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The Canadian Aviation Historical Society The Canadian Aviation Historical Society March 2021 e–Newsletter From the Home Office of the President I want to start with expressing my congratulations to all the women in Canadian aviation as March is recognized as Women’s History Month. There are so many strong and independent women that deserve our praise for their contributions to our aviation history and continue to excel at their chosen professions. Whether it is in military, commercial, general, or any of the other aviation fields, we as Canadians, continue to support and encourage everyone to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. I am proud to say we have many great women in the CAHS, and we support the organizations that encourage women in aviation. I want to recognize several outstanding women we can all be proud of: Eileen Vollick – Just 19 when she earned her wings and the right to call herself a true Canadian pioneer as Canada’s first licensed woman pilot; Elsie MacGill – Was the first woman AME in Canada, held a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering, and was in charge of production of the Hawker Hurricane for the British and the Curtis-Wright Helldivers for the United States Navy; Vi Milstead – In 1943 at the age of 24, she flew new fighter planes from factories to military bases across England and Allied Europe; Maryse Carmichael – The first female pilot to fly with the Canadian Forces national aerobatic team, No. 431 Squadron, The Snowbirds; Rosella Marie Bjornson – The first woman to be hired as a First Officer for a North American commercial airline.[1] There are so many female CAHS members that I can not list them all here, as well as the members of the Canadian Ninety-Nines and every woman that is a member of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. We acknowledge them all for their contributions to our Canadian aviation heritage. I invite you to suggest other Canadian women that should also be commemorated so they may be recognized within one of our CAHS publications – Journal, website History Online section, or this newsletter – in future. [1]Canadian Women in Aviation History - Canadian99s.com/women-in-aviation-history/ Gary Willimas, President, Canadian Aviation Historical Society Support our CAHS NEW! – A Trio of Shirlee Smith-Matheson books on exclusive offer in our e-shop through to the end of April… This compelling collection of stories chronicles aviation anomalies from the shores of Labrador to the British Columbia coast, and beyond our aerial borders to describe Canadian participation in bringing resolution to far-reaching aviation mysteries and disasters. We are offering this book for $19.00 (GST included) plus $6.00 shipping per copy in Canada. The publisher's retail price is $21.95 plus GST (plus shipping if purchased online). Buy Now… Fifteen aviation stories with a common theme: they are all Canadian, and they truly are “amazing”. We are offering this book for $17.00 (GST included) plus $6.00 shipping per copy in Canada. The publisher's retail price is $19.95 plus GST (plus shipping if purchased online). Buy Now From the perils of World War 1 aerial dogfights to the daring antics of his post-war barnstorming stunts, the adventures of Captain Freddie McCall, flying ace and maverick Calgarian, come to life in Shirlee Smith Matheson’s book. We are offering this book for $8.00 (GST included) plus $6.00 shipping per copy in Canada. The publisher's retail price is $9.95 plus GST (plus shipping if purchased online) Buy Now… It's not too late to look ahead one beautiful page (per month) at a time! There are less than a dozen of our annual CAHS Aviation Art Calendar, 2021 edition, remaining in stock… Have a look. Don't miss out… Our Society is very thankful for the support of Corporate Members, Museum Members, and from the proceeds generated by the time-limited Special Offer items in our e-shop. Join the CAHS – Information for New Members… Renew or Extend Your Membership Here… Browse our Shop… Looking for a specific Journal or Article? Click the button above, then click on the little magnifying glass to begin your search. Donate any Amount… Click the button above or, if you have a recent smartphone, simply point its camera app at the on-screen QR code to donate via mobile. CAHS Journal Update If you are a CAHS National Member with an up-to-date email address on record, you can access the digital edition of CAHS Journal Volume 57, Number 1. This digital edition is included in the repository of all digital editions (published since 2010) in our website's new Members' Only area. Simply log in to enjoy your CAHS Journals on your destop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, where they can be read at full-screen magnifications. From there, individual articles, ranges of pages, or whole Journals can be printed on your home/office printer. If you haven't already created your Members' log-in account on the site, you can find the