CAHS National Newsletter - June Edition

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Hello Visitor,

 
   
 

Welcome to the June edition of the CAHS National Newsletter.

 
   
 

 CAHS National News

 
   
 

CAHS Annual Convention at Regina, 2014

Notes & photos by John Chalmers, CAHS Membership Secretary

The 51st annual National Convention and Annual General Meeting was held in Regina in the first week of June. Starting June 4 with meetings of the board of directors and the chapter presidents, a social evening and reception kicked off the annual gathering. On Thursday, June 5, all attendees were taken by bus to tour the RCAF installation at 15 Wing Moose Jaw in the morning.

21 harvards on tarmac 575
The view from the tower at 15 Wing Moose Jaw – Harvards on the tarmac.

We were treated to talks by air force pilots about the Harvard II, Hawk and Tutor aircraft, and their characteristics and use by the RCAF. A hike up the nearly 100 steps to the top of the base's control tower rewarded us with an overall look of the airport and Hawks in the circuit coming in to land.

22 hawk landed 575
A Hawk taxiing after landing at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

Following an excellent lunch at the base, the tour continued to visit the Western Development Museum in Moose Jaw. At the AGM in the evening, the membership approved Bylaw 8, recently revised and updated in accordance with federal government requirements. Mat Joost was instrumental in developing the new Bylaw, with input and review by CAHS directors.

On Friday and Saturday, the program consisted of presentations on a diverse array of aviation topics in full days that were informative, educational and stimulating. A wrap-up banquet on Saturday, June 7 concluded the formal portion of the program. For those wishing to stay over on Sunday, an open house at the Regina Flying Club was featured as an option.

Kudos go to the CAHS Regina chapter for a well-organized convention with an excellent program. An extensive silent auction organized by national treasurer Rachel Lea Heide provided the opportunity to bid on a large array of books, posters and videos, with $750 raised for the CAHS through sales.

Next year's convention is planned for Hamilton in June 2015. One of the great advantages of CAHS membership is attendance at the annual convention to maintain contact with fellow enthusiasts from across Canada and benefit from attending sessions on our aviation heritage and history. Be sure to renew your membership when it comes due, and encourage others who are fascinated by aviation and history to join our ranks by taking out a membership in CAHS. Your membership fee doesn't cover the cost of operating the specialSociety, producing the newsletter, publishing the CAHS Journal, mailing costs and keeping us solvent. I encourage you to add a donation when you complete and return your membership renewal.

*Click on each photo to view a larger version.

01 gary williams 275   Will Chabun
Gary Williams   Will Chabun
CAHS national president Gary Williams, who chaired the AGM, recognized speakers for their contributions and served as host
for the annual banquet.
  Will Chabun, who acted as "master of ceremonies" did a fine job of introducing speakers and assisting with all the PowerPoint presentations. 

 John Findura   06 tim munro 2 275 
 John Findura   Tim Munro
City of Regina councilor John Findura welcomed the convention participants on behalf of the city.   Tim Munro, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Aviation Historical Society, spoke of the organization and history of aviation in Saskatchewan. 

 John Higenbottom    08 deana driver 2 275
John Higenbottom    Deana Driver
John Higenbottom, a long-standing CAHS member, spoke about the seldom-recognized relief fields for stations of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.   Deana Driver, writer and publisher, recounted how her book, Prairie Pilot: Lady Luck Was on My Side, came to be about maverick Saskatchewan aviator Walter Williams.

09 joel from 2 275   Bill Zuk
Joel From   Bill Zuk
Joel From, a philosophy professor at Briercrest College, dealt with the wartime RAF base at Caron, Saskatchewan in telling how it was developed and used later as the home of the College.   Bill Zuk, author and filmmaker, illustrated the production of a Canadian film, For The Moment, about life on a BCATP base and how the war years affected lives of young people.

11 bill cameron275   12 russel isinger275
Bill Cameron   Russel Isinger
Bill Cameron, who spent 38 years with Canadian Pacific Air Lines, spoke of his youth in "A Prairie Boy's War," and paid great tribute to his experience in Air Cadets shaping his career.   Russell Isinger, from the University of Saskatchewan, is fascinated with the Avro Arrow, which he has researched extensively, and spoke about its development and demise.

