CAHS National June Newsletter

Print
 
 
 

Hello Visitor,

 
   
 

Welcome to the June edition of the CAHS National Newsletter.

happy canada day

 
   
 

 CAHS National News

 
   
 

cahs letterhead headerJune 13, 2016

Mr. Terry Higgins
Journal Managing Editor & Graphics Editor
SkyGrid Studio
123 Church Street
Kitchener, Ontario
CANADA, N2G 2S3

Dear Terry,

On behalf of the executive, board of directors, and entire membership of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society, I want to express our sincere gratitude for the dedication and work you do to produce the highest quality product and flagship publication of our society, the Journal.

At our Annual General Meeting, held in Winnipeg on June 3, 2016 during our 2016 - 53rd National Convention, a motion was put forward from the floor and unanimously approved to officially recognize the commitment to excellence you exhibit in editing and publishing the Journal on behalf of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society.

I want to personally express my appreciation for the great work you do, our friendship, and the warm relationship we have together. I could not do the job I am able to do without your commitment, dedication, and passion for the CAHS.

Thank you again for being such an important member of the CAHS.

Blue skies,

gary williams sig

Gary Williams
National President
Canadian Aviation Historical Society

footer


CAHS 2016 Convention

Story and photos by John Chalmers,

CAHS Membership Secretary

00 575

 

While the CAHS 2016 convention was in session at the Viscount Gort Hotel on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, a Lancaster was flying at low level straight down Portage – in a mural on a nearby building.

The 2016 convention from June 1-5 was a resounding success, thanks to the hard work of chairperson Jim Bell, his fellow committee members, and excellent sponsorship of the annual event. Generous support of donated items for auction as well as a large number of aviation books available at bargain prices provided an added dimension to the program.

Starting with a meet and greet session on June 1 at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, with entertainment by Al Simmons, the convention was underway with a fine start. Tours by volunteers at the museum took conventioneers through the museum to see both restored and conserved aircraft as well as reconstruction and restoration projects.

A full bus left at 0830 on June 2, heading west on the Trans-Canada Highway. First stop was at Southport Aerospace Centre for a presentation at the former base at Portage La Prairie, where 80% of air force pilots earn their wings. Following lunch, the bus continued on to the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum (CATPM) at Brandon. Lunch, presentations, and a tour of the archives and museum were among the highlights. Some took flights in the museum’s Stinson, Cornell and Harvard.

Full day sessions were then held June 3 and 4 at the Viscount Gort Hotel in Winnipeg. The program concluded with the wrap-up banquet on June 4, with speaker Gary Hook on the topic of “Treetop in a Starfighter.” For those staying to Sunday, June 5, a presentation was done by Fred Petrie on “The C-46 Commando, from The Hump to Ice Pilots.” He was followed by Barry Prentice and Craig Skonberg speaking about “Helium and Airships 1868 to the Present.”

I got photos of most speakers, but missed four, as I had to catch a plane home on June 4. However, additional photos by Jim Bell and Bill Zuk are posted here, ensuring that all who presented topics in the convention and helped to make it a success are seen.

 National President Gary Williams

National president Gary Williams welcomed attendees, which began with a social event giving folks a chance to renew friendships and make new acquaintances.

 02 575
 Tours of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada were conducted by volunteers and here the conventioneers  are checking out a Bellanca Air Cruiser.

 Fairchild FC-2 “Razorback”

This Fairchild FC-2 “Razorback” dating from the 1920s, crashed in the Northwest Territories in 1932 and was recovered half a century later. It is now undergoing reconstruction at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

Vickers Vedette flying boat

This Vickers Vedette flying boat, which has a special place in Canadian aviation, was built from scratch at the museum, a 22-year project. At far right is the only part of the original CF-MAG aircraft that was recovered.

restored de Havilland Fox Moth

This restored de Havilland Fox Moth is the latest aircraft to be put on display at the museum. For information on all the aircraft there, see the web site at www.royalaviationmuseum.com.

 
Peter Fedak, site manager of KF AerospaceIn the Hilly Brown Building at Southport, the first session on the bus tour was an overview of aviation activity at the airport, given by Peter Fedak, site manager of KF Aerospace, which is under contract for service to the air force. 
 
 John McNarry At CAPTM at the Brandon airport, museum association president John McNarry welcomed the bus riders. “One advantage of having aircraft that fly from a museum,” he said, “is that it helps to bring in visitors, and appeals to young people.”
 

 Ted Barris

Always a dynamic speaker, author Ted Barris spoke during the Brandon tour about the story in his book, Behind the Glory. The next day he recounted the Canadian contribution to The Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, described in his book, The Great Escape: a Canadian story.

 

Fred Petrie

With reference to his father’s log books, Fred Petrie spoke about his father’s experience training as a pilot for the RCAF during the Second World War.
 