instructions for doing so on the CAHS Journal page (text in red just below the content summary), where you can also check out the latest Journal production news. With the Members' Only area, the ultimate goal is for all CAHS National Members with access to the internet to be a few clicks away from access to all Journals published to date. This is also a good place to remind members and non-members alike that the table of contents for all CAHS Journals published to date is indexed on the site. date such that Article titles or authors are quickly searchable. Even if you prefer to read the print edition, using the site search engine to locate a particular article might save you hours of flipping through Journals (as enjoyable as that may be for some!). A Journal 57-1 correction note If you downleaded the digital edition of Volume 57 Number 1 before the second week of March, you may have gotten a pre-publication draft due to a file upload error. That PDF file has since been replaced with the actual published copy with all proofreading results in place. Simply log in with your CAHS National Member credentials (email address on record and password) to get the correct PDF. An Easy Upgrade for Newsletter Subscribers First of all, I wish to extend a warm welcome and many thanks to all of the subscribers – former members among them – who have have become CAHS National Members since the last newsletter. If, as a subscriber, you enjoy the content of our newsletter and website, we're especially confident that you will enjoy our flagship publication, the CAHS Journal. Follow this link to take you from subscriber to member within just a few clicks. The Anywhere-Online membership which gives you access to all digitial editions of the Journal through to the end of the year you join is just $25.00! Traditional memberships (which include the print edition by mail) vary according to mailing destination. Anywhere-Online members can upgrade to Traditional at any time. Terry Higgins, Creative Director, Website Administrator, CAHS Journal Managing Editor and Graphics Director, Canadian Aviation Historical Society New CAHS.com features… Alberta Museum Updates The Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta has revamped their membership program and is offering educational resources online for schools. By purchasing a membership By CAHS Online Staff Read more… Skyward Neil Macdougall The CAHS lost a highly-regarded and well-known member with the peaceful passing of Neil Macdougall at his home in Toronto on February 20 at the age of 93. By Gord McNulty Read more… Bittersweet Saga: C-54 Skymaster It’s a story of sadness about the loss of a flagship aircraft turning to hope and optimism with a good match as a replacement. Spirit of Freedom was an aircraft previously flown by Millardair. By Gord McNulty Check it out here here… Canadian Aviation Moments Question:What were the first systematic flying regulations that were introduced in 1917 by the IRFC (Imperial Royal Flying Corps) training plan in Canada during the First World War? Hint:Have you read C.W. Hunt's seminal work, Dancing In The Sky? Question: Who recommended to the Canadian Government that all axis aliens be removed from the west coast? Hint:Chris Weicht provides the answer in his book, Jericho Beach and the West Coast Flying Stations, somewhere shortly after page 175. Question:What was the impact of the bombing raid by the RAF Bomber Command on Hamburg the night of July 27, 1943?? Hint:The answer is between pages 150 and 200 in No Prouder Place by David Bashow. January-February 2021 Aviation Moments Quiz Answers: Question One: After which comic strip character was the RAF’s Wellington bomber named? Answer: The most successful of Bomber Command’s wartime starting stable was the Vickers Wellington. Affectionately nicknamed the “Wimpy” after J. Wellington Wimpy, Popeye’s corpulent hamburger-eating chum, the somewhat portly Wellington was a docile, yet lively, performer. Question Two: What was the total number of personnel in the RCAF at the beginning, and at the end, of the Second World War? What was the authorized strength after the war’s end, and how long did it take to reach that strength? Answers: At the Beginning: Around the end of 1939 the RCAF had only 4,061 officers and airmen (including the Non-permanent Force). At the End: At the cessation of hostilities the RCAF had 164,846 all ranks (the peak was in 1944 with 215,200) serving; this was to be reduced to an authorized strength of 16,000 all ranks. This demobilization was to take place over two years. Question Three: There was only one Canadian squadron named after a person. Which squadron was it, and after whom was it named? Answer: No. 419 Squadron was based at Mildenhall in No. 3 Group territory and flew its first operational sorties in January 1942. …following what had become something of a tradition, the unit’s first commanding officer was a CAN/RAF, the highly capable and charismatic Wing Commander John “Moose” Fulton, DFC, AFC, who had already completed