The Great London to Victoria Air Race

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 great benefactor of the Canadian Aviation Museum. The articles below are a chronicle of the Air Race based on, or from Articles written in the Windsor Star in 1971 as well a a book by the same name.

Air Entry Heading to Start  – (22-June-1971)

The only Windsor entry in the London-to-Victoria Air Race landed safely in Iceland Monday night, en route to the starting line. (Jun. 22. 1971)

Dr. Walter Baranowski (R) and Dr. Murray O’Neil (L) left Windsor in their twin-engined Piper Comanche June ll. They are scheduled to arrive in Shaman, lreland today.

The doctors called home Monday night after landing at Reykjavik. Iceland. They flew from Windsor to Quebec City to Gander and Goose Bay, Labrador. then started across the North Atlantic. touching down at Narsarsuaq, Greenland and Keflavik and Reykjavik, Iceland. 

From Shannon they plan to fly to Cork, Ireland and Prestwick, Scotland, before heading to Abbington, England, near London, where the inter- continental air race is scheduled to begin July 1. 

The doctors reported that the weather has been good all along the way and that their aircraft “is running beautifully.” 

The London-to-Victoria air race, which is being held as part of British Columbia’s Centennial celebration, is scheduled to end at Victoria July 7. 

The Windsor doctors are among 73 entries in the contest. Aircraft taking part in the race range from small single-engine light planes to twin-engine business jets.

The contestants have to be at Abington by June 28 for pre-race briefings and technical and safety inspection of their planes.

Windsor Men Ready for Race – (25-Jun-1971)

Windsor‘s “flying physicians” have arrived in London. England to prepare for the start of a London-to-Victoria air race. (Jun. 25.1971)

Dr. Murray O’Neil and Dr. Walter Baranowski left Windsor in their Piper Twin Comanche six days ago, and arrived in London Wednesday after hopping across Canada, the North Atlantic, Ireland and Scotland. 

They will fly to Abingdon. about 60 miles northwest of London, on Monday to begin pre-race briefings in addition to safety and technical inspections of their airplane. 

The race. which is being sponsored by the British Columbia and Canadian governments to mark B.C. Centennial year, will begin July 1. The last plane is expected to cross the finish line at Victoria, B.C. July 7. 

“They called home today and report that they have been graciously received at every airport at which they landed,” Mrs. O’Neil said this morning. “The weather has been very good almost all the way. They plan to fly to Abingdon on Monday.” she said. 

The Windsor doctors. who fly for a hobby. are members of the Windsor Flying Club.

Windsor MDs get briefing on London-to-Victoria Race – (28-June-1971)

The contestants in the London-to-Victoria Air Race. including a Windsor entry piloted by two doctors. head for Abington. England, today for pre-race briefings and safety inspections of their aircraft. (Jun. 28.1971)

The doctors will be joined by their wives at Ottawa. Mrs. Baranowski and Mrs. O’Neil will fly ahead of their husbands by scheduled airline to way points at Winnipeg, Regina. Calgary and Victoria. 

The contestants will fly from Abingdon, then across the North Atlantic to Gander. Nfld. then to Quebec City and Ottawa. They will be competing for more than $170,000 in prize money.

2 ‘Flying MDs’ take a Break – (03-July-1971)

After 48 straight hours without sleep, Windsor’s two flying doctors arrived in Quebec City Friday afternoon, flopped into bed for a full night’s sleep and are now rested and ready for the overland flight to British Columbia. 

Dr. Walter Baranowski and Dr. Murray O’Neil. flying in aircraft No. 6, a Piper Twin Comanche, are among 57 teams participating in an international air race from England to Victoria. So far, they have put in 20 hours and 57 minutes of flying time from “wheels up” until they crossed a control point in Quebec City on Friday. “It was a beautiful sight as we came in.” Dr. 0’Neil said that the weather from Iceland to Goose Bay was “not that good” and the airport at Goose Bay was so bad that they had to he talked down for the landing. 

The doctors said they planned to just sit around today and rest up in preparation for the next and shortest leg, of the race. They take off Sunday for Ottawa. Quebec City was the first gathering point for the competitors. Their Piper Twin Comanche was the second aircraft to arrive in Quebec City, following an Aerostar which represents British Columbia. However. their arrival position does not necessarily indicate what position they hold in the race as planes are handicapped according to their known cruising speeds. 

Forty-one of 57 airplanes entered in the $170,000 race had reached Quebec City late Friday. Two planes made forced landings on the Atlantic crossing, but the occupants of both planes were recovered safely.

A spokesman for the Air-Sea Rescue Centre in Halifax said Ron Bennett and Brian Float, both of Melbourne, Australia, were picked up after their Twin Comanche is believed to have run out of fuel in heavy rain and fog near Goose Bay. 

