Canadian Warplanes 5: Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan

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 a total of 13 aircraft.

The Canadair CL-66 was a turboprop version of the civilian Convair CV-440 Metropolitan.  The CC-109 Cosmopolitan or "Cosmo" became the standard VIP aircraft in RCAF and CAF service.  After a lengthy career stretching into the 1990s, the CC-109 was replaced by the CC-142 Dash 8 and CC-144 Challenger.

No. 412 Squadron at CFB Ottawa (S), or "Uplands" flew the "Cosmo", from 1960 to 1994 as a VIP transport.  The Cosmopolitan aircraft were also deployed to Europe for Canadian NATO contingent support as well as to the USA in support of Canadian NORAD operations. (Wikipedia)

(RCAF Photo via Jay White)

Canadair CL-540, CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 10907), later 109163

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitans (with the older Napier Eland engines)at Uplands, Ontario. A Beechcraft Expeditor, a Canadair CL-13 Sabre, and a Canadair CT-33 Silver Star can be seen in the back ground with a Douglas CC-129 Dakota, sometime before 1966.

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(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109151), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11151), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, 1967.  Note the red roundel.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109151), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, 27 May 1984.  This aircraft was withdrawn from service on 7 July 1994.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109152), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11152), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, 29 June 1993.  This aircraft was withdrawn from service in June 1994.

(DND Photo via Chris Charland)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 11152), later renumbered RCAF (Serial Number 109152), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, visiting RCAF Station Goose Bay.

(RCAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109153), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11153), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario.  This aircraft is equipped with the earlier Napier Eland engines.  Many of these aircraft were re-engined with the Allison 501-D36 (T-56) engines similar to the engines on the Hercules and Aurora. This aircraft suffered a ground fire on 5 May 1967, while it was undergoing modifications at Aviation Canada, Dorval, Quebec. Some of the parts were saved and the rest of the aircraft was scrapped.

(DND Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109154), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11154).

(DND Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109154), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, flying over Colorado.

(RCAF Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109156), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11156), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, March 1966.    With Lahr, Germany, detachment late 1983.  

(Ahunt Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109156), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario.

(Griffin Library Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109156), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario.  This an earlier version of the aircraft with Napier Eland engines.  The Cosmos that were kept by the RCAF were re-engined with a version of the T-56 engine (501-D36), similar to the engines on the Lockheed CC-130 Hercules and the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora today.  This aircraft went on to carry the registrations C-FNCV, N987L, 5Y-BNV, 9XR-NC and 3D-ZOE.  It seems to have ended its flying career operating with Central African Cargo when its nose-gear collapsed during a hard landing on 3 Apr 2004 at Shabunda airport in the Congo Democratic Republic.  (Mike Kaehler)

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109157), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11157), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, 28 Sep 1985.  With Lahr, Germany detachment early 1990s.

(RCAF Photo via Francois Dutil)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109159), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11159), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario.

(Mike Freer - Touchdown Aviation Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109159), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, on approach to runway 26.  With Lahr, Germany detachment 1975 and 1976.

(Jetpix Photo)

Canadair CC-109 Cosmopolitan (Serial No. 109160), renumbered from RCAF (Serial Number 11160), No. 412 Squadron, CFB Ottawa, Ontario, 11 Oct 1991.   With the Lahr detachment in Germany in the early 1990s.