a distinguished tour of thirty operations with No. 99 Squadron, RAF, and an equally distinguished tour of duty with the Armament Defense Flight Experimental Section at Farnborough. Fulton was a tireless, fearless and popular commander, who led from the front and fully shared the risks of his men, in spite of orders at the time to squadron skippers to minimize their operational flying. This combination of dedication and concern would lead the squadron into taking Fulton’s nickname for its own after his death in action, and eventually getting it officially recognized, so it became No. 419 (Moose) Squadron, RCAF – the only Canadian squadron to be named after a person. More Canadian Aviation Moments – In the News and Around the Web – The Billy Bishop Museum A New Name and New Website The Billy Bishop Museum has changed its name from the Billy Bishop Home & Museum and has launched a new website. Their new website has content on current and past exhibits, a page dedicated to honouring and supporting veterans, information on Billy Bishop and an online gift shop where you can purchase a variety of items. The museum is currently open and if you would like to visit and support them please visit their website for more information on hours, admission and ways to donate. To visit the website, click here! A Bomber Command Love Story The CBC has shared a story of service, survival and love about a 98-year-old veteran who lives in Saskatoon. The story of Reg Harrison tells of his time flying in the Second World War, the meeting of his friend Buddy Holloway, his incredible luck in surviving not just one but four aircraft crashes and his finding love upon returning home. To read the complete story shared by CBC, please click here. Freighting in Northern Canada Filmed almost entirely in northern Saskatchewan, this film is a compilation of aircraft flying. In terms of historic aviation this may be one of the earliest films of the famous Vikers Vedettes. The majority of the footage of take offs and landings as well as the base of operations that are shown were at the RCAF base at Ladder Lake near Big River, Saskatchewan. To view the video and the complete description of its content, please click here Chapter News Select a chapter to discover what they have been up to since the last newsletter. This month marks the first inter-chapter event bwtween the Toronto, Regina, and Manitoba organizations, while Ottawa's latest Zoom presenter is the author of a book we will be offering in the next newsletter. Visit their pages for more, or elsewhere to see what's happening in your own area… Special Thanks To Our Supporters In addition to its members, contributors, and newsletter subscribers, the CAHS is thankful for the ongoing support of its Corperate Members, Museum Members, and Partner Organizations, as well as the many individuals and organizations whose financial donations are so generously given. Corporate Members: Corporate Partners: Aviaeology Publishing / SkyGrid Studio CANAV Books Northern Lights Awards / Elsie MacGill Foundation The RCAF Association Vintage Wings of Canada Museum Members: Alberta Aviation Museum Billy Bishop Home and Museum Bomber Command Museum of Canada British Columbia Aviation Museum Calgary Mosquito Society Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Canadian Historical Aircraft Association The Canadian Museum of Flight Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum Comox Air Force Museum Great War Flying Museum The Hangar Flight Museum Harvard Historical Aviation Society Montreal Aviation Museum National Air Force Museum Quebec Aerospace Museum Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Shearwater Aviation Museum Western Development Museum Follow us on Facebook and Twitter e-Newsletter Archive If you have changed your mailing or e-mail address, please get in touch to keep us up to date. Contact the Membership Administrator here. To enquire about membership payment records, contact the Treasurer here. Click here to renew immediately online, or to join as a new member. If you would like to register or renew by mail, printable forms are also available in the bottom area of this page on our site. If you have any aviation history-related news or events to share, please contact our newsletter editor here. Please feel free to forward to friends and family members, or encourage them to sign up on our website to receive the newsletter directly for FREE. We hope that you enjoy receiving this monthly newsletter and find the contents informative and enjoyable. If you no longer wish to receive it for any reason, please use the unsubscribe option below to have your email address removed immediately from the mailing list. The Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) P.O. Box 2700 • Station D • Ottawa • Ontario • K1P 5W7 visit us at www.cahs.com The CAHS is incorporated as a Canadian Registered Charity under a Federal Charter with the business registration number 118829589 RR001

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