Volume 40 February 2006 Number 5

http://www.cahs.ca/torontochapter This Month’s Meeting February 11: Speaker- We are pleased to have Mr. Allen Last Month’s Meeting ...... 1 Stern as our speaker for this meeting. Martin Keenan ...... 1 My Crop Dusting Experiences in the Middle Major-General Richard Rohmer ... 2 East Chapter News - February 2006 ...... 6 Folded Wings ...... 6 Restoration Donation ...... 7 Flypast by Email ...... 7 New Member ...... 7

Last Month’s Meeting Last Month’s Meeting Two speakers --- Major-General Richard Rohmer and Martin Keenan Reporter: Gord McNulty

All CAHS & TAM members and guests are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served Information: www.torontoaerospacemuseum.com/news/events Tel: 416-745-1462

A “Landing Fee” of $2.00 will be charged to Chapter Secretary Treasurer Bob Winson cover meeting expenses introduced Martin Keenan, the first of two speakers for the pre-Christmas meeting. Mr. Next Meeting March 11, 2006 Keenan contributed a follow-up, illustrated presentation on his discussion at the February Meeting starts at 1:00 p.m. sharp. 9, 2005, Toronto Chapter meeting on the CF-101B Voodoo in Canadian service. He is a

1 Flypast V. 40 No. 5 chapter member, past chapter director and a heavy lubricants expert with Petro Canada. Mr. Keenan is also an aviation researcher with special interests in high-performance aircraft and has been published in Airforce magazine. Mr. Keenan displayed a number of excellent slides, shown to Toronto Chapter members for the first time, for his presentation at the December meeting. He is writing a book on the Chapter President Howard Malone then CF-101 and the slides that he displayed were introduced Major-General Richard Rohmer, a impressive. They covered the entire span of the man who is known as Canada’s most decorated Voodoo in Canada, extending from 1961 to citizen. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer was born in 1987. Many of the shots were taken at air Hamilton on Jan. 24, 1924. He earned a shows, including a number of breathtaking shots reputation as one of Canada’s top Mustang that were published in A Tradition of Excellence, photo reconnaissance pilots in World War II. Dan Dempsey’s spectacular book on Canada’s His service, which included flying over the air show team heritage, which has an excellent beaches of Normandy on D-Day, earned him review of the Voodoo’s air show history. The the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also holds photos, including the famous group shot taken in the Order of Military Merit and is an Officer of 1984 of the last four CF-101s flying in a special the . In the post-war period he formation with individual squadron colours, was also the CO of RCAF Squadron 411 at certainly made a strong impression. For a Downsview, and later became Chief of complete review of Mr. Keenan’s comprehensive Reserves of the Canadian Armed Forces. A presentation, see the report in the Flypast of lawyer, litigator, journalist, corporate March 2005, Volume 39, Number 5, available director/executive and best-selling, on the CAHS website. Martin answered a award-winning author of 28 fiction and number of questions from the audience. George non-fiction books, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer has met Georgas thanked Martin for his encore many famous public figures. He chaired the presentation, appreciated by everyone. 60th anniversary the D-Day Advisory Committee to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. In 2004, he published his autobiography, “Generally Speaking: The Memoirs of Richard Rohmer.” It’s written with Maj.-Gen. Rohmer’s characteristic frankness and insight. In his talk, illustrated with good slides, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer took the audience through a lifetime of aviation experience and colourful memories. He recalled that his interest in aviation began at Buffalo, at age three, when he first saw an airplane. In 1935, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer was in Chicago, enroute to California with his mother after his parents had divorced, when he looked and saw what he now believes