13 linda kort275   14 john chalmers 2 275
Linda Kort   John Chalmers
Linda Kort presented her session about her father's wartime experience with the RCAF in flying for 436 Transport Squadron in Burma, dropping supplies to Britain's 14th Army.   John Chalmers, Historian for Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, presented a session about what the Hall is and does, with examples and videos of Saskatchewan aviators inducted as Members.

Richard Mayne   Todd Lemieux
Richard Mayne   Todd Lemieux
Richard Mayne, Director of Air Force Heritage and History, gave a detailed account of the use of the C-119 "Flying Boxcar" in RCAF transport service and what can be learned from that experience.   Todd Lemieux, past chairman of Vintage Wings of Canada, was the speaker at the banquet. He described VWC and how it has worked towards inspiring and educating youth across Canada.

17 harvard 275   18 hawk2 275
At 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Capt Daniel Ebisuzaki, standing at right, speaks about the Harvard trainer while Gord McNulty looks on and Jim Bell checks out the cockpit.   At the Moose Jaw base, convention attendees lined up for a close look at the RCAF's Hawk aircraft as part of the tour, going through wartime hangars still standing and held up by Warren trusses.

19 snowbird 2 275   20 piper cub275
Capt Reagan Wickett of the Snowbirds squadron based at Moose Jaw addresses conventioneers about the squadron's Tutor aircraft, speaking very highly about its performance and dependability.   At the Western Development Museum, with a fine collection of trains, planes and automobiles, a Piper Cub on floats soars above the displays.
 
 
 
 

CAHS Merchandise:

A number of convention participants expressed interest in ordering more CAHS merchandise, so the CAHS National will be placing another order very soon. If anyone else is interested in purchasing merchandise, please place an order through our Online Store or download the PDF order form and email it to: treasurer@cahs.ca or mail to: PO Box 2700, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5W7 by 2 July, 2014. Funds raised through these sales helps the CAHS cover increases in operating costs, produce and mail the Journal, and continue with upgrades to the website.

2014 merch banner 575


CAHS Silent Auction:

The CAHS National would like to thank the many donors who contributed items to sell through the convention silent auction to help raise funds which cover costs, programs, and initiatives. There were many interesting books and attractive posters, which virtually all sold out.

A number of artists also donated original aviation paintings to be sold through the silent auction. Even though the convention is over, these works are still available for purchase. If anyone is interested in acquiring one (or more) of these beautiful paintings, please contact Rachel Lea Heide at: treasurer@cahs.ca with your maximum bid by 2 July, 2014. Purchasers will be responsible for arranging shipment from the artists.

Click on each image for a larger view.

 Hélène Girard - First Landing on Slave River    Hélène Girard
"First Landing on Slave River"
By Hélène Girard
18" x 36" framed
Starting Bid: $1400
  "Landing in Puvi"
By Hélène Girard
12" x 24" unframed
Starting Bid: $880 

Hélène Girard    Hélène Girard 
"Beaver on Stand-By"
By Hélène Girard
24" x 36" framed
Starting Bid: $1800
  "Fly By"
By Hélène Girard
20" x 30" unframed
Starting Bid: $1300 

 layne larsen2 275   layne larsen 275 

"The Hunting Party"
By Layne Larsen
Unframed
Starting Bid: $100

  "Just Passing By"
By Layne Larsen
18" x 25" framed
Starting Bid: $1000
More Info: "The Hunting Party" is a giclee reproduction of an original owned by the Greenwood Air Force Museum. Giclee are high quality, museum grade reproductions printed with archival pigmented inks on 180 lb acid free, pH buffered paper (not the cheap off-set printings that are used for most reproductions). This is the penultimate one in a limited edition of 25.   More Info: "Just Passing Buy" is an original acrylic glaze on Linetek 300 board. The image size is 25x18" and it measures 34x25" over the frame. It depicts (then Major) Chris Hadfield passing over his alma mater, the Royal Military College. Kingston is in the background, Fort Henry below the wing and RMC just off the wing tip. It is framed to museum standards.
 
     
 

 CAHS Online

 

New on the Blog - 51st Annual Convention of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society

By Jim Bell

Our annual convention took place in Regina, Saskatchewan, from 4 to 7 June 2014. Hosted by Regina's Roland Groome Chapter, MC Will Chabun and his team of volunteers led attendees through a fascinating tour of Saskatchewan's aviation past and present.

The convention started with the traditional meet and greet, helping participants find old friends and make new ones. The book sale and silent auction also started on Wednesday evening, with several tables' worth of enticing aviation related books, articles, and CAHS merchandise for sale. To read the full article, click here.

