May 2011 Volume 45 Flypast Number 7
A Newsletter of CAHS Toronto Chapter Divisi Society on of The Canadian Aviation Historical http://www.cahs.ca/chapters/toronto
CAHS Toronto Chapter Meeting Business and Annual Elections May 14, 2011 – Saturday 1:00 P.M.
Canadian Air and Space Museum 65 Carl Hall Road Downsview Park Toronto
Transit: Bus 101 from the Downsview TTC Subway Station (8-10 mins.) Meeting Info: Bob Winson (416) 745 – 1462
All members of CAHS, Museum Members and Guests are very Welcome! A “Landing Fee” of $2.00 will be charged to cover meeting expenses Next meeting October 2011 – date TBA See Chapter News for More on the CAHF Inductions for 2011
Speaker: Charles Petersen Topic: “Freedom’s Wings Canada” Providing people with disabilities the opportunity to fly
Flypast V. 45 No. 7 April Meeting: ThirdAnnual esprit de corps, Quill and Quireand Zoomer . He CAHS Toronto Dinner Meeting has also worked as host/contributor for CBC Radio network programs and on TV Ontario. The BCATP Story --- “The Aerodrome of Ted is a full-time professor of journalism at Democracy” Toronto’s Centennial College. Special Guest Speaker: Author & Historian Ted Ted’s books include a series on wartime Barris Canada: Juno: Canadians at D-Day, June 6, Reporter: Gord McNulty 1944; Days of Victory: Canadians Remember 1939-1945; Behind the Glory: Canada ’s Role in Forty-five Chapter members and guests the Allied Air War; Deadlock in Korea: enjoyed our third annual CAHS Toronto Dinner Canadians at War, 1950-1953; and Victory at Meeting, at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch Vimy: Canada Comes of Age, April 9-12, 1917. #527 Toronto. The event was most successful, All have received critical acclaim and bestseller with good conversation and fellowship, and the status. His 16th book, Breaking the Silence; Chapter executive was encouraged by the Veterans’Untold Stories from the Great War to turnout. Chapter President George Topple, Afghanistan, was published in 2009 and is also master of ceremonies, welcomed everyone. now a bestseller. Ted's non-fiction writing has Tom Nettleton said grace, followed by a toast to also been twice short-listed for the Canada the Queen. Everyone enjoyed an excellent roast History Prize, awarded in memory of Pierre beef or vegetarian lasagna meal, prepared by the Berton. One of his books, Making Music hard-working staff of the legion. Joined by the (Profiles from a Century of Canadian Music), audience, George extended wishes for a happy was co-authored with his father, Alex (1922- 90th birthday to longtime CAHS member Lou 2004), a television actor, broadcast journalist Wise, who is still flying. George thanked Bob and writer. Ted is an active member of the Winson, his wife Bernice and son Greg for their RCAFAssociation, the CAHS, and an honorary efforts in organizing the event and he recognized Ken Churm for suggesting the choice of the Legion as the venue. George also recognized Chapter member Bill Bartlett, a Second World War Halifax flight engineer and BCATPtrainee, and his family.Also recognized were immediate Past President Howard Malone and a former President, Tony Nelson. Special recognition was given to Bill Wheeler, named this year to Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. George reminded everyone of the much- anticipated Sixth Annual Wings and Wheels at Downsview Park, May 28 and May 29. The Toronto Chapter will have a display booth and volunteers are needed. George then introduced special guest speaker, Ted Barris, of Uxbridge. An accomplished journalist, author and broadcaster, Ted is the author of 16 non-fiction books. For nearly 40 years, his writing has regularly appeared in the national press --- The Globe and Mail, National Post, as well as magazines as diverse asLegion , Air Force , Speaker Ted Barris Reading From His Book Photo - Neil McGavock
