Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Gleaned from the "Between Ourselves" magazine issue dated November 1946.

On September 14, 1946, the North Star left Montreal for the first time on an experimental long range flight to California, under the command of Captain Ron Baker. Other than landing once at Dorval to check out the new service stands, it was the first time the North Star had been away from its home airport of Cartierville.

A total of thirteen passengers and crew were on board. The flight had planned stops at Toronto, Fort William, Winnipeg, Lethbridge, Vancouver and Santa Monica where the Douglas people were impressed by the aircraft, before it returned to Vancouver. The return was from Vancouver direct to Montreal. We have some photos below.

Arrival at Winnipeg

Visiting Fort William

Betty Draper found this article in the media - Largest aircraft in Canada.

The "North Star" Canada's largest aircraft, is shown at Malton airport near Toronto, after its arrival from Montreal on a test flight to Santa Monica, California. The plane will carry 40 passengers and is a combination of Canadair and Douglas design. Miss Gloria Hercus, TCA stewardess, stands beside the nose wheel.

From the "Horizons" magazine issued dated May 1978.

ACRA Presidents Meet

A lively exchange of ideas and information of Air Canada Recreation Associations (ACRA) was the order of the day when all 15 ACRA Presidents, 11 of them new comers to the Presidential office, attended a meeting held in the Personnel Headquarters, Montreal. President Claude Taylor and Harold Walker, Employee Services and Suggestions Manager addressed the meeting.

In attendance photographed from the left, seated were: Dorothy Buss, Winnipeg; Taylor; and Helen Donovan, Moncton.

Standing: Gerald White, Past President representing Eve Riley, London, England: Denis Perrier, Sault Ste. Marie; Brian Murray, Halifax; Walker; Larry Conway, Los Angeles; Tony Tremblay, Quebec City; George Agnew, Vancouver; Barry Bourassa, Ottawa; Dave Leslie, Edmonton; Frank Foley, Saint John; John Stuckless, St. John's NF; Gord Thompson, Dorval; George Saliba, Toronto; and Bob Lance, Thunder Bay.

Issued dated May 1979.

ACRA's. They bring us all together.

Almost 10,000 Air Canada Recreation Association (ACRA) members are spread around 16 Air Canada cities and were represented by their Presidents at the annual meeting of ACRA President hosted by the Thunder Bay ACRA on May 1-2nd, chaired by Hal Walker, Employee Services and Suggestions Manager.

Attending the meeting in this photo from the left: Gord Thompson, Dorval; Brian Murray, Halifax; George Agnew, Vancouver; Frank Foley, Saint John; Wayne Wilson, Ottawa; Serge Colekessian, Toronto; Kevin McGee, London, Ont., attending for Ross DeSousa; Terry McHale, Edmonton; Paul Wachmenko, Sault Ste. Marie, for Denis Perrier; John Stuckless, St. John's; Vic Foster, London, England, for Eve Riley.

Seated from the left: Dorothy Buss, Winnipeg; Tony Tremblay, Quebec; Sharon Morett, Los Angeles for Ron Castelli; Bob Lance, Thunder Bay; Helen Donovan, Moncton; and Hal Walker.

Issue dated March 1979.

The C&SS Dorval Programming team stands guard of MAP.

In the photo seated from the left: S. Graham and R. Clermont.

Standing from the left are: T. Baker, R. Heramchuk, Project Leader; F. Deschanes-Renad, P. Williams, M. Castonguay, R. Stuart, G. Belanger, R. Allard, and B. Bogert.

Missing from the photo, but part of the team are: E. Masson, R. Belding, R. Legare and from the Purchasing & Supply Systems Analysts E. Black and G. Kobor.

(Note: Yes that's our own Terry Baker co-founder of the NetLetter in this photo.)