Flypast V. 40 No. 5 2 to be a Douglas DC-1. He thought it was built by North American in California for “fantastic.” Maj.-Gen. Rohmer returned to “six-foot-two American boys.” Maj.-Gen. Canada, to live with his father at Fort Erie, Ont., Rohmer recalled that the Mustang I was home of the Fleet aircraft company. At age 17, acquired by the British Air Purchasing Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled that he was booted Commission, who contracted for a substitute to out of the house for forging his report card with the obsolescent Curtiss P-40. The new airplane his father’s signature. The next day, he started to was to be produced in six months and delivered work at Fleet. He began in the office, and soon for no more than $53,000 each. They were was on the floor, working on the Fleet Finch. It delivered to both RAF and RCAF squadrons was 1941, and the Finches were being brought in for fighter reconnaissance, involving both visual for rebuilding. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer worked as the and photographic reconnaissance. Before specialist who would put the coupe top on. He D-Day, the photographic reconnaissance called it a “dramatic and interesting exercise,” in involved taking pictures of sites that that had which he seemed to break as many as many as he been bombed by the Allies. It was dangerous, put on. When Maj.-Gen. Rohmer turned 18, he as the Mustangs had to fly straight and level in joined the RCAF, starting as Aircraftman order to get the pictures to determine if damage Second Class. He recalled his early days in 1942 had been done. The Germans would ‘welcome’ at Windsor, Ont., with #7EFTS and the Tiger the Mustangs with 20 mm and 40 mm Moth. He went on to Aylmer, moved on to the anti-aircraft fire. After D-Day, especially, Harvard, and got his wings early in 1943. another dangerous role involved directing Maj.-Gen. Rohmer then went over to England in artillery fire in cases where it was hard to see March, 1943, on a convoy out of Halifax. He the target. was on a tramp steamer commanded by a 75-year-old Irish captain who reminded Maj.-Gen. Rohmer of Santa Claus. “It was the worst ten days of my life,” Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled. “We had one terrible crossing. U-boats were blowing stuff up all over the place. We got shelled one night.” Then it was on to training on the Mustang I, the Allison-engined variant of the famous fighter, with a birdcage hood, at 41 OTU. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled that it was a heavy aircraft, and the pilots were lucky if they were able to get to Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled his experiences at 7,000 feet. The Mustang I was best suited for age 19, flying with 430 Squadron of the RCAF, low-level reconnaissance and various tactical based at Gatwick, in 1944. There were no operations. It could not really dogfight, and runways at the base at the time. In the evening, could not turn very well. However, Maj.-Gen. the pilots would get on the train and enjoy Rohmer noted that he could roll the aircraft and socializing in London. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer it was “beautiful” from that point of view. He recalled that one of more unhappy memories learned that he very quickly had to put two took place in April, 1944, when he took part in cushions behind him in order to reach the brake what was to be a bombing mission in . pedals. The airplane, he maintained, had been He was assigned to photograph the formation

3 Flypast V. 40 No. 5 of bombers on the way across, and given a staff car south-east of Caen. When the Germans Spitfire. Just before they left, word came that saw the Mustangs, they knew that Mustang there was a ship in the harbour at Dieppe. The pilots had been instructed by the top Allied mission was changed, and it was decided the commanders that they could not attack targets squadron would dive-bomb the ship. When they of opportunity. There were so many Spitfires reached the coastline of France, Maj.-Gen. and Typhoons available that the commanders Rohmer heard that the squadron commander felt the Mustangs were too valuable to risk in was having trouble finding Dieppe in the clouds. their tactical reconnaissance role. Maj.-Gen. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer started to look around but Rohmer, who was furious with this thinking, before long he noticed the squadron was gone. notified the Allied controllers. He then left as What he did see below him, was the last Spitfire. two Spitfires came in shortly thereafter and In any event, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer took it upon strafed Rommel’s vehicle, seriously injuring the himself to photograph the harbour. He went Field Marshal and taking him out of the Battle right across, parallel to the shore, about 100 of Normandy. yards out --- about the level of the cliffs. “It was Maj.-Gen. Rohmer told another fascinating the most stupid thing I’ve ever done in my life,” story about how the famous actor Dirk he said. Every gun in Dieppe, and they were all Bogarde saved him in a pinch. On Aug. 1, he red hot, was waiting for him! “I was so scared took a photograph of several tanks south of the that I finally put my head down. The lights were Normandy battle area. He thought they were going off all over me, all the way around. It was Tigers, the most formidable German tanks. He just terrible.” He was flying at about 450 m.p.h. had to make a choice. As it was, anything inside at the time and managed to survive, chalking the the bomb line drawn on the map by intelligence episode up to “just inexperience and stupidity.” was deemed to be Allied and not to be reported He did get one photograph of Dieppe. by the pilots on the radio. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer, By June, with D-Day on the horizon, Maj.-Gen. who had a choice to make, chose to break the Rohmer had moved to a base west of London. rule and report the location of the tanks. When The members of the squadron were living in he arrived at the base, he was blasted by the tents. Richard showed images of D-Day and the wing commander. He told Maj.-Gen. Rohmer massive Mulberry Harbour built to facilitate the that the British Army were about to launch a unloading of Allied troops. As Maj.-Gen. major tank attack at the same spot he had Rohmer recalled in retrospect, the infamous reported. The wing commander told Maj.-Gen. Dieppe Raid of 1942 clearly established that no Rohmer that the tanks involved were British, military invasion force would be able to go and that Maj.-Gen. Rohmer had let the onshore and take control of a fortified harbour Germans know that the attack was on. Richard without the support of the Mulberry Harbour thought he would be court-martialled. So he which supplied the troops and everything they went back to the photographic section to check needed to sustain the invasion. Pieces of the the photos. A little guy sitting there looked at Mulberry used by the British sector at the photos and identified them as Tigers. Arromanches still survive today. On July 17, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer rushed back to the wing 1944, around 5 p.m., while leading a section of commander and showed him the proof. The four Mustangs on low-level reconnaissance, wing commander gave Maj.-Gen. Rohmer hell Maj.-Gen. Rohmer caught Field Marshal again and told him not to break the rule in the Rommel and other key German leaders in his future. But Maj.-Gen. Rohmer’s air force

