The Canadian Aviation Moments were submitted by Dennis Casper from the Roland Groome (Regina) Chapter of the CAHS. Spoiler alert - if you read any further than each question, you will find the answer to the questions directly below. Good luck and have fun!
The Canadian Aviation Moments questions and answers for September are:
Question: 414 Electronic Warfare Support (EWS) Squadron was reformed on Jan 23, 2009. When was it originally formed, what was its function then and when was it last disbanded? What is its nickname?
Answer: “The re-formation of 414 Electronic Warfare Support (EWS) Sqn was marked at a ceremony held Jan 23rd 2009 at Vintage Wings of Canada, near Ottawa. The unit, which is located in Ottawa but reports to 3 Wing Bagotville, Que, is responsible for providing electronic warfare support to Canadian Forces combat training. Nicknamed “Black Knight” Sqn 414 EWS Sqn traces its origins to WWII when it was a fighter reconnaissance squadron. It has existed in various forms since that time, and was last disbanded in 2002 when it was known as 414 (Combat Support) Sqn.”
Source: Airforce Revue Magazine – Spring 2009 – Page 7
Question: The personnel in control tower at a training station (No. 4 FTS @ RCAF Stn Penhold) had to be more vigilant than normal. What is an example of the process that was put in place that would stop the control tower from going into a panic when they saw an aircraft possibly in danger?
Answer: “Because we were a training station, the people in the control tower were required to be even more vigilant than normal as to what was happening on and around the airfield. One thing we practised was what to do in the case of an engine failure immediately after take-off. The instructor would chop the power down to near idle to simulate total power loss and would at the same time radio to the tower that our aircraft was “Cornfield.” The tower, then, seeing the aircraft dropping back out of the sky, would refrain from the normal panic such a scene would normally cause, watch until we regained our upward motion, and life would go on as normal.”
Source: Airforce Revue Magazine – Spring 2009 – Page 41
Question: What was the first aircraft to be flown by the RAF to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936? What was its function and what were 2 of its nicknames?
Answer: “The Avro Anson was known by a number of nicknames including “Faithful Annie” or “Flying Greenhouse.” It was the first aircraft to be flown by the RAF to have a retractable undercarriage, which was a comparative novelty in 1936. In 1940, a Canadian government-owned company, Federal Aircraft Limited, was created in Montreal to manufacture the Anson for Canadian use. Nearly 3,000 Anson aircraft were produced and in the early days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), the Anson was the standard trainer for many pilots, observers, wireless operators and bomb aimers. More than 20,000 aircrew received training on the Anson. In Canadian service, the aircraft was substantially redesigned with the substitution of North American engines and many other airframe and equipment changes.”
Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft – T.F.J. Leversedge – Page 62