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A Life Through a Lens


By Eric Dumigan
posted 4 January 2012

I grew up spending time in the darkroom listening to classical music and watching my father develop photos during the 1970s. My grandfather, Robert Dumigan, also enjoyed photography and when the R-100 made its one and only trip to St. Hubert in 1930, my grandfather took a photo of my aunt and father standing in front of it. I’m sure this is where my father caught his love for aviation.
R-100 at Montreal by Robert Dumigan
My grandfather took this photo of my aunt and father standing in front of the R-100​. I’m sure this is where my father caught his love for aviation.​​ (© Robert Dumigan)
​Living in Montreal North, Richard often visited Cartierville and has many wonderful images of Sabres, Tutors, Starfighters, CL-44s and pretty much anything else that was built at Canadair in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Postwar Lancaster at Dorval by Richard Dumigan
My father, Richard Dumigan, began taking photos in the mid 1940s and this is the first image he remembers turning out good with his Kodak Hawkeye camera: a postwar Lancaster landing at Dorval. From the ‘50s on, Richard actively photographed aircraft in the Montreal area.​​ (© Richard Dumigan)
Picture
Factory-fresh Canadair CF-104 Starfighter 12847, lacking roundels, is seen landing at Cartierville. (© Richard Dumigan)​
Canadair CL-44 CF-MKP-X by Richard Dumigan
The prototype swing-tail version of the Canadair CL-44, CF-MKP-X, is seen landing on a cold winter day at Cartierville. (© Richard Dumigan)

Dorval was another location my father spent a lot of time at watching aircraft. There was always a steady stream of international and domestic airliners coming and Montreal.
DH Comet of BOAC landing at Dorval by Richard Dumigan
The first landing at Dorval airport of a de Havilland Comet-3, G-ANLO. This photo was published with a letter to the editor in the March 1956 edition of Flight magazine.
​​ (© Richard Dumigan)
TCA Constellation at Dorval by Richard Dumigan
A classic shot of a Trans-Canada Air Lines Constellation on the ramp at Dorval. (© Richard Dumigan)​
BOAC Stratocruiser departing Dorval by Richard Dumigan
A heavily laden BOAC Stratocruiser departs Dorval. (© Richard Dumigan)​

Richard frequented RCAF Station St. Hubert and, along with CF-100 and Sabre images, captured military visitors from the USAF and RAF.
An RAF Canberra bomber at St Hubert by Richard Dumigan
Hiding in tall grass at the end of the runway, my father was surprised to see several RAF Canberras arrive one sunny afternoon at St. Hubert.
​​ (© Richard Dumigan)
Avro CF-100 Mk 3s at St Hubert by Richard Dumigan
A trio of Avro CF-100 Mk.3 Canuck interceptors of No. 423 Squadron, RCAF, depart St. Hubert during an open house. (© Richard Dumigan)​

One of my earliest photographic outings with my father was seeing the Erickson Skycrane building the antenna portion of the CN Tower.
Erickson S-64 Skycrane and CN Tower, Toronto, by Richard Dumigan
The Erickson S-64 Skycrane is seen here lifting one of the 36 pieces of the CN Tower's antenna.
​​ (© Richard Dumigan)
Often I would read articles in magazines about air shows and events I had been to and knew my photos were just as good as the ones in the magazine, so in 1988 I submitted my first images to Flypast magazine of the very first take-off of the CWH Lancaster. Although they did not use the images I wanted, they did print a taxiing shot, and I was hooked. Since then, my photography has been published in many aviation magazines around the world. It took another 20 years before I was able to shoot the CWH Lancaster in the air over Hamilton but it was well worth the wait.
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Lancaster airborne by Eric Dumigan
The CWH Museum's restored Avro Lancaster photographed from the tail of the museum's Mitchell.
(© Eric Dumigan)

Battle of Britain commemorative flight over Ottawa by Eric Dumigan
Three of Canada's flying museums come together to form a unique sight in the skies over Ottawa.
(© Eric Dumigan)
I have had the privilege of working with most of the vintage aircraft groups in Ontario and was honored when asked to shoot the very first five-ship Battle of Britain Flight over Ottawa in 2008. The flight consisted of the CWH Lancaster, The Russell Group’s Spitfire and Hurricane and Vintage Wings of Canada’s Spitfire and Hurricane. A truly incredible sight to see in Canadian skies.

One of the rarest aircraft I have shot in the air is the Spence family’s Fairey Swordfish. Canadian Astronaut, Chris Hadfield, is seen sitting in the gunner’s position. The Swordfish has not flown in a few years but is now with Vintage Wings of Canada in Gatineau and slated to fly again this year for the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Navy.

Another great Canadian moment was shooting Chimo Air Service’s Noorduyn Norseman over Lake St. John. It was fresh from a restoration at Corporate Aircraft Restoration in Oshawa and on its way back to Red Lake.

The Spence Swordfish with Chris Hadfield aboard by Eric Dumigan
Pete Spence peeks over the top wing of the Swordfish to keep formation while Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield  enjoys the view from the gunner’s position.
​​ (© Eric Dumigan)
Norseman floatplane air to air by Eric Dumigan
The Chimo Air Service Noorduyn Norseman is seen diving in for a pass at the Orillia Lake St. John airport before departing for Red Lake.
​(© Eric Dumigan)​

Being an aviation photographer has allowed me many wonderful opportunities and doing aerobatics with the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team was amazing and pressed my skills to the limit.
Harvards performing a three-plane loop by Eric Dumigan
Pete Spence is seen leading Dave Hewitt in Harvard Two through a loop while I ride with Kent Beckham in Harvard Three.
​(© Eric Dumigan)​

Tiger Moth at sundown by Eric Dumigan
After a long day of barnstorming rides, the Edenvale Classic Aircraft Foundation’s Tiger Moth is seen silhouetted against a July evening sky.
​(© Eric Dumigan)​
For a kid who idolized the people on the other side of the air show fence it has been an amazing ride so far and I look forward to all the exciting sights, sounds and experiences with the same boyhood anticipation I have had all my life.

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