Category: Canadian Aircraft

Early CF-18s In Germany

Although not an ancient aircraft by any means, the CF-18 Hornet (also known as the CF-188 if you want to be technical) entered service some 40 years ago. Here are pics from the early days taken at the Canadian base in Baden-Soellingen, Germany, in the mid-1980s. These are 409 Squadron birds. Noteworthy, too, in these photos, are the recently retired and forlorn-looking Starfighters watching from the sidelines.

Noorduyn’s Multitalented Norseman

Aircraft designer Robert Noorduijn/Noorduyn was born in the Netherlands, came to Canada, and didn’t design too many airplanes, but the ones he did cook up were pretty good birds, including his magnum opus, the Norseman. An aircraft that was in production for decades and can still be seen buzzing around to this day, the Norseman also made its way into the air forces inventories of many nations, including the United States, as seen here in World War II when it was known as the C-64.

The Beloved/Behated Helldiver

Helldivers of USS Yorktown’s VB-2 go to work.
The tongue-twister XSB2C-2 was a one-off float version.
Canadian-built Helldiver.
Well, that was stupid. The truck is marked “Electric Service Co. Ann Arbor Michigan. Willow Run Airport perhaps.

Despite being saddled with innumerable issues at the onset of its career, the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver did manage to eventually become a highly effective attack aircraft. Unfortunately for its reputation, though, it was trying to fill the shoes of a legend, a dive-bomber who was a very tough act to follow, the SBD Dauntless. Those who were involved with the Helldiver either loved the big “Beast” (as they called it), while at the same time, there were those who held it in contempt ( the SB2C as “Son of Bitch 2nd Class” was their sobriquet of choice).

Either way one looks at it, the Helldiver sank a lot of ships.

Post-War Life for Catalinas

NC74680 was the sole money maker for the short lived Totem Air Service of Alaska. Stripped of most of its Totem livery, the bird awaits new owners at Boeing Field.
The flagship of Totem Air in its earlier days.
Resting after long years of service with the RCAF, 11075 was sold and eventually was converted to a fire bomber.
Air France was also in the post-war Catalina business.
This PBY served with the Army Air Forces as an OA-10A, then later flew for various owners in Canada. Seen here in the markings of its former owner, Pacific Western Airlines, the bird was later purchased for use as a fire bomber. Sadly, it crashed, but the wreckage is stored at the Pima Air Museum.
Another bird that started life as an OA-10A. Seen here while operating with Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines, the plane later served owners in the US and Canada, but it has survived and is now on display at McChord AFB.
Nicknamed “Temptress”, N788C is seen at Boeing Field in the 1960s.
“Temptress” is now at the Liberty Aviation Museum in Ohio.

Boeing Model 40

c179E oakland

NC 5390 of Pacific Air Transport hauled mail on the CAM (Contract Air Mail) 8 route (Seattle-Los Angeles) before crashing in 1931.
NC 10339 of Boeing Air Transport parked at its home base in Seattle.
First Class accommodations.
Model 40s were also built by Boeing Canada as the Model 40H-4. CF-AMQ stayed busy flying the skies of British Columbia before crashing at Dawson Creek in 1937.
NC 269 was a Model 40B that flew the skies for Boeing Air Transport/United Airlines. CAM 18 was the mail route between San Francisco and Chicago.
A Model 40B of United Air Lines.
NC 292 obviously had an “eventful” arrival, but it was repaired and put back into service.

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Considered by many as one of the worst aircraft designs of all time, the “strut-less, wings like a bird” Christmas Bullet had (surprise!) an annoying habit of shedding those unsupported wings immediately after takeoff. Two were built, both lost their visible means of support. Note: Dr. William Christmas designed the aircraft with an idea in mind that it could be used to fly over to Germany and kidnap Kaiser Wilhelm II during WW1. No, I did not make that up.
The artist might have sketched a hard-working engineer that did not look like a mad scientist in his laboratory.

Canadair Sabre in a foreign land…

Webp.net-resizeimage (15)Webp.net-resizeimage (16)RCAF Sabre, 23096 has just arrived at Boeing Field for its new life as a chase plane in the flight test division.

Internet sources giving varying dates when Boeing took delivery – 1962 or December 1967. I say ’62: The Canadian Red Ensign on the tail was replaced by the Maple Leaf in 1965. Okay, maybe they were slow in adding the new flag, but there is more… In the background of photo 2 there is no I-5 freeway. By Dec. 1967, this highway had been completed for almost a year. In 1962, the construction had yet to begin near Boeing Field.

A veritable variety of Voodoos

Webp.net-resizeimage (3)RF-101C 56-0167, 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, was part of the record-breaking “Sun Run” flight, November 27, 1957. The aircraft has just pulled in to the chocks. Webp.net-resizeimage (2)CF-101B 101014 of No. 425 Squadron. Ex-USAF 57-0298 of the 445th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, it was transferred to Canada in 1970.Webp.net-resizeimage (1)F-101B, 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. 58-0273 is now on display in South Carolina.Webp.net-resizeimageNF-101B of Air Research and Development Command. Obviously it was used for, among other things, ejection seat tests. It is now a display aircraft at the Yankee Air Force Museum.