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CAHS Newsletter
 
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The Canadian Aviation

 

Historical Society

January 2023 e–Newsletter 

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From the Desk of the Executive

Happy New Year to all!

 

We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a happy start to the New Year! Hard to believe we’re already approaching the end of January. With February around the corner, I know I’ll be looking forward to National Aviation Day on the 23rd, an opportunity to celebrate all that aviation has brought to Canada.

 

On February 23rd each year, National Aviation Day recognizes the pioneers who opened the skies with the goal of connecting Canadians across the country and moving goods quickly and safely. As part of that recognition, we celebrate those individuals and organizations that have helped Canada accomplishment these goals on home soil and abroad. 

 

The date February 23rd honours Canada’s first powered flight of the Silver Dart, nearly 800m, done in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. To recognize this monumental milestone museums and organizations across the country celebrate National Aviation Day in different ways.

 

For instance, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada will have open cockpit days and The Hangar Flight Museum will offer free admission. I would encourage visiting your local aviation museum to see if they have anything going on and to show your support for an industry that’s done so much for Canada and the world.

Katherine Simunkovic,

Newsletter Editor,

Canadian Aviation Historical Society

 
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From the Desk of the Journal Editor

 

Volume 58 Number 1 is finally complete (again!) at the printer's bindery shop and will be shipped to our mailing house on Friday, 3 February.

 

The digital edition will be made available on our website members-only area later this week as well. All current members will receive the usual notification and link via email.

 

We will provide a more detailed update on the balance of Volume 58 and beyond in the February e-newsletter.

Terry Higgins, Creative Director, Website Administrator,

CAHS Journal Managing Editor and Graphics Director,

Canadian Aviation Historical Society

 
 
 

From the Desk of the Treasurer

We are happy to let you know that the 2023 Aviation Artists' calendar has been restocked. It isn't too late to get a copy, and since it is a 13-month calendar, it is usable through to the end of January 2024. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, the aviation enthusiast in your life would probably really appreciate an aviation book or a CAHS Gift Membership, in addition to some chocolates and a romantic dinner. Please check out the CAHS Store for the wide variety of books we have available at discounted prices. The CAHS thanks everyone for your support - whether it is through membership renewals, donations, or book purchases! 

Cordially, Dr. Rachel Lea Heide,

National Treasurer,

Canadian Aviation Historical Society

CAHS 2023 Aviation Art Calendar

 
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Pre-order for $15 a copy (plus $5 shipping in Canada).  Visit the calendar's web page for an overview of this year's art and artists…

Restocked!

 
Order yours here now…
 
 
 
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AviaDossier 1: Canadian Aircraft of WWII

By Carl Vincent

(with illustrations by Terry Higgins)

 

Heavily illustrated softcover, 8.5 x 11 inches landscape format with photos, profiles, and maps.

Drawing on an immense range of archival records, memoirs, and photographs collected over decades of diligent research, author Carl Vincent provides a unique insight into some of the men and machines covered under this broad title.

 
See more or order now…
 
 

North Atlantic Crossroads 

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by Darrell Hillier

 

Gander was a bustling hub of aviation during the Second World War as thousands of bombers passed through on their way to Britain. In North Atlantic Crossroads, the challenges and hazards of transatlantic ferrying come alive. Tales of search and rescue, aircraft salvage, medevac missions, and VIP visits highlight the activities of the Ferry Command Gander unit, notably the work of its aircraft maintenance department, headed by the incomparable John Joseph “Joe” Gilmore. Postwar, the boom in commercial air travel transformed Gander, setting the airport on its way to becoming the crossroads of the North Atlantic. 

 

This book can be purchased for $15 (plus $6 shipping in Canada)

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Get your copy here…
 
 

For the Love of Flying

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by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

 

This book tells the story of Laurentian Air Services and its subsidiaries, Air Schefferville, Delay River Outfitters and more.

 

Drawing on interviews with Laurentian’s owners, pilots and ground crew, Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail explores this innovative company’s colorful 60-year history from its founding in Ottawa in 1936 with Waco biplanes through the 1990s when it operated twin-engine turboprops. This book is filled with lively flying anecdotes from the cockpits of world-famous bushplanes, including the de Havilland Beaver and Otter, the Douglas DC-3 and the Grumman Goose. From daring rescues and close calls, to the filming of Hollywood’s Captains of the Clouds, Laurentian’s pilots did it all.

 

Get your copy for only $20 (plus $20 shipping within Canada; we recommend buying multiple copies of Danielle's books at no extra cost for combined shipping, which would make the parcel shipping rate more worthwhile).