Flypast V. 40 No. 5 4 career was saved. The little guy was Dirk Bogarde. After the Battle of Normandy, the squadron pursued the Germans in Belgium and Holland before Maj.-Gen. Rohmer finished his tour at the end of November, 1944. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer’s slides outlined many other events in his career, including the 50th Anniversary of D-Day celebrations in London in 1994. On June 3, 1994, the Canada Memorial, a monument for Canada’s fallen soldiers of two world wars, at Green Park in London was unveiled. The ceremony was attended by key In 1950, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer returned to the public figures including Queen Elizabeth and RCAF, flying Vampires. He commanded 400 Prime Minister Jean Chretien. The Queen and 411 squadrons and retired in 1953 as a remembered meeting Richard on a previous wing commander. He left in what he described occasion in 1977, when Maj.-Gen. Rohmer was as a “blaze of glory,” criticizing the government commander of the Air Reserve Group. A former for misleading the people as to the defence commander of the reserve who had gone to live resources that Canada had in the Arctic. With in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, called the consolidation of the forces in the Trudeau Maj.-Gen. Rohmer to say that the people of years, he became involved again as honorary Tortola needed a new ambulance. He told lieutenant colonel of 411 Sqdn. Maj.-Gen. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer to raise the money through Rohmer also enjoyed flying the de Havilland the St. John Ambulance, of which Richard was Canada DHC-3 Otter flown by 400 and 411 patron. They got the ambulance down in time for squadrons at the time. the Queen’s Jubilee Tour. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer Among his many adventures, he recalled a trip was to present the keys to the ambulance to the to the High Arctic with two Otters in 1972. Queen at the hospital as the sovereign head of Maj.-Gen. Rohmer was one of the pilots. They the Order of St. John. When the Queen arrived, flew from Churchill, Man. all the way to she reminded Maj.-Gen. Rohmer that she had Eureka, almost to the North Pole, accompanied driven ambulance during the war and would like by the CBC. Richard presented slides of the to see the inside of the ambulance. When trip. At one of the DEW Line stations at Maj.-Gen. Rohmer went to open the door of the Shepherd’s Bay, about half-way up to Resolute building, it was locked. What a bind! Bay, the crew ran short of fuel. They couldn’t Fortunately, the Queen took the incident in get help from the Chief of the Defence Staff, stride. “Gentlemen, it’s quite all right,” she who couldn’t provide a Hercules to deliver fuel. assured the entourage. Fortunately, the station manager saw some cases of beer inside one of the Otter. Lo and behold, he agreed to trade fuel for the beer. The Otter was beautiful, Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled, but when you’re flying over such remote territory on a single-engined aircraft, “you listen to every stroke of the engine.” He subsequently became the first commander of