 
   
 

 Chapter News

 
     
 
Upcoming Chapter Meetings
 
 

 Chapter

 Date

 Location

 Calgary

18 Sept

The Bomber Command Museum of Canada

 Manitoba

25 Sept

Western Canada Aviation Museum

 Montreal

 18 Sept

Royal Canadian Legion

 New Brunswick

 21 June

Moncton Flight College

 Ottawa

25 Sept

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

 PEI

 06 Sept

Charlottetown Airport Terminal

 Regina

 11 Sept

Royal United Services Institute

 Toronto

Sept TBD

Canadian Forces College

Vancouver

09 Sept

Richmond Cultural Centre

 
 

 In the News

 
   

2014 Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame Dinner in Calgary

By Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

Chris-and-DMC edited-225x300As Commander Chris Hadfield said in his speech, too often fame and celebrity is bestowed on those who don't deserve it. Hadfield, that Canadian commander of the International Space Station who stole our hearts with his tweets, spaced-out songs, and gorgeous photos of Earth, was absolutely right when he said this year's inductees deserved to be feted to the max in this era of celebutantes.

Clive Beddoe, Lorna de Blicquy, Fred Moore, and Bob Engle characterize the kind of vision, passion, and tenacity Hadfield says should command our respect and admiration.

I couldn't agree more. In fact, two of the inductees – de Blicquy and Engle – are in my upcoming books as pioneers of northern flight. Such a pleasure to be in the same room as them (or their spirits, as de Blicquy was honoured posthumously). It was also pretty neat to see Chris again, be surrounded by the luminati of aviation history, and have a chance to get fancied up.

For more photos from Danielle's blog, please click here.

For more info on the inductees and evening, please visit www.cahf.ca.


 

Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame -- 2014 induction of new Members

Notes by John Chalmers, Photographs by Rick Radell.

06tomchris 275  
Hall of Fame board chairman, Tom Appleton, left, and Chris Hadfield presented new Members with a certificate, medal and lapel pin upon their induction to the Hall of Fame.  

At induction ceremonies for Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame held on May 29, four individuals who started as pilots were installed as new Members, bringing the total number honoured by the Hall to 216. For 2014, the WestJet hangar at the Calgary International Airport was transformed to a banquet hall with the airline's newest Bombardier Q400 aircraft serving as a backdrop to the stage for the gala evening.

Clive Beddoe came to Calgary from England as a young man in 1970 to pursue business opportunities. After success in real estate and other ventures, he became a co-founder of WestJet Airlines Ltd. Robert "Bob" Engle, born in Seattle, also came to Canada as a young man, began bush flying from Yellowknife, and then built his own airline, Northwest Territorial Airways and established trucking companies to complete air transport.

The late Lorna de Blicquy was represented by her daughter Elaine at the induction gala attended by nearly 500 people. Lorna flew as one of Canada's first female bush pilots, spent over half of over 10,000 hours in the air teaching others to fly, and was as an advocate for women's equality in aviation.
Fred Moore joined the RCAF as a pilot and was assigned responsibility for flight testing and acceptance of aircraft for the RCAF as it moved into the post-war jet age. Fred was instrumental in developing flight simulators for the Canadair Sabre and the CF-100 Canuck and flew as a test pilot in acceptance of RCAF aircraft. Post-RCAF, he held senior management positions in the aviation industry.

Guest presenter and speaker at the gala induction event was astronaut Chris Hadfield, who himself was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2005. Information, biographies and videos of Members can be seen at the Hall's web site, www.cahf.ca, in the Members section. Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame is a Museum Member of the CAHS.

00 pipesdrums 275   01 ruth bill elliotclive 275
The Calgary Police Service Pipe Band provided a stirring start to the evening when the 21-member band of pipes and drums escorted the 2014 Hall of Fame inductees into the WestJet hangar.   Bill Elliot, centre, with Ruth and Clive Beddoe. As Mayor of Wetaskiwin, home of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame, Bill presented each inductee with a certificate and plaque proclaiming them to be honorary citizens of the city.

 02 elainechris 275    03 bob engle2 275
Elaine de Blicquy, representing her late mother, Lorna, receives the Hall of Fame membership certificate from Chris Hadfield.   Bob Engle, who spent 50 years in aviation in Yellowknife and built Northwest Territorial Airways and other businesses, addresses the crowd after his induction.

