Events

Journal Report

Dear CAHS National Members:
As you read this, proofreading for Journal 54-3 (Fall 2016) is just wrapping up and it is off to the printers. Meanwhile, the package containing Journals 54-1 (Spring 2016) and 54-2 (Summer 2016) will already have arrived in mailboxes (or email inboxes, as the case may be) worldwide.

With regard to the online versions delivered via email, please let us know if you have not received the 54-1 and 54-2 attachments, for we experienced a few “bounces” and invalid emails in the initial mass mailing and, while every attempt was made to correct email data errors and re-transmit, it is quite possible that we may not have addressed all such issues (it seems that there is no uniform clear protocol used by various internet service provides to let either the sender or receiver, or both, know about bounces, dropped attachments, or invalid email addresses). The covers for these two Journals are illustrated below for your reference. The initial mailings were done on May 5th and 6th, while re-transmissions of bounced individual e-mailings were attempted within the week following the bulk e-mailing.

Although very small in number, these email issues are a concern that, with your help, will be resolved by the time the online edition of Journal 54-3 is transmitted within the coming week or so (it is sent as soon as the mailing house lets us know the traditional memberships’ hard-copies are with Canada Post.

Here is a preview, with the table of contents, for that issue:

Journal 54-3 (Fall 2016):

The Curious Case of Ernest Lloyd Janney and the Mysterious Disappearing Canadian Aviation Corps (Part 1)
The first part in an extensive examination of Janney’s career as both a real and imagined Canadian aviator. By Hugh A. Halliday.

Canadair’s Tutor-Emeritus: Addendum 2 – CL-41 Models & Proposed Variants
Bill Upton winds down the CL-41 Tutor / Tebuan history with a concise examination of the might-have-beens of the line.

M&C Aviation, SaskAir, and Norcanair (Part 1) – Richmond Mayson, Angus Campbell, and Saskatchewan Government Airways
Regina writer Will Chabun chronicles the history of Saskatchewan’s longest-lived airline from its bushplane beginnings.

The RCAF’s UK-Built Hurricane Mk.Is – Part 4: The RCAF Hurricane Is Overseas
The RCAF’s earliest Hurricanes cross the Atlantic for a second time, now as the equipment of No 1 (Fighter) Squadron, in the concluding installment of Carl Vincent’s detailed account.

In Review
Fred Hutcheson reviews All the Fine Young Eagles by David Bashow.

Work is also well underway in both layout and photo preparation for Journal 54-4 (Winter 2016). Contents include the continuation of Hugh Halliday’s “Janney” account, as well as the second and concluding part of Will Chabun’s history of the Saskatchewan airline that started life as a bushplane operation in the early 1930s. Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame (CAHF) historian and CAHS National Executive member John Chalmers returns with his annual illustrated review of the Canadian aviation notables inducted into the CAHF in 2016, while Yukon author Donna Clayson blends period history with a restoration story in chronicling the career of Fokker Super Universal CF-AAM. This is Donna’s first CAHS Journal contribution – those who enjoyed Jack Stiff’s recent article on Junkers Ju 52 CF-ARM (“Flying Boxcar...” Vol 54 No 2) will no doubt welcome Donna’s piece. To top it off, researcher Terry Judge also supplements Donna’s piece with a concise historical summary of the CF-AAM’s career.

The finalizing work on this Journal – one of three currently at some active stage of content development (see 55-1 and 55-2 below) – will resume in earnest once we’re back from the CAHS National Convention. To that end, thanks are due in advance to our all-volunteer CAHS Journal Editorial Board. They continue to do stellar work despite the elevated intensity of editorial activity of late. Likewise, we’re fortunate that both new and veteran contributors continue to submit material ranging from outlines and more detailed proposals to full manuscripts complete with images. Perhaps we’ll have the opportunity to add to that potential while attending the convention?

