October 2012 Volume 47 Flypast Number 1

A Newsletter of CAHS Toronto Chapter Divisi Society on of The Canadian Aviation Historical http://www.cahs.ca/chapters/toronto

CAHS Toronto Chapter Meeting Saturday, October 13, 2012 – 1:00 P.M.

Meeting Info: Bob Winson (416) 745-1462 [email protected]

CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE 215 Yonge Blvd. at Wilson Ave. Toronto Lt.-Gen Guy Simonds Auditorium - Ground Floor Wilson Bus 96 from the York Mills TTC Subway Station (3 mins) A free parking lot is located adjacent to the college

All members of CAHS, Guests and aviation history enthusiasts are very Welcome! A “Landing Fee” of $3.00 will be charged

Speaker: Mr. Peter Dixon Lt, RCN (Ret’d) CD, MA, BA, Cms Topic: “The Unknown War / Battle of the St. Lawrence”

Canso Flying Boat in the Gulf of St. Lawrence during WWII - Photo PA-070718 Photo - Courtesy of the Juno Beach Centre Flypast V. 47 No. 1 May Meeting Fourth Annual CAHS Toronto Chapter Dinner Meeting, May 6, 2012

Topic: “Bell P-39Q Airacroba Comes Home to Buffalo”

Speakers: Hugh Neeson Dr. Ilya Grinberg

Reporter: Gord McNulty

The Armour Heights Officers Mess in the Canadian Forces College proved to be an ideal venue for our Fourth Annual CAHS Toronto Chapter Dinner Meeting. Fifty-two people, including 48 Chapter members and guests, attended this highly successful and enjoyable Speakers: Dr. Ilya Grinberg and Hugh Neeson occasion. An excellent meal of either roast beef or Photo Credit - Neil McGavock vegetarian lasagna was served. Bob Winson, who worked tirelessly to organize the event, deserves full credit for his dedication in making it a Chapter tradition. Opening the proceedings, Bob acknowledged several members of the audience. He noted that Leavens Aviation Inc., in business for 84 years from 1927 to 2011, was chosen for 's Aviation Hall of Fame this year. Toronto Chapter member Chuck Leavens was in attendance. Bob extended congratulations on behalf of the Chapter to Leavens Aviation, recipient of the Belt of Orion Award for Excellence. With the formal induction of Leavens Aviation into the Hall at ceremonies in Montreal on June 14, the Toronto Chapter now has 11 members (living and deceased) in the Hall. Bob also announced that the Chapter executive has made LCol Andy Torrance an honorary member of the Chapter, and an official friend of the Chapter, in appreciation of his efforts, behind the scenes, to make the Annual Dinner Meeting and the monthly meetings at the College a success.

Toronto Chapter President George Topple introduced two outstanding speakers, Hugh M. Neeson is the Development Director of the Niagara Aerospace Museum and a member of its Board of Trustees. He has been active with the museum since his retirement in 1999 from his industrial career. Hugh was employed by Bell Aircraft Corporation at Buffalo, New York, and its successors, Bell Aerospace Textron, and Lockheed Martin from 1955 until his retirement. He held a variety of engineering and program management positions with the companies, including Vice-President of Electronic Systems. He has been a member and President of the Aero Club of Buffalo and the L.D. Bell Chapter of the Association. He also serves on the Board of the Buffalo Naval and Military Park. Hugh was educated at Canisius College (Buffalo), graduating with a BSc. in Physics. He received an MBA at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Mr. Neeson resides with his wife, Marilyn, in Amherst, NY.

Dr. Ilya Grinberg, a recognized authority on Russian aviation history, is an Electrical Engineering Professor at NY State College at Buffalo. He was the primary driver in the acquisition of Miss Lend Lease, the Niagara Aerospace Museum's recovered Russian P-39 Airacroba. Dr. Grinberg recently authored, together with Von Hardesty, Curator of the Aeronautics Division at the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum, the much-acclaimed book Red Phoenix Rising: The Soviet Air Force in World War II. The 448-page book, with 105 photographs, was published by the University of Kansas in March 2012 and sells for $34.95 U.S. Dr. Grinberg resides in Buffalo with his wife, Rosa.

