NORDUYN no more

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A short trip through Montreal in late September confirmed the end of a chapter in the Norseman story. For context the following is a complete reprint of a blogpost from 7 and a half years ago;

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NORDUYN now

No that is not a typo, Norduyn the company still exists today in Montreal, Quebec near where the Norseman was assembled at Cartierville airport.  Check out their website to see what aerospace products they make and be sure to click on company, then history.  www.norduyn.com

Here is a brief chronological overview of companies involved with the Norseman;

1933 – Robert B. C. Noorduyn founded Noorduyn Aircraft Limited.

1938 – Name change to Noorduyn Aviation Limited.

1946 – Canadian Car & Foundry Co. Limited acquires rights for manufacturing and sales of Norseman aircraft.

1953 – Norseman goes full circle back to designer Bob Noorduyn and a new company name, Noorduyn Norseman Aircraft Limited.  Today this company is known as NORDUYN and has no connection to the airplane other than in a historical sense.

1982 – Norseman rights sold to Norco Associates.  By this time the company had moved on from the Norseman and was more involved with the areas of business they continue with in 2017. Unfortunately, Norco only lasted a couple of years then folded.

Nobody in the Norseman community seems to know exactly who owns the type certificate or production rights today. Perhaps it is simply in the public domain and the chances of a new build Mark V Norseman are slim to none anyway. Being of sound basis, it could be the skeleton for a much modified 21st century version, but could you still call it a Norseman?  Is a Basler BT-67 still a Douglas DC-3 to a purist?

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As of today the website norduyn.com still appears on the internet but the company is called TRANSTEX.

The dual branded Norduyn/Transtex building was sold and Transtex now operates from a location closer to the Montreal-Trudeau airport. This business specializes in aerodynamic solutions for semi-trailers by using experience gained with lightweight composites to improve efficiency and thereby reduce fuel consumption.

So with Norduyn gone the last tangible link to the company’s past is gone after a nine decade connection to the site of the former Cartierville airport and buildings where the Norseman was assembled.

Norseman Survive and Revive!

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Of the generally agreed upon number of 903 Norseman aircraft built, how many survive in 2024? This too is a hard number to define because a corroded airframe left to the elements is not likely a whole aircraft. The wings of the Norseman were built using wood while the fuselage airframe is tubular metal so it is much easier to find metal frames lacking wings due to the faster deterioration of the wood. Then we have crashed examples hidden in the bush or airplanes that have sunk to a watery grave. Many were lost in accidents during WWII and of those that survived numerous UC-64/Mk VI models were adapted for civil use.

So getting back on topic, if we consider a survivor to be a complete (or mostly complete) airplane that can be seen without trekking through the bush, a recent survey comes up with a number of around 70 Norseman. This would mean less than 8% of the total number built. Now considering only about 13 of the 70 routinely fly this means approximately one of five in the following lists is active airworthy.

Click on a title to open the PDF document;

NOORDUYN NORSEMAN in MUSEUMS

AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN as of 1 September 2024 Page 1 of 3

The museum list previously covered only North America and is now expanded to worldwide coverage! This might sound impressive but as with the airworthy list the majority reside in North America, followed by Europe then a couple elsewhere. Interestingly each list has 37 Norseman for a total of 74 but 11 are on both so we get a combined total of 63. Not all Norseman are listed. For example, serial 231/C-FSAP (Mk VI) and serial N29-35/C-FOBR (Mk V) have had their registrations cancelled and are sitting disused in the weeds near Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada. Conversely some of the Norseman listed are in very poor incomplete condition and thus we are getting into a numbers game of boring semantics!

I hope enthusiasts find these lists interesting and helpful in some way. Many hours of research and cross-checking have been spent in a pursuit to present a thorough and accurate snapshot of the Norseman “fleet” in 2024. Any input is welcome and thank you for past details or pending news. My contact information can be found in the lists.

Recently serial 469/CF-JEC (Mk VI) was put back into commercial service sooner than planned because the sight and sound of an operating Norseman created a mini revival of passion for the type in Quebec where Norseman were manufactured. Not bad for an airplane design turning 90 next year and sometimes referred to as “Canada’s wooden winged wonder!”

