SPRING-SUMMER 2021 Contents Latest news! FROM THE COCKPIT P.2 Reopening of our museum to the public FROM THE FLIGHTLINE P.4 From June 12 to 20: Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday from 10:00 until 14:30 FROM THE HANGAR LINE P.7 Starting June 21, our summer schedule will take effect. The museum will then be open every Monday, FROM THE TOWER P.9 Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 until 14:30. PHOTO ALBUM P.13 Please note that wearing a mask and social distancing ROLL CALL P.15 will be required in the museum. ABOVE THE HORIZON P.16 We look forward to welcoming our visitors once again. Message from the President by John Lawson When I last communicated with you, we were just emerging from a dark period when the future of the museum seemed in ques�on. The situa�on has improved and a way forward has come into focus but our goal of renova�ng and modernizing the museum is s�ll some distance off. There are significant challenges to overcome that will take �me and effort. Meanwhile, there are bright spots that provide encouragement. We have developed a posi�ve rela�onship with McGill’s leaders and with their Facili�es Management Team, all of whom support the museum’s mission and our desire to con�nue opera�ng out of the Old Stone Barn. Accordingly, we have reached an agreement in principle. A dra� lease is being finalized that would see us assume full financial, legal, and maintenance responsibility for the building in return for raising the funds to repair, renovate, and preserve the envelope of the Old Stone Barn. Considerable addi�onal space would become available to the museum in the process. We have hired a noted architect, specialized in historical buildings, who conducted an architectural/engineering evalua�on which has confirmed the soundness of the basic structure. The firm has prepared detailed plansand es�mates which would see an ini�al phase to renovate the building and bring the structure up to modern code in terms of func�on and safety. A second phase would result in the MAM’s expansion with new facili�es to make it more visitor- and volunteer-friendly. A mul�million-dollar campaign will be required to fund this ambi�ous project. Our work is cut out for us. Your Board’s top focus currently is on structuring a successful fundraising campaign. Rela�onships with founda�ons and donors are being developed and nurtured and the Board is reaching out to fundraising professionals to learn how others have been successful. In the process, the Board needs to increase its capability to handle fundraising, mul�media marke�ng and publicity, government and public rela�ons, and legal ma�ers. This has been a significant challenge to accomplish so far and we have made li�le progress. Ifyou have sugges�ons, I will welcome them. Qualified professionals interested in joining us are invited to call meat 450-424-2893 home, 514-951-0608 or drop a line to [email protected]. In the mean�me, given that we have no revenues from admissions or fundraising events to carry our opera�ng costs, we have scaled back expenditures to the essen�als. If any of you can donate, it would be most welcome. We are delighted that we can welcome back the public and our full range of volunteers. John Lawson President P. 2 Execu�ve Director’s Report by Jim Killin We survived the winter well, despite the closure. On an excep�onal basis, a few volunteers con�nued to work on urgent museum ini�a�ves within dedicated project bubbles. In addi�on, many of our volunteers who are working on various projects are making a gradual return. Now that the good weather is upon us and we see the light at the end of the tunnel, the decision has been made to open the museum to visitors star�ng Satuday, June 12. Our two major restora�on projects for the Fairchild ‘’Bolingbroke’’ Mk IV (Boly) and the Noorduyn ‘’Norseman’’ are moving ahead nicely. Great progress has been made on the Boly, thanks to Michel Fréche�e and his team for their vision and input. As for the Norseman, it con�nues to move ahead steadily with Mike Alain’s direc�on and team. Since the last PlaneTalk, we have acquired a CF-104 ‘’Starfighter’’ from DND Canada. The jet was built by Canadair, in Car�erville during the 60s and has serial number 704. Ironically, if you visit the art gallery, the model and the pain�ng are of 704. This acquisi�on will give our teams the opportunity to restore yet another Quebec- produced iconic aircra�. As John has men�oned, we are moving ahead with McGill on the lease and the projected refurbishment of the museum. In the next few weeks, we will be able to share with you our vision of the MAM’s future state which will consist of three main steps: 1) Repair and replace the roof on the west side and bring us up to code for elements such as electrical circuits and emergency exit signage. 2) Acquire more sec�ons of the Old Stone Barn, namely the area south of the art gallery and the main floor sec�on to the west. This will enhance our current space by 36%. 3) Enhance our museum’s appeal by giving a new look to the entrance and many other areas. These changes will take us well into the future, building on our historical presenta�ons as well as genera�ng an educa�onal story for our visitors and youth. Considering the museum’s closure this past year, we have executed many changes. You, our members, have made a difference in the look of the displays and in the progress of many projects, notably various fundraising projects that have generated income for the museum during these very difficult and strange �mes. The Board will con�nue to push ahead with major fundraising efforts so that we may accomplish our goalof con�nuing to build on and expand one of the best avia�on museums in Quebec. The task at hand is not easy but we are confident and op�mis�c that we will meet our objec�ves. Thank you! Your interest and dedica�on will lead to our con�nued success! Jim Killin Vice-President, Execu�ve Director P. 3 Noorduyn “Norseman” by Mike Alain The Norseman restora�on was restarted near the end of 2019. We formed a small bubble of volunteers including John Duckmanton, Don Brooks, Andy Edwards, Bob Cartwright, and Mike Alain. John and Don con�nue to fabricate the interior parts and expect to complete the aircra�’s interior by mid-2021. Andy con�nues to rebuild/repaint the small mechanical parts required to install the freshly painted front cowl. Bob, our sheet metal expert, is now fabrica�ng many missing cowls and windshield sec�ons. A special thank you to Ken Fincken for rebuilding a complete front cowl sec�on from damaged parts. This sec�on covers the engine and looks sharp. We were very lucky to have the services of Michel Fréche�e’s sister, Diane Cardinal, to fabricate a complete set of front-seat covers. John has also restored the stretcher and the side bench seat to its original design, which is ready to be installed as soon as the vinyl interior walls and ceilings are complete. P. 4 Fairchild “Bolingbroke” by Michel Fréche�e Despite the unfortunate pandemic restric�ons since last spring, our Boly project has made great progress restoring the centre wing sec�on, the undercarriage with its wheel assembly, and the fuselage’s interior equipment. It is important to note that we thoroughly follow the Fairchild Bolingbroke’s design mylars to restore the many original parts available to us. If we are unable to get a specific part, we will fabricate a replica onour 3D printer, based on the original specifica�ons. Centre wing sec�on Although the trailing edge extensions of both wings are currently being worked on, we have freed their flap drivesha�s from corrosion and they are now func�onal. The le�-hand side trailing edge is being completely fabricated to specifica�on. Both wings will require a complete re-skin. These sec�ons should be ready for installa�on onto the centre wing by year end. Undercarriage and wheel assembly We have fully restored the bomb bay’s ceiling sec�on and by spring’s end, we will have fully restored and installed the undercarriage with its wheel assembly. Furthermore, the team is also fabrica�ng structural fi�ngs and new lower-skin panels for the fuel bladders sec�on. Fuselage interior Many original parts were fully restored and installed, such as the charge accumulators and unit box, the fuse panel with its replica fuse boxes, and the ceiling electrical duc�ng and junc�on box. The original main electrical cable bundle has been reinstalled for show, along with its unforge�able vintage smell that can't be mistaken! Ariane Fréche�e at the navigator posi�on P. 5 It is important to note we decided to install the original receiver and transmi�er radios, which were fully restored to opera�onal standards a few years ago, into the fuselage with their restored support rack. We have added a new radio operator foldable table and seat, to original specifica�ons. The original antenna loading coil unit and its cable connec�ons are now installed and func�onal.