Drawing on the current repository, Vol 55 No 1 (Spring 2017) – our first Journal for the 2017 publication year – is shaping up nicely. Much of the written content is already blocked in and the search for additional images (the usual filling out or otherwise supplementing of the range of author-supplied photo coverage) is in progress.

Vol 55 No 2 (Summer 2017) is not to far behind it with content now shortlisted and proto layout work commencing. The remaining two 2017 editions look equally promising and varied. Hugh Halliday’s informative and entertaining account of the farcical Ernest Lloyd Janney will continue to its conclusion in Volume 55 while other subjects, ranging from interwar bushplanes and their operators to postwar Canadian naval aviation and our aviation industry’s early flirtation with V/STOL aircraft, are picked up. All should help keep us on track for catching up the publication schedule to actual publication dates before 2017 is over.

Our Journal is set to continue well beyond the end of 2018. While the current repository remains “healthy”, new material – potential feature articles, the occasional In Brief and Historical Snapshot item, photos, drawings, cover art, the whole gamut – is always welcomed. Have something to contribute? Please do get in touch.

With thanks!
Terry

Jet Aircraft Museum Celebration of 30th Anniversary of the “Last Flight of the Voodoo”

By Gord McNulty

On April 9, 1987, CF-101 Voodoo #101006 made the last flight of the “One-O-Wonder” in the world from CFB Chatham to CFB Greenwood. In commemoration of that flight, the Jet Aircraft Museum (www.jetaircraftmuseum.ca) held a celebration at its London base on April 9. The event featured a panel discussion by former Voodoo pilots and navigators and live fundraising auction in support of JAM’s Voodoo Restoration Fund. A unique painting of the last flight, titled “One Last Time,” by retired Canadian Forces soldier Peter Robichaud, depicting #101006 taking off with full afterburners alight, was unveiled during the celebration. In 2013, #101006 was donated to JAM in 2013 from the CFB Cornwallis Military Museum in Nova Scotia. The auction, which also launched the sale of 101 limited edition prints of the artwork, will raise funds to continue the preservation of #101006. Greetings were extended by London Mayor Matt Brown, MP Peter Fragiskatos and MPP Teresa Armstrong.

Moderated by Simon Pont, JAM Director of Communications and Events, the panel included Mike Kyne of St. Catharines, the Electronic Warfare Officer who flew in the back seat of the Voodoo on its final flight. He was joined by other former CF-101 aircrew including Steve Wallace of Wasaga Beach, Andrew Kennedy of Oakville, and Peter Levedag of Barrie. The panelists shared lively recollections about the thrill of flying the powerful Voodoo, especially with the afterburners blazing. It was exciting, to be sure, almost too exciting if one afterburner lit before the other, resulting in a violent swing that one panelist described as “pretty uncomfortable.” All of the panelists remembered the Voodoo most notably for its sheer power, high performance and noise. While the Voodoo could roll nicely, it was laboured in a loop. The crew had to be certain they had plenty of altitude before attempting a loop. The panelists paid credit to their largely unsung groundcrews, who worked hard in the worst of weather, starting early every day. Mike Kyne recalled one harrowing flight from North Bay to Winnipeg when the crew ran into heavy weather. They opted to fly through thunder and lightning to “wrestle it in” and safely land at the USAF base at Niagara Falls, NY, where Voodoos were stationed.

Roughly $10,000 has been spent restoring the museum’s Voodoo to date. “It’s not ever going to fly, let’s be clear about that,” Simon said. “We’re never going to be able to restore it to flying condition. What we want to be able to do is restore it to good, visible museum condition, so that people can come see it in all its glory.”

JAM started in 2007 when six CT-133 Silver Star trainers were purchased from the federal government. Crews prepared all six planes for ferry flights, at CFB Mountain View, through late 2008 and all of 2009. The first two aircraft arrived at JAM on April 15, 2009. The final aircraft completed its ferry flight on October 19, 2009. A BAC Jet Provost T.4 owned by Graham Rawlinson flies with the museum. Most recently, a Hawker Hunter T.7 was acquired in an auction in 2016 in the U.K. The jet was used exclusively by the Royal Air Force before being transferred to the Royal Navy as an instructional airframe.