Stephen Hayter

Stephen Hayter, executive director of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, welcomed conventioneers to the impressive Harry D. Hayward archives at the Brandon base.

 the library and extensive archives of the museum

With proper storage facilities and climate control, the library and extensive archives of the museum are housed in a modernized H hut barracks building, which doubles as the type of housing facility so common for airmen.

 

Paul Hayes, left, and Howard Malone

Paul Hayes, left, and Howard Malone of the Toronto CAHS chapter with an Avro Anson at the Brandon museum, which is all about the Second World War and houses many aircraft in the familiar BCATP yellow livery.

Bristol Bollingbroke

At the CATPM, a Bristol Bolingbroke is shown being refuelled by an early 1940s Ford fuel tender. Another Bolingbroke of the museum is on display outside the Comfort Inn on the Trans-Canada Highway in Brandon.

Hugh Halliday is ready for a flight from the Brandon airport

Long-time CAHS member Hugh Halliday is ready for a flight from the Brandon airport in the museum’s Fairchild Cornell. In addition, the museum flies a Harvard, a Tiger Moth, a Stinson 105 Voyager and a Fleet Finch.

RCAF memorial at the CATPM

The RCAF memorial at the CATPM was unveiled in September 2014. It names 19,000 who fell during the Second World War while serving with the RCAF. Names are inscribed on 64 black granite panels in a 91-meter long memorial in the curved shape of an airfoil.

bronze statue depicts a wartime airman heading out to his aircraft as part of the RCAF Memorial

A larger than life bronze statue depicts a wartime airman heading out to his aircraft as part of the RCAF Memorial. The 1941 hangar/museum is in the background. For more info on the museum, see http://www.airmuseum.ca

Delegates had a full day of aviation history

Delegates had a full day of aviation history before boarding the bus to return to Winnipeg.

 

Jim Bell

Convention chairman Jim Bell, who also serves as CAHS national secretary, along with excellent support from fellow committee members and sponsors, staged another successful CAHS convention.
 
Robert NashRobert Nash, who spent many years with both the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, spoke of RCAF and RNZAF involvement in the Cold War, comparing the two air forces. 

 Carl Vincent

Carl Vincent spoke of “Winter and Other Trials” of RAF aircraft on loan to the RCAF from 1925-1939.

 
Carl Christie Carl Christie in his presentation informed attendees about the history of the “Air Force in Manitoba.”
 
 Carl Mills The presentation by Carl Mills dealt with the topic of “Canadian Airmen and Airwomen in the Korean War.”
 
 Warrant Officer Dylan LeeWarrant Officer Dylan Lee, currently serving with the RCAF, spoke of the air force’s use of “Canadian Drones in Afghanistan.”
 

Bill Zuk of the Manitoba chapter

Convention committee member Bill Zuk, of the Manitoba chapter, showed his enthusiasm for old movies at a well-attended optional evening session dealing with “Canadian Aviation History on Film.”
 

Cody Lincoln

Cody Lincoln, age 15 and a sergeant in 249 Beausejour Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, began Saturday’s sessions with a polished and well illustrated presentation on “Victory by Assembly Line,” about how Canada moved quickly from normal life to wartime production of aircraft, vehicles, munitions and other material such as parachutes, with women comprising a high percentage of the workforce.
 

 National treasurer Rachel Lea Heide

National treasurer Rachel Lea Heide began her treasurer’s report at the AGM with a “commercial message” for CAHS branded merchandise. Her presentation on “The Rise of Canadian Nationalism in the British Air Services, 1914-18,” illustrated how Canada moved towards the formation of its own air force.

 

Paul Hayes

A career pilot with the RCAF, Paul Hayes spoke of “Tactical Training of the German Air Force” during the days of the Cold War. His love of flying the F-86 Sabre was clearly evident.

 28 575

Ken Kohut of Winnipeg-based Magellan Aerospace, which began in 1930 as MacDonald Brothers manufacturing airplane floats, developed as a company producing Black Brant rockets. Magellan has developed payloads for NASA used on Space Shuttles and the International Space Station and now develops satellites.

 

Stéphane Guevremont

Stéphane Guevremont, Honorary Colonel of 419 Moose Squadron, presented an entertaining session about John “Moose” Fulton, the only Canadian to have a squadron named for its commander. Another session by Stéphane was on the topic of “404 Squadron Anti-Shipping Strikes.”
 
 

John Chalmers

I shot photos of nearly all presenters at the convention, but to get one of myself, I had to pause to shoot a selfie during my session on “The Search for Captain Roy Brown,” the First World War squadron commander and ace who built an airline after the war.

Some of the 2016 CAHS convention attendees

All attending the 2016 CAHS convention were attentive, well cared for and well fed thanks to excellent arrangements by the convention planners: Jim Bell, Leon Dubickyj, Pat English, Pam McKenzie, Bruce McLeod, Keith Olson, Alan Parkin, Fred Petrie, and Bill Zuk. With another successful convention concluded, plans now call for the 2017 convention to be held in London, Ontario.


