Volume 44 October 2009 Number 2 http://www.cahs.ca/chapters/toronto. Canadian Aviation Historical Society This meeting is jointly sponsored by CAHS Toronto Chapter Meeting Toronto Chapter and the Toronto Aerospace October 17, 2009 Museum- All CAHS / TAM members, guests Meeting starts at 1 PM and the public (museum admission payable) are -Under the Glider- welcome to attend. Toronto Aerospace Museum, 65 Carl Hall Road, Refreshments will be served Toronto “Landing Fee” of $2.00 will be charged to cover meeting expenses Next Month's Meeting November 21, 2009 Last Month’s Meeting . 2 Chapter News – September 2009 . 11 Folded Wings .......................................11 Buffalo Aero Club Review . 11 New parking lot . 11 This Month’s Meeting Topic: "Trans - Atlantic Aviation 1936 - 1939 - Airships, Aircraft & Airmail" Speaker: Patrick Keenan Photo: Pan Am Clipper Departing from Bay of Exploits, Newfoundland Credit: Pan Am Airways 1 Flypast V. 44 No. 2 Last Month’s Meeting *** September Dinner Meeting Howard, who introduced Gerald Haddon, Topic: J.A.D. McCurdy, the Silver Dart in 1909 noted that the Toronto Chapter has made a theme and celebrations 100 years later in 2009 of supporting for the 100th anniversary Special Speakers: Gerald Haddon, Bjarni of powered flight in Canada. On 23 February, Tryggvason 1909, J.A.D. McCurdy made history with the Reporter: Gord McNulty first flight of the Silver Dart on the frozen surface of Bras d’Or Lake at Baddeck, Nova Our first annual CAHS Toronto Dinner Scotia. A full-scale replica was built by Aerial Meeting proved to be a great success, thoroughly Experiment Association 2005 Inc. volunteers. It enjoyed by 54 members and guests. The event first flew on 6 February, 2009, at Hamilton with was held at the splendid Armour Heights Bjarni Trygvasson, at the controls. Bjarni then Officers’ Mess at the historic Canadian Forces flew the replica successfully for the national College. Everyone was delighted with the menu, Centennial of Flight celebrations at Baddeck on featuring a fine roast beef au jus buffet with wine 22 February. at the tables. A special welcome was extended Gerald Haddon, grandson of J.A.D. McCurdy, by CAHS Toronto Chapter President Howard was born in Victoria, B.C., on August 6, 1942, to Malone to four visitors from the Aero Club of a senior Naval Officer of the RCN with postings Buffalo --- Fran and Gerry Bainbridge, and abroad that included Washington, D.C., and Arlene and Russ Lo Presti --- who helped to London, England. He spent his childhood inspire our decision to try a dinner meeting. stationed at Canada’s Pacific and Atlantic naval It was fitting that the meeting was held at a bases. Gerald was educated at numerous schools historic site. Armour Heights was among the in England, the United States and Canada, major airfields built in Canada by the Royal finishing at Shawnigan Lake School on Flying Corps during the First World War, on Vancouver Island in B.C. A graduate of Simon land made available by the flamboyant Colonel Fraser University in B.C. and University College F.B. Robins, honorary colonel of the Toronto (London) England, Gerald has travelled Scottish Regiment. A “School of Special Flying” extensively throughout North America, Europe opened early in 1918 and the forerunner of the and the Middle East. He worked in broadcasting RCAF Central Flying School had a brief summer for CTV in Toronto for 39 years, and was of glory. A number of men who later became involved in the directing side of all major CTV prominent in Canadian aviation took instructors’ productions such as Canada AM, CTV News, courses at Armour Heights, including a former W5, winter and summer Olympics, and many Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Wilfred outside drama, sports, comedy and cultural Curtis. Col. Robins, a power in real estate circles shows. Gerald met his future wife, Amanda, in Toronto, built a country estate which he called from England, while sailing in the British Virgin Strathrobyn in 1914. A fine stone house of 18 Islands. He has two daughters --- Edwina, 24, bedrooms, set in beautifully landscaped grounds, who is studying law at the College of Law in it would eventually become the Officers’ Mess of London, England, and Emma, 21, who is the Canadian Forces College. Additions were studying political science and international policy built in 1974. The size of the dining room was at Queen’s University in Kingston. His hobbies doubled to accommodate the current total of 166 include sailing, tennis, reading, travelling and staff and students at Armour Heights. building vintage planes as a member of the AEA Flypast V. 44 No. 2 2 2005 team. He is also a member