… heck only 24 INNOCENT CANADIANS died in 9/11. Remember an Afghan Taliban government that supported al-Qaeda in those years, and also gave those murderers safe harbour!
ANYWAYS…back to 1939, when men were still men…and we didn’t have politicians like Liberal Michael Ignatieff who called the Canadian 9/11 victim’s families “a sideshow”.
Then again the Liberals are more likely to care about Taliban detainees… than about Canadian soldiers, the Canadian victims of 9/11, or furthering democracy worldwide.
CANADIAN 9/11 victim MAUREEN BASNICKI responded to “Iggy” (who never did apologize, by the way) on a talk show that aired on February 27, 2007.
“Sideshow? I was a victim of terrorism. My husband was murdered.”
Our heartfelt condolences for your loss, Maureen, and additionally our condolences for the embarrassing response of the Chrétien Liberals who were masquerading as our Federal government back then…
Again…back to 1939, when men were still men…
Well, we had to start our war somewhere back then.
So Canada, and the RCAF, started it with the Bristol Bolingbroke!
The Bristol-developed Blenheim IV was “adopted” by the RCAF for coastal reconnaissance in 1939. The "Boly" was produced, as the Bolingbroke, in Canada, until 1943, under license by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. then located in Longueuil, Quebec.
THE FIRST BOLINGBROKE entered service with the Royal Canadian Air Force in November of 1939.
Patrols were flown on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and a Bolingbroke became involved in the first successful RCAF attack of a Japanese submarine (R032) on July 7, 1942. This Japanese sub was sunk with the assistance of the US Navy on Canada's Pacific Coast. And those BC folk thought they were so safe!
BOLINGBROKES served throughout the war as bombing and gunnery trainers, and as target tugs in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
Production of this aircraft, with its then modern, stressed skin design, initially caused some difficulty for our Canadian workers, who previously had no experience with this particular type of construction.
A total of 676 Bolingbrokes were eventually built, in seven different variations.
And now, again we’re…
Going. For. Broke.
But we’re only trying to build ONE this time!
The work on this Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Bolingbroke continues slowly. Sections of the aircraft are in various stages of completion and in particular the Museum needs engines for her “Boly” !!
Pratt & Whitney, SB-4G, R-1535, 14 cylinder twin Wasp Juniors to be exact–
Only 15 Bolingbrokes were built with these engines, and all were flown by the “City of Hamilton” Squadron.
If you have these engines, or anything Bolingbroke related, and/or a generous heart, contact the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at (905) 679-4183.
“We want our Boly… We want our Boly… We want our Boly…finished!”
Where the hell are all the corporate sponsors for this historical, and most worthy project? !!!
INSET images were taken from the 1945 movie, “Son of Lassie” starring Peter Lawford with a young June Lockhart (future Lost In Space mom)… and all are Canadian Bolingbrokes, of course!
In the middle: The Canadian Warplane Heritage "Boly" goes "visiting" on the back of a trailer.
‘nuff said.
© CAM
© CWH
© Wikipedia
© Special Projects IR
© Warner Brothers and Turner Entertainment