The Hunter last flew in 2014 and was going through its annual inspection when the company that owned it went into receivership. “All indications are that it is an eminently flyable aircraft,” Simon said. It’s expected to be displayed at this year’s Airshow London, Sept. 22-24, at London International Airport. JAM is also planning to restore a CT-133 to a striking Red Knight colour scheme. For more anecdotes about the Voodoo, check out the “CF-101 Voodoo Fans Public Group” on Facebook.

A panel of four former Voodoo aircrew at the JAM celebration, from left Mike Kyne, St. Catharines, Steve Wallace, Wasaga Beach, Andrew Kennedy, Oakville, and Peter Levedag, Barrie.

A_BAC Jet Provost T Mk4,  C-FDJP, shown at the Jet Aircraft Museum, was acquired by Graham Rawlinson in 2011. There are only five known flying Jet Provost survivors.

CF-101B Voodoo 101006 at the Jet Aircraft Museum, April 9, 2017.

Models of the three British V-bombers are featured in a display at the JAM.

Two of the CT-133 Canadair Silver Stars in the JAM fleet, April 9, 2017.

The Jet Aircraft Museum's Hawker Hunter T.7 was acquired by the museum in 2016 and last flew in 2014.

The Canadian Aviation Moments were submitted by Dennis Casper from the Roland Groome (Regina) Chapter of the CAHS. The questions and the answers are now being published together in the same e-newsletter, rather than questions one month and the answers the next. We are hoping this instant gratification might encourage more interest and research by our readers. Spoiler alert - if you read any further than each question, you will find the answer to April's questions directly below. Good luck and have fun!

The Canadian Aviation Moments questions and answers for May are:

Question: What aircraft, initially known as the “Trainer”, was purchased from the Ottawa Car Company by the RCAF when it already had three other trainers in service?

Answer: “The Avro Model 621 was initially known as the Trainer. It was a light initial pilot trainer, which originated as a private venture of the Avro Company in England. The type was eventually adopted as the standard trainer of the RAF under the service name of Avro Tutor. Standard model 621s were supplied to the Ottawa Car Co. Ltd for sale to the RCAF. Why the aircraft were ordered remains somewhat of a mystery. The RCAF already had three other trainers in service including the Hawker Tomtit, Gipsy Moth and Fleet Fawn. The Tutor aircraft were not as suitable as these other types in the basic training role and were converted instead to army co-operation training. The aircraft were modified with wireless sets and vertical cameras to facilitate this latter role. The type survived into the Second World War as ground instructional airframes.” “TOS: 1931 SOS: 1945 No: 13”

Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft – A Military Compendium – T.F.J. Leversedge – Page 60

Question: How many hours were flown in the two final years of RCAF forestry work? What was the peak year for the number of aircraft used by the RCAF in forestry work and what was the number used?

Answer: “Due largely to the addition of spring patrols and the use of far-flung detachments, the two final years of RCAF forestry work were also the most active. In 1929, the force flew 5,819 hours on these operations, and the figure for 1930 was 5,316 hours. In terms of aircraft, 1929 also represented a peak, with 23 aircraft dedicated to the work from Alberta to Manitoba. That year the airmen detected 368 fires.”

Source: Legion Magazine – Sep-Oct 2009 – The Forest Watchers by Hugh A. Halliday – Page 35

Question: What reciprocal agreement was established between the Royal Flying Corps and the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps in 1917?

