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 […]
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 […]
The Norseman Festival is less than a week away! Here are updated lists on the status of 62 Norseman in the world. Some appear on both lists and can range from a wreck or replica to airshow competition quality. Note that about 80 Norseman or 9% of the 903 total built are thought to still […]
A quick trip to Europe provided an opportunity to see progress with the three Norseman (plus one static) that are being restored to their warbird identities and perhaps one day will fly together at an airshow! More precisely, LN-TSN in Norway was restored about nine years ago and flying until the COVID years and a […]
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; – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Mk V Norseman, N45TG has been in open storage at the Baudette airport, Minnesota for many years and the owner would like to sell the airplane and all associated parts as a total package in the near future. The airport operator is asking for the airplane to be moved from the property and this will […]