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Wings Over Leaside: June 30, 2018
100th Anniversary of Canada's First Airmail Delivery


A celebration will be taking place for the hundredth anniversary of Canada's first airmail delivery at the RAF's Leaside Aerodrome, right opposite The Leaside Pub, on June 30, 2018. It is recommended that you make a reservation at the Leaside Pub well in advance at (416) 467-8682, if you plan to visit the pub on the day of the event.

Displays
We'll have representatives of governments, Canada Post, The Canadian Aeronautical Society, The Canadian Aerophilatelic Society (with gifts of commemorative postcards), the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Jeremy Hopkin will display photos of the historic event and other memorable happenings at the airport all those years ago, while the Great War Flying Museum, from Cheltenhamn will show what a wonderful job they're doing preserving, rebuilding and flying vintage planes.

Model Planes
We also invite airplane modellers to bring along any vintage or other interesting models for display. We already have a 1/24 scale model of the original Curtis JN4 Canuck (nicknamed Jenny) which delivered the mail – built in Canada and used to train allied pilots in WW1.

Old Mull Scotch
There's quite a story behind the flight from Montréal to Toronto. Not only was there mail on board, but some illicit cargo, crates of Old Mull Scotch for a wedding – Montreal was wet but Toronto was dry.

Reception for Special Guests
We'll have a reception invited guests at 2pm.

Wings Over Leaside
At 3.30pm we have a special surprise for the people in the neighbourhood – a tribute to all the pilots who trained at the aerodrome many of them killed in training and in the war. We have managed to arrange to have a flyby of a Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter from the Great War Flying Museum. Pilot Kees Van Berkel will show off this wonderful old plane – a stalwart in the First World War – 6,000 of them were built.

Old Fashioned Variety Show
4pm–7pm
Climax Jazz Band and Canadian Forces' Sweetheart (95 years young) Dorothy Rose will perform songs from the twenties with her usual pizzazz.

Leaside Proud
A pleasure to be part of the joyful celebration of a historic moment in Leaside's and Canada's colourful history.