Archive for year: 2026
Norseman Lists 2026
Exciting times for Norseman fans as a number of aircraft have returned to the sky in the past year.
As previously noted, Mk IV CF-JIN is flying again and more recently Yanks Air Museum has flown their UC-64A, USAAF serial 43-5148 from Chino, California. Of note, on the vertical stabilizer of the airplane are the numbers 35299 (43-5299). For details I suggest to order the July 2026 edition of Air Classics magazine and read their article Yanks Norseman Airborne (Teaser here). Over in Norway, civil registration LN-TSN/USAAF serial 44-70515 is active again after many years of dormancy through the covid period and a major engine overhaul. Also, in the near future Noorduyn serial 506 with registration CF-BHU will be flying with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, Manitoba.
On the flip side, Mk VI C-GRZI’s Certificate of Registration was cancelled and Norseman CF-IGX is parked for now, joining a bunch of other inactive Norseman in Canada. The worldwide active airworthy number is usually fairly constant at a dozen these days. Click on the links below to get the full picture;
AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN as of 1 July 2026 Page 1 of 3
NOORDUYN NORSEMAN in MUSEUMS.docx July 1, 2026
Have a great (northern) summer everyone!
Mr. Gord Hughes
Ten years ago this blog started with the news of Collin Oliver’s passing. As time marches on the Norseman community has sadly lost, in my opinion, the last guru of the type.
Gordon Hartley Hughes loved the Norseman and owned a Mk IV (Noorduyn serial 57) CF-DTL since 1984. He maintained them, rebuilt them, flew them and was always thinking of little ways to improve them throughout his aircraft maintenance career. In the 90s and well into the 21st century his dedication resulted in his legacy of keeping the Norseman going as a viable bushplane in Canada. More recently, museum organizations would contact him for advice or seek parts to realize their dreams of flight or authenticy in a static display. Northland Aircraft Service in Ignace, Ontario was known as a go to place regarding everything Norseman and his wife Eleanor ran the business with Gord from there for some 38 years. See Norseman Nirvana from January 2017.
Since the first official Red Lake Norseman Festival in 1992, Gord and Eleanor were regular attendees with DTL when the festival was located along Howey Bay. After a July 2017 hailstorm heavily damaged display Norseman CF-DRD in the town’s waterfront park Gord was tasked with rebuilding the fabric covered wings; Festival 2018 and DRD is Back !
Interestingly, Noorduyn Aircraft was established in 1934 and this was the same year Gord was born. His life of 91 years mirrored the simple practicality of the airplane and he believed newer does not always mean better. Gord will be missed by the community and on a corollary note I have essentially decided to conclude the blog. The plan is to keep the Norseman lists up to date with a new issue around the festival time each July but other than those posts only a major development would result in a new post.
As always you can contact me at; c46commando@hotmail.com for any Norseman related information or questions regarding the future of Northland Aircraft Service and the seven Norseman presently residing there.
90, 100, and 10
Reflecting on the start of a new year and how the present time period relates to the history of the Norseman, three anniversaries come to mind.
A little over 90 years ago, on November 14, 1935 the prototype Norseman with Canadian civil registration CF-AYO took to the sky for the first time near Montreal, Canada powered by a 420 horsepower Wright R-975 Whirlwind. Interestingly, AYO was on floats just before freeze up on the St Lawrence river. Subsequent flight testing involved ski gear then wheels. Few, if any aircraft can attest to this sequence of landing gear trials and this highlights the Norseman’s primary design purpose as a bushplane for access to remote locations lacking airports.
During 2025, Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines celebrated its 100th anniversary as a company along with the first engine it developed. The R-1340 piston radial with nine air cooled cylinders was first run on December 29, 1925! Named the Wasp, later versions produced up to 600 horsepower and all but the first few Norseman used this engine because it was underpowered with the R-975 Whirlwind. It is amazing that a century old design is still in use although things are changing fast. Most commercially used airplanes that had the R-1340 (for example the DHC-3 Otter) are now converted to turbines, there are less engine shops doing remanufacturing of classic piston radials and a lead free avgas future clouds the picture.
The initial posts of this blog occurred on January 31, 2016 and so 10 years of Norseman musings have already passed! I am not sure where all the time went and with life seemingly busier than ever the posts are less frequent now. As well, most general topics have been covered but here are some points of interest;
A Norseman familiar to the community of Red Lake, Ontario is back in the air! After a 7 year restoration to its original RCAF 2482 identity, CF-JIN is the oldest active Norseman in the world. Delivered in May 1941, records indicate four rebuilds over the past 85 years so it is difficult to judge exactly how many components of the airplane are that age. For background information see; Red Lake Hailstorm, End of an Era, CF-JIN / CF-KAO Status
CF-JIN liftoff from Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport.
Another completed restoration is N420QN, Noorduyn serial 139, USAAF serial 43-5148 of Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California. The detailed workmanship, fit and finish of this project is excellent. The airplane wears the markings of USAAF serial 43-5299, a Norseman operated by the 8th Air Force in WW II. Ultimate plans are to have the airplane active airworthy again and this could occur in the next few months!
Now on wheels, CF-BHU in the Wings Over Kississing hangar at the Flin Flon airport. Click on the links below for additional details.
In Manitoba, Canada the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum continues to work on similar plans to have an actively flying Norseman in their collection. Awaiting an engine inspection and springtime weather, CF-BHU / Noorduyn serial 506 will be ferried from its former owner in Flin Flon, Manitoba to the museum’s home in Brandon. Next, it will be refinished to represent RCAF 2456, a Mk IV that served in the BCATP. Noorduyn serial 29, the actual RCAF 2456 is also owned by the museum and plans are to have it preserved for static display.
The flying days of the Norseman are clearly going into retirement mode. Meaning a transition from commercial flying to museums, warbirds and private aficionados. To my latest knowledge the following Norseman floatplanes are dormant and a couple of them might never fly again; C-GRZI / Noorduyn serial 175, CF-SAN / Noorduyn serial N29-29, CF-DTL / Noorduyn serial 57, C-FFUU / 74, CF-FOX / 340, and CF-BSB / N29-15.
Over in The Netherlands, Norseman owner Arno van der Holst of the Noorduyn Foundation is working on a little book about the history and stories of the Norseman from 1935 – 2025 with some chapters focusing on the Dutch Norseman’s in particular. Initial publication will be in Dutch but hopefully an English version will be out in the next six months. I have been working with Arno on a list and pictures that will included all known recognizable Norseman that exist at this time. The count for the book is up to 84! There are a few obscure wrecks in the wilds of Canada not included but the list is very complete, accurate to the best of our abilities and will be interesting to look at in November 2035 when the Norseman turns 100 ! Link to this fantastic website for more information; Noorduyn Foundation.
Happy New Year everyone !!
Arno’s Norseman 35374 is featured on the cover.