2 Flypast V. 45 No. 7 member of the Korean War Veterans old boy. From then on Stirton dreamed of Association of Canada. He has received many becoming a pilot. He learned to fly, but getting awards for his writing, contributions to his pilot’s licence was a painful experience. Canadian military history and community Stirton gained his start when the Canadian service. government prepared for war by offering Ted began his dynamic presentation, private flying clubs a $100 grant for every illustrated with many scenes from the BCATP, student pilot who received a licence. He saw a by asking the audience to recognize all of the newspaper ad, placed by the Moose Jaw Flying veterans. Focusing on Behind the Glory, Ted Club, offering to split the grant with any asked pilots, former and current, in the audience aspiring pilots. He managed to find a required why they chose to fly. They gave various replies $150 cash to take a course and was soon --- born to fly, wanting to defy gravity, doing airborne in a ten-year-old Gipsy Moth with Dick something good for humanity, and claiming a Ryan, a First World War fighter pilot who piece of the sky. Ted noted that many aspiring managed the club. After seven and a half hours pilots thought about having the greatest of dual instruction, Stirton did his first solo freedom and about the romance of flying. flight. In November, 1938, he took his private The pre-World War II era was a time of pilot’s test from an examiner visiting Moose pioneer aviators such as Charles Lindbergh and Jaw from Edmonton. Amelia Earhart. The great airship, the R-100, In those days, Stirton remembered, no made a trans-Atlantic crossing in 1930, visiting examiner dared risk his life by riding in the places such as Toronto and Montreal. The first airplane with a student, but stayed on the ground rotary winged aircraft --- Pitcairn autogyros --- and ‘observed’the flight from the seat of his car. arrived in Canada in the early 1930s. Stirton was told to climb above the aerodrome, Barnstormers like Walt Leavens would take do a medium turn to the left, then one to the people for airplane rides, inviting passengers to right, followed by a steep turn each way; then “See Your Town From the Air” for the price of a put the aircraft into a spin and recover; then fly penny a pound. In 1933, the Italian aviator to a collegiate about one and a half miles distant General Italo Balbo brought a flotilla of Savoia and back; then circle a water tower in figure- Marchetti seaplanes from Italy to Chicago and eight turns; then do a spot landing back at the back to promote fascism. Hawker Furys of the aerodrome. RoyalAir Force toured Canada in 1934. At one point, Stirton noticed the instructor, Ted told the story of Al Stirton, a dear friend Bob Eddie, speeding towards the Gipsy Moth in who passed away last year, to show how young his car. Eddie leapt out of the driver’s seat and people caught the aviation bug. Stirton, in early tore a strip off the pilot trainee for turning too 1940, became a flying instructor, one of the first close to the ground. The instructor advised him in the BCATP, at the Elementary Flying to side-slip to gain some height. Unfortunately, Training School in St. Catharines. He probably Stirton had never been taught how to side-slip. trained 125 to 150 pilots.Among them was none On the second approach to the field, he throttled other than P/O John Gillespie Magee, who back, turned the Gipsy Moth to line up with the wroteHigh Flight before he died at age 19 when spot marked by the examiner, noticed he had a his Spitfire collided with an Oxford in England bit too much height and lowered his left wing to in December, 1941. slip sideways down closer to the ground. Quoting from Behind the Glory, Ted noted “Suddenly, the aircraft stalled and sank like a that Stirton, a Saskatchewan farm boy, was brick,” Stirton recalled. “I had forgotten to smitten by flying entirely by accident. One day lower the nose to maintain flying speed as I in the fall of 1930, he saw a small airplane land came out of the side-slip, and the poor Gipsy in a neighbour’s stubble field. Lo and behold, Moth hit the ground so hard that the the pilot offered him a ride, a thrill for a 12-year- undercarriage was punched up into the fuselage.