Answer: “With the United State’s entry into the war in April 1917, a reciprocal agreement was established between the RFC and the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps. This agreement brought Americans to Canada for training, and in turn it allowed the RFC to train in a snow-free environment. Fort Worth Texas was selected as the training centre and the school of aerial gunnery and the wings from Camp Borden and Deseroto ceased training in Canada in November 1917 and moved to the Fort Worth area. RFC Station North Toronto remained open in Canada to test the feasibility of training personnel in a Canadian winter. This test was so successful it was decided that the training for the winter of 1918-19 was to be in Canada. Meanwhile, the other RFC training units proceeded on their 1600-mile rail trip to Texas for the winter of 1917-1918.

Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft – A Military Compendium – T.F.J. Leversedge – Page 22

History in the News

Check these recent newspaper stories for more fascinating stories about history past and present:

Belgian grave-hunters solve 100-year-old mystery of missing First World War Canadian airmen

Summer events at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

CANADIAN ARCTIC AVIATION TOUR SET TO TAKE TO THE SKIES THIS SUMMER

11 weeks. 97 air shows. 31,000 kilometres across Canada’s Arctic!

$25 buys a kilometre in donor’s name

Rocky Mountain House, AB – May 2, 2017 – The Canadian Arctic Aviation Tour, one of the most ambitious Canada 150 projects, will take off – literally – June 2, 2017, performing 97 air shows over 11 weeks travelling 31,000 kilometres across Canada’s Arctic.

#ArcticTour150 was founded on a desire to extend Canada 150 celebrations North of 60, giving every Canadian the opportunity to participate from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

“Each one of us who created this project carries a love for aviation,” says Executive Director Nancy McClure from her home in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. “As the railway opened the country from east to west, aviation opened the north. So what better way to celebrate Canada’s milestone year up north, than with aviation?”

Ken Fowler, a veteran air show pilot, and Tour co-founder, will lead the group of 15 core performers throughout the tour. Not every show will be the same, ranging from flybys to major shows, with varying number of performers in each location.

While attempting to set the world record for the longest series of air shows North of 60, these performers will have to brave a list of challenges, including unpredictable weather, unforgiving terrain, gravel air strips, and limited access to fuel, smoke oil and spare parts, to name a few.

“Flying up north requires particular pilot skills as we’ll be flying in some of the most remote regions of the world,” adds Fowler when discussing the challenges. “On the bright side, there’s 24-hour daylight.”

In addition to the air show Tour, there is a very large educational component that will reach students, both teaching them about aviation and inspiring them to reach for their goals. Partnerships have been formed with social activism organization WE, the air show industry’s Ryan Poe Foundation, the Literacy Legacy Project, and renowned Métis speaker, author and educator David Bouchard.

“To bring this tour to the North and not take advantage the opportunity it provides to educate and inspire would be a loss,” McClure adds with passion. “This project speaks to everything that should be important to all of us: culture, education, social justice, heritage and national pride.”

Quick facts:
• The Tour is Carbonzero Certified. (for more info, visit www.carbonzero.ca)
• The Tour will perform in Alert, Nunavut, the world’s most northern permanently inhabited point.
• On July 1, the Tour will perform in Baker Lake, the geographic centre of Canada.
• A landmark television documentary “Arctic Aviators” is being created by Great Pacific Television.

For those who wish to support the Canadian Arctic Aviation tour, a fundraising page has been set up whereby a $25 donation buys a kilometre in their name.

Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

www.caat2017.com

For more information, contact:

Diana Spremo
Media Relations Manager
Canadian Arctic Aviation Tour
Email: diana@caat2017.com
Personal cell: 905-484-9543

Nancy McClure
Executive Director
Canadian Arctic Aviation Tour
Email: nancy@caat2017.comCell: 780-514-4431