CAHS Convention Update

By Gord McNulty

2016 Convention attendees at the Southport Aerrospace Centre building dedicated to Wing Commander Mark Henry Hilly Brown DFC and bar

2016 Convention attendees at the Southport Aerospace Centre building dedicated to Wing Commander Mark Henry (Hilly) Brown, DFC and bar.

A Bell 47 in Canadian Forces colours hangs in the lobby of the Brown building at Southport

A Hiller CH-112 Nomad in Canadian Forces colours hangs in the lobby of the Brown building at Southport.

A close up of Bolingbroke 9944

A close up of Bolingbroke 9944.

A colourful and informative display on the BCATP

A colourful and informative display on the BCATP.

A memorial plaque tells the story of the loss of Bolingbroke 9944 with three crew members

A memorial plaque tells the story of the loss of Bolingbroke 9944 with three crew members.

CATP Stinson 105 Voyager CF DLM 3478

 CATPM Stinson 105 Voyager C-FDLM 3478

Fleet Finch C GTOB at the CATP Museum

Fleet Finch C-GTOB at the CATP Museum.

Plaque outlining dedication of the Wing Commander Mark Henry Hilly Brown building at Southport Aerospace Centre

Plaque outlining dedication of the Wing Commander Mark Henry Hilly Brown building at Southport Aerospace Centre.

Puffs of white smoke erupted from the engine as pilot Jeff Bell fired up the CATP Museum Harvard Mk 2 C FMGZ

Puffs of white smoke erupted from the engine as pilot Jeff Bell fired up the CATP Museum's Harvard Mk 2 C-FMGZ.

The CATP Museum Tiger Moth CF JNF 4188

The CATP Museum Tiger Moth CF-JNF 4188.


 

     
 

 CAHS Chapter News

   
 

Chapter Meetings

Chapter

Date

Location


Calgary

17 Oct.

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology


Manitoba

26 Sept.

17 Wing Chapel


Montreal

17 Oct.

Pointe Claire Legion Hall


New Brunswick

19 Oct.

Fredericton


Ottawa

27 Sept.

Canada Aviation and Space Museum


Regina

17 Oct.

Eagles Club


Toronto

5 October

Canadian Forces College


Vancouver

30 Sept.

Richmond Cultural Centre


Medicine Hat  14 Oct.
Patterson Armoury, Medicine Hat

 

 
     
 

 In the News

 

CAHS Members at CAHF Induction

At the June 9 induction ceremonies for Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, held in Ottawa at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, several members of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society were in attendance. The gala dinner and ceremonies honour individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to Canadian aviation.

Recognized this year for their achievements were Fred Carmichael, Kathy Fox, Ross Lennox and Beverley Shenstone. Bev Shenstone is the subject of five articles by Wayne Saunders that appeared in the CAHS Journal from the Fall 2011 to the Fall 2013 editions. Receiving the Belt of Orion Award for Excellence, which is awarded to an organization, was the Royal Canadian Naval Air Branch, which operated from 1945-1968.

For the story by SKIES magazine columnist Ken Pole, click here.


CAHS Members at CAHF Induction

CAHS members in attendance at the Aviation Hall of Fame gala on June 9 included (left to right): Sheldon Benner, president of the Toronto chapter; Gordon McNulty, CAHS national VP; Jim Bell, president of the Manitoba chapter and national secretary, who served as chairperson for the CAHS 2016 convention in Winnipeg; Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, national past president; Rachel Lea Heide, national treasurer; and John Chalmers, national membership secretary. Missing from photo - Bruce Gowans. (Joanna Calder photo)

02 Cadet pipers 575

Those honoured at the CAHF 2016 induction ceremonies were led in by the Pipes and Drums Band of 832 Twillick Clarence-Rockland Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. (Chalmers photo)

03 Cadets and flags 575

Each year at the annual induction ceremonies of Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, air cadets are involved in escorting award recipients and participating in the presentation ceremonies. Bringing in the Canadian flags for the 2016 event are members of 51 Canada Aviation and Space Museum Squadron and 832 Twillick Clarence-Rockland Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. (Chalmers photo)

04 Dinner 575

What better place for an aviation celebration than an aviation museum! At the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 400 dinner guests gathered to honour the 2016 award recipients. Shown at the podium and on the large video screen is Master of Ceremonies Denis Chagnon, who conducted the event with his usual aplomb. (Chalmers photo)

05 Tiger Moth 575

With the 2016 induction ceremonies for Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, attendees had the opportunity to see the splendid aircraft collection and displays. Here an instructor and student prepare to fly in a de Havilland Tiger Moth, a basic pilot training aircraft at Elementary Flying Training Schools in Canada for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War.


No. 31 EFTS De Winton 75th Anniversary Commemoration

By Anne Gafiuk
anne@whatsinastory.ca

Photos were taken by Don Molyneaux, Calgary.
www.donmolyneaux.ca

Parade

Close to 200 people gathered to commemorate the 75th anniversary of No. 31 Elementary Flying Training School (RAF) De Winton at the site of the former Second World War airbase, some 25 kilometers southeast of Calgary.

