Tom HI will be in our Museum along with about 1000 others for our annual Remembrance Day service.
We start Nov 11 with a breakfast for 4 squadrons of Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
After the service the Museum is open to the public at no charge.
We remember!
Tom H
Tom HWanted to thank Moggy again for starting this thread…for me it has been great.
Just to let everyone know input from threads like this does get put to good use…
Based on information from the forum we revised the layout of the new mini theaters going into our museum.
– The theaters have been moved to areas behind the aircraft
– We are improving lighting in selected areas
– Every aircraft has a minimum of 1 clear camera shot
– Select exhibits are being etheir moved or removed (if non essential) from
the floor to allow easier access to get right up to the aircraft.
(but please don’t touch)
– We are in the process of creating a guide book of the museum
Good information always gets put to work around our museum.
http://www.albertaaviationmuseum.com
Thanks Tom H
Tom HSadsack
The Ventura being restored in our facility was recovered from a Northern Canadian crash site and is a WW2 RCAF veteran (sorry don’t have the s/n handy). So I am not understanding the South Africian sensitivities comment, sorry.
I do know the project here has gotten parts from South Africa.
The VMFA’s project in Edmonton is has come a long long way since being recovered from north of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territiories. Most parts are now on hand and I believe they have complied the largest most accurate archives on the type…right down to copies of the original union agreements.
As I understand it the problem now comes down to bomb bay doors, some small parts and $$$$.
Tremendous research has gone into the detail of this restoration and other than required changes (to meet the airworthiness regs of today) the aircraft will be excatly the same as when it came into Canadian service in 1943. Yes even the radars and the Gurnsey Girl.
$$$$ is the biggest issue….our standing joke right now is that the Ventura is 1 year and $750,000.00 away from flying or 750 years at $1,000.00 per year.
It pays to have a sense of humour and the Ventura team has done a fantastic job ( not to mention helped a number of other museums and groups along the way) in a detailed restoration that is now in it’s 19th year.
When done the intent is to tour the aircraft so all the remaining Ventura veterans in North America (maybe Europe) and their families will get to see the aircraft before it is too late.
Steve Bond
You are right…in our haste to celebrate the technology of the time we often miss the people.
That is why some museums (like ours) has undertaken oral and video histories, we are in the process of adding (9) small mini theaters to help tell the story of the people and are embarking on a major exhibit “The People of Aviation”.
An aircraft is just a tool, it’s the people that use it that make the history.
You are also very right about UV, we have spent alot of money UV blocking all the exterior windows in our facility sa well as the glass on the display cases.
Thanks Tom H
Tom H
Tom HMorning Cees
As with all things there are no absolutes.
Coming from an Air Force family that served in WW2 and being ex forces myself I agree with your points regarding recovery of lost personel and UXB completely.
In the case of personel I feel it is our duty to place our own honourably, in the case of UXB it is a matter of public safety.
Determining cause and investigation does not need to include removal of material or require a dig per se’.
If a researcher determines ther is good cause to do so and can justify it, follows the rules blah blah blah I can’t see where it still can’t be done.
And it all falls under treating the site as an archelogical and cultural site, same as we do for other historic sites.
As I have said before…if we don’t protect them, what will my grandchildren get to see or excperience?
Tom H
Tom HFighter Ace
You and many others do not “steal” the history, but lets face it we all know
“others” that have.
Besides I was using “steal” as a descriptive term to indicate the lose to future genrations of items that simply dissappear from the record.
As to the cost, in our country we are already doing it on other sites, why not aviation sites. Is our aviation culture any less important that other cultures?
Just my opinion, please feel free to differ I take no offence. Thats what debates are for.
Tom H
Tom HHi Tangmere
With point three what I was getting at is in Canada known archelogical sites are registered with the Federal Government, new ones discovered must also be registered.
Permits must be granted by the government before any dig takes place and only registered archelogists (amateur or professional) can be granted permits to do digs or recovery.
It is a verey serious offence to mess with a known site or to fail to report a new site.
If we treated crash sites the same way they would be protected and those wishing to do a dig (amateur or professional) would need to justify why and what exactly was going to happen to artifacts found.
