On February 18/1959, the Avro Arrow program concluded with the final flight of Arrow 201. The program’s cancellation was announced the very next day, Thursday, February 19, 1959, resulting in the immediate unemployment of 14,528 Avro employees and approximately 15,000…
By Don Christopher Francis “Frank” Doolittle was born in Dec 1923 and joined the RCAF on his 18th birthday in 1941. He took his basic training at Lachine, PQ and instruction at Eglington Hunt Club in Toronto. He then posted to…
Many of us at the Canadian Aviation Museum were recently touched by the story of Erica DeFrane, a talented author and artist whose life was deeply inspired by the iconic Windsor Lancaster, FM212. Erica, who sadly passed away in 2023,…
The First flight of the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 occurred on 31-January-1998. The Q400 is a stretched and improved 70–78 passenger (twin-engine, medium range, turboprop airliner) version of the Canadian Bombardier Dash 8, previously known as the de Havilland Canada…
The first Canadian supersonic flight was achieved by the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. On December 18, 1952, Janusz Żurakowski, Avro’s experimental test pilot, took the CF-100 Mk 4 prototype to Mach 1.10 in a dive from 14,000 meters (45,000 feet),…
The Avro Canada CF-100 Mark 1 “Canuck” prototype, 18101, conducted its maiden flight on January 19, 1950, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Avon RA 3 turbojet engines. It holds the distinction of being the only Canadian-designed fighter to enter…
The Canadair CT-114 Tutor (company model CL-41) is a jet trainer that was designed and produced by Canadian aircraft manufacturer Canadair. the Tutor’s first flight occurred on January 13, 1960. Following successful testing, the Canadian government placed a substantial order,…
There was only one aircraft from Essex County participating in this Air Race. The aircraft was a Piper Twin Comanche owned by Dr. Murray O’Neil, a well known medical Specialist and Entrepreneur as well as an Aviation enthusiast and a…
On August 8, 1934, an event of national and historical significance took place at Wasaga Beach. The first successful overseas flight from Canada’s mainland took off from Wasaga’s naturally long, straight beach. The beach served as the perfect runway for…
Many of you may be surprised to learn that Wardair flew Boeing 747 aircraft out of Windsor in the ’70’s. The Boeing 747 first flew in 1968 and really ushered in the era of the ‘Jumbo Jet’ and revolutionized the…