Danish helicopters rescued W. S. Snyder of Brampton. Ont. and P. R. Gilmore of Don Mills, Ont. after their single-engine Viking 300 crash landed on an ice-flow off the south coast of Greenland. 

Roger Hannagan, of Canby. Ore. was disqualified for modifying his team without the one hour notice required by the race rules. Mr. Hannagan. 22. was reported to have had a mid-air argument with his team-mate. and after a fight on a landing strip at Ayr, Scotland to have headed across the Atlantic alone.  Dr. Lawrence Dennis. a 56- year-old osteopath from Milwaukee. 0re., in hospital with head cuts and bruises, told police he had insisted that he and Mr. Hannagan turn back tor repairs. He said they had landed at Ayr. and after a scuffle on the tarmac. his team-mate had left him lying on the runway and left with the plane. 

The rest of the 53 entries who left Abington, England. Thursday, everything from single engine jobs to sleek, powerful executive jets. were due to arrive here early this morning.  

Claude Butler. a Victoria businessman, was the first to land his plane at the nearby Ancienne Lorette airport. Butler was the first to leave England after Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier W. A. C. Bennett of British Columbia started the race Thursday by transatlantic telephone from Victoria. 

The competitors. who represent nine countries are vying for a $50,000 first prize and a total of $170,000, one of the largest prizes in aviation history. The flyers who most exceed a handicap determined by the known cruising speed of their aircraft will win the stakes. Quebec City was the first of five scheduled stops along the route. The aviators are to stop in Ottawa on Sunday, and in Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary before they reach their goal in Victoria. The flyers were to remain here today for welcoming ceremonies and a night cruise on the St. Lawrence River. Standings in the race will not be available until later today because the various handicaps had to be compared with actual performances. said a spokesman for Information Canada. which is handling public relations for the race. He said that most planes arrived three hours ahead of their scheduled times because of favorable winds.

Flying Doctors now 10th, 54 pilots left in Air Race. – (5-July-1971)

Windsor‘s “flying physicians“ leave Ottawa today on the longest Canadian leg of the London-to-Victoria Air Race. a 1,049-mile hop from the capital to Winnipeg. Sunday, Dr. Murray O‘Neil and his co-pilot. Dr. Walter Baranowski. completed the shortest stage of the 5.800 mile trans-Atlantic contest. the 180-mile flight from Quebec City to Ottawa.

“We stood tenth in the standings on our arrival in Quebec City. but I think we lost some ground on the flight to Ottawa,” Dr. Baranowski said in Ottawa Sunday night. “Things have gone very well. We’ve learned a lot and are having a lot of fun.” Dr. Baranowski stated. 

Mrs. O’Neil and Mrs. Baranowski joined their husbands in Ottawa. and plan to fly ahead of the race by scheduled airlines to Victoria.

The wives of Windsor‘s “Flying Physicians” had a brief stopover in Windsor today as they paced their husbands in the air race. Mrs. Judy O’Neil and Mrs. Donna Baranowski were greeted by relatives on a 20: minute stopover at Windsor Airport on an Ottawa to Winnipeg Air Canada flight. Looking fresh and bright. they dropped off laundry and other excess baggage given to them by their husbands and picked up additional supplies for the journey west. 

Their husbands left Ottawa shortly after the Air Canada flight departed. Today they fly the longest Canadian leg of the 5,800-mile air race. Fifty-two planes took off at five-minute intervals beginning at 7 a.m. If necessary  the contestants can land at North Bay. Sault Ste. Marie or Thunder Bay to refuel on the 1,049-mile flight to Winnipeg. 

Mrs. Baranowski had the couple’s two children. David and Susan with her. Mrs. O’Neil flew to England to be with her husband at the start of the race July l and returned to Windsor later the same day. The following day she flew to Ottawa where she joined Mrs. Baranowski and the children. The women will fly ahead of the race, joining their husbands at Winnipeg and Victoria. J. H. Blumschien, of Meinerzhagen. West Germany, flying a Swearingen Merlin lll turboprop, remains in the lead in the pursuit of the $50.000 top prize in the London-Victoria air race. 

Mr. Blumschien flew his aircraft to Ottawa from Quebec City under sunny skies Sunday and scored a perfect 100 points for the lap outflying the 53 other pilots still in the grueling race. But close behind is T. D. Philips of Wicklow, Ireland. Mr. Philips flying a Piper Twin Comanche improved his standing Sunday to second place from third and was second on the Quebec City to Ottawa leg with 99 points. Moving into third position in the race and taking third place in the Sunday leg was J. Wright, of Edmonton.

