Archive for year: 2018

From 1947 to 1966 CF-BSH was operated by Algoma Steel Corp. Limited of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Below the right triangular window is a metal plate with that name and registration.

In northern Minnesota at the Baudette airport sits Norseman serial N29-23, N45TG. Having remained on the ground for well over a decade out in the open this Mark V is definitely starting to show deterioration from the elements.

Unlike many Norseman, this postwar model spent its life with only a handful of operators and mostly flying in Ontario, Canada including Red Lake based Green Airways, then Pikangikum Air before going stateside in 1990 with Tom Griffen. A couple points of interest in the picture below are the added ventral fin at the bottom of the empennage (not a common feature) and the TG in the FAA registration representing the current owner. Rather obvious is the missing air rudder and the fabric on the fin looks particularly rotten.

Will this Norseman return to the sky one day? The prognosis looks unlikely, but never say never when considering those seemingly timeless machines still existent.

Photos taken on November 11, 2018.

Work is progressing slow and steady at Northland Aircraft in Ignace, Ontario on the restoration of Norseman CF-JEC. Not having flown for many years and being outside in the weather has deteriorated the fabric and now some woodwork of the wings needs to be replaced. Originally plans were to have the airplane flying to its new home in Quebec this fall but that has been pushed ahead until the next float season. JEC, serial 469 is a Mk VI, military model designation UC-64AS and in 1976 the fuselage fabric was replaced with aluminum. Thus, when it is back in the air, JEC will be one of two metal fuselage Norseman flying (N164UC in the United States is the other).

At this time, there are numerous projects ongoing and within the next couple years more Norseman should be returning to the sky. Not bad for a design from 83 years ago! In Europe alone there might be three Norseman warbirds flying at museums and airshows.

Back on topic, thanks to the new owner of JEC, Olivier Lemieux for sending a couple pictures that give us a good look at the internal wing structure of wood ribs and spar in the Norseman. We wish him well with this restoration and many more years of service as JEC starts another chapter in the larger story of the Norseman saga.

In a somewhat unusual setting and geographic local, a Mk V Norseman can be seen in downtown corporate Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

CF-MAM, serial N29-26 started out with the Manitoba Government Air Service in September 1946. A civil, post WW II model it spent most of its working life with various operators in the Province of Manitoba after nearly ten years of duties with the government. During the mid to later 1970’s it became a common sight with Ignace Airways in northwestern Ontario.

The Certificate of Airworthiness expired 37 years ago and the aircraft was purchased by the Aero Space Museum of Calgary in 1982, then refurbished for display. For many years now, it can be found hanging in the atrium lobby of the Suncor Energy Centre “flying” over the lush vegetation on straight skis!! To me, this seems a mismatch and seeing this type of bush plane in the concrete jungle far from the lakes and boreal country of northern Canada is at odds with the cowboy cultural roots of the area. Then again, the Norseman is Canadiana wherever it is and the business people probably just glance at it as a piece of public art, not totally realizing it as a real aircraft intertwined with the history of the nation and their livelihood.

Here’s the irony, the Norseman and other aircraft types were paramount in developing Canada’s vast north and natural resources that the corporate headquarters in the south represent. To a large degree, our big southern cities, our wealth and standards of living depend on resources and aircraft to this day. Do you agree? e-mail me at c46commando@hotmail.com about anything Norseman related. Thanks!

Chimo Air of Red Lake, Ontario was recently purchased by and merged into another local operator, Superior Airways. The two Norseman, CF-JIN and CF-KAO were not part of the deal and recently left town for a new venture (more news to come as the aircraft are refurbished).

These were the last commercially operated Norseman in Red Lake and their daily summer presence in Howey bay will be missed by local aviation fans and tourists from afar. Privately operated CF-ZMX is expected to be back for the 2018 festival after repairs are finished from last summers crazy hailstorm. ZMX usually takes up residence in the bay for the open water season so at least one Norseman will continue to fly from Red Lake. Also, private Mk IV, C-FFUU occasionally flies into the area on a fishing lodge resupply run.

Happy plane spotting!