Airworthy Norseman List 2020

The legendary Noorduyn Norseman is arguably the oldest, essentially unmodified transport design in the world that continues to fly in its intended role, although we are now moving into the private collector, warbird, nostalgic flights and air show phase.

There are currently 37 Norseman on the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register, but 17 are not actively flying and 11 have had their Certificate of Registration cancelled.

Find out which ones are still flying and which ones are not here…

Here is the list of Airworthy Norseman in 2020

AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN 1 July 2020

Southern Skies

The rugged Norseman is no stranger to flying south of the equator, even having operated over the continent of Antarctica as early as 1947 during the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. This was serial 634, USAAF number 44-70369. Many countries used the Norseman in the military or civil, on wheels, floats or skis. Some of these are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Lesotho, Peru, Paraguay, and the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas).

In 2020 there is only one location in the southern hemisphere with known Norseman activity, although the project has been dormant for some two years now and is available for purchase. In Mar del Plata, Argentina, aircraft restorer Pablo Colombo (PACAir Projects) was working on serial 668 with Argentinian registration LV-FFH. This Mk VI owned by Alejandro Moschkovsky was being brought back to flightworthy condition. It started as USAAF 44-70403, went to Argentina in 1947 becoming LV-XYV, then LV-FFH.

If anyone has any information on Norseman in museums “down under” or the present world status of airworthy examples please contact me for updating of the annual Norseman list due out at the beginning of July. Please send to email; c46commando@hotmail.com or voice call 250 212-2178 Canada. Thank You!

N164UC (Formerly CF-UUD) For Sale

Referencing a July 2016 post titled Metal Makeover, the present owner of N164UC wants to find a good new home for this truly unique Norseman that has been operated privately for the past 27 years. It has an oversized cargo door, metal skinned fuselage and metal wheel skis. Lovingly maintained, it had $50,000 US plus invested during 2016 in the interior overhaul and other work bringing this classic to showroom condition.

A UC-64A model (Mark VI), serial #224 was originally a warbird delivered to the USAAF in 1943. If you or someone you know are interested in this airplane located in Minnesota, please contact Rodney Kozar at phone number, 250 212-2178 anytime or email c46commando@hotmail.com

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Only Norseman with extra large door.

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I am SAM I am

Beautifully restored Mark V, CF-SAM in the Western Development Museum.

The province of Saskatchewan in Canada and the Noorduyn Norseman played a pioneering role in the use of aircraft for air ambulance service. Though this may be a surprise to some, keep in mind the Saskatchewan government, led by Tommy Douglas, introduced the first provincial hospital insurance program in Canada during 1947.

With the inaugural flight on February 3, 1946, the service is the oldest organized non-military air ambulance service in North America. On day one, the first and only aircraft was Norseman CF-SAH, a Mark IV, serial number 21. In September of 1946, Saskatchewan purchased serial N29-27, a brand new Mk. V for the air ambulance program and registered it CF-SAM.

Fast forward to 2020 and the airplane can be seen wearing its original identity on static display at the Western Development Museum (WDM) in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. SAM spent almost all air time over the north half of the province for the government, then subsequent commercial operators before being donated to the WDM.

In 1982 CF-SAM was commemorated on a Canadian 60 cent postage stamp.

 

 

 

 

 

The WDM is a collection of four separate museums located in Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Saskatoon and Yorkton that record the social and economic development of the province. Located at the north side of town, the WDM Moose Jaw branch focus is on modes of transportation and is easily accessed off the Trans-Canada Highway. Well worth a visit!

Noorduyn built hundreds of Harvards ( licenced production of the North American AT-6 ) and Norseman during World War II in the 1940’s.   Western Development Museum collection.

44-70509 Lives Again!

The other ongoing Mark VI Norseman restoration in the Netherlands is at the Aviodrome Museum in hangar T2 at the Lelystad airport.

This Norseman, (Noorduyn serial 774) started out with the USAAF as SERIAL NO. 44-70509, TYPE C 64 A as per the data plate. The museum is doing a very authentic job, taking their time to do it right and will have this airplane flying again when ready!

If you are wondering why a relatively small country in Europe could have two Norseman warbirds flying in the next couple years, the connection is known by avid Norseman fans. Robert B. C. Noorduyn was born April 6, 1893 and raised in Nijmegen, about 100 km southeast of Amsterdam. In Canada, during the mid 1930’s he designed the Norseman using input from the industry on what was needed at the time in the first purpose built bush plane for the North American hinterland. Next, his utility transport went to war with hundreds built for the effort, their travels taking them worldwide, and the legend lives on!