While not a perfect system it has definitely helped reduce the “robbing of sites”. There are several historic “crash sites” of aircraft that are also registered and in one case where artifiacts were pilfered criminal charges were laid.
By copying the existing frame work sites could be protected from all but serious recoveries for real preservation purposes (amateur of proffessional, private or Museum).
Thats what I was trying to get at with fewer words….does that help explain my thoughts?
Tom H
Tom HFrom reading the threads and having some very strong opinions of my own I am drawn to several conclusions.
1) It is time to start taking our “aviation culture” very seriously, before it is lost to all.
2) It is past due for “Aviation Archeology” to be taken as seriously as all other forms. Right down to having those recovering artifacts registered and recorded.
3) Are we overdue to require licencing and registery of the sites, who recovers them and what is recovered? I think so.
What has already been done cannot be undone, but to allow the problems continue simply “steals” the history from future generations.
What do you think?
Tom H
Tom HSadSack
If they don’t want the Ventura let me know!!!
One of the teams in our museum has been working for over a decade to get one back in the air!!!!
Tom H
Tom HThanks Moggy
Thanks Moggy
This thread has given me a number of new ideas to incorporate in our Museum.
I am surprised more “Museum” types don’t haunt the forums as the ideas I collect are great.
thanks to all that posted
Tom H
Tom HYes Firebird that is the one.
Recently saw some pics from one of our members and have had discussions with a gentlemen who knows the project intimately.
Very near completion, searching out some small parts such as fittings and oil cooler brackets for completion. That I understand is taking the time.
This one has been on the go for must be 20 years…will be great to see it fly as it is the siser ship to our static restoration.
Tom H
Tom HIn case you were not aware
There is a Mossie that will be flying soon in Richmond BC, can’t remeber the details off hand but will post them when I find them.
Tom H
Tom HI cannot comment on how thngs are in the UK, but here in Canada…
Given a chance I find most yooung people do get excited about history, problem is they never here about it.
1)
Schools present the history of the world around us, very little on Canada, and even what they present they only do in bites and rarely the complete piece (ie hiroshima is taught, but not the atrocities etc that led up to it or the reasoning behind the decision). Even then it is not presented in an exciting fashion.
Our history is very very exciting, if we presented it that way the interest would be much higher
2)
In Canada we are overwhelmed by entertainment productions from our southern neighbor. Pearl Harbour, Iwo Jima, Midway are better known than the Battle of Britain or the Battle of the Atlantic. This leaves a distorted view to the young.
Canada has tales and stories from our history that beat any hollywood writers imagination but they are not pursued or presented. It’s are own fault and carries through today (How many of you have heard of the Battle of Medak Pocket in 1993?).
If we do not preserve and present history how are young people supposed to get excited about it?
Aviation in general is having a similar problem…kids aren’t interested, kids can’t access it so how are they supposed to get interested?
A vicous circle we need to break.
Tom H
Tom HPagen01….thanks for the PM
Lindys Lad
Don’t under estimate the public…the excellent work you are doing at your museum (and I have read all the posts and loved the pics) will inspire young visitors to become enthusiasts! Thats the payoff!!!
We have had a grade 6 program running for several years and many of those kids that come here for the school course return wth their parents and a few have even caught the sickness.
The future of aviation history is in the hands of the youngsters that come in today.
On the topic of to restore or not…
It comes down to the specific piece of history attached to an airframe.
Example…we have the remains of a very historic Fokker Universal, if we restored it very very little of it would remain so we display it as found with an explanation of it’s history, photos of it’s life and how it wound up where it is.
Safe sound and preserved in it’s as found condition.
If it was a no name, no provedence aircraft I would have no hesitation in it’s restoration reguardless of what it took…but it’s not and has an irreplaceable history and needs to be safeguarded.
I feel the same about resto vs preserve in most cases…if it can be replaced go for it…if it can’t, preserve it. Same goes for making an aircraft fly.
Tom H
Tom HGood for you Adrian…
As long as we remember it doesn’t matter how we do.
Tom H
Tom HCongradualtions to my southern neighbors…
The United States Airforce has a long and proud tradition and it’s great to see them celebrating such an important anniversary
All the best
Tom H
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