Get your copy here…
 
 

Polar Winds

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by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

 

Polar Winds uses the stories of pilots and others to explore the greater history of air travel in the North, from the Klondike Gold Rush through to the end of the twentieth century. It encompasses everything from exploration flights to the North Pole in airships to passenger travel in jet liners; flying school buses for residential schools to indigenous pilots performing mercy flights; and from the harrowing crashes to the routine supply runs that make up daily life in the North. Above all, it is a unique history told through the experiences of northerners on the ground and in the sky. 

 

Get your copy for only $20 (plus $6 shipping within Canada).

Order yours here now…
 
 

Alis the Aviator

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by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail

 

Come along on an aviation journey with Alis! This spunky female guide will take you through an ABC of planes featuring gorgeous cut-paper art.

An A to Z of planes past and present, this book has stunning cut-paper art and a cute-as-a-button guide named Alis. Named for Dr. Alis Kennedy, likely one of the first Indigenous women to obtain a commercial pilot licence in Canada, Alis will take you on an aviation tour from the Avro Arrow to the Zeppelin and everything in between.

Meticulously researched and uniquely crafted, this is a one-of-a-kind book that will delight aviation fans big and little

 

Get your copy for only $20 (plus $6 shipping within Canada).

Get your copy here…
 

Click/tap anywhere on the montage below to to explore all the other books that the CAHS is offering for sale!

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Our Society is very thankful for the support of our Corporate Members, Museum Members, Individual Donors, and from the proceeds generated by the time-limited Special Offer items in our e-shop.

 
 

Aviation News and Events

 
 
 
 
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RCAF 100 New Brunswick Banner Project 

Working together, the Turnbull (NB) Chapter and the RCAF have launched the first of two projects to celebrate the RCAF Centennial in 2024.

 

Report and Photos by

Harold E. Wright

Secretary, CAHS New Brunswick

Read more…
 
 
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Secrets of Radar Museum Update 

The Secrets of Radar Museum in London, Ontario is excited to share that they’ve received a sizable donation to help with providing access to their collection and to support future growth.  

 

Read more...
 
 
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Some Aircraft and Artifacts Located In The Reserve Hangar From The CASM Collection 

A look at some of the artifacts and aircraft found in the Reserve and Restoration Hanger at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. While a good number of aircraft and artifacts are included in this video, there are many more waiting for you to visit!  

via Kyle Huth

Check it out on Youtube…
 
 
 
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National Aviation Museum Donation 

The National Aviation Museum Society is excited to announce a donation for the Canada Aviation and Space Museum to support a new Cold War exhibit. 

NAMS Press Release
 
 
 
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In Memoriam

Former Ontario Lieutenant Governor David Onley

Fondly remembered for his dedication and passion to the aerospace community, David Onley, former Ontario Lieutenant Governor, has passed away. To read about his influence, please click here. 

 

Story and photos by Gord McNulty

CAHS Vice President

 
 
 
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Elevate Aviation Cross Country Tour  

When I saw Elevate Aviation's announcement of its 2023 dates and locations for its annual tour promoting aviation to young people in Canada, it reminded me that the problem I have been researching for work - shortages in the aviation industry - is nowhere near solved yet. The aviation industry, in Canada and around the world, needs more people to become pilots, mechanics, and air traffic controllers, just to name a few categories that are experiencing significant shortages. The shortages across the industry will only get worse with time as more people retire and airlines expand their routes and fleets.
 
In summer 2022, Boeing published its latest Pilots and Technicians Outlook forecast: over the next 20 years, global aviation will need 602,000 additional pilots and 610,000 additional maintenance technicians. This is an increase over CAE's 2020 prediction that 260,000 new pilots will be needed globally (and 27,000 just in Canada alone) by 2030. Since the need for personnel is so great, there is a strong imperative to tap into groups of people who are under-represented in the aviation field and encourage more to not just consider - but actually pursue - a career in aviation. Pre-pandemic, in Canada, only 7% of pilots are women and only 3% are Indigenous. In the United States, only 3.4% of pilots are Black.
 
I wish to use this short note to encourage our readers to introduce the youth in your life (whether pre-teens, teenagers, or university/college age) to the world of aviation and the plethora of career opportunities. There are so many ways to introduce people to the excitement and romance of flight - whether through historical or modern-day examples. Take your sons, daughters, and grand-children to an aviation museum or an air show; take the time to view an aviation-themed movie together; or give the gift of an aviation history book or a beautiful aviation themed painting or print. Not only will you be making life-long memories of the time you spent together, but you may also be opening the door to an amazing aviation career your children or grandchildren may have never considered before, and you may be helping address the national aviation personnel shortage Canada is facing over the next couple of decades.

