Canadian Warplane Heritage Flying Weekend

17-18 June 2006

 

Located at Hamilton International Airport near Mount Hope, Ontario the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum opens its doors on the third weekend of June each year for two days of flying.

   419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron CT-155 155222 sits in the early morning sun.  Three Hawks flew in from 4 Wing CFB Cold Lake, Alberta for a photo shoot with the CWH Lancaster which carries the wartime markings of No. 419 (Bomber) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force.

   The CWH B-25J, Grumpy, taxiing in after a flight.  C-GCWM is painted in the markings of No. 98 Squadron, Royal Air Force on which many Canadians served during the Second World War.

   With its wingtip floats extending, the CWH Canadian Vickers-built Canso A, C-FPQL, banks in for a pleasing pass.  The equivalent of the Consolidated PBY-5A, the markings are those of MARY K, a No. 162 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, RCAF Canso A flown by Flight Lieutenant D.E. Hornell during a battle with German submarine U-1225.  The result was the sinking of the submarine, the successful landing of the badly damaged Canso in rough seas and the awarding of a posthumous Victoria Cross to F/L Hornell.

   The pride of place in the CWH collection must surely go to the Avro Lancaster Mk.X C-GVRA seen here in a flypast.  It is dedicated to the memory of mid-upper gunner Pilot Officer A.C. Mynarski who, at great risk to himself before exiting his crashing Lancaster, attempted to rescue the trapped tail gunner for which action he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

   Hamilton International Airport is home to a great deal of air cargo activity including courier companies.  C-GCJB, seen here during a turnaround, is one of a fleet of Boeing 727-200 aircraft operated by Cargojet to service major Canadian cities from coast to coast.

 

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