Keep them Flying?

There are only a couple places left in Canada with a sizeable cache of Norseman airframes and parts. Buffalo Airways’ location at the Red Deer airport, Alberta is presently home to six stripped down airframes salvaged or collected over the years by owner and Norseman aficionado Joe McBryan. Not only does Joe personally fly his Norseman, Mk V CF-SAN in the northern summers, he has worked with Alberta museums to bring the history of the aircraft to the people in recognition of that province helping develop the north through its geographical then infrastructure connections.

Recent Mk VI acquisition C-FFQX, serial 625 is complete with wings and would be a relatively easy restoration project for those in the know.

As someone who loves to see these vintage transports in their airborne element, Joe has also prevented many Norseman from fading into oblivion and would like to see the population of active flying examples increase.

With Red Deer airport only about a 75 minute drive north of Calgary International (CYYC), it is worth checking out the collection if you are in the area and share a passion for the airplane.

If you want a Norseman project to buy or are looking for that elusive part, “Buffalo Joe” likely has what you need at their Red Deer maintenance and storage facility. email buffalo@buffaloairways.com or phone Katherine, communications director at 867-765-6029.

Backed by Joe, in 1994 CF-EIH was recovered from Allen Lake, Northwest Territories after spending some 46 years at the crash site. Serial 94, a Mark IV is immaculate now at the Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton.

CF-ECD collecting dust at Red Deer. This Mark V last flew in June 1982. During a forced landing at Dogskin Lake in Manitoba the airplane overturned in the water.

Ghosts from the past. CF-NJK on the left and C-FFQX to the right. Click on the photo to expand it and a small portion of CF-GTM’s structure can be seen in the far left background and CF-NJV’s left main gear in the corner foreground. Get the picture?

This UC-64A (Mark VI), serial 242 eventually became CF-NJK on the Canadian civil register. Note the modification of additional aft windows and the green fuselage airframe of CF-NJV behind.