2 Flypast V. 47 No. 1 Hugh began by saying that while he's often asked if he knew Lawrence (Larry) Bell, who established the Bell Aircraft Co. at Buffalo in 1934, the answer is no. Hugh was “just a young engineer” in the main engineering area of the plant. An announcement would be made whenever Mr. Bell arrived with a famous visitor. Hugh recalls one occasion when Bell showed up with Hollywood stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Lucille happened to be from Jamestown, NY, about 60 miles south of Buffalo. “I think they had investments in Bell,” Hugh said. “Up close, I'll tell you, Lucy was a beautiful woman. One of the men in our group put up a sign up, saying 'I'm from Jamestown.' They stopped the whole and compared notes about who they knew.” Arthur Godfrey was among other celebrities who came.

Hugh traced the three “giants” of aviation history in western New York: Curtiss, Fleet and Bell. Glenn Hammond Curtiss built the famous JN-4 Jenny among his many accomplishments as an aviation pioneer. He established the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo during World War I and produced aircraft for the U.S. Army and Navy. Major Reuben Fleet, a young army aviator who had established Consolidated Aircraft, came to Buffalo in 1924 and took over the plant that Curtiss built. Fleet planned to continue Curtiss' seaplane development, but didn't find Lake Erie to his satisfaction as it froze during winter. So he decided to move Consolidated to his hometown of San Diego. Larry Bell, the sales manager, was sick and tired of moving. He decided to remain in Buffalo and went on to establish Bell Aircraft Corporation.

By the mid-1930s, a new generation of all-metal aircraft such as the Curtiss P-36 Hawk, forerunner of the famous P-40, and the Consolidated PBY Catalina were being introduced in the U.S. The Allison V-1710 engine became a familiar powerplant in American fighters such as the P-40, the P-39, and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. The initial versions of the engine experienced unfortunate turbocharger problems, accounting to some degree for poor performance in the early years of the war. For its part, Bell decided to promote the idea of building an airplane around its armament. The result was the unconventional, ill- fated YFM-1 Airacuda, a heavy fighter with 37-mm cannons mounted in forward compartments of each of the two Allisons in pusher mode. It had many faults, including the hazard that if the gunners had to bail out, they could fly into the propellers! Bob Woods, who had designed the Airacuda, then turned to another unconventional but more successful design, the P-39 Airacobra, which mounted the engine immediately behind the pilot's seat in mid-fuselage. The tricycle-geared fighter was similarly built around the armament, starting with a 37 mm cannon in the nose, a pair of .50 calibre machine guns on top of the forward fuselage and four -mounted .30 calibre machine guns.

Hugh noted that in 1938, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt convinced Congress to start ramping up aircraft production, knowing full well that a world war was inevitable. The President was able to start the Lend-Lease program to send aircraft to Britain despite an anti-war mood in the U.S. prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Bell, Curtiss Wright and other companies were up and running. The massive 1.8 million square foot Bell plant went up in less than a year. During the war, Bell built 12,000 aircraft on a rolling production line at the plant and it still stands today. The Niagara Aerospace Museum, including facilities and a library, is now housed in a corner of the building although the museum isn't open to the public. Hugh showed photos of the wartime assembly line of Curtiss P-40s in a plant located at the Buffalo airport. Almost 14,000 P-40s, and 3,000 C-46 Commando transports, were built at the Curtiss-Wright plant.

In all, 30,000 aircraft were built in western New York in five years. Hugh recalled Winston Churchill saying that “Corporal Hitler did not know what he did when he woke the industrial giant across the sea.” America produced 300,000 aircraft in World War II. Most of the Bell aircraft, and to some extent the Curtiss airplanes, were flown out from the site. Unlike many other aircraft in the war, they didn't have to be put in boxes for delivery. The first aircraft from Buffalo went to Britain, where they arrived too late to be a factor in the . They were then shipped to the Soviet Union. In total, about 4,500 P-39s and 2,500 P-40s went to the USSR. Later, about 2,500 P-63 Kingcobras, the derivative of the

Flypast V. 47 No. 1 3 Airacobra, went to the USSR. Also, 100 P-40s initially purchased by Britain were diverted to China for use by the American Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers, to fight the Japanese from China. The P-40 served the Allies in a wide variety of theatres during the war. While often out- performed by the fighters that it opposed, the P-40 was one of the most rugged of wartime fighters.

