Tom H“NV999 was on loan to the RCAF, all of the crash records are RCAF. It crashed due to fuel starvation on the 7th of Feb 1946. F/L Griffin was attempting a wheels down landing in a clearing south of Edmonton after becoming lost. The aircraft landed, bounced and turned over causing damage to the wings, fin, firewall etc etc. The Tempest was written off, and all winterization gear and the Sabre V were sent back to the UK, however, after sending the lot, they were advised that the RAF no longer wanted any of it, so it was intercepted on the east coast and shipped back to WEE Edmonton and ??????? I’ve been looking for this and other spares for a while now; the search continues!”
Wow this is interesting…
WEE flight operated from the Municipal airport in Edmonton and this is the first I’ve heard of the Tempest.
I will talk to our curator and the volunteer that handles our photograpghs and see what I can find out.
Tom
Tom HMorning all from chilly Alberta.
Like fleet16b my father trained in, then instructed in the BCATP before going overseas as a Lancaster pilot so I will be damned if I will let this anniversary pass quietly!
Other than Trenton’s event last summer little seems to be happening so thanks to all of you that are making noise and asking questions.
Here in Edmonton we unveiled our BCATP exhibit which combines conventional exhibit techniques with digital images and computerized flight simulators our guests can fly under supervision.
Imagine…getting to try the Tiger Moth from right beside the Tiger, or trying the Anson from under its wing.
Every 2 months we will be adding a different facet to the exhibit…February is building the BCATP. How it went from 5 bases in Canada to 230+ in only 2 years.
I’d like to hear more about how the BCATP affected other countries, Australia, Britian, etc. It made for a huge cultural shift here, it had to have changed things elsewhere.
This year we have announced a flying (biplane) tour of the 38 identifiable BCATP bases remaining in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan that we will undertake in 14 days from Mid May to Mid June (all things being equal and if we raise enough money).
Yes Brandon is one of the many stops.
The goal is to raise awareness of the BCATP across Canada and celebrate the tremendous accomplishments.
So heres to everyone that does something to celebrate the BCATP, from having coffee with a vet to holding an event…good on ya!
Tom
Tom HDecember 17th is almost here…
So what is everyone doing to celebrate todays anniversary?
Tom
Tom HThanks all
Thank you everyone
We don’t want this Anniversary to be missed!!!
And thanks for catching me on the Kiwis.
There would not have been the great allied air offensives if there had not been a great training program to create the aircrews.
Even a Spitfire of Lancaster is pretty useless without a pilot.
For the 100th Anniversary of Flight in Canada we ran 32 events so we intend on doing our best to do the same for the 70th of the BCATP!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and join us in raising a toast of yuor favorite beverage on December 17th…
Tom H
Tom HI’m surprised so little is happening so far.
The Alberta Aviation Museum has planned a series of exhibits and events.
December……70th Anniversary of signing of the BCATP
February…….Building the BCATP exhibit, over 200 bases from “0” to operating in 2 years, try that one today.
April…………Women of the BCATP, a special photography exhibit
June………..Airfest 2010 dedicated to the BCATP, hoping to host a yellow airplane convention.
August……..Spirit of Edmonton BCATP tour, the remaining 38 bases in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba over 9 days by Bi Plane
October……70th Anniversary of #2AOS Edmonton and #16EFTS Edmonton
Guess I’m just surprised that the BCATP included Australia, Britain, Canada, South Africa but no one seems to be marking the occasion.
Good on ya Contrailjj its a great time to host a pint.
Tom
Tom HTG372
Bruce
Vampire I… TG372(RAF) Canada Aviation Museum (Ottawa)
The Alberta Aviation Museum (Edmonton Alberta Canada) is actively pursuing the Canadian National Aviation Museum to acquire this aircraft.
WEE (Winter Evaluation Establishment) was set up on our airport and for a time operated from the Double wide Double long BCATP hanager that now housed our museum.
I will see if we have the stills (BW) of its service scanned and if we do I will post them for you.
We have collected a substantial amount of data on the aircraft
both from former military sources and the airport kids that took pictures of it and made notes (the kids are all now in their late 70’s and 80’s).
I recently went over the aircraft (April) and it is (except for the engine) complete and well within the ability to restore to original.
It is the first of the Canadian Jet Fighters and operated here in Edmonton, Alberta.
We are working hard to bring this Vampire home and put it back to its former glory.
Tom H
Tom Hthanks HurriRV7 fan
we try to be very active and work on 1-2 events per month when possible.
Glad you like the Newsletter, the editor is Denny May (son of WOP May!)
