Tom HTell you what RP
If I have any left over I’ll send you an 11 by 17.
Anyone else have an opinion?
Tom H
Tom HDon’t forget
The Martin Mars continues in service as a water bomber and will for the foreseeable future and it’s new owners.
Tom H
Tom HI’ll throw two bits in here
Each year we host an event called Airfest. It’s meant to be accessible to all the community and NOT a money maker for the museum…the goal is to break even.
We only charge $2.00 Canadian for everyone 6 years and over, the event also includes admission to our museum.
while the event is well attended every year, and this years event on the June 24th is expected to once again have a large attendance, the difficulty is with Corporate advertisers.
Even our small event is expensive to put on, admissions even at $10 or $15 would not cover expenses so we need to have corporate support to have the event.
We go out of our way to insure Corporate sponsors get good value for their advertising dollar with high levels of media coverage and on site exposure, yet it is tougher every year to get them involved.
I would bet the large events are having the same problems…the corporations are chosing to spend the money elsewhere, resulting in many shows over here being cancelled.
It really surprises me, in our case we track attendance, exposure, advertising hits etc. and compare it to other events in our region. Airfest is consistantly the better value across the board and is less expensive for a sponsor to participate in than most of the other festivals and events. I don’t get it!
None the less the event will run this year and we are confident it will once again be successful…..but next year?????
Tom H
Tom HWow…never thought I would see a reference to my Dads squadron.
I will get my brother to check his logs as I remeber something vaguely about this.
You should also get in touch with the 103 squadron/576 squadron website,
http://elshamwolds.50g.com they have been helpful tracking some of my fathers details not covered in his logs.
They may even have the story posted in their stories section.
Hope that helps
Tom H
Tom HThanks for all the information Gentlemen
Tom H
Tom HThanks guys…
To be a little more specific I’m looking at cross country fuel burn, econo cruise. I’m trying to insure I’ve budgeted correctly for a P-51 that is flying in for one of our events in June.
A really good guy he is flying in from 2000 miles away to join us and we are covering the fuel costs.
Tom H
Tom HRivet and the others recommending the stands are absolutely correct.
All of the materials I have read make it clear that stands are the only way to go…the only additional recoomendation is once on stands fill them with an inert gas like nitrogen. Helps preserve the tire.
The recommendation to go with clampps on the oleos is also right on the money.
Tom H
Tom HHello Scooter
While I had the honour of chatting with the ACES I have met none of them brought up or discussed wartime stories and I didn’t feel I should. They had many amazing stories they shared from the post war but nothing wartime.
I have found over the years that this is not uncommon as my father was the same way and my father in law at 84 is just starting to pass the stories on.
I do agree with the comments that sometimes we get a little too focused on the aces, the overall effort and the sacrifices were beyond belief to most of todays generation.
But a happier example…
I was a volunteer in our museum for over a decade before becoming ED last August. As a volunteer I got to meet a wonderful gentlemen that also volunteered, Bob Boyden. Bob was a wonderful picture image of a sterotypical grandfather. Born and raised in Edmonton, worked as a plumber most of his life, raised a family.
As time passed I found Bob was more than his story. Wartime Mosquito pilot, DFC, DFC with bar. Volunteered for several missions were no one was expected to return, including an infamous one to Norway and another into France.
He never flew again on his return to Edmonton, till the year before he passed away when he went to the North West Territories and got to fly a Norseman.
It wasn’t till his funeral the stories and decorations came out.
I wonder how many other quiet heros are out there?
Will we every be able to thank them all?
Tom H
Tom HMy Dad was a WW2 instructor and eventually a Lancaster Pilot, flew with 576 sqn RAF from Elsam Wold.
Post War he was an instructor with the NATO programs at Penhold and reserve squadron in Saskatoon. Because of his freindship I once got to meet Johnnie Johnson.
In our museum we have a Battle of Britain Pilot that flew through out the war,
Cal Bricker. Both on Spits and Mustangs with the RAF.
Another of our Members is Justice Mathisen, RCAF Spit Ace and POW.
Also once had the opportunity of meeting Russ Bannock of 418 City of Edmonton squadron fame.
We also brought in Scott Crossfield for our annual event in 2003.
I have been very honoured in being allowed to meet these exceptional gentlemen.
