Sarnia Airport Open House 
featured a Norseman and more 

Story and photos by Gord McNulty, CAHS Vice President
Aviation enthusiasts flocked to Sarnia’s Chris Hadfield Airport on 14 August to enjoy an exceptional fly-in/drive-in open house. ​
A perfect summer day, combined with a pent-up desire to escape the COVID-19 doldrums, drew an impressive turnout of more than 120 aircraft from as far as Sault Ste. Marie and a large crowd. The airport’s namesake, astronaut Chris Hadfield, signed books and greeted visitors throughout the event, organized by Chapter 7 of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association.
Noorduyn Norseman CF-JIN,  RCAF 2482, looked good on the ramp at Sarnia
CF-JIN at the Norseman Festival in Red Lake, July, 1995
I was really surprised upon arrival to see none other than a restored Noorduyn Norseman, which revived fond memories of the Norseman Festival fly-in I enjoyed at Red Lake, Ontario in July, 1995.  It was the first time I had seen a Norseman in the all-yellow wartime colours of the Norseman in RCAF service.​
Norseman Mk.IV, construction number 55, as RCAF 2482 'back in the day' (Jack McNulty Collection)
Norseman Mk.IV c/n 55, delivered as 2482 in 1941, was assigned to RCAF Station Aylmer, Ontario, during the Second World War. It subsequently appeared on the civil registry as CF-JIN, flew with Austin Airways at Sudbury, and later went to Chimo Air Service at Red Lake.  
Stephen Orr's Norseman in wartime RCAF colours made an impression at the open house
JIN is one of two Norsemen being restored by a partnership at the Huron Flight Centre in Sarnia. A part owner, Stephen Orr, who owns a Chrysler dealership in Sarnia, assembled a crew in 2018 to recover the grounded aircraft deep in the boreal forest outside of Red Lake, Ontario. The crew included Jason Brent and Dennis Ryan of the Huron Flight Centre and mechanic Brian Rhodenizer. owner of Northwind Aviation in Aylmer.
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Both aircraft had been damaged by a hailstorm. JIN was still operational after 10 months in the bush and remarkably enough, Orr told the Sarnia Journal that it “just fired up right away.” In fact, the partners believe JIN is the oldest currently airworthy Norseman in the world. 
CF-KAO, with St. Charles Air Service logo, taking off at Red Lake
CF-KAO during the Norseman Festival at Red Lake in July 1995
The other Norseman, CF-KAO, was “a write-off” in comparison.  It had to be disassembled and was driven back to southern Ontario for eventual restoration.  This aircraft was originally delivered to the USAAF in 1944, and then served with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  It was imported into Canada in 1957, flew bush operations in northern Ontario, and was taken out of service in 2018. 
The Norseman float plane arrived in Sarnia on May 30, 2018, after landing in the St. Clair River. (Glenn Ogilive, The Sarnia Journal)
Carefully patched up over three days, JIN was flown to Sarnia from Red Lake in May 2018. Orr, who originally earned his wings in the 1970s, regained his certification and flew it back to Sarnia with Brent. After a nine-hour flight and two fuel stops, they arrived in the city after touching down in the St. Clair River. Sarnia Journal photographer Glenn Ogilvie took a fine photo of the landing as shown.

The partners had hoped to fly the restored aircraft this year, but the work has been difficult, and it’s not expected to fly until 2022. Orr is especially interested in the Norseman as his father served at Aylmer as a wireless operator on Norseman 2481.
KAO is taking longer to restore. JIN, up for sale, will be equipped with wheels. KAO will have floats and while its future is uncertain, it’s possible that it might eventually return to commercial service.
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A beautifully restored Grumman G-44 Widgeon, C-FNGD, captured plenty of attention at the open house. This ex-U.S. Navy aircraft spent three years off the coast of New Jersey on German U-boat patrol. Once owned by singer songwriter Vaughn Monroe, it’s the product of an 18-year restoration and is flown out of Sarnia. 
A highly polished Van’s RV-14 displayed the new Canadian Aviation Museum logo, on the tail, to reflect the name change of the Windsor-based Canadian Aviation Historical Aircraft Association, a CAHS Museum Member. The rebranding, as well as a new logo and website, was announced in July and more details can be found at ch2a.ca 
The Van RV-14 C-FCGA displays the new Canadian Aviation Museum logo on the tail
Also in attendance, Stearman C-GSDK is based in the Sarnia area.
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