Flypast V. 45 No. 7 3 The wings drooped onto the grass. And I One of the first tasks of the recruits was to learn cracked three ribs.” The crash nearly ended how to march. Marching drill seemed a long Stirton’s flying ambitions but he went on to gain way from the air war over Europe, but the his pilot’s licence. By May, 1939, he had military brass insisted on it. The weather didn’t accumulated 70 hours on airplanes at the Moose matter --- recruits marched in chilling cold and Jaw Flying Club. He earned his commercial blazing sun. They were also assigned to guard licence before starting his distinguished BCATP the stations before moving to the next level at career. Initial Training School (ITS). Recruits were Established in December, 1939, the BCATP moved into streams as pilots, observers, would become Canada’s largest expenditure in gunners, and so on. the Second World War. Canada spent $1.75 They learned how to master a stiff challenge billion on the plan between 1939 and 1944. --- the Link trainer. Although it made one of the Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand greatest contributions to the BCATP, the Link were the four major countries. Prime Minister trainer has tended to be overlooked. Edwin Mackenzie King was shown symbolically Link, its inventor, was the son of an organ pinning wings on the first graduate out of a manufacturer in upstate New York. The course in Ottawa in honour of the creation of the bellows, which force the air into the pipes, are plan on Dec. 17, 1939. Why Dec. 17? Lo and the most important component in a pipe organ. behold, Ted discovered that Dec. 17 was Mr. Link considered the bellows to be an artificial King’s birthday! King wrote in his diary that he piece of sky, creating a bellows of air beneath a had, on a “memorable birthday,” established vehicle that simulates a cockpit. By installing one of the greatest plans the war had ever seen. the same kinds of controls that would be in a real He was right, but he took far more credit than he aircraft, you could train a pilot. If he “lost deserved. Posters went up, recruits arrived and control and crashed,” so to speak, he would be training stations opened at 231 locations across safe in a simulator. Link demonstrated his the country. simulator at amusement fairs, thinking it would Canada operated as many as 11,000 aircraft impress the United States Army Air Corps and no fewer than 104,000 Canadians were (USAAC). Surprisingly, the USAAC wasn’t employed from coast to coast. The Plan interested. However, the BCATP purchased produced at least 131,553 trained aircrew over hundreds of them. Link not only became 5½ years. It was, Winston Churchill said, the wealthy, he also saved the lives of many pilots most decisive factor in winning the war. U.S. who otherwise would have died in actual flying President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a strong mishaps. supporter of the BCATP, sent a congratulatory After ITS, pilots went to Elementary Flying letter to King on its third anniversary. Seeking Training School. Conditions could be primitive, the best words, FDR turned to the Canadian embassy for help. Diplomat Lester B. Pearson famously coined a phrase lauding Canada as the ‘aerodrome of democracy” which FDR used in the letter. An incredible consolidation of effort was involved to train teenaged recruits to become pilots, observers or navigators, wireless radio operators, gunners, riggers and fitters. Ted said that every training station was a cookie-cutter replica of the next. The barracks buildings and hangars at Picton, Ontario, for example, were the same as those at Brandon, Manitoba, (now home to the BCATPMuseum). Fleet Finch Mk. II Photo - No. 6 RCAF Museum - Dunnville Airport
4 Flypast V. 45 No. 7 especially in the early years. Tiger Moths and to Port Dalhousie, site of a prisoner of war camp Fleet Finches sometimes were flown out of where the Germans would dig peat moss. muddy farm fields in the spring. Recruits went Arnold and his buddies loved to simulate to Service Flying Training in aircraft such as strafing runs to scare the Germans. Once, they Harvards, Yales and Battles. Multi-engined flew so low that a German threw his shovel at training was conducted on Ansons, Cranes, the Harvard and almost brought the aircraft Oxfords, and Bolingbrokes. Airmen then went down, as the shovel embedded itself in the on to Operational Training Units in Canada and cowling. “Strafing” was extremely dangerous. overseas, ultimately into Lancasters and On June 30, 1945, a Harvard was simulating a Halifaxes. strafing run over an army truck convoy near TedArnold was born in Canada. His dad was Kingston. The captain in command of the army a seismologist, involved in research looking for unit leapt on the cab of the truck to direct the oil. Arnold, his father and family were doing defence of the convoy. The Harvard passed over seismic research in Venezuela when the war