Flags and Stage

Bell Ringing

No. 31 EFTS won the Efficiency Pennant in April 1943; in May 1943, the school won the ‘Cock o’ the Walk’ trophy. In July of that year, No. 31 EFTS featured a float in the Calgary Stampede, with its theme: “We Teach the World to Fly.”

At the June 15, 2016 event, special guests included: F/Lt James Andrews, RAF; Dr. Stéphane Guevremont, Hon. Col. 419 RCAF; Susan Cowan, daughter of one of the Commanding Officers; S/L Ron Watts, 96 year old, former WWII instructor (RAF Bowden); S/L Rae Churchill (Ret’d); and Susan Wilkinson-Matticks, United Church Minister.

Those who attended the event included Canadian veterans, people who worked at No. 31 EFTS as civilians and their families, persons interested in local history, representatives of consulates, and the media.

Unveiled

Emcee Tim Johnston, YYC CAHS member, read excerpts from the Daily Dairy of No. 31 EFTS De Winton, giving the attendees an idea of what life was like on the station. Many stories shared elicited smiles and laughter from the attentive crowd.

Dr. Guevremont spoke of the importance of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in a lively manner, receiving rave reviews from those present.

Dave Birrell, a director at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada, Nanton, explained the three aircraft as two flew overhead: the Boeing Stearman, piloted by Alex Bahlsen, and a Fairchild Cornell, piloted by Don McLean, represented two of the three airplanes used at No. 31 EFTS. People cheered as the planes flew past, with the Stearman demonstrating some aerobatics.

(Due to the windy conditions, the de Havilland Tiger Moth, owned by pilot Doug Robertson, was unable to partake in the festivities.)

De Winton Plaque

Rae Churchill, F/Lt Andrews and Susan Cowan unveiled the bronze plaque. Susan Wilkinson-Matticks presided over the dedication of the plaque, finishing with a beautiful recitation of “High Flight”. The plaque now awaits permanent installation in the Davisburg District, just outside No. 31 EFTS De Winton.

Afterwards, everyone was invited to the Davisburg Community Hall for the reception. A slideshow by YYC CAHS member Anne Gafiuk played in the background while those present enjoyed a light lunch and warm conversation. An exhibit from the Okotoks Museum & Archives connected to No. 31 EFTS De Winton was on display, featuring photographs and the scrapbook from WWII upon which Gafiuk’s book She Made Them Family, a Wartime Scrapbook from the Prairies is based.

It was a phenomenal occasion.

Airplanes Together II

Cornell

Stearman

 

-----------------

For more information about No. 31 EFTS De Winton, please click here.

Calgary Herlad article

 


Aviation books for sale

Spitfire: Icon of a Nation by Ivan Rendall

283 pages, hardcover

Many great photos – covers all makes - complete history from the S6b – fold out colour pages.
Pristine condition. Less than half the cover price at $25.00

The Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft by Robert Jackson

384 pages, hardcover

Hundreds of pictures of aircraft from Ansaldo Balillia to Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI.
Covers machines from USA, Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, USSR, Canada, India, Netherlands, China, South Africa, Spain, Poland and Sweden.
Excellent condition. A real steal at $25.00

For Love and Glory: A Pictorial History of Canada’s Air Forces by J. A. Foster

144 pages, hardcover

From the Burgess-Dunne to the CF-18 at Baden. Many, many pictures. Actually more pictures than text.
A-1 condition! Good value at $15.00

A History of Airlines of Canada by John Blatherwick

262 pages, hardcover

Covers national, international, regional, companies, military, R.C.M.P., and provincial. Gives info on headquarters, major bases, fleet aircraft, colours, and routes. Lists all aircraft registrations and when in service.
Top condition. Willing to let it go at $15.00.

 

Contact Andy Anderson at: anderson61@eastlink.ca if interested.


 * The following news articles are gathered from the Internet, and are provided for your interest. They are not reviewed to the same standard that Journal articles are reviewed, and may contain errors of fact, style, or grammar.

Behind the Lens: Ruth Owen Whitelegg


By Elinor Florence
June 15, 2016

Article from Elinor Florence' blog

Readers, please note: My big news this month is that my novel Bird's Eye View hit Bestseller Status in the Toronto Star daily newspaper, and Canada's national newspaper, The Globe & Mail! Thank you so much to everyone who bought my book. You can read more at the bottom of this page.

But first, a story about one admirable Canadian woman who served her country well, and photographed her experiences along the way.

Memories of Ruth Owen Whitelegg

1. Ruth in Winter Jacket ed feature

Ruth Owen Whitelegg of Brantford, Ontario, trained as a photographer for the Royal Canadian Air Force and served at RCAF Centralia, Ontario, during World War Two. Her photo album gives us a fascinating glimpse into wartime history, crammed with snapshots of life on a Canadian air training base.