5 Flypast V. 40 No. 5 the Air Reserve Group and chief of the reserve at Pearson Airport to establish what happened. force. He flew an Otter into Collingwood on the In recreating the flight, over four hours, they last day he served. His distinguished career with proved that the Korean Air Lines pilots were the armed forces ended in 1981. taking a short-cut across Russian territory to The 50th Anniversary celebrations for D-Day in Seoul and did not get lost, when the aircraft Normandy in 1994 were also a highlight for was shot down. It had happened before, but Maj.-Gen. Rohmer. His wartime squadron, 430, on that occasion the Russians shot the aircraft now a tactical helicopter squadron based at down. Maj.-Gen Rohmer, answering questions Valcartier, Quebec, was in Normandy to fly from the audience, noted that Korean Air Lines VIPs around. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer enjoyed the management was trying to save fuel and had an privilege of flying with his same squadron up and incentive program to reward pilots who would down the beaches 50 years later. The air force achieve savings. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer also told of took the D-Day markings of his Mustang and meeting U.S. Army General George Patton, put them on the squadron’s Kiowa helicopter for when the famous American general conducted the special occasion. “It was quite an emotional an inspection of the squadron in 1944. moment,” Maj.-Gen. Rohmer recalled. Ten years Maj.-Gen. Rohmer had just turned 20, but he later, the 60th anniversary celebrations provided looked 16. When Patton came to Maj.-Gen. another highlight. Leading up to the event, Rohmer standing in front of his Mustang, he Maj.-Gen Rohmer pushed strongly for a strong stopped his inspection. He said, “Boy, how are Canadian presence at the 60th Anniversary. The old are you?” When Maj.-Gen. Rohmer told impressive Centre had been officially him he was 20, Patton seemed incredulous. “Do opened in June, 2003 and it provided an ideal you fly that god-damned airplane?” Rohmer setting for a “really marvellous ceremony” with said “yes.” Patton replied: “Son of a bitch!” a special gathering of VIPs including the Queen, Howard Malone thanked Maj.-Gen. Rohmer the prime minister and the governor-general on for an excellent and entertaining presentation by June 6, 2004. Maj.-Gen Rohmer, as chairman of a distinguished Canadian with an inspiring, the program, welcomed the Queen and the Duke patriotic message. of Edinburgh. After he introduced himself to the Duke as Maj.-Gen. Rohmer, Philip replied: “I know you are.You’ve got more medals than I have.” The event included a walkabout by the royal couple and a flypast by the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in the presence of the Queen. Maj.-Gen. Rohmer ended with a discussion of his book, Massacre 747: The Story of Korean Air Lines Flight 007. For his research, he wanted to be able to fly the airliner’s route from Anchorage, Alaska to Seoul, South Korea to determine how the aircraft got off its track. He Chapter News - February 2006 noted that Howard Malone, then a captain with Folded Wings Air Canada, together with the chief instructor of Just days before Christmas we were shocked to the time, went to the Air Canada 747 simulator learn of the sudden passing of Tom Whitfield,

Flypast V. 40 No. 5 6 Manager of the Gift Shop at the Toronto during the early part of 2006, which will mean Aerospace Museum. Although not a member of that some members will receive both versions Toronto Chapter, Tom very ably facilitated the for a period of time. sale of speakers books at several of our meetings. Tom was also a retired 36 year New Member employee of deHavilland. A donation was made The Chapter welcomes Mr. Neil McGavock as on behalf of chapter members to the Heart and our newest member. Neil is a Special Ed Stroke Foundation of Ontario. teacher with a Mississauga secondary school. Welcome Neil! Restoration Donation Meet Me Under the Glider! (Sailplane for the purists!) An interesting addition suspended above our meeting area is a Morelli M 100S Sailplane that was developed in Italy by Alberto and Piero Morelli in the late 1950’s. The M 100S is of all-wood and fabric construction with Beech main spars and having an empty weight of only 200 kg. / 441 lbs. and was designed as a single seat standard class sailplane. It was built in Italy and also in France under the name Carmam M 100S Mèsange (Tomtit).

Following the Chapter meeting on December 17, 2005, Chapter President Howard Malone presented a $500 cheque to the Toronto Aerospace Museum towards the restoration of the recently acquired Found FBA-2A Prototype. Accepting on behalf of the museum was Paul Cabot Curator / Manager (see photo). This donation was undertaken to assist in fulfilling the mandatory requirements of the CAHS under it’s registered charity status granted by the Canadian Revenue Agency. Your chapter directors will continue to review, select and fund physical, research and scholarship projects that contribute to our mandate to preserve Canada’s aviation history.

Flypast by Email A considerable number of chapter members have indicated that they would like to receive Flypast via email. This program will be undertaken

7 Flypast V. 40 No. 5 By Taxi: Take the TTC Subway to the Downsview Station and take a taxi from there. It will cost around $8 one way, but it is by far the most convenient option for tourists, because the cab will take you right to our front door, whereas the TTC - unfortunately - doesn't! By Car: From the 401 East or West, exit at Keele Street North. Turn right on Sheppard Ave, and follow Sheppard the entrance to Downsview Park. Turn right into the park (onto John Drury Road) 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. By TTC: From the Downsview TTC station take the 108 Downsview, the 86 Sheppard West, Westbound or the 84 Sheppard West, Westbound bus and ask the driver to let you off at the Downsview Park entrance (it is well past the DRDC and Idomo buildings). Walk into the park entrance and follow John Drury Road until you reach Carl Hall Road. Turn left at Carl Hall Road and continue east over the railway tracks to the Museum, which is on your right hand side. Approximate walking distance is 0.7 km.

CAHS National Website : www.cahs.com Meetings and news from all the chapters, journal back issues, and more! Toronto Chapter Meetings - 2nd Saturday of the month 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Toronto Aerospace Museum, 65 Carl Hall Road TAM is in the former deHaviland building in Downsview Park Near Downsview TTC Station All Welcome

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