Focusing on the Airacobra in the Soviet Union, Ilya then took the microphone to discuss the P-39's various roles as primarily a ground attack aircraft, and a fighter as well. Ilya addressed what he described as misconceptions about the P-39. It was developed as a high-altitude fighter, but an inadequate supercharger limited its effectiveness above 12,000 feet. However, Ilya noted that in Soviet service, the P-39 wasn't an inferior combat aircraft. The top ten Soviet aces made a total of 400 kills in Airacobras alone. “This number speaks for itself,” Ilya said. Legendary Soviet ace and tactician Alexander Pokryshkin was named the top Allied ace by Roosevelt and was awarded the USAAF Distinguished Service Medal among many honours. He achieved most of his kills in P-39s. Pokryshkin wrote in his memoirs that he fell in love with the P-39 when he first saw it. He was impressed with its streamlined silhouette and powerful armament, which appealed to his fighting philosophy. “He who is above his enemy is master of the airspace,” Pokryshkin wrote. He regarded altitude and speed as complementary, enabling vertical manoeuvres that permitted surprise attacks. To destroy enemy aircraft, he wrote, fire should be conducted from all weapons, precisely aimed from close range at vitally important parts of enemy aircraft. Pokryshkin built on lessons that he learned from the tactics of his Luftwaffe enemy. He ordered his regimental engineer to wire the trigger of all of the weapons on the P-39 to one point, engaging all of the armament so that it would fire simultaneously to devastating effect. The move was against regulations, but it was highly successful.

Soviet fighter units flew diversified missions such as protecting ground units from enemy air attack; escorting Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik ground attack aircraft and larger bombers; suppressing anti-aircraft artillery; targeting area bombings; reconnaissance, ground and air; attacking soft ground targets, troops, transports, supply dumps, locomotives, railway cars, barges, small naval craft, etc. They were assigned to guard high-value priorities such as river crossing sites, amphibious landing forces, reserves headquarters, major cities, etc. The P-39 was not used as a tank buster. Ilya noted there is one single mention of P-39s being employed against tanks in more than 1,800 pages of literature. Although German tanks were highly vulnerable to penetration by 37 mm cannon shells, this type of ammunition wasn't available in the Soviet supply system. It is therefore highly unlikely, Ilya said, that the P-39 was used as a tank buster in the Eastern Front. The lack of availability, he said, was based on the official U.S. War Department document summarizing Lend-Lease shipment. No armour-piercing 37 mm rounds were supplied through the Lend-Lease deal. Ilya based this on a summary of a report about the quantities of Lend-Lease shipments produced by the U.S. War Department during the war. Ilya published this rare document in its entirety on his website, 'Lend-Lease on airforce.ru'.

P-39 Delivery Route to Russia Map Credit - www.lend-lease.airforce.ru

4 Flypast V. 47 No. 1 While the Soviets liked the Airacobra, they didn't like its limited range, so they used drop tanks. Pokryshkin himself used drop tanks, especially on 'free hunts' to look for targets of opportunity over the Black Sea. He was a very successful at that. Unfortunately, the P-39 was prone to spin, and was difficult to recover. Pilots required extensive, specialized training. It was dangerous to bail out, because the pilot could strike the tail. The 'Cobra' was unforgiving, and it was better to try to bring it down in an emergency rather than bail out. Many of those who tried to bail out didn't survive. On the positive side, the P-39 was a “factory of fire,” with its cannon and machine guns. It had excellent visibility and excellent protection of the pilot, as the cockpit was surrounded by armour. This was especially useful in the ground attack role. Most importantly, it had excellent radio equipment. In fact, the Germans, and then the Russians, stated that the radio was more important than the gun. Without proper communication and situational awareness, Ilya said, a fighter pilot becomes “a sitting duck” who doesn't know what is happening around him. Ilya said the P-39 was competitive in air-to-air combat with the Me 109, and the Fw 190, with tactics and pilot skills making the major difference. The Soviets used P-39s primarily in the air superiority role. Close support, such as the ground attack role, was important --- but secondary to the air superiority role. Ilya concluded the P-39 was an outstanding combat aircraft as a fighter. He quoted from a Bell Aircraft Co. newspapers in 1943 and 1944 outlining how the Russians used the P-39 in its true role as a fighter.