Roméo Irené Pierre Vachon

Roméo Irené Pierre Vachon died peacefully on May 3rd, 2017, at the age of 85. Pierre leaves to mourn his wife, Margaret Graham, and his children, Michel (Amy Heron), Christianne (Stephen Horgan), Marie Danielle (Nicholas Korbel) and Suzanne (Greg Charlton). He is survived by his sister, Thérèse Vachon Nadeau, his brother, Jean Vachon, and his sister in law, Bellita Martineau Vachon; seven grandchildren and his brother in law the Gerard V. La Forest. Pierre was predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy Anne Warner, his parents Roméo and Georgette Tremblay Vachon, and his sister, Gisèle Vachon Laberge. Pierre had a long and distinguished career in the civil service in Ottawa, serving in External Affairs, Industry, Trade and Commerce, the Laurendeau-Dunton Commission on bilingualism, the Privy Council Office, the Metric Commission and Environment Canada, and in New Brunswick as Secretary to the Cabinet Committee on Official Languages. He was a strong advocate for the poor and the environment. He taught Sociology at the Canada School for Public Service.

His associations and clubs included the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. He was a founding member and past president of the local Wallace Turnbull Chapter. He was also a member of the Canadian Aerophilatelic Society and the Canadian Aviation Artists Association. Preserving aviation history was a vocation for Pierre all his life. The Musée de l'aviation in Sainte Marie de Beauce was very close to his heart and he contributed much of the material that honoured Les Quatre As de l'aviation and his father Roméo Vachon.

Remembering Nick Doran

Canada’s aviation history community lost a dedicated volunteer with the death on March 23 of Nicholas (Nick) Doran, CAHS Life Member #2618. A resident of Etobicoke in western Toronto, Nick made especially notable contributions as a founding member of the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Canada. The organization is dedicated to preserving and promoting the achievements of the Canadian aerospace industry, especially Avro Canada. He served as Membership Director until his passing after a long battle with cancer. A tribute to Nick by Denise Harris of the Etobicoke Historical Society stated that he died in Florida, surrounded by family. Nick was also a past president of the Toronto Aerospace Museum. He loved to hear and tell stories about Avro Canada and was instrumental in helping to organize memorable AHFC banquets marking special anniversaries for the Jetliner, the Arrow and the CF-100.

Denise described Nick as “one of the kindest, most generous, most gentlemanly and most humble people I have ever met.” Born in Toronto, he graduated with honours from the Police Services program at Humber College. He served with the Toronto Police Service for 34 years, rising to the rank of sergeant. Denise stated that anyone would instantly know how much Nick loved his police career after even a brief conversation about his time on the job. Nick was always involved with his community. He coached ladies’ basketball and was a past president of the Ontario Basketball Foundation. He was also a past president of the Catholic Youth Organization of Metro Toronto.

In addition, Nick volunteered with the Etobicoke Historical Society where he held multiple roles after joining the Board as editor of the newsletter, The Aldernews. He was president for five years, secretary and webmaster for 10 years and speaker co-ordinator from 2005 to 2016 among other tasks. Whatever organization Nick participated in, he was quick to assist in setting up displays, greeting people at countless public events and sharing his knowledge.

Our condolences to Nick’s wife, Shirley, his children and his grandchildren for their loss. At Nick’s request, there wasn’t any public service or funeral and he was cremated. A private celebration of his life was held by the family. Nick preferred to have people remember him at the best of times. On June 5, the regular 9:00 a.m. mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, 3055 Bloor St. W. in Etobicoke, will be dedicated to Nick.

As Denise stated in her fitting tribute, “Nick, the world is a better place for you having been here.”

Gord McNulty

The CAHS Sesquicentennial Book List

Thanks to everyone who has recommended books for the CAHS Sesquicentennial Book List of 150 books about Canadian aviation. The list is a 150th anniversary project for Canada’s birthday on July 1.

Just provide the name of author, title, publisher and date of publication for books about Canadian aviation. Every subject is welcome!

Don’t wait to contribute to the list! Send recommendations to 150books@cahs.ca. Send your recommendations by June 16.

We plan to publish the list with the June newsletter, just in time for Canada’s 150th birthday!