Recovery of a Lancaster Bomber (1960)
(Submitted by: Anthony Walsh)
Below are recently released photos (from Bomber Command Museum of Canada – Nanton) of rare colour photos of the 1960 tow/move of a Lancaster FM159 being relocated over 28 km across the Alberta flat lands (actually not so flat), including the Little Bow River and a railway track embankment in its final journey from an old airfield to Nanton, AB. It was moved just before it was going to be scrapped! Up to now we’ve only seen a few fuzzy B&W photos of this unique event.
If you click on the image below, it will take you to a slideshow with all the images. For a very detailed article regarding this Lancaster and others please follow this link.
To download the slideshow as a PDF (to send or print) then please click here.
McDonnell Douglas DC 9 Fleet
The DC-9 entered service with Air Canada in April of 1966. Terry advises that they were scheduled for April 24 but due to the highly successful proving flights and flight crew training, the regular scheduled service commenced 20 days ahead of schedule serving Montreal-Winnipeg and Vancouver on a daily return basis.
I think that this was the first fleet to be acquired after the rebranding of TCA to Air Canada and, with 36 years of service (April 1966 to January 2002), the longest serving fleet in company history.
I have compiled a list of sixty-one aircraft that at one time flew sporting the Air Canada Rondell. Click here to view my list that includes the fate of each aircraft (as far as I can tell).
Remarkably, I discovered that six of them may still be active and approaching a half century of service. Eight Series 15RC (Rapid Change) that had been originally delivered to Continental Airlines in 1967 served in the Air Canada fleet between 1972 to 1978. See banner image in this NetLetter (above/top) for photo of FIN #763, CF-TOP. They were the smallest DC-9 variant at 104.4 ft (31.8 m) and were designed for quick conversion between passenger and cargo configurations. We would appreciate your input as to how they were deployed in the Air Canada fleet.
The following aircraft are currently listed as active at Flightradar24.com
| Fin# | AC Reg. | Current Reg | Airline |
| 761 | CF-TON | N782TW | Ameristar , Dallas TX |
| 762 | CF-TOO | N783TW | Ameristar , Dallas TX |
| 765 | CF-TOR | N112PS | Skyway Enterprises, Kissimmee FL |
| 766 | CF-TOS | N784TW | Ameristar , Dallas TX |
| 767 | CF-TOT | N785TW | Ameristar , Dallas TX |
| 768 | CF-TOU | N917CK | Kalitta Charters II, Detroit MI. |
Click the image below for a YouTube video posted by Dude8472Productions showing N783TW (formerly AC Fin# 762) landing in Calgary. Thanks Dude!
Sources: Wikipedia - Planespotters.net – Flightradar24.com
I'd like to throw a question out to our readers. Does anyone recall which aircraft was the first to be painted in Air Canada livery?
Wayne
| Vern Swerdfeger has sent us these photos - | |
| Some photos of CPAL aircraft paint jobs - in the hectic 1970’s | |
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Vancouver Airport (YVR) |
DC-3 model in |
| Gretchen Dawson sends us this photo and comment - | |
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I had heard she was "closed" with lots of renovations required. I had the opportunity a couple of years ago to go and walk on board her, out on the apron. Looks like they've moved aircraft around - Enjoy, Gretchen |
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This cartoon by John Viola of Time Air was found in the "Canadi>n Contact" magazine issued August 1989.
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System Bowling Tournament - June 3 - 5, 2016 at Las Vegas, Nevada |
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System Softball Tournament - June 14 - 16 at Halifax, Nova Scotia |