Enjoy this pictorial, click on any picture to enlarge;

Click – Dataplate.pdf

Norseman Pickers

Loaded sky high and ready to roll after an overnight in Dryden, Ontario. Even the crew cab was stuffed!

A trip last month to northern Minnesota and northwest Ontario provided many parts required for a Norseman restoration in Europe. In the photo below, some may recognize the paint scheme of the former Gogal Air Norseman CF-GLI, serial number 365. About a decade ago a mishap resulted in a bent nose structure which has now been carefully repaired by the present owners. This airframe is located in Nieuw Vennep, near Amsterdam at the Dutch Transport Museum in the Netherlands.

Like most Norseman, this Mk VI started out with the USAAF during World War II and was assigned aircraft number 43-5374. The museum intends to not only give serial 365 its original identity back, plans include flying it to airshows in Europe as an operational piece of history as soon as all the pieces come together.

Right wing underside clearly showing where the 50 imperial gallon fuel tank fits inside.

 

Main wheel with original drum brake installation.

CF-JIN / CF-KAO Status

Red Lakers will recall the familiar sight of former Chimo Air Norseman CF-JIN and CF-KAO. These two aircraft are still present at Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport in southern Ontario, Canada.

The photo above shows JIN stripped down and undergoing a major rebuild back to active flight condition. When completed, JIN will regain its title as the oldest flying Norseman in the world. Originally delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force as #2482 on May 2, 1941 as a Mk IV (serial 55), JIN has undergone at least two or possibly three rebuilds prior to this one! Another claim to fame was the use of CF-JIN in the airborne scenes of the 2003 movie The Snow Walker. As a side note, Norseman GYY (currently being restored for static display at the Montreal Aviation Museum) was used for the ground scenes.

At some point in the many lives of JIN it was converted from a Mk IV to a post WW II, Mk V model. This is thought to have occurred in 1957 and now the serial number reads CC&F 55. This Norseman, approaching 80 years in time should be back in the air next spring or summer of 2020. This historic airplane is offered for sale at $315,000 USD, contact Dennis Ryan – 519-402-2199 or https://www.aircraftforsale.com/listings/piston-amphibious_floatplane

Fabric recovering of JIN with KAO in the left background.

 

CF-KAO is a Mk VI, serial number 636 built for the USAAF in 1944 and presently for sale as is, where is at $135,000 USD. At that price it is a project airplane for a team to give it new wings.

 

2019 Noorduyn Norseman List

The latest revision to the Norseman list details the status of 50 individual aircraft. There are many changes since the previous 2018 version and the trend away from commercial flying continues. Only a dozen Norseman are actively flown at this time although numerous ongoing restoration projects should result in more flying in the future. Thank you to the enthusiastic community of Norseman fans and museums in general who keep aviation history alive for people to experience the past through a present day context. This airplane has undoubtably outlived the designers expectation of longevity and has a small, loyal following a lifetime later.

AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN 1 August 2019

Natural Reclamation

Here is a reprinted sentence from the January 16, 2019 post titled Look more, Find more;

On April 27, 1970 a Mk VI, serial 478 CF-OBD burnt after an accident (no injuries) and its remains are still behind the hangars to my knowledge.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, here is the proof that CF-OBD still resides in the bush beside the Selkirk, Manitoba airstrip after all these decades. This photo, taken last June 11th shows the trees growing right up through the airframe like a piece of sculpture art!

Another example of Norseman airframes morphing literally into “bushplanes” with the passage of time can be seen at Northland Aircraft in Ignace, Ontario. These frames, facing nose to nose, are identified as CF-HAU (serial 398) and CF-FCU (serial 837) although I’m not exactly sure which one is in the foreground. Photo from July 2.

As noted in the previous post, if we count these as existing Norseman in 2019 there are probably 75 or more presently in the world. No doubt there are carcasses long forgotten in the bush or barren lands being eroded to the earth as the forces of nature take hold.

 

Norseman Information Request

The annual update to the airworthy Norseman listing will be out later this summer due to many ongoing changes with the status of the Norseman fleet. Of the 903 Norseman built there are an estimated 75 still existent, but that is including burnt out fuselage bush wrecks to static museum examples to a couple still in commercial service. The active airworthy number has settled to about 13 in the last few years. Canada, the United States and Norway are the three countries with flying examples with two more expected to be flying from the Netherlands in the next two years. (The Norseman designer, Robert B. C. Noorduyn being from the Netherlands).

If you have any current Norseman news to help update the list please contact Rodney at 250 212-2178 or if you prefer to email; c46commando@hotmail.com  Thanks!