Archive for category: Norseman Aircraft

There has been a flurry of Norseman activity lately as another Canadian winter approaches. This post will touch on three more exciting events that bode well for the continuation of Norseman activity in the skies.

Joe McBryan of Buffalo Airways fame is a serious enthusiast of the type and for the last few years I have heard he was planning to revive another Norseman to airworthy condition and we appear to have the proof. Joe already has CF-SAN, a Mk V in Yellowknife for personal use and for reference regarding his Red Deer airframes, see; https://www.norsemanfestival.on.ca/keep-them-flying/ from February 2019. Update – The Norseman in that blogpost thought to be CF-GTM was identified near Winnipeg, Manitoba in April 2021 belonging to the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. So the best guess as to the silver fuselage airframe at Red Deer is now CF-GOB, Serial 421. Recently CF-NJK, Mk VI Serial 242 was moved to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and early reports indicate that it will be restored to operational status!

In another post from 2019 (https://www.norsemanfestival.on.ca/look-more-find-more/) we see a picture of a Mk IV, Serial 44 airframe. This was also recently moved, from Silver Falls, Manitoba to the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum at the Saskatoon airport/CYXE. If dreams take flight, this Norseman will fly again and would become the oldest airworthy example in the world.

Over in Ontario, CF-BSB flew again in the Sioux Lookout area after approximately 10 months on the ground at Selkirk, Manitoba. Usually this float equipped Norseman winters at Selkirk so it should fly back there any day now.

On a somber note, the first owner of BSB was Eldorado Mining & Refining Co Ltd. in 1946. This company supplied uranium from northern Canada to develop nuclear weapons that forced Japan to surrender during the summer of 1945.

Steady progress is being made on the restoration of Norseman Mk VI, serial 365 last registered in Canada as CF-GLI until 2014. For some background on the project see; www.norsemanfestival.on.ca/norseman-pickers/

These recent photos were sent by Arno van der Holst of the Nederlands Transport Museum and show the top quality work that will send this Mk VI back into the sky after a mishap in northern Manitoba, Canada during 2010.

When completed this Norseman will have the number 35374 across the rudder and fin as it was USAAF serial number 43-5374 upon completion at the Noorduyn factory in Montreal. This reflects a growing trend in the Norseman community where airframes are being restored to their original appearance and identity from military service. Of all the 903 Norseman ever built it is estimated close to 90% left the production facility directly to the two largest military customers, the United States Army Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) from 1938 to 1945.

For a look at the ongoing restoration of a RCAF Norseman that will hopefully fly before the end of 2021 see; www.huronvintageaircraft.ca

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The latest Norseman to return to commercial service is CF-BHU after extensive refurbishing started in 2019 into 2020. Operated by Wings Over Kississing in northern Manitoba, Canada, the floatplane was utilized for about two months in the later half of the season before freeze up. To avoid any confusion, this is the second Norseman to be registered in Canada as CF-BHU. The first was a Mark V model, serial N29-8 operated by Ontario Central Airlines that crashed at Sachigo Lake, Ontario in June of 1974 and was damaged beyond repair and reportedly completely scrapped. Link here.

BHU of today is a Mark VI, Noorduyn serial 506 that in common with most Norseman started out with the United States Army Air Force during WW II. Subsequently the aircraft was on the U.S. civil register as N13340 and highlights include service with the U.S. Forest Service from 1949 to 1955, Parachutes Incorporated from 1960 to 1984, and the Lone Star Flight Museum in Texas before coming to Canada in 1999. From April 2001 to July 2006 “BHU number 2” was registered to Grass River Lodge in Manitoba then entered a long period of dormancy until airborne again last year. The owner of the lodge had previously flown the original BHU so he asked Transport Canada if the mark was available!

Even in these times of uncertainty most Norseman that can, continue to fly although not likely as many hours as a typical year.

In the latter half of July CF-BSB was flown by Turner Thomson over southeast Manitoba and on into Ontario lake country. During the past few years, even in the Norseman Capital of the World it is rare to see more than one tied to the same dock. Thanks for stopping into Red Lake and visiting!

Hopefully next year the Norseman Festival can go ahead as planned and a freshly restored CF-DRD will be back up for all to admire!

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!