Ruth was born on March 12, 1925 to parents Stanley Owen, an electrician at the Brantford Telephone Company, and Evelynn Owen, a telephone operator.

She was one of seven children including brothers Clyde, Filo, Frank and Evan; and sisters Grace and Marjory. Clyde also served in the RCAF, and Filo was in the Canadian Army.

Ruth joined up on April 16, 1943, one month after her eighteenth birthday. She did her basic training at Rockcliffe, Ontario. The petite brunette then trained as a photographer before being posted to one of the largest air training bases in Canada at Centralia, Ontario.

After the war, Ruth moved to Vancouver and was working in a bank when she met her future husband, Kenneth James Whitelegg. Ken was an avid rugby and football player, and even tried out for the B.C. Lions in 1954. (Unfortunately he developed pneumonia and didn’t make the team.)

Ken and Ruth were married in Vancouver on June 21, 1951. After their oldest son Brent was born, she stayed home and had two more sons, Shawn and Kenneth Junior.

When Ken found work on the Alaska Highway, the young family moved to Prince George in 1956, and back to Vancouver in 1958. They continued to move for Ken’s work, first to Whitby, Ontario, and then to Calgary. In 1980 Ken and Ruth retired and moved to beautiful Peachland, B.C., where they remained until their deaths. Ken served as municipal councillor for several years.

I spoke to their youngest son Ken recently about his memories of Ruth Owen Whitelegg. Typical of most women who joined the armed forces in World War Two, Ruth led a full and active life.

“Once she got her driver’s licence there was no stopping her,” Ken recalled. “When we lived in Whitby she volunteered at the local hospital and for the curling club. She arranged bonspiels for both men and women. She took us boys to guitar lessons, hockey, lacrosse and often to the hospital to get stitches for all our injuries!

“She started golfing around 1960 and golfed for many years. Bowling was her natural sport, and she set records at the Peachland Bowling Alley.”

On the home front, Ken said his mother “was always doing or collecting something.” She loved people, dogs and cats, snakes and fish. She collected stamps, played cards, loved visiting flea markets and auction sales, and took plenty of pictures. She never stopped practising the photography skills she learned in the air force.

Ruth’s oldest son Brent Owen Whitelegg passed away in 2001. Her second son Shawn Robert Whitelegg lives in Greenwood, B.C.; and her youngest Kenneth Lee Whitelegg lives in Calgary. He is married to Laurie Gay Mackenzie and they have three children: Stuart (married to Traci Webster, with one daughter Brooklynn), Joseph, and Kayla.

Ruth died in 2007, and her husband Ken died in 2014. While sorting out their possessions, the family discovered a photo album from Ruth’s air force days and gave it to the Peachland Historical Society. The society decided that the album belonged at a museum specializing in wartime history, so they donated it to the Bomber Command Museum in Nanton, Alberta.

The following photos and text were taken from her album by my fellow writer Anne Gafiuk of Calgary, who has written two wartime books of her own.

By Anne Gafiuk

Leading Aircraftwoman Ruth Eva Owen, Service Number W312752, was a photographer with the Photographic Unit in the Royal Canadian Air Force at No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School, located at Centralia, Ontario, one of the largest British Commonwealth Air Training Plan stations in Canada.

Paging through her photo album, I saw that she made notations on some of the photographs, but not all. Unfortunately many subjects are unidentified, and on others she noted only their first names.

Ruth trained at No. 1 Photo Centre in Rockcliffe, Ontario, near Ottawa. This is where all the RCAF recruits did their basic training, and the photographers then remained for their technical training.

2. No. 1 Photo Centre Rockcliffe ed feature

 3. Classroom ed feature

This photo shows what the classroom for photographers looked like, with simple wooden tables and benches.

 

Ruth graduated with Class 28. She is seated in the photograph below in the front row, fifth from the left.

Amazingly, the host of Wartime Wednesdays, Elinor Florence, interviewed one of the other women in this class before she died! Lou Pound Marr is seated just two places away from Ruth, in the front row, third from left.

After graduating Lou was posted to Dauphin, Manitoba, and you can read her story here: Lou Marr: RCAF Camerawoman.

Read the full article here.


 
 

From the Alberta Aviation Museum:

For immediate release:
Monday June 15, 2016

Aviation Community loses one of its Heroes
Bob Morgan recognized for post-war bravery

Robert Morgan

Bob Morgan on his F-86 Sabre

The Edmonton aviation community has lost one of its legends. Flight Lieutenant (retired) Bob Morgan died on Saturday, June 11th at the age of 85.

During a tour of duty in Europe in 1955, Morgan received the George Medal, awarded for valour not in the face of the enemy. The George Cross is second only to the Victoria Cross. As an F-86 pilot stationed overseas with the RCAF, Morgan had been monitoring other jet pilots taking off and landing when one of them crashed in front of him.