the truck, struck him, and killed him. Then the broke out. Arnold, 18 or 19 at the time, was Harvard crashed, killing the pilot. This incident eager to return to Canada and desperately was caught by a photographer moments before wanted to become a fighter pilot overseas.After the captain was hit. an arduous trip back to Canada, Ted enlisted in “Cap” Foster, another instructor, was a full- the BCATP. He graduated in the top ten blood Mohawk. He was frustrated by being held percentile of his class, figuring that he’d soon be back for two years as an instructor and liked to flying a Spitfire or Hurricane. It wasn’t to be. fly aerobatics. Once in 1941, Cap and a buddy Ted was so good that his file was stamped “too actually decided to loop the Rainbow Bridge, valuable to lose.” The air force considered him off-limits airspace, just before it opened. As so effective an instructor that he was kept in they were entering the Niagara Gorge, Cap Canada. Arnold’s case exposed what our realized the netting was still below the bridge, as speaker called one of the great myths of the the construction wasn’t finished. Although BCATP --- the suggestion had always been that there was very little room between the netting the worst pilots, navigators, wireless engineers and the river, they managed to dive down and or whatever stayed behind to become get away with a full loop under the bridge. They instructors. It was exactly the opposite! Most climbed back into the clouds and were gone everyone who graduated in the top 10 percentile before anyone could record the Harvard’s stayed behind to become the next generation of number. Cap eventually managed to fly a instructors. Spitfire and won the DFC overseas. Arnold liked to get down close to the deck in The BCATP attracted as many as 6,000 the Harvard. He would leave Dunnville and fly Americans prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many of those who trained here went back to the U.S. Army Air Force and became the nucleus of the aircrews who fought in Europe. The BCATP also attracted Royal Norwegian Air Force cadets, within four months of being driven from their homeland and across the English Channel in April, 1940. They trained at the “Little Norway” barracks on Toronto Centre Island. As many as about 1,000 young Norwegian airmen came to Toronto. In fact, the blond, blue-eyed single gentlemen became quite a distraction! Torontonians enjoyed taking the ferry across the Gate Guardian Harvard at Dunnville channel to watch the young airmen train and
Flypast V. 45 No. 7 5 they invited them to parties and dinners.As boat how to fly, lead squadrons overseas to end the traffic grew in the harbour, sooner or later there war, and return to business. James Cagney was was bound to be a problem. One day in 1942, a one of the bush pilots. He and other pilots are Norwegian Northrop floatplane took off into the shown in the movie arriving at Uplands to enlist sun. The instructor and the trainee didn’t see the in the RCAF after buzzing the station. They ferry Sam McBride passing in front of them. The finally land, demand to lead the squadrons, and aircraft clipped the ferry, went into the water, are told they are too old. But they are allowed to and the airmen were killed. That was the end of become instructors. The rest of the movie, Little Norway in Toronto. The base was produced in 1941, shows how they grappled relocated to Muskoka. with the realization that they couldn’t fly in Women weren’t allowed to be BCATP combat but could be instructors. instructors, but there was one exception: What is fascinating is that all of the air-to-air Margaret Littlewood. She had been a hobby footage, all the air-to-ground footage, and flyer, got her private licence, and started ground-to-air footage was shot by BCATP working at Gillies Flying Service out of Barker instructors flying the actual training aircraft. Field as an instructor. When the war began, all The film didn’t use models and simulated of the small private airfields were closed in backgrounds that would normally be expected. order to meet the demand for military aviation Remarkably, Ted noted the instructors didn’t get fuel. Littlewood faced the prospect of returning any credit at all in the movie. The BCATP itself to a department store for work unless she could was acknowledged, but not the instructors. Two find a job as an instructor. When a friend told her Hollywood stunt pilots, Paul Mantz and Frank to send her resume to all of the Air Observer Clarke, refused to do the flying when they Schools, Littlewood sent nine resumes to nine realized the instructors were better than they schools. All but one refused her. The Edmonton were. AOS, managed by legendary bush pilot Wop In one Wings Parade scene, Air Marshal May, accepted her. He recognized that her Billy Bishop pins wings on LAC Tom Wallnutt. qualifications mattered much more than Bishop gives credit to each recruit, wishes him