Larry Bell was desperate to send Bell technical units to Russia to complement units set up to evaluate the P-39's combat performance and improve the aircraft. It was difficult for Bell to get through regular channels. After exhausting all efforts, he went straight to the source with a personal letter to Stalin. About three weeks later, Bell received a response from the Russian ambassador stating that Stalin had given his permission and they were welcome to apply for visas. The Bell team spent several months in Russia. They interviewed pilots about the P-39's performance, in the training research unit, where pilots went through transition and retraining. They were not allowed to go to the tactical units. After the Battle of Stalingrad erupted in July, 1942, Stalin told Roosevelt in a personal letter dated Oct. 7, 1942, that Russia was badly in need of increased deliveries of modern fighter aircraft like Airacobras. Stalin added that the P-40 Kittyhawk wasn't a match for the vaunted German fighters. The bravest troops, he told the president, are helpless unless protected against air attack. Ilya observed that although P-40s performed really well during the Battle of Moscow, the same regiments that distinguished themselves at Moscow a year before were devastated within a week or two at Stalingrad. Stalin lost his confidence in the P-40 and deciding he needed something more modern, he felt the P-39 was the answer. Nearly 15,000 aircraft of various types went to the USSR. A total of 2,430 P-40s served in the USSR; 4,924 P-39s; and 2,421 P-63 Kingcobras. All of these American fighter aircraft were built in western New York. Republic P-47 Thunderbolts went to the USSR, but didn't make a significant impact. Douglas A-20 Havocs were more significant, as more than half of those produced went to the USSR. A total of 862 B-25 Mitchells served the Soviets with distinction, and hundreds of C-47 Skytrains also proved highly valuable.

Ilya showed a photo of the beautiful memorial at Fairbanks, Alaska, commemorating American and Soviet pilots who flew Lend-Lease aircraft on the Alaska-Siberia Lend-Lease Airway in World War II. This memorial, showing two pilots looking to the sky in front of a large propeller, was officially dedicated on August 27, 2006. Many dignitaries spoke of the heroism of pilots who flew the long, dangerous, but absolutely necessary route in adverse conditions. They praised the spirit of Allied co- operation during the war. The monument, by sculptor Richard T. Wallen, will be a constant reminder of what can be achieved for victory when allies stand together. Fairbanks was the point of transfer of 7,926 airplanes from American factories to the USSR during the war. American pilots started at Great Falls, Montana, and after testing and winterization programs, then flew over the wilderness of Canada to reach Fairbanks. Soviet pilots took over, crossing the Bering Strait, on to Siberia.

In November, 1944, a P-39Q serial number 44-2911, based with a frontline Soviet air force squadron along the border with , was lost in northern Russia while rebasing from an airfield near

Flypast V. 47 No. 1 5 Murmansk to a field closer to the front. Reports indicated that one of the aircraft broke formation and banked to the right. The pilot shouted something into his radio. The pilot following ordered him to return to formation. No one else saw the aircraft in distress.

Six decades later, the disappearance of this Buffalo-built Airacobra would culminate in an incredible story. In the summer of 2004, a fisherman spotted an aircraft on the bottom of shallow Lake Mart-Yavr near Murmansk, north of the Arctic Circle. The intact aircraft, with large red stars on its fuselage, was indeed P-39 44-2911. It was hauled out by a crew from Warbird Finders, a British company that specializes in recovering old warplanes. They were looking for another aircraft at the time, when a local fisherman asked, “Are you going to get the other airplane out of here?” The fisherman had noticed the faint outline of the fighter in the silt in 16 feet of water. It was buried up to the propeller, but was noticeable in the crystal clear water of the lake. As the aircraft was raised out of the water, a stunning discovery was made: The remains of the pilot, Lt Ivan Ivanovich Baranovsky, 22 at the time of the crash, were still in the aircraft, along with the aircraft's soggy maintenance record book. Jim Pearce, owner of Warbird Finders, told the Niagara Aerospace Museum about the incredible find.