Air Race gets Started Again. – (7-July-1971)

After a five hour delay caused by poor weather the final leg of the London-to-Victoria Air Race is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am. Calgary time or 1:30 p.m. Windsor time, today. 

At first it had been feared that the final dash from Calgary over the Rockies to the finish line in Victoria. B.C. could be delayed by as much as two days. But an unexpected break in the weather will permit the racers to take off only a few hours behind schedule.

Most of the race contestants flew close to the prairies landscape to avoid strong headwinds on Tuesday’s duel-stage leg from Winnipeg to Calgary by way of Regina. But the race leader. J. R. Blumschein of West Germany, chose not to follow the lead of his competitors and flew above 4,000 feet. 

Windsor’s “Fying Doctors” in plane No. 6 had a good flight Tuesday. The doctors‘ wives are waiting for them in Victoria. 

The race began at Abingdon. England, near London. July 1 and was scheduled to end today. Fifty-seven aircraft took off for the start of the race. but only 53 remain still in the running. Two of the planes crashed on the trans-Atlantic leg. Another was disqualified after a scuffle between two pilots and a fourth encountered mechanical problems at Ottawa. 

Mr. Blumschein increased his lead in the race with a victory on the fifth leg and a third-place finish on the fourth. A computer error in computing standings on the fifth lap dropped Blumschein to 33rd place in the flight from Regina and to third overall. Heading into the last lap. the pilot of the U.S. built Swearingen Merlin III has 493 points out of a possible 500. 

His nearest competitor is Irish farmer Timothy Philips with 488 points and P. W. Reames. of Long Beach. Calif., in third place with 476 points. 

Top Canadian in the race is J. Wright, of Edmonton. who was fifth on Tuesday’s lap and moved into fourth place in the standings trom 10th place. R. A. Blech, of Bristol, Eng., is fifth over-all. 

Dennis Dalton. 53, and Allan Ramsay. both of Australia. were forced to return to Regina eight minutes after taking off for Calgary when about 15 inches of one propeller on their twin-engined Beechcraft Travelair broke off. Another prop was flown in from Edmonton. 

One pilot, R. P. Bennett of Melbourne, who ran out of gas approaching Goose Bay, Nfld. and crash-landed. is being flown along with his co-pilot Brian Floats to the closing banquet in Victoria compliments of the British Columbia government.

Air Race Ends. City’s Flying Doctors 15th  – (8-July-1971)

They made it!

Windsor’s flying doctors breezed across the finish line of the great London-to-Victoria air race in Victoria. B.C., Wednesday afternoon. completing a 6.000-mile trans-Atlantic and trans-continental journey that began one-week ago today. 

Dr. Murray O’Neil and Dr. Waller Baranowski finished a respectable 15th. They did not finish in the big money, but they summed up their participation in the richest air race ever as “just a fabulous experience.” 

The race was won by a West German pilot flying a U.S. built twin turboprop plane. A total of 53 aircraft completed the race which began July 1 in London. The Windsor doctors left Windsor Airport for London on June 16. “We were very concerned about icing conditions on the last leg from Calgary to Victoria over the Rockies.” Dr. Baranowski said. “But we had a great flight. We had a marvelous time right from the start.” Dr. O’Neil’s wife, Judy. and Dr. Baranowski’s wife Donna and their two children. David 7 and Susan 5 were at the finish line as the race ended. The women and Baranowski children paced the air race by scheduled air lines westward from Ottawa. Mrs. O’Neil flew to England to see the men off. 

The Windsor doctors expect to return to Windsor in their twin engine Piper Twin Comanche early next week. Race awards will be presented at a banquet Saturday. The doctors flew the final 400-mile leg over the mountains two hours and 15 minutes, at an altitude of 12,500 feet. The start of the last segment of the race had been delayed five hours because of bad weather. 

Joe Blumschein of Meinerzhagen. West Germany. who collected $60000 for his first place finish, is a 42-year- old professional pilot. Blumschein piloted a Swearingen Merlin. “This is an executive aircraft and that’s the way we decided to fly it.” Blumschein said. An Irish chicken farmer, Timothy Philips. collected $30.000 for his second place finish. 

The planes ended the race in excellent flying weather after thunderstorms over the Eastern Rockies caused a five hour delay in the Calgary take-off Wednesday morning. The race. which started in Ahingdon. England. near London. was staged ln honor of B.C.‘s entry into Con- federation 100 years ago. 

Top nine finishers in the London-to-Victoria air race. listing over-all points and money winners:

You can read more about the Race at the Canadian Aerospace website

You can also read part one of the story in this edition of the Canadian Aviator magazine, starting at page 36