regulations. Littlewood went on to train airmen luck, and gives a stirring speech about the and airwomen for all of the years that the importance of their contribution. It is an Edmonton AOS was open. The only woman inspiring speech, apparently written by Bishop instructor in the Plan, she recently celebrated himself. The movie debuted in February, 1942 her 95th birthday. Ted described her as a at the Strand Theatre in Times Square, complete wonderfully vivacious, incredible woman, with the RCAF Central Band and Precision more than capable of handling any wisecracks Drill Team. Unfortunately, the film was from the men. She convinced the skeptics by her somewhat overlooked as America was now skill, sensitivity, calm demeanour and ability to preoccupied with responding to Pearl Harbor, teach student pilots to recover control on their but it was an extraordinary movie from a own after making a mistake. historical perspective. The flying scenes are The BCATP soon attracted the interest of incredible and the aircraft are really impressive. Hollywood moviemakers. Warner Brothers, Ted mentioned Charlie Konvalinka, who like FDR, supported Canada’s participation in enlisted in downtown Toronto. He wanted to the war, prior to Pearl Harbor, and decided that a convince the recruitment officer that he was feature movie about the BCATP would show pilot material. The one question Konvalinka their support. They produced a hokey script for didn’t expect was why he wanted to join. Captains of the Clouds about a bunch of bush Konvalinka thought the guy wanted him to say pilots in northern Quebec whose business was “to shoot down Nazis.” Instead, Konvalinka being hurt by the war. They would visit a gave him an honest answer. He said that he BCATP training station, teach the young guys passionately wanted to learn how to fly the great
6 Flypast V. 45 No. 7 aircraft in the Plan. The recruiter was after the war, they were told the jobs were convinced. Konvalinka graduated in the top ten reserved for pilots who had flown in combat percentile and served for nearly two years as an overseas. Instructors, Ted said, were not instructor at four or five stations. His favourite considered legal veterans if they did not leave aircraft was the Harvard --- “the best training Canada during the war --- even those who aircraft on the planet” --- and he became served in the RCAF. They didn’t get veterans’ something of an expert on it. benefits until they turned 65. One wireless radio Konvalinka eventually made it overseas. He instructor once received a call to fly to told Ted of an incident when he and several Newfoundland to help a crew get home. hundred other former flying instructors were Newfoundland wasn’t part of Canada then. assembled for a briefing in a motion-picture However, because he left Canada for one night, theatre at the seaside town of Bournemouth. the instructor qualified as a veteran and received When the pilots had taken their seats, out came benefits! Ted noted he had heard of some an RCAF officer --- a flight lieutenant like exceptions, but generally speaking, that was the Konvalinka --- to begin the session. He policy. proceeded to lambaste the instructors as a Some instructors became well-known. They “bloody bunch of cowards” who didn’t “have included entrepreneur J.J. Barnicke, actor and the guts to do what we do. To fly on a straight broadcaster announcer Bill Walker, and CFRB and level when everybody’s shooting at you, or announcer Bob Hesketh. Ted had to persuade a take on the enemy in a fighter one-on-one.” The reluctant Hesketh to discuss his career as an theatre remained silent. Konvalinka felt his instructor in Manitoba. Hesketh felt he wasn’t blood boiling. “We’re the brave ones. You’re important. He had simply taught young men not!,” the presiding officer continued. how to fly and that didn’t compare to the Konvalinka couldn’t restrain himself for dangers faced by the aircrew overseas. Hesketh another second. Before he realized what he was eventually told Ted that he had avoided reunions doing, he had called out, “And who, for Christ’s of air force veterans, as the discussion would sake, taught you to fly? God?” The officer inevitably focus on the combat experiences of peered out into the theatre in search of the fighter and bomber crews. Instructing seemed speaker: “Who said that?” he stormed. unexciting in comparison. Years later, Hesketh Konvalinka stood up immediately and said to decided to get a physical at Sunnybrook the sea of astonished faces around him, “I did. I Hospital. The young doctor, commenting on said it!” Hesketh’s service as an RCAF pilot, That incident exemplified the problematic pronounced: “Were you one of those guys who relationship between the men who fought the rained death and destruction on those innocent war and those who trained them. Ted said there people of Germany?” Hesketh held his tongue was a sense that somehow instructors were for