As Hugh recalled, Mr. Pearce was rather insistent that the museum acquire it. By fortunate coincidence, it turned out that the museum had the money after resolving a legal issue involving the State of New York and the Seneca Nation of Indians. At the same time, the Imperial War Museum in wanted to borrow a rocket belt that was used in a James Bond movie. Hugh enjoyed a free ride to London, and went to Sussex, in southern England, where he met Mr. Pearce --- an ex-RAF pilot and veteran of the Battle of Britain, who has recovered more than 50 historic aircraft over the years. Mr. Pearce described the recovered P-39 as in the second-best condition, and most complete, of any of the warbirds he ever recovered. Hugh saw the Airacobra, and upon his return the board of the museum immediately bought it. The battered but well-preserved fighter was disassembled and it arrived in April, 2009. In another timely turn of events, Hugh recalled that two weeks earlier, someone showed up at the plant with a pair of coveralls bearing the famous Bell Aircraft insignia on the back. Chris Knapp, Conservation Manager at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, told Hugh that the Niagara museum had come across one of the most remarkable warbird finds ever. The logbook, showing that the aircraft was on a mission, was invaluable. The fact that it was back home in the plant from whence it came was truly significant. He told Hugh the aircraft shouldn't be flown, but rather be shown as a genuine piece of history.

Ilya showed three generations of national insignia on the Airacobra. The initial USAAF white star with a blue disc was repainted with a red star with a white disc, and then repainted with the familiar red star, with a white border, but no disc. Reinforcement plates in the aft fuselage were another important feature of the P-39. The Airacobra was prone to spinning, especially given the energetic way in which Soviet pilots flew it. The tail structure wasn't as strong as the Soviets liked, using it the way they did. So they reinforced the skin of the aft fuselage and the tail. Bell started to do such reinforcements at the factory.

The reason why Lt. Baranovsky met his fate attempting to land on the ice of a frozen lake was ultimately determined by the museum's restoration group after the engine was removed for cleaning. The group included a former maintenance chief with American Airlines. He concluded the aircraft was brought down by the failure of two connecting rods in the engine. The engine lost oil pressure, and when the pilot landed on the ice (he was found not wearing his shoulder harnesses), he probably bumped his head on the instrument panel. While he was unconscious the aircraft broke through the ice and sank, and he drowned in the process.

After the recovery team recovered Lt. Baranovsky's medals, Ilya became involved in tracing the operational history of his regiment. The hope was that the pilot's family could be brought together, if they were still alive. Ilya probed his Russian contacts, including experts who recovered victims of military accidents in northern Russia and arranged proper burials. Within literally two weeks, Ilya received a phone number from a family member of the pilot. The relatives were shocked to learn of an 6 Flypast V. 47 No. 1 accident that they didn't know about, and were extremely grateful that they had. Ilya was told that the mother of the pilot, before she passed away, was constantly dreaming that she saw her son in the water. Ilya showed photos of Lt. Baranovsky, including his graduation from a teachers' college, a picture taken when he enlisted, and another showing him with his military comrades.

The story generated tremendous publicity and contacts for the Niagara museum. One of Hugh's colleagues from Pennsylvania said that his mother-in-law worked at Bell --- where women accounted for 47 per cent of the workforce --- as a wartime “Rosie the Riveter.” She said the women would sign their names on metal panels of the aircraft, hoping that maybe some of the airmen would see their names. Hugh immediately ran out to the guys who was taking the P-39 apart and told them to look for signatures. Lo and behold, they found two such signatures! One name was Helen Rose and the other was Eleanor Barbaritano. Eleanor told her children that she had received letters from pilots who flew the Airacobra and said how impressed they were. Eleanor's family has a small note from her paying tribute to the families who fought the war on the homefront in western New York. Hugh showed a touching, four- minute video on this incredible story that's on the website of Buffalo's WGRZ-TV. He said the award- winning video has attracted more than 700,000 visits to the site. The story was also covered in the September, 2011 issue of Air & Space magazine.

