Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Ken Pickford has sent us this information regarding the North Star photos in NetLetter nr 1340 -

The 3 North Star photos at the factory correctly identify the aircraft as CF-TEK in the text, but on the photos themselves the registration appears as CF-TEC which was a TCA DC-3, in service 1946-1958. (Our archival copies have been corrected - eds)

CF-TEK was the first of 6 unpressurized North Stars intended for the RCAF but temporarily operated by TCA while waiting for their own pressurized North Stars to arrive.

Speaking of DC-3 CF-TEC, found some photos. It was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force as a C-47 in 1943 and was transferred soon after to the RCAF where it spent the rest of World War II before being among the many military C-47s converted to passenger DC-3s. It was delivered to TCA in 1946. In 1958 it went to the Canadian Department of Transport and was registered CF-DTB. It spent over 30 years there until the late 1980s. It was acquired by Yellowknife-based Buffalo Airways in 1995 and I believe has been used for parts for their other DC-3s. It's still registered to Buffalo Airways today and a fairly recent (2014) photo shows it stored at Red Deer, Alberta, still in faded Transport Canada livery.: Our photo has the caption "Edmonton, late 1940s "(CF-TEC c/n 12597 Fin 376 was delivered to TCA on May 17th 1946 sold to DOT on March 19th 1958 having flown 21,315 hours for TCA – eds)

In NetLetter nr 1341, we had a photo of a CP aircraft in distress and we asked for any information from our readers. 

Well we got inundated with information. Tom Grant was working on the day of the incident and took these photos.(You can see other non-related photos from Tom Grant at: www.thosgee.com - Alan)

The incident involved a Leased Boeing 707-138, on ‘wet lease’ from Standard Airways of Seattle, USA. The Pilot crew were from the USA. Only the Cabin Crew were direct CPAL employees.

The aircraft was registered as N791SA. The CPAL fleet number was 791, and the aircraft – in CPAL colours, was called “Empress of Sydney’. The accident occurred on 7/2/1968, as the aircraft, coming from the South Pacific, landed at Vancouver International airport in conditions of dense fog. The aircraft left the runway and struck ground equipment and a terminal building on the south side of the airport.

Bill Cameron

B707 leased (with pilots) from Standard Airways in CP livery. Feb. 7, 1968 at YVR.
You can find more here:
YouTube "Tag Along with Chet" video
GenDisasters.com

Malcolm McRae sent this -

I believe the accident was in YVR and it involved a 707 under wet lease. I was working at YVRFFCP at the time. The crew attempted to land at YVR in fog rather than diverting to YXX. The aircraft landed on the taxiway, clipped a MOT building, when across the ramp where normally a AC Freighter would have been parked (it had diverted) and came to rest with the nose inside another MOT building. Sadly we lost a CP Purser who was crushed when the overhead collapsed. No other serious injuries.

Included was the information from www.aviation-safety.net. I have attached a picture I took shortly after the aircraft came to rest.

David Edward forwarded this e-mail he received from Captain Russ Brown, CPA/Canadian retired -

I was there and I have / had a few B&W photos that I can't find at the moment. We, C.P.A.L had wet leased a B707 from Standard Airways ( Boeing) to fill in on Hawaii.

The Standard crew drove from Seattle early morning, flew YVR - HNL - YVR and arrived early morning at YVR on no rest and into heavy fog. I believe that a TCA DC-8 took off just ahead of their attempted landing, dissipating some fog, leaving them a clear path to a possible visual landing. As they touched down the fog rolled in and they attempted a go around and lost it. I also heard that it was a two captain crew (struggle over decision?), no first officer. They had a Standard flight engineer and a CPAL Navigator, an acquaintance of mine.

The aircraft, likely under T/O thrust, crossed the infield onto the terminal ramp demolishing several light planes, clipping a TCA DC-8 wing tip and just missing a fully loaded CPAL DC-8. It then hit the MOT ramp shack killing the ramp supervisor, and then hit a belt loader that penetrated into first class and killed the CPAL purser, that I knew slightly. It continued across the ramp and into the terminal admin. wing. The navigator on board had put his head down and slept after landfall and was still sleeping through most of this ride from hell!

After the 707 stopped one engine continued to run and a mechanic had to open the cowl and shut it down with the main mtc. fuel shut off valve! Both pilots and the F/E evacuated through the cockpit windows. Our navigator told me that he thought that he was having a nightmare but then he dismissed that premise and evacuated out the F/O window onto a desk, for a moment he again thought "nightmare". He then walked out into the hall and out of the building.

I was on F/O DC-8 reserve and was called out to do the Hawaii flight planned later for the 07 but that was cancelled. We operated a day later.From my log.

Cheers, Russ
(We have a few more memories in NetLetter nr 1344 – eds)

My first flight was on a DC3 from Moncton to Shearwater to go to a graduation dance at the Lord Nelson with Jim Gawley who I had met at a swim meet in Moncton's YMCA. It was in 1945 or maybe 46 and cost $15 one way. My next flight was to Toronto a number of years later when it was $90 return. I can't remember the year, but I remember that I missed the flight home because I called the taxi to the wrong City Park Apartment building.

Betty Morgan.

 Caz Caswell wishes to share his fine work - 

Being a former Wardair person I was naturally interested in Mike Martins reply to Alan Evans.

The attached spreadsheet was done more for my own enjoyment, and contains all Wardair aircraft ever operated and those not taken up in the International Fleet and Northern Ops. The last known operator will have changed on many as I did this in 2009. 

The attached image of C-GIZN I took on its arrival at YYZ August 30th, 1986. 

Click here to view Caz's list of the Wardair fleet.

Caz - Wardair Purchasing 1978-1989

Click the links to view Caz's Photo Gallery or Flickr page. 

We found an excellent documentary on the Wardair story at Canada's National Film Board site.

Bob Barry send along a fond memory -

Gentlemen:

Thank you very much for the article on the Air Canada DC-9. In the 17 years that I flew the DC-9 for Air Canada, I amassed 11,394 hours in the front end of this beautiful aircraft. It actually brought a tear to my eye when I read the demise of so many of our wonderful planes.

The wording 'Broken up' showed a very definitive end to some of them, but at least we still have one here in Winnipeg, #712 (which I see occasionally) at the Red River College, and one of which I flew many times. Keep up the good work!

Most sincerely,
Bob Barry.