Dr. Rachel Lea Heide,

National Treasurer,

Canadian Aviation Historical Society

Canadian Aviation Moments

Here are the questions and answers to November's Canadian Aviation Moments:

 
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Question 1:  What ranking did the author of the source give First World War Canadian aerial fighter Raymond Collishaw?    

 

Source:

Canada’s Fighting Airmen,

pg. 60 (Drew)

 

 
 
 
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Question 2:  What were the three conditions that the Australians and New Zealanders declared that their participation in the British Commonwealth depended on?     

                                

Source:

Wings for Victory,

pg. 42 (Dunmore)

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
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Question 3:  What was the “The Ruhr Express”?   

 

Source:

No Prouder Place,

pg. 264 (Bashow)

 
 

Spoiler alert -  the answers to this month's questions follow. Skip the rest of this section and come back later if you wish to guess/research the answers first. Good luck and have fun!

ANSWER 1: “In 1929 Collishaw proceeded to Palestine with the rank of Wing Commander, taking part in the operations of the royal air force against the fanatical Arabs. He is today by far the most experienced aerial fighter in the world, and has probably destroyed more enemy machines in battle than any other pilot, living or dead, his exploits during nearly fifteen years of continuous service at many times surpassing even those attributed by Dumas to his amazing hero.”

Source:

Canada’s Fighting Airmen,

pg. 60 (Drew)

ANSWER 2: “Early in November, the Australian and New Zealand delegations arrived. If Riverdale and King expected their presence to make things easier, they were rapidly disillusioned. Within a few days, the representatives from the antipodes began complaining about receiving second-class treatment and being forced to wait in anterooms until the British and Canadians were ready to receive them. What’s more, they were now nursing serious reservations about the whole plan. For one thing, Canada wanted payment in a form that could be readily converted into U.S. dollars; Australian and New Zealander currency reserves were strictly limited. The Australians and New Zealanders declared that their participation in the plan depended upon three conditions: first, that Britain underwrite their monthly payments to Canada; second, that the contribution of aircrew candidates be recalculated on the basis of populations – in other words, 57 percent from Canada, 35 percent from Australia, and 8 percent from New Zealand; third, that Australia be allowed to train most of its aircrew recruits at home. The Australians and New Zealanders seemed to be in no mood for protracted negotiations on these points; they threatened to head home by the next available ship if their proposals were rejected."

 

Source:

Wings for Victory,

pg. 42 (Dunmore)

 

ANSWER 3: “In August 405 Squadron in 8 Group began its conversion to Lancaster 1s and IIIs, and Canadians in Bomber Command could take pride in the delivery of the first of what ultimately became 430 Canadian-built Lancaster Xs produced for the war effort. The aircraft, coded KB 700 but soon to become known by its nickname, The Ruhr Express, was flown to Britain in a well-organized public relations effort by Squadron Leader Reginal Lane, DSO, DFC. Both Lane and The Ruhr Express had many exciting wartime experiences still in store for them, but the aircraft, ceremonially presented to 405 Squadron at Gransden Lodge in October, was far from being combat ready. In fact, only thirteen more of the variant were completed before year’s end, and on average they required around 1000 man-hours of modifications to bring them up to operational standards once they arrived in England. This was because modifications developed in the United Kingdom could not be incorporated quickly into the production line at Victory Aircraft in Downsview, and changes in Canadian specifications played a delaying role as well. Thus, when The Ruhr Express bombed Berlin as part of 405 Squadron on 27/28 November 1943 on its first operational sortie, no other Lancaster Xs were used operationally until 419 Squadron became the first unit to convert to the type in March/April 1944.” 

 

Source:

No Prouder Place,

pg. 264 (Bashow)

 
 

Chapter News

Select a chapter to discover what they have been up to since the last newsletter.

Many of our Chapters remain very active on Zoom with presentations every bit as good as they would be if we did not have pandemic restrictions to deal with!

 
 
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Special Thanks To Our Supporters

 
 

In addition to its members, contributors, and newsletter subscribers, the CAHS is thankful for the ongoing support of its Corporate Members, Museum Members, and Partner Organizations, as well as the many individuals and organizations whose financial donations are so generously given.

 

If you would like to become a Corporate Member or Museum Member - or if you know an organization that might like to join - we are always happy to receive new applications. Please use the hyperlinks above to learn more about our corporate members and partner organizations. 

Corporate Members:

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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

Botwood Flying Boat Museum

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

First In Last Out

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

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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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P.O. Box 2700, Station D
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