a second, and then explained that he was an lesser, or second-class, or people who had instructor. He added that he hadn’t been on dodged the fighting. Of course, it wasn’t true --- Bomber Command over Germany, but if he’d the air force had made them too valuable to lose had the chance to go, he would have. It was then overseas. This lack of recognition inspired Ted that Hesketh realized what he had done was to call his book Behind the Glory. The cover important and how proud of his contribution he photo shows the first group of BCATP was. instructors at St. Catharines. Ted said many of Ted, answering questions, said he these instructors, especially those who served interviewed probably 400 to 500 instructors. for four or five years, probably had as many as Although many had quietly disappeared into the ten times the number of flying hours that woodwork, their stories are now on record as combat aircrew did. When instructors applied part of Ted’s research and determination to for airline jobs with TCA and Canadian Pacific publish Behind the Glory and to ensure that
Flypast V. 45 No. 7 7 Canada’s instructors are recognized. The book Crumlin (London, Ontario). During this same includes a full chapter on the making of summer camp trip, he photographed a derelict Captains of the Clouds. Ted thanked Blue Me 262 behind a hangar at RCAF Aylmer. The Heron books for bringing a full selection of his photo is long gone, but the once-deadly fighter books. Sales were brisk and Ted was delighted made a lasting impression and German WWII to sign them. Bob Winson, presenting Ted with a aircraft --- especially the 262 in all its phases --- gift in appreciation, noted that Ted had spoken have been an enduring interest of Ed’s. to the Chapter seven years ago about his book Ed joined the Canadian Warplane Heritage Juno: Canadians at D-Day. Ted promises to be Museum (CWHM) at Mount Hope and did back, undoubtedly bringing more of his passion some cleaning of Lancaster VRA, the Mynarksi for the stories of Canadians at war. Memorial Lancaster, then being restored to flying condition. While he was at CWHM, a trip *** to a Confederate Air Force air show at Correction: The report on Richard Banigan’s Harlingen, Texas, netted him a 90-minute flight presentation on Postwar Canadian Lancasters, in the B-17“ Texas Raiders. ” Ed had a chance to in the April Flypast, stated on Page 4 that the take over the controls while flying up to Orenda-engined Lancaster 10O made a flypast Houston over the Gulf of Mexico. He found that at the CNE air show in 1950. In fact, Richard the Fortress was indeed a heavy aeroplane. He recalls that the ‘Jet Lanc’ was unveiled at an air also sat in the nose- and tail-gunner’s positions show at MaltonAirport. Richard’s father picked where he gave full rein to his imagination.At the out a choice spot to watch the aircraft on the CAHS convention in Calgary, Ed enjoyed a observation roof of the old airport, as close as flight in Clark Seaborn’s Cabin Waco, again possible to the Avro Canada plant. Dave Cook, briefly taking control. in his 2010 book, Fading History, Volume 2, Ed married into an aviation family. His states that the Jet Lanc appeared twice at Malton father-in-law, Reg Spence, a wartime Mosquito air shows Sept. 16, 1950 and Sept. 15, 1951. The pilot, was best-known as the former longtime Toronto Flying Club was the sponsor and the manager and CFI of the Hamilton Flying Club. September date in 1950 was chosen to coincide Ed joined the CAHS in 1981 and attended most with the 10th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. of the Toronto Chapter meetings. He served in The crowds respectively were 30,000 and various functions on both the Toronto and 80,000. Thanks to Richard and Bob Winson for National Boards and was an associate editor of this additional information. theJournal . Ed’s contribution to the CAHS culminated when he served as national *** President from 1997 to 2004. Ed made his living Spotlight on a Member: Ed Rice as a general insurance agent for more than 40 years. He lives inAjax. Ed Rice grew up in Toronto during World War II. He remembers seeing Lancaster bombers flying quite low over the city. Ed expanded his interest in aviation by making balsa kit models as well as producing a homemade MiG-15 in the early 1950s. Following his older brother, Ed joined the air cadets during high school. He enjoyed the light aircraft flights from Toronto Island which were among the rewards for diligent cadets. One memorable highlight of air cadets in the mid- Ed's Ride: B17 Texas Raiders fifties was a flight in an RCAF Dakota at Photo - CA Pilotfriend