The Kelly D has a great home and right now is in Peace River waiting us to complete the Fort Vermilion Mercy Flight. then 2 more historic flights by September. Great airplane, flys nice, just alittle cold to be flying in winter (lol).
You must be one of the Lyncrest gang…pass on my thanks once again to everyone there.
Currently in Ottawa at the Smithsonian Mutaul Concerns of Air and Space Museums conference…learn learn learn.
Tom
Tom HIt’s really interesting to see the way different demographics view the site.
I appreciate all the input and look forward to seeing you HurriRV7.
Aviation enthusiasts/activists (?) tend to look for hard content, non aviation types and younger folks tend to look for the flash bang.
Seems the same with our flight sims as well, Aviation enthusiasts seem to not gravitate to them at all, non aviation…especially younger glom on to them and have a gas.
Other computer interactives seem to have the same reactions.
From my stand point I want to get as many new enthusiasts as possible and it seems that once we get them in we can get them excited by all facets…but it takes some unique thinking to get them in.
Our mini theaters seem to be the only electronics/AV area that all sides enjoy. Each sits 6-9 and reside in the lee of aircraft on exhibit, they feature a 5-7minute bite of Canadian/Albertan aviation history.
Visitors, enthusiast and non enthusiast, enjoy them.
Anyone check out the Education program or Newsletter?
Tom
Tom HThanks again Sagindragin
I will look him up when I have some time.
Ron Cuskelly and all
What we have discovered over the last 3 years you might find interesting.
Over 75% of our visitors would be those of casual, or before coming, minimal interest. Enthusiasts, veterans, active aviators make up roughly 25%, the balance. (these are rough numbers).
So while we always protect the core museum (preservation, restoration, archives and library) we also have to strike a balance between the types of visitors we get and how we interact with them, this of course includes how we market to them.
As you can imagine, not an easy mission. As an aviation freak myself I tend to lean towards the enthusiast, but the majority of our visitors are not and we need to continue to attract them as well as educate them once we get them in. (we are sneaky, if we can get you in we will make you an enthusiast…seems to be working).
As a result we try to balance flash (the animation) with content. The flash works for many of the casual visitors and gets great comments. Doesn’t mean we won’t change it as time passes, just trying to find the right balance.
Which is why we have the fast link to get folks by the animation
I do appreciate the comments and they are all taken into account.
Tom H
Tom Hthank you for the input gentlemen.
Appreciate the comments on the animation, I will say that non aviators and the casual buff seem to like it, as well as most on this side of the Atlantic, but true enthusiasts and the hard core aviation following don’t.
We are going to play with it some more but it sure does have its pros and cons.
sagindragin
I don’t know the gentleman on seawings and to be fair our Viking is a replica and still a work in progress with the cockpits needing completed. I will try to keep you posted on it.
Thank you everyone.
Tom HThanks everyone
I will pass on the info, he is down for only 3 weeks and most of that is contract work but he is a closet aircraft freak with very eclectic tastes.
I really appreciate the offer to tour him about in Melbourne gentlemen and will PM you if he is able.
Thanks again all…wish it was me.
Tom H
Tom HThanks for the information
Tom
Tom HMorning all…
I see my friend Tony’s Lanc pictures showing up so I will pass on his thoughts.
Tony flies that part of the world for a living in C-130 Hercs and intimately knows , if not all, most of the crash sites across the north of Canada.
He (with permission) recovered many parts of the Resolute Lanc and they are now incorporated in the CWH Lanc.
From my conversations with him…the Resolute Lancs offer nothing to be recovered except aluminum.
Both were removed from the runway with CATs, then moved serval times more the same way.
Salvagable large and small parts have been recovered over the years and of course there have been many many looters.
I haven’t seen the Lancs in several decades but even back then it was pretty obvious the big stuff was gone.
Tom
Tom HHi Peter
The National’s unit is not currently on display, or so their ED advised me.
I am sure that will change with time (I sure hope so).
Tom
Tom HThank you Gentlemen…
Yes you haven’t lived till you have flown open cockpit in a Canadian winter!
It has been a very educating experience. You can imagine as a museum we did our homework before embarking on this adventure, we knew it would be very very difficult but we under estimated drastically.
Much of the history of open cockpit cold weather operations was never written down and we have re learned it the hard way, and documented it.
Canada, because of its size, has really relied on aviation to tie it together. As our President recently stated ” aviation picked up where the railway ended” and it is very true.
We will soon be heading out to complete the Fort Vermilion Mercy Flight, I hope the weather finally gives us a break.
Tom H
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