Aviation fans enjoyed Tiger Boys Open House and Fly-In

Report by Gord McNulty,
CAHS Vice President
Photos from Eric Roscoe and Gord McNulty
posted September 2023
Hold that Tiger - Vintage aircraft fans enjoyed impressively restored Tiger Moths and other vintage aircraft for the Tiger Boys Open House and Fly-In on a beautiful day at Guelph Airpark, Sept. 16.  (Gord McNulty)
Guelph Airpark in southern Ontario was again the place to be on Sept. 16-17 as the Tiger Boys vintage aircraft collectors and restorers hosted their annual Open House and Fly-In.   The event was well attended by visiting aircraft pilots and owners of vintage cars who enjoyed beautiful weather and plenty of “hangar flying.”  
Attendees watch Gary Schroeder bring the Canadian Barnstormers WACO UPF7 in for a landing at scenic Guelph Airpark. (Gord McNulty)
The striking WACO UPF7 CF-CGC of Canadian Barnstormers Inc., flown by Gary Schroeder, provided scenic biplane rides during the fly-in. (Eric Roscoe)
In a special attraction this year, visitors were offered rides in a colorful WACO UPF7 biplane flown by Gary Schroeder of Canadian Barnstormers.com based at Rockwood near Guelph. The UPF7 was designed in the 1930s in Troy, Ohio and built in November of 1940. 
"L'il HarryCane," the Tiger Boys' 5/8th scale replica Hawker Hurricane, invariably attracts interest at every Open House. (Gord McNulty)
A memorial plaque at the door of the Tiger Boys hangar pays tribute to Tom Dietrich. The widely respected founder of the organization died of cancer in 2021 and is missed by the aviation community.  (Gord McNulty)
Tiger Moths, like CF-MAD in action at the  2023 fly-in, are a feature attraction at every Tiger Boys Open House. (Eric Roscoe)
Despite health issues, longtime Tiger Boy Bob Revell, 84, chatted with visitors to the Fly-In along the flight line in his wheelchair. Bob, business partner of Tiger Boys founder Tom Dietrich, is determined to keep going. (Gord McNulty)
Beautifully restored Fairchild/Fleet Cornell CF-CVE was among the Second World War-era aircraft at the fly-in. (Eric Roscoe)
A colourful lineup of five Tiger Moths plus a Thruxton Jackaroo, plus the 5/8 scale replica Hawker Hurricane on the far left, at the Tiger Boys Open House on Sept. 16. (Eric Roscoe)
Canadian Barnstormers WACO UPF7 CF-CGC, shown at Guelph Airpark, is a fine example of the legendary biplane.  Aircraft records indicate Roscoe Turner was the first owner of this aircraft.  (Gord McNulty)
Aircraft records indicate Roscoe Turner, one of the most flamboyant and successful pilots of the scarf and goggles era of the 1930s, was the first owner of this WACO.  It is one of three WACOs in a fleet operated by Ottawa Biplane Adventures.

The biplane has graceful, sweeping lines reminiscent of the post Art Deco era. It features a wide front cockpit designed for two passengers side by side.

Wong Brothers’ historic Pietenpol found after 87 years

Photos courtesy of Cam Harrod
Cam Harrod of the Tiger Boys brought exciting news: the discovery of a historic Pietenpol Sky Scout, CF-BAA, that was built by aviation pioneers Robert and Tommy Wong in 1935-36 in Vancouver’s Chinatown.  As Cam noted, CF-BAA is somewhat of a “Holy Grail” in the Canadian homebuilt aircraft world.

The discovery of CF-BAA in Saskatoon is a wonderful story for Robert’s daughters, Roberta Lau and Evelyn Wong. Details were announced by Evelyn in an email to aviation contacts and friends on Sept. 21.

Roberta and Evelyn, as reported in the August 2022 e-newsletter, attended the official unveiling in Hamilton last year of a restored 1956 Apache that the Wong brothers flew for 33 years with Central Airways at the Toronto Island Airport.  Cam Harrod donated the weather-worn Apache for restoration.  

As outlined by Roberta and Evelyn, the Rev. Don MacVicar, founder of the Eva Rothwell Centre in Hamilton, discovered the Apache in 2018.  In 2021, he began a second treasure hunt to find the Pietenpol.  Cam, who wondered if the homebuilt plane could still be around, had inspired Don to search for CF-BAA.   

Don undertook a detailed search, featured in a story by the Saskatoon Star Phoenix among other things.  It was a daunting task as only three or four Pietenpol Sky Scouts were built in Canada before the Second World War.  

As Evelyn stated: “A year and a half later, with indefatigable determination, hope and hard work,” Don traced the ownership and the plane. It was stored in a truck trailer in Saskatoon for about 30 years.  

Cam then came into the Pietenpol story.  He contacted the owners of CF-BAA, who agreed to pass ownership to him. Cam recently flew to Manitoba, was loaned a truck and trailer by Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum staff at Brandon, and travelled to Saskatoon.  

On Sept. 2, he was finally able to remove the Pietenpol from what he described as its “prison.”  Loaded up, he made the long return trip back to Brandon where the aircraft is safely stored until he can ship it east.
CF-BAA, its original fabric still intact, is shown after more than 30 years after storage in a container in Saskatoon.
A delighted Cam Harrod holds a piece of historic CF-BAA after removing it from storage.
While CF-BAA has suffered the ravages of time, and some parts are missing, Cam said the bare bones remain and the Pietenpol is still in what’s left of the original cotton covering.

Evelyn noted Cam has received an enthusiastic response of offers to help source missing parts to restore CF-BAA. 

“We have treasured black and white photos taken in the 1930s of our father and uncle standing next to CF-BAA in Vancouver,” she stated. “We never imagined we would see colour photos of the wings and fuselage in Saskatoon, still covered with the original fabric that had been sewn to the wood frame by their mother and her friends and 12-year-old sister, 87 years later!”
Evelyn is hoping the missing logbook for CF-BAA, with entries of her father’s almost daily flights that started in 1937, can be found. She also hopes that the original registration can be retained if the aircraft flies again to honor the legacy of her father and his brother.

Stay tuned for more news on this amazing discovery and recovery.
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