 04 fred moore 275    05 denis chagnon2 275
Fred Moore, who began his career in the RCAF as a pilot, was responsible for air force acceptance of aircraft, was instrumental in developing simulators, and left the force as a Squadron Leader for civil aviation.   Denis Chagnon again served as Master of Ceremonies with a polished and professional approach to keeping the evening's program running right on time.

  07 westjet hangar 575
The WestJet hangar at the Calgary International Airport was transformed into a banquet hall for the induction dinner and ceremonies, featuring a new Bombardier Q400 as a backdrop.
     

Documentary celebrating WWII Commonwealth airmen lost on Vancouver Island

Notably, Anson crew discovered 71 years after going missing.

The Loss and Discovery of Avro Anson L7056
A Television Documentary proposed by: DV Media Inc.

Documentary Objective: To create a 47-minute documentary on the loss and discovery of Avro Anson L7056 and the closure for families who lost loved ones.

On October 30, 1942, five twin-engined Avro Anson navigation trainers of 32 Operational Training Unit took off from the Royal Canadian Air Force base at Patricia Bay on southern Vancouver Island.

Three of L7056's crew were volunteer British airmen from the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve: observer Pilot Officer Charles George Fox, age 31 and married; observer Pilot Officer Anthony William Lawrence, 21; and 32 Operational Training Unit staff pilot Sgt Robert Ernest Luckock, 21. Wireless operator Sgt William Baird, also 21, from Brooks, Alberta, was the sole Canadian on board. Weather conditions proved to be worse than forecasted and at approximately 11:30am flying control recalled the Ansons, calculating that the weather was good enough for the aircraft to regain Patricia Bay.

Four Ansons returned but nothing had been heard from L7056 since the exercise go-ahead almost three hours earlier. High Speed Rescue Launch. Aircraft from Patricia Bay flew over 40 hours searching the coastal waters and densely forested coastal margins but no trace of Anson L7056 or her crew was found. The four airmen were documented as 'presumed dead' and are commemorated at the Ottawa Memorial.

Some seventy-one years later, on October 24, 2013, three Cowichan Valley forestry engineers from the wood products company Teal Jones Group – Dennis Cronin with his colleagues Walter Van Hell and Tom Weston – found the wreckage.

The undisturbed remains of a crashed aircraft, including what appeared to be the tail assembly of a bomb or smoke float: Ordnance Department from RCN Naden attended the crash site to check for unexploded bombs. Although the original fabric fuselage covering and any markings had long since rotted away, a serial number on an engine data plate confirmed that Anson L7056 had been found.

To read more about the proposed documentary, as well as view their video on the project, click here.


 

Sabre to Gets Its Look Back

sabre 575
Local MP Rick Norlock and National Air Force Museum of Canada director Chris Colton discuss the restoration project of the F-86 Sabre on display at the museum's air park on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 in Trenton, Ontario. The museum has received $25,000 in funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program. Ernst Kuglin/Trentonian/The Intelligencer

By Ernst Kuglin/Trentonian/The Intelligencer

QUINTE WEST — These iconic fighters once screamed through the skies, carrying hundreds of Royal Canadian Air Force pilots on missions around the world.

Today, many F-86 Sabres that remain are mounted on pedestals or part of static aircraft displays in parks and museums across the country.

The Sabre on the display at the National Air Force Museum of Canada is screaming for a facelift.

Number 257 will soon get that TLC, thanks to $25,000 in federal funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

The Sabre will be restored and painted the traditional metallic silver. It's the same colour scheme the aircraft had when it was on active service at RCAF Station in Chatham, New Brunswick.

"It was a high performance aircraft," said museum executive director Chris Colton. "The swept wings created a lot of challenges for pilots."

The aircraft on display at the museum was used as a trainer.

To read the full article, click here.

 

 
 
 
 

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Special thanks to the following supporters:

Corporate Members:

hope aero logo good to go north wright airways 54 vac-dev-logo

Corporate Partners:

Aviaeology CANAV Books
Vintage Wings of Canada Northern Lights Awards/Elsie Macgill Foundation

 

Museum Members:

Bomber Command Museum Secrets of Radar Museum
Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame

 


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  The CAHS is incorporated as a Canadian Registered Charity under a
Federal charter B/N Registration Number: 118829589 RR 0001

 
     
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