Hugh and Ilya answered a number of questions. Hugh said the museum currently isn't open to the public. The idea of a museum began in the 1980s, when present and former aircraft industry employees, licensed pilots and aviation enthusiasts decided to commemorate western New York's role in aviation. The original collection of artifacts remained with the Amherst Museum. With the help of many volunteers, the museum opened in a vacant store in the Summit Park Mall in Niagara Falls. With the lease due to expire in 2001, the museum relocated in the Niagara Office Building in downtown Niagara Falls. It opened, with a 30-year lease expiring in 2032, in 2001. However, it was forced to relocate again as a result of the legal issues involving the State of New York, the Seneca Nation of Indians, and plans to establish gambling casinos in Niagara Falls and the Allegany Indian Reservation. The Senecas were permitted to acquire 50 acres of land in downtown Niagara Falls, including the Niagara Office building. By the end of March, 2008, the museum had to vacate the Niagara Falls facility and relocate in the former Bell plant in the town of Wheatfield, a Buffalo suburb.

After the move to Wheatfield, the museum searched for a permanent home. Fortunately, the museum was able to benefit from an offer from the Buffalo Sabres and relocate to about 10,000 square feet of ground floor space on the west side of the HSBC Arena. The arrangement lasted for three years, until a new owner of the Sabres decided the museum had to go. In what now sounds like a preview of the eviction of the Canadian and Space Museum from its Downsview hangar, the Niagara Aerospace Museum was evicted. It is once again back in Wheatfield. But there is room for optimism: Hugh noted that a senior New York state senator from the Niagara Falls District is lobbying to have the museum move into the old terminal at Niagara Falls airport. “We would love to be there,” Hugh said. Although the museum isn't open to the public, people can visit and enjoy its library.

About 9,500 P-39s were built in all. The P-39Q was built in the most quantity. Hugh said about 2,500 P- 39s were flown by the USAAF. They were used in the Pacific, North Africa and the Caribbean. The P-63 Kingcobra never entered service with the USAAF. It was built in less substantial numbers for export to the Soviet Union and under the Lend-Lease program, the principal version being the P-63A. Some were completed as armoured target aircraft.

Both of our speakers received a hearty round of applause for their outstanding presentation. Bob Winson extended his thanks for their effort, and also thanked Chapter President George Topple for originally suggesting this topic. Bob presented Hugh and Ilya with gifts in appreciation as a memorable evening, enjoyed by all, drew to a close.

Flypast V. 47 No. 1 7 Chapter News October 2012

Folded Wings:

We are sorry to have to report the loss of two stalwarts of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. In late February 2012, longtime Toronto Chapter member Ed Rice (CAHS #2675) passed away, two weeks short of age 76. Ed was a fine gentleman who made a significant contribution as National President of the CAHS for seven years from 1997 to 2004. Ed, of Ajax, Ontario, is fondly remembered by many CAHS members, especially his close friend and colleague, Bill Wheeler, who edited the CAHS Journal for 45 years. Bill knew Ed since he first joined the CAHS. In addition to his years as national President, Ed served in various functions on both the Toronto and national boards of directors and was an associate editor of the CAHS Journal.

As Bill recalled, “Ed was a friendly presence at gatherings, whether Society meetings or informal get- togethers such as those held by a small group of aviation enthusiasts at the Duchess, an English-style pub in Markham. The group, once dubbed the “Aeronuts” by of one of the wives of its members, had been meeting since the very earliest days of CAHS, in our individual homes. With Ed's passing, the original dozen-plus members has dwindled to five”

Bill remembered that Ed, standing six-foot-two, was “a substantial presence.” At a CAHS convention in Calgary, Ed and Bill were invited by Clark Seaborn to fly with him in a vintage 1930's Waco Standard that he owned at the time. “Clark took us up individually and let us each take the controls, doing tight turns at minimal altitude over the ----fortunately flat---Alberta countryside,” Bill stated. “Ed and I were both big men, but the Waco's engine accepted the challenge. The takeoff run was surprisingly short. It was a memorable experience for both of us.”