"So I ran over to it and it was in flames and apparently some ammunition was going off," Morgan recalled in an interview last year. Despite the danger, Morgan jumped on the wings and pulled the pilot out.

The citation accompanying the award notes Morgan's “splendid courage and complete disregard for his own safety, ignoring flames and exploding ammunition.” He shrugged off the incident, and the recognition as “A big fuss. Anyone would have done it.”

Morgan went on to a long flying career with the military. After retirement, he spent 19 years as Duty Manager at the City Centre Airport. He was also a long-time volunteer, both in the community and with several military aviation organizations based at the museum.

Last fall Morgan was honoured by having a street named after him in the Village of Griesbach, in North Edmonton.


Northern Lights AwardWinners of Prestigious Canadian Aviation and Aerospace Award

The Northern Lights Award Foundation (NLAF) board members are pleased to announce the seven winners of its 2016 Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award, the pinnacle aviation and aerospace award.
Each year, the national not-for-profit foundation honours outstanding Canadian women who have made a significant contribution in their field and who continue to lay the groundwork for and attract other women to enter or excel in these industries.
"We look forward to honouring the achievements of this year's remarkable winners. We consider all the nominations received as high-achieving women, who have had a meaningful impact on those around them," says Anna Pangrazzi, President and Director of Sales for The Northern Lights Awards Foundation. "This year's winners are awe-inspiring to us all, they succeeded in their careers with such courage and determination, they are role models to us all and they strive to inspire and motivate other young women to take up careers in aviation and aerospace. "

Click here to purchase your tickets for this year's Gala on Saturday, October 1st, 2016!

The 2016 winners are:

Pioneer Award - Rosella Bjornson

Rosella Bjornson

Rosella Bjornson was the foremost first officer on a jet and is a trailblazer for women in aviation. She received her pilot's licence at 17 and earned her commercial and instructor rating while attending the University of Calgary. She became the first female first officer when she was hired by Transair in 1973, and the first jet qualified female airline pilot in North America. She was also the first woman member of the Canadian Airlines Pilots Association. She was grounded in 1979 due to her first pregnancy, and worked with Transport Canada after her second pregnancy in 1984 to help create new policy for this vital issue. Due to her efforts, female pilots were able to fly for the first 6 months during pregnancy, a major milestone for women in aviation. In 1990 she became the first female captain with a major airline in Canada (Canadian). She was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1997.

Flight Operations/Maintenance Award - Brigadier General Lise Bourgon

Brigadier General Lise Bourgon

Brigadier General Lise Bourgon is a highly respected maritime helicopter pilot with over 2200 hours flying the Sea King. She has been a pioneer of gender integration and her career includes numerous milestones: she was the first female LtCol pilot commanding officer of an operational squadron, first female colonel wing commander, and the first female commander of joint task force- Iraq in Kuwait commanding over 600 CAF personnel. She has twice been the Canadian representative for the Women in NATO Working Group. She has worked on issues affecting women in the CAF and wrote her staff college thesis on retention and work-life balance. She has multiple degrees, the latest a Master of Public Administration.

Government/Military Award - Dr. Sylvie Béland

Dr. Sylvie Beland

Dr. Sylvie Béland, Internationally recognized aerospace and space scientist whose work has contributed to new technologies to the Canadarm2 and the International Space Station. She is the first woman aerospace R&D director at the National Research Council in charge of the largest laboratory in the country with a staff of 100. She has held a number of senior positions at the Canadian Space Agency and served a five-year term as Counselor on Space and Commercial Affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Paris. She also acted as a Permanent Delegate of Canada to the European Space Agency. She is now the NRC co-champion on the National Women In Science and Technology Committee. She has written many papers and a book on high performance resins and their composites, and has received many awards and honours.

Business Award - Jolene Mahody

Jolene Mahody

Jolene Mahody, EVP and CFO for Chorus Aviation is a Chartered Accountant and has received her Fellow of Chartered Accountant designation, which is awarded for outstanding career and community achievements. She joined Air Nova in 1992 and has had an impressive and varied career track that has seen her take on increasingly senior roles. Jolene played a key role in the merger of four regional airlines into what eventually became Jazz Aviation LP, a successful IPO in 2006 and the evolution of Chorus.

Education Award - Dr. Catherine Mavriplis

Dr. Catherine Mavriplis

Dr. Catherine Mavriplis, completed a Masters and a PhD in Aeronautics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology before pursuing postdoctoral studies in computational mathematics and aerospace engineering at Princeton. She is a licenced professional engineer in the state of Virginia and Ontario. She has been a member of the faculty at the University of Ottawa since 2008. In 2011, she was selected as the NSERC/Pratt and Whitney Canada Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, the first woman from aviation and aerospace to be selected as one of the national champions for women in science and aerospace and continues to work as an advocate for advancing women in aerospace.