Tom H
Tom Hyou are brave…
– finishing off a “how to” manual for aviation auto conversions
– experimental aircraft with an experimental 100hp engine
– shopping for an ultra light project for my daughter
(Canadian ultralight 1058# gross weight)
– test stand for my experimental aircraft engines
– working on engineering data for scale Hurricane
That doesn’t count all the work that comes home with me from the museum:
– Strategic business plan, due May 1
– Presentation to Municipal government
– Presentation for expansion to Provincial government
– Presentation for expansion to Federal government
– Petition to have contrversial bomber command plaque at CWM removed
– Setting up book signing for May 26
– Premier of a series of video vignettes done for us, May 31
– Airfest 2007 our major public event, June 24
Guess you could say it’s in the blood or I’m obsessed
Tom H
Tom HThank you again Moggy
Whats 5p in Canadian? (LOL) I will find a copy.
and thanks to you agian OHOPE
Thanks again
Tom H
Tom HThanks Moggy
Even just the name of the book would be great as I can chase it down from there.
TomH
OHOPE
Thanks as well and I have seen those materials, I am just frustrated that I know I have read of the missions during the Battle of France along with the Fairey Battle that were in action at the time….hopefully Moggy will be able to get me the name of the book he was reading and it will confirm my reading.
You have to admire those that flew into combat of any sort with pre war already obsolete designs like the Anson and the Battle.
Very brave and courageuos crews that deserve every allocade given.
Thanks Gentlemen
Tom H
Tom HThank you Moggy
I do have those references, what I have been trying to find is the actual references I once read on RAF bombing missions using the Anson in 39-40.
But thank you for your assistance.
OHOPE
Again I appreciate your help. I am very very familiar with the Anson as I did help restore one some years back (my part was very minor) and my family has a history both wartime and post war with the aircraft.
But thank you again
I do remember reading of a number of specific “bombing” missions during the Battle of France, I just cannot find the darn reference.
Thanks agian Gentlemen
Tom H
Tom HPreservation is not the problem…
Recently attended a NASM confrence and had the opportunity to speak to a number of world renown experts in the field.
The long and the short is if you have the money, it’s not a problem.
If you are like our museum and don’t have massive resources….it’s an on going problem.
The bigger issue among all museums is keeping the interest and the memories alive….from a Canadian Perspective:
1) History is taught badly and very slanted through out the school systems
from elementary through university. When taught at all it is generally
taught as a snippet and out of context. Example: Hiroshima.
2) As a result the public has little knowledge OR interest.
3) No one cares why should any level of government fund it?
4) Corporations “for the most part” go with the flow of public interest
5) The popular game of tearing apart our heros…revisionist history is rampant
as it is guarenteed to generate press and notriety. I am disgusted at what
passes as historical accuracy with popular academics. Little wonder
polititions are destined to make the same mistakes over and over.
What kind of society tears apart it’s heros of the past and promotes
sports figures and movie stars as replacements?
Vicous cirlce…..as a museum we fight it by telling the story in ways that make it relavent and interesting….and operating speakers nights and education programming to try and overcome the flow of mis information.
But if we do not make people care, become interested, we lose.
What can you do…take (1) person that has never been to an aviation museum to an aviation museum (1) time per year…it will make a difference.
The second battle is the lack of interest in aviation…..
The airlines have eliminated the romance of aviation…I don’t blame them, as a business they simply wish to fill seats and try to make a profit. But it has turned flying from a romantic adventure to transport by people tube.
Add in the cost of being active, which as an active pilot I can attest it’s stupid, and the average unknowing person figures it’s just a rich mans sport.
Kids have no idea and figure it’s just like a computer flight simulator.
If the aviation community does not find ways to work together to reverse the trend before long there will simply be no aviation community.
Combine the two and you see why we are in a real risk of having our aviation heritage disappear.
Now of course this is just my opinion and many may not like it, but I’ve spent most of my life watching this unfold.
Tom H
Tom HEvening Peter
Yes I am aware that Victory Aircraft did build one Lincoln and it was sent to the RAF.
It is interesting to have this conversation as I have just come back from the NASM aviation museums conference.
In Canada the Lincoln is no more than a foot note in our history, we built (1) and Cold weather tested (1). While I wish we could save everything and hog it for ourselves (is that my greed showing) the facts are that we cannot save everything and must concentrate on the history that has the most provedence to Canada.
The Lincoln has very little unfortunately.
Austrailia is a different story…they built many of the Lincolns, operated them, modified them and used them till well worn and tired. They wrote large chunck of the Aussie maritime patrol and other history including their use in Malaysia.
The Lincoln has a huge provedence in Austrailia!
I would love to see the Lincoln recovered and used to provide the world with a wonderful example and all things considered I think our friends in Austrailia have a great case for supporting them.
Again, I would love to save one of everything that ever flew in Canada, but it is not practical….I would sooner see the time and effort that would be expended on the Lincoln here go into another airframe like our Ventura or an AVRO York. We have no examples of etheir and they were huge players in our history.
Just some thoughts from me…and I do really sympathize with wanting to save her here.
Tom H
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