of 434 (Niagara wanted to fly two or three more times. However, Peninsula) Wing, Air Force Association of as prudent as always, and recognizing the Canada. importance of what had just taken place, Dr. Bell Gerald described his grandfather, The said, “What we have seen just now may well Honourable John Alexander Douglas McCurdy, prove to be one of the really important pages in as he knew him for the first 19 years of his life. history. Douglas, you can fly her again He quoted W.E.B. DuBois, the American civil tomorrow if you like, but that’s all for today.” rights activist, author and editor, who said, “The Bell came to Nova Scotia in 1885 to escape most important thing in life to remember is this: the oppressive summer heat and humidity of be ready at any moment to give up what you are Washington, D.C. He settled upon one of the for what you might become.” That is how J.A.D. scenic jewels of Canada --- the picturesque McCurdy lived his life. In 1907, when J.A.D. hamlet of Baddeck, situated on the shores of Bras graduated from the University of Toronto, his d’Or Lake, in the heart of Cape Breton Island. classmates wrote in their yearbook that The magnificent scenery, reminding him of his “McCurdy is a quiet man of power. His friends native Scotland, immediately seduced him and regard him as capable of performing any task.” the temperature was cool. One day, walking Gerald’s earliest recollections come from along Baddeck’s main street, Bell glanced numerous summer holidays spent with his through the window of the Cape Breton Island grandfather as a young boy, visiting Government Reporter and noticed a man trying to fix his House in Halifax when J.A.D. was Lieutenant telephone. Bell entered the office, offered to Governor of Nova Scotia. His grandparents’ help, took the phone, expertly dismantled it, and Baddeck home was nestled on a two-acre plot of pulled out a dead fly. Reassembling the land overlooking scenic Bras d’Or Lake. telephone with lightning dexterity, he returned it One afternoon J.A.D. described the first flight to the startled gentleman --- who turned out to be of the Silver Dart. The day was cloudless; the J.A.D. McCurdy’s father. When asked how he temperature was minus 15, with no wind. It fixed the telephone so deftly, Bell quietly replied: seemed as if the whole countryside had turned to ‘Well, I invented it.” The two men soon became see what was going to happen. Many old-timers fast friends, with Arthur McCurdy ultimately had come fully prepared to witness a crash. becoming Bell’s personal assistant. Having lost Finally, the Silver Dart was positioned on the ice two sons in infancy, Bell wanted to adopt by several people on skates. After checking that Gerald’s grandfather --- so strong was the bond all was in order, McCurdy gave the signal to let that developed between the two. A Scottish go. The Silver Dart had gone about 100 feet Aunt, named Aunt Georgina --- who had been along the ice when all of sudden it rose looking after Arthur McCurdy’s four young gracefully into the air, to an elevation of about 30 children, after the death of their mother, Lucy --- feet. It travelled at 40 mph, for three-quarters of learned of Bell’s intentions. Putting her foot a mile. McCurdy most remembered the highly down, she said, “J.A.D. McCurdy was born a skeptical villagers, who had predicted disaster, McCurdy, and by God, he will die a McCurdy.” and the excitement on the face of his colleague That was the end of that. However, Bell did Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. Everyone was become a godfather to Gerald’s grandfather. thrilled by what they had witnessed, and urged Throughout his childhood, J.A.D. McCurdy McCurdy to go up again. He said it was as if he could be found at Beinn Bhreagh, Bell’s summer had consumed two shots of whisky, and he residence, helping Bell with his glider and kite 3 Flypast V. 44 No. 2 experiments. the Silver Dart. While demonstrating the McCurdy was barely 20 when he completed potential of airplanes to the Canadian army at his engineering degree at the University of Petawawa in 1909, he took Baldwin up on 2 Toronto and returned to Baddeck. He invited his August, as Canada’s first air passenger. With best friend, Casey Baldwin, a fellow engineer, to Baldwin, he formed Canada’s first aircraft join him for a two-week holiday. Baldwin’s production company in April, 1909 --- the vacation would turn into a lifelong visit, such Canadian Aerodrome Co., which built the was the allure of Cape Breton and the Baddeck No. 1, the first powered aircraft built in opportunity of working with one of the world’s Canada. McCurdy is credited with sending the greatest inventors, Dr.