Rising Star Award 1 - Holly Johnson

Holly Johnson

Holly Johnson has a Bachelor of Applied Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. She joined MDA as a student and has worked on the Canadarm program including performing the pre-mission simulation of the Canadarm robotic operations with the International Space Station. She was the lead systems engineer on the neurosurgical medical robotic (neuroarm2) transferring the technology of space to provide hands-free surgical imaging. She is also a private pilot.

Rising Star Award 2 - Navreet Saini

Navreet Saini

Navreet Saini graduated from Ryerson University's aerospace engineering program in 2012, accepted an avionics engineering position with Bell Helicopter and has transferred to the Flight Test Experimental department. She has done internships with the Ryerson Institute Aerospace Design and Innovation, and with Bombardier. She worked on the ramp at the Brampton Flying Club during school and completed her pilot's licence and night rating. Her goal is to work in the human factors and aviation sector.

 

The Foundation's award program, the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights (EMNL) Award, is named after aviation pioneer and human rights advocate Elsie Gregory MacGill. The world's first female aircraft designer, MacGill graduated from the University of Toronto's electrical engineering program in 1927 and later became pivotal in the design and production of the Hawker Hurricane in Canada during the Second World War. During her career, MacGill was appointed to the Canadian Royal Commission on the Status of Women, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Other key initiatives of the foundation are the Scholarship Program for the Rising Star winners and the Speakers' Bureau, where those looking to host an event with a motivational speaker can access a roster of female speakers and role models from aviation and aerospace. As a result of Porter Airlines recently coming on board as the NLAF title sponsor, the Foundation will now partner in the company's marketing and branding initiatives around their "Women Soar" program.

About the Northern Lights Award Foundation
The Northern Lights Award Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that recognizes outstanding Canadian women in aviation and aerospace. Its mission is to inspire and encourage increased participation of women in these industries by: heightening the visibility of honourees as role models; promoting awareness of the vast opportunities in all sectors to attract talent; and ensuring organizations recognize and benefit from women's diverse and untapped talents.

www.northernlightsaward.ca


 

 
 

 Canadian Aviation Moments

 
 

 

We hope you enjoyed answering the Canadian Aviation Moments in April. We encourage readers to send in their responses to the Canadian Aviation Moments questions at: info@cahs.ca. Your responses will be included in the following month's newsletter. Here are the correct answers:

Question: How did the Canadian version of the CF-18 differ from its American and foreign counterparts?


Answer: “The Canadian version of the CF-18 differed from its American and foreign counterparts in having a six-million candlepower light installed in the port side of the fuselage near the cockpit to help pilots identify Soviet “Bear” bombers flying up the eastern side of North America.

Source: Windsock – June 2007 – Page 4


 

Question: What training aircraft did the RCAF buy in late 1941 for the BCATP from the Stearman Aircraft Company, how many were purchased, how long did they last, and why?

Answer: Stearman (Boeing) Kaydet “Arrangements were made in late 1941 to procure 300 Kaydets for the RCAF under lend-lease arrangements. The aircraft were to be modified to PT-27 standard to suit the Canadian conditions and RCAF requirements. These modifications included equipment changes for night flying plus an improved cockpit heating system and canopy for winter flying conditions. Production delays for these modifications, however, resulted in virtually all the aircraft being produced to the US military’s basic PT-17 model standard. Although the aircraft were reluctantly accepted by the RCAF and introduced into service, the lack of the necessary modifications quickly resulted in complications and dissatisfaction for the basic flying training program then underway. Despite being sturdy, reliable aircraft, in November 1942, the decision was therefore made to withdraw the type from use and substitute an equivalent number of Fairchild Cornells on existing production contracts. The Kaydets were then returned to the US over a period of six months in 1943, for use by the US Navy and US Army Air Corps.

Source: Canadian Combat and Support Aircraft – Page 230


 

Question: What was the last name of the three brothers from Saskatchewan who all served on operations with Bomber Command and all were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross? What town were they from?