8 Flypast V. 45 No. 7 Chapter News May 2011 be one of the inductees at the ceremony. Bill, as you may know was a founding member of The Returning Member Canadian Aviation Historical Society, editor of The Chapter is extremely pleased to the CAHS Journal for 45 years and as well welcome backTony Nelson as a member of gained an international reputation as the key CAHS Toronto Chapter. Tony is known to many source for Canadian aviation historical of you and remembered as the Chapter knowledge. President during 2000 -2001. Tony recently Individual tickets to the event are priced at retired as a teacher and has started up a Bed & $225.00. If at all possible, I urge Chapter Breakfast facility in Fenelon Falls with partner, members to attend and support Bill in his formal Muriel Jones. Good luck to both of you from the induction into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. Chapter. A tax receipt will be issued for each ticket sold. Also, each ticket purchaser will be recognized Chapter Elections as a “Friend of the Hall” for a one year period. Our May 14 meeting is also our Annual Business and Elections Meeting. Please Ticket ordering and information can be forward your nominations to the Acting obtained fromCanada ’s Aviation Hall of Fame Elections Clerk,Bob Winson . Circumstances P.O.Box 6360 Wetaskiwin,AB T9A2G1; Tel 1- this year make it very important that some new 780-361-1351 ext.241; Fax 1-780-361-1239. people step forward to stand for election to Website; become a member of the Chapter’s Executive Committee. The Chapter is facing some Wings & Wheels Heritage Festival, Downsview upcoming retirements from the Executive Park May 28,29 Committee and “new faces” are required to CAHS Toronto Chapter will be having a booth maintain the vitality of the Chapter. at Wings & Wheels. Please stop by and say “hello” to the Chapter volunteers manning the Messages from the President booth. The new air force C-130J “Hercules” is expected to put in an appearance. April 2011 Dinner Meeting Our 3rd Annual Dinner Meeting was an CAHS National Convention June 22-26 extremely enjoyable night this year for the Edmonton,Alberta members and guests attending. Author / For those Chapter members not attending the HistorianTed Barris kept everyone thoroughly convention, the Chapter Executive Committee entertained and informed on the subject of the recommends that you name Chapter First V-P British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, Sheldon Benner as your proxy when you return which was such a marvelous Canadian the Proxy Form to CAHS President Danielle contribution to the Allies war effort in WWII. Metcalfe-Chenail. Sheldon will be attending the Your Chapter Executive very much appreciated convention and conducting business on behalf the warm response to the dinner meeting and of CAHS Toronto Chapter. All CAHS members hope to be able to plan a similar event for 2012. are encouraged to take a strong interest in the affairs of CAHS to ensure the health and growth Canada’sAviation Hall of Fame of the organization of which the Toronto The Hall is having its 38th Induction Ceremony Chapter is a significant contributor. & Dinner on Thursday May 26th at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Hamilton Dr. George Topple, Chapter President InternationalAirport. Of exceptional interest to the Chapter is that one of our most prominent members,Mr. William J. (Bill) Wheeler , will
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Dinner 2011 Head Table - Jean Topple, George Topple, Ted Barris, Bill Wheeler Photo - Neil McGavock Lou Wise 90th Birthday Photo - Neil McGavock Flypast V. 45 No. 7
Chapter Member Bill Bartlett Photo - Neil McGavock 11 Directions to the Canadian Air & Space Museum
By TTC: From the Downsview Subway Station take Bus 101 (Parc Downsview Park) which enters Parc Downsview Park and stops right at the museum’s front door. Time enroute is 10 minutes.
By Taxi: Take the TTC Subway to the Downsview Subway Station and take a taxi from there. It will cost around $9.00 one way, but it is a good option for tourists as the taxi will take you directly to the museum.
By Car: From the 401 Hwy East or West, exit at Keele Street North. Turn right on Sheppard Avenue, and follow Sheppard to the entrance of Downsview Park (first traffic lights). Turn right into the park (onto John Drury Drive) until you reach Carl Hall Road. Turn left at Carl Hall and continue east over the railway tracks to the Museum, which is on your right hand side. Parking is available at the front of the Museum. If you continue past the museum and turn right there is a large parking lot at the rear of the museum.
CAHS Toronto Chapter Executive 2010 -2011
President: Dr. George Topple 1st Vice-President: Sheldon Benner 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, & Archivist / Treasurer / Historian: Neil McGavock Memberships: Bob Winson
Directors: Murray Jolliffe Flypast Reporter: Gord McNulty Donald Lawrence Flypast Editor: Matt Clark Contacts
President [email protected] Programs / Meetings / Membership Information [email protected] (416) 745 - 1462
Websites - www.cahs.ca/chapters/toronto www.torontoaviationhistory.com
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