CHAA celebrates 40th Anniversary
with Open House and Flyday

Story and photos by Gord McNulty
August 2025
The all-volunteer Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA), founded in 1985, held a successful 40th Anniversary open house and flyday at Tillsonburg Regional Airport on 5 July 2025.
There was plenty of action at Tillsonburg, ON as CHAA Harvards offered passenger flights at the open house.
NA-64 Yale RCAF 3456 made an impression at CHAA 40th anniversary open house, Tillsonburg, 5 July 2025.
The activities were highlighted by the first public appearance of a beautifully restored Yale and a special visitor, gallant United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) B-17 combat veteran Casimir “Casey” Bukowski of the Buffalo, NY area. 
 
The Yale, RCAF 3456, is owned by John Vasil of Whistler, BC. It was restored after a 14-year effort by Legend of Aces Aviation led by Patrick Mihalek in Michigan, and John with help from some volunteers. The test flight took place in June 2024, and the aircraft was flown to Tillsonburg on June 16 in time for the open house.

Briefly owned Yale 3456 was stationed at various locations before it went to War Assets in 1946. John’s brother, Michael, compiled research showing it was flown among others by stalwart RCAF Spitfire pilot David Goldberg, DFC, while he was an instructor at Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) No. 12 in Goderich.
 
Also of note, Yale 3456 was among the 36 Yales and seven Fairey Swordfish in the famous auction sale of the huge vintage collection of ex-military aircraft and much more, amassed by eccentric farmer Ernie Simmons near Tillsonburg. Simmons did not leave a will when he died in 1970.
Tom Dietrich of the Guelph Tiger Boys briefly owned 3456 before it went to the United States and was sold to a party in Iowa. They had reached the stage of only dismantling the aircraft when John Vasil bought it in 2010. In welcome news, John plans to keep 3456 in Canada. 
 
The open house marked the first time that three Yales from the Simmons collection were together since 1970. The photo of the operational threesome shows the CHAA’s Yale, 3399, on the left and 3372 on the right, privately owned by Shane Clayton and Jim Mattice.
Three Yales together again at Tillsonburg 5 July 2025 for first time since Simmons auction sale in 1970.
Attendees extended a warm welcome to Casey Bukowski, who was a waist gunner on the B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Friday the 13th'. On his 16th mission, 22 February 1944, the crew was delayed on departure for Germany.
 
Unable to catch up to the formation, the bomber was in a vulnerable position at the tail end. An attack from a Messerschmidt 109 caused the oxygen tank to explode. Casey was wounded and lost an eye but somehow managed to bail out as the B-17 was going down. Only four of the ten-man crew survived.
 
Casey’s ordeal was far from over. He was quickly captured by civilians but was fortunately saved by the intervention of a woman with a broom who warded the angry group off. He then spent 14 months in two prisoner of war camps before being liberated by General George Patton’s US Army troops.
 
Casey is a sprightly 101 years old. He was brought to the open house by Amy-Marie Beechler, his neighbour in the Buffalo suburb of Lancaster, NY. A CHAA member, she noted that Casey has enjoyed visits to England, where he was treated to a flight in a two-seat Spitfire, and also to Normandy for a D-Day commemoration. Richly deserved!
Casey Bukowski enjoyed a warm welcome and good conversation at the open house. 
The Royal Canadian Legion colour party commemorated fallen Allied airmen during the open house. 
A colour party from Branch 153 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Tillsonburg paid tribute to fallen Allied airmen at the open house.
 
Speaking of ‘Friday the 13th,’ Royal Air Force Halifax LV907 of the same nickname proved to be one of the luckiest and most successful aircraft in Bomber Command.  It completed a remarkable 128 operations during the Second World War, more than any other Halifax.