Answer: Sergeant Robert Steele Turnbull of Govan, Saskatchewan, enlisted early and had won his pilot wings by January 1941. He was one of three brothers who served on operations with Bomber Command, all of whom were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Bob Turnbull had a meteoric rise through the ranks, progressing from sergeant to wing commander in less than one year. War’s end found him promoted yet again to group captain and in command of RCAF Station Croft within 6 Group of Bomber Command. Along the way, he flew more than two operational tours beginning with seventeen operations in antediluvian Whitleys, and ending with command of 426 Squadron out of Leeming, flying both Halifaxes and Lancasters. Handsomely decorated for his accomplishments, Turnbull returned home with a Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM), a DFC and Bar, the Air Force Cross (AFC), a Mention- In – Dispatches (MiD) and the French Croix de Guerre with Silver Palm”. “During late 1943 and much of 1944, while Bob Turnbull was continuing to make his distinguished presence felt as commanding officer of 427 Squadron, then later as station commander at Croft, his brother John, another pilot, and Walter, a navigator, were also carving out commendable records within Bomber Command. Both eventually received DFCs for their superior performance under difficult operational circumstances. The trio hailed from the tiny prairie town of Govan, Saskatchewan. Between them the three brothers, collectively known as “The Flying Turnbulls” completed four tours and 118 operations. On five separate occasions, brothers Bob and John flew to the same target unbeknownst to each other. John Turnbull, a Halifax II/V pilot with 419 Squadron, and then later a Halifax III deputy flight commander on 424 Squadron, always managed to keep a sense of humour about his wartime experiences. His recollections of the period illustrate the point. 21 April 1944: I recall being hit by predicted flak while “Gardening” in Brest harbour: one engine knocked out, a sharp pain in my left elbow. “Finally,” I told myself “You've got it!” With my flight engineer Mike holding the control column, I checked for blood and/or torn clothing. Nothing. The hit had banged my funny bone” against the oxygen tube holder. I was almost too embarrassed to announce my “frightening wound” to my crew! 26 April 1944: Over Essen. You could read a newspaper by its thousands of searchlights. The gunners said they were reading their bibles! 17 June 1944: As a crew we celebrated in a Ripon pub with draught beer plus fish ‘n’ chips that evening when my DFC was announced. I think it was our jovial rear gunner Joe Malec who comments, “What the hell for? We do all the work!” A truism! A most memorable day was that of the parade square investiture for the medal on August 11 when accompanied by the Royal Family King George VI visited 6 Group bases. A gusty wind caused his small carpet to curl just as I presented my snappy salute and stepped forward to him. I’ve often wondered what one would do if one was to trip and stumble into the arms of one’s monarch!

Source: No Prouder Place – Page 59 and 316


The Canadian Aviation Moments were submitted by Dennis Casper from the Roland Groome (Regina) Chapter of the CAHS.

The Canadian Aviation Moments questions for June are:

Question: What factors helped to mitigate the effects of combat stress in Bomber Command crews?

Source: No Prouder Place – Page 181


Question: When was the first United States Air Force’s Red Flag exercise held? When did the Canadian Armed Forces first participate in it? When was the first “Maple Flag” exercise held and how often has it been held since then (biannually or annually)?


Source: Windsock – May 2008 – page 1.


Question: What did No 439 Squadron, when they were based in Europe, use for target tugs for gunnery practice and how did they equip the plane so that it could tow the target?


Source: Windsock – September 1994


 
 

 

 
     
 

 Skyward

 
   
 

WILSON, William "Bill" Michael Peacefully on Monday, June 6, 2016 at the age of 68. He was predeceased by his parents, Reginald Wilson and Joan Pryke and by his brother Charles Ian Wilson. He will be sadly missed by his sister Sheila Ann Wilson (Robert MacDonald); by his nephews, Eric Albert and Nicholas Roy (Elizabeth Baxter) and by his grandniece Helen-Rose MacDonald. He will be fondly remembered by his many friends and colleagues of the Sea Cadet Movement, the Navy League, the Legion, IPMS and the Condo Association. Bill was also a stalwart supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada. Friends, family and colleagues are invited on June 20, 2016, for a visitation period, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at the Capital Funeral Home and Cemetery (3700 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean). Service will follow on site at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the organization of your choice would be appreciated. For more information please contact the Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa 613 288-2689.



 

 
 
 
 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and share on Flickr!

facebooktwitterflickr

 
     
 
 
  mailreminderChanged your mailing or e-mail address? Keep in touch! Contact Rachel Lea Heide to update your contact information or payment records. Click here for financial inquires, or here for membership inquiries.  
 
 
 

editNeed to renew your Membership?

Click here to download a Membership Renewal Form
OR
Click here to renew immediately online

 
 
 
 

 

Special thanks to the following supporters:

Corporate Members:

hope aero logo good to go North Wright Logo2009 180px vac-dev-logo

 

Corporate Partners:

Aviaeology

CANAV Books

Northern Lights Awards/Elsie MacGill Foundation

Vintage Wings of Canada

 

 

Museum Members:

Alberta Aviation Museum

Bomber Command Museum of Canada

Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame

Canadian Historical Aircraft Association

Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum

Comox Air Force Museum

Great War Flying Museum

Harvard Historical Aviation Society

National Air Force Museum

Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada

Secrets of Radar Museum

 


We hope that you enjoy receiving our e-newsletter and find the contents informative and enjoyable.  If you no longer wish to receive the e-newsletter since it occasionally contains fundraising notices, or for any other reason, please use the UNSUBSCRIBE option to have your email removed from the mailing list. Please feel free to forward it to friends and family members, and encourage them to sign up on www.cahs.ca for FREE to receive future copies directly. If you have any news or events to share, please contact us at info@cahs.ca.


  The CAHS is incorporated as a Canadian Registered Charity under a
Federal charter B/N Registration Number: 118829589 RR 0001

PO Box 2700, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5W7

 
     
--
- message