Ed married into an aviation family. His father-in-law, Reg Spence, was best known as the former longtime manager and CFI of the Hamilton Flying Club. Ed attended most CAHS Toronto Chapter meetings for many years, even after his health began to fail in recent years. Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008, he bravely fought back after his right lung was removed.

He recovered and spent what his wife, Anne, recalled as a nice Christmas in 2011. As Anne, said, Ed's involvement in the CAHS was rewarding for him and the organization. Ed was a general insurance agent for more than 40 years. He left behind a son, David, a grandson, Philip, in Toronto, and two stepchildren with their six children. His quiet and unassuming personality will be missed and we extend our deepest condolences to Ann and the family.---Gord McNulty

Ann and Ed Rice Ed Rice and Arnold Emmott Photo - Rice Family Photo - Rice Family

8 Flypast V. 47 No. 1 On July 20, 2012, the CAHS sustained a great loss with the death of Fred W. Hotson, (CAHS #0300), a dedicated and longtime Toronto Chapter member who served as national President of the CAHS for 15 years. He was 98.

Fred, who was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1998, first became a director of the CAHS in1966. He wrote numerous articles for the CAHS Journal, gave many lectures at Chapter and National meetings, and authored several fine books such as de Havilland in Canada; The Bremen; Business Wings; and Grumman Mallard: The Enduring Classic. A recipient of numerous awards, Fred was also a Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (1984).

Born in Toronto, Fred joined de Havilland Canada in 1935 and completed his pilot and engineer's licence in 1938. He left de Havilland in 1941 to fly in the BCATP, and in 1944 went to RAF Transport Command as a ferry pilot. After the war Fred worked as a bush pilot in northern Ontario and Quebec, then moved into corporate aviation in 1948 with the Ontario Paper Company. There he flew a Mallard and DC-3 for 18 years. He became a founding director of the Canadian Business Aircraft Association and was its President during 1964-65. In 1966 he conducted a study in Afghanistan for the International Civil Aviation Organization on Twin Otter operations in that country. Next he rejoined de Havilland as a test and training pilot, moved into product support, then worked in sales, until retiring in 1978.

Fred lived in Mississauga and was predeceased by his wife Margaret in 2007 after 56 years of marriage. They left behind their children Bill, Jane and Anne, and five grandchildren. As stated in his hall of fame biography, Fred's “ability to relate his extensive career to the writing and preservation of the country's aviation history has been of lasting value to Canada.”

Fred will be remembered for his cheerful personality and kind nature, as well as his integrity and outstanding skills in documentation, organization and leadership. Larry Milberry, his close friend of many years and colleague in the hall of fame, eulogized Fred at a well-attended memorial service in Mississauga on July 26. CAHS Toronto Chapter President, Dr. George Topple has stated that the Chapter will make a donation to Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in memory of Fred.

Fred Hotson with his beloved Heath Parasol 1 Photo - Hotson Collection

New Chapter Address Canada Post has closed another post office on us…..our new mailing address is….. 65 Sussex Avenue, Toronto, ON M5S 1J8.

New Member We are pleased to welcome John R. Flegg as the newest member of the Chapter. John has been our printer for “Flypast” for the past 8 years through his The UPS Store in Brockville.

*****

Next Meeting: October 13

Flypast V. 47 No. 1 9 Vintage Wings of Canada Hawk One Sabrejet as flown by LCol Dan Dempsey (Ret’d) at the 40th Anniversary 2012 Hamilton Photo Credit - Gord McNulty

CAHS Toronto Chapter Executive 2012-2013 President: Dr. George Topple Flypast Reporter: Gord McNulty

1st Vice-President, Membership Secretary: Flypast Editor-in-Chief: Matt Clark Sheldon Benner Volunteers: Ken Churm - Liaison 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, & Archivist, Historian: Bill Killough - A-V Services Neil McGavock Bob Winson - Programs

Directors: Nassy Fesharaki Richard Goette Scott Maclagan Contacts President: [email protected] Mailing Address: Canadian Aviation Historical Society, Toronto Chapter Programs / Meetings Information: (416) 745-1462 65 Sussex Avenue [email protected] Toronto, Ontario Websites: www.cahs.ca/chapters/toronto M5S 1J8 www.torontoaviationhistory.com 10 Flypast V. 47 No. 1