RapidFireWeb (Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Photo) Bellanca 8GCBC Scout, Tow Craft for Air Cadet Glider Training The 8GCBC Scout is a two-seat, high-wing, single-engined fixed conventional gear general aviation airplane that entered production in the United States in 1974. Designed for personal and commercial use, it is commonly found in utility roles such as bush flying—thanks … Read more
Blackburn Beverly (RAF Photo) Blackburn Beverly C Mk. 1, RAF (Serial No. XB260), and (Serial No. XB262), transport aircraft were flown by RCAF personnel testing aircraft at the Canadian Experimental and Proving Establishment (CE&PE) at Namao, Alberta. XB262 was nicknamed “Mayflower III“, also known as “The Ark“. It wore the CE&PE badge on the … Read more
Blackburn Firebrand (World War Photos) Blackburn Firebrand TF.5 (Serial No. EK726), 1948. The Blackburn Firebrand was a British single-engine strike fighter for the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy designed during the Second World War by Blackburn Aircraft. Originally intended to serve as a pure fighter, its unimpressive performance and the allocation of its … Read more
Boeing B-29 Superfortress in RCAF service (Wilma Bearman Photo via Don Smith) Boeing EB-29B Superfortress (reconnaissance version), USAF (Serial No. 44-84035). This aircraft was flown by Keith Greenaway during long-range navigation flights throughout the Arctic. (Larry Milberry, Sixty Tears, p.251) While working with NORAD in Colorado Springs in 2003, I spoke with former RCAF Squadron … Read more
Bristol 170 Freighter, RCAF (RCAF Photo) Bristol 170 Freighter Mk. 31C, RCAF (Serial No. 9697), coded KC. The Bristol Type 170 Freighter was a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and an airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and … Read more
Canadair CC-106 Yukon (DND Photo via Mike Kaehler) Canadair CL-44/CC-106 Yukon. The Canadair CL-44/CC-106 Yukon, a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia, was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although innovative, only a small number of the aircraft was produced for the RCAF (as … Read more
Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (RCAF Photo via Francois Dutil) Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109159), in early service with the RCAF, ca 1960s. This an early version of the aircraft with Napier Eland engines. Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (CL-66B), (10), (Serial Nos. 109151-109160); CL-540, CC-109 Cosmopolitan (3), (Serial Nos. 109161, 109162 (ex 10906), 109163 (ex 10907), for … Read more
Canadair CL-2 North Star and Canadair C-5 North Star transports (DND Archives Photo, PL-107404) Canadair CL-2 North Star Mk. I (Serial No. 17506), from the RCAF’s Air Transport Command rests on the runway at Gibraltar. The Canadair North Star is a 1940s Canadian development, for Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA), of the Douglas DC-4. Instead of … Read more
Saunders Roe A.27 London (Air Ministry Photo) Saro London flying boat (Serial No. K5911), of No. 204 Squadron Royal Air Force, c1930s. The Saunders Roe A.27 London was a British military biplane flying boat built by the Saunders Roe company. Only 31 were built, entering service with the Royal Air Force in 1936. Although due … Read more
The Short Empire was a medium-range four-engined flying boat, designed and developed in the 1930s to meet the requirements of the growing commercial airline sector, with a particular emphasis upon its usefulness upon the core routes that served the the UK. It was developed and manufactured in parallel with the Short Sunderland maritime patrol bomber. … Read more