Originally USAAF serial 43-35395, Mk VI CF-JEC is seen at its home base on Lac Tiberiade, Quebec on September 28, 2024. In the ’70s the fuselage skin was changed from fabric to metal. Photo credits – Dominic Kozar

CF-JEC is now flown commercially by Air Mont-Laurier.

The direct drive prop is powered by the 600 HP Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine.

Summer 2024 Report

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First up, a short overview of the increasing number of Norseman in Joe McBryan’s collection;

In Yellowknife Joe has his personal Mk V, serial N29-29, CF-SAN floatplane although the latest news indicates it has yet to fly this season. Also in the hangar are a dismantled Mk VI, serial 625, CF-FQX and the fuselage of Mk VI, serial 242, CF-NJK. Down in Red Deer, Alberta we have the latest acquisition of Mk V, serial N29-23, N45TG as mentioned in the previous post. Another Mk V, serial N29-31, CF-ECD is in pieces sitting beside an unidentified Norseman that apparently came from Argentina. Lastly are a couple Mk VI fuselage airframes, serial 564, CF-NJV and what is believed to be serial 421 last registered as CF-GOB.

Going eastward in Canada, there are a few exciting Norseman events on the horizon to look forward to;

Red Lake will have the annual festival on July 12, 13, and 14 followed by Aviation Day at the Red Lake airport on July 20.

Final plans are coming together to have CF-JIN back in the air! Originally a Mk IV model for the RCAF this beautiful restored Norseman now wears its military colours again and how appropriate with 2024 being the 100th anniversary of the RCAF.

The legendary Norseman lives on to the extent that CF-JEC is returning to commercial service next year! The new owners, Air Mont-Laurier plan to operate this metalized fuselage Mk VI privately for 2024 and it will remain in Quebec after the recent purchase.

With the sales of N45TG and CF-JEC hopefully down in the USA a new buyer can be found for N164UC. The price has been reduced to $195,000 USD and is now open to offers. Search up the details at barnstormers.com

With the ongoing activity the Norseman list was updated and can be seen by clicking on the following link; AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN as of 1 July 2024 Page 1 of 3

Have a great summer!

Alberta Bound

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Actually about two weeks ago, Norseman N45TG was loaded on a trailer in Baudette, Minnesota and had a long road trip angling into Canada then west to Red Deer, Alberta.

This Mark V model was CF-BSH in northwest Ontario with the last Canadian operator being Pikangikum Air Service.

New owner, Joe McBryan will probably use the aircraft for spares to keep his personal Mark V CF-SAN flying. If Joe’s plans come together he would also like to rebuild another Norseman from his collection and have a second one active. The next blogpost will take a quick review of the collection located in Red Deer and the three additional Norseman in Yellowknife. Thanks to Dave From for sending me some photos.

 

 

 

 

Buyer’s Market Status Update

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Buffalo Airways (Ice Pilots NWT and Plane Savers fame) has purchased Norseman N45TG that was featured in the previous blogpost. The plan is to have the airplane moved by road to the Red Deer airport in Alberta where Buffalo has a large maintenance and storage operation.

Founder Joe McBryan is an avid Norseman enthusiast and this Mk V, Noorduyn serial N29-23 will join four other airframes in Red Deer. In total, Joe will now have 8 Norseman frames varying in condition from spare fuselage tubing to airworthy Mk V CF-SAN. This could now constitute the largest collection in the world. Northland Aircraft Service in Ignace, Ontario is the only other outfit that has Norseman and parts for them at this scale.

In the USA, Norseman N164UC has had a $20,500 price reduction to $224,500 USD. The other N registered Mk VI that is being actively marketed, N78691 remains priced at $169,500 USD.

The Airworthy Norseman list was updated at the beginning of 2024 with minor edits and CF-BSB moved to the not active page because it last flew in October of 2021.

AIRWORTHY NOORDUYN NORSEMAN as of 1 January 2024 Page 1 of 3

Click or tap the above link to see the PDF.