We are pleased to offer you the enclosed Student Activity Kit

for ages 4 and up. For information on our school programs

revisit our Web site at www.aviation.nmstc.ca or call us

at 1-800-463-2038.

The Canada Aviation Museum is grateful to the Federal Aviation Administration (US) for their permission to adapt some of their activities.

CANADA AVIATION MUSEUM

Student

Kit

Aircraft of the CollectionAircraft of the Collection

To Start

Make two photocopies, on thick paper, of bothsheets illustrating sixteen aircraft of theMuseum’s collection (see appendix) and cutout the 32 cards.

How to Play

This is a memory and association game. Youhave 32 cards facing down. The objective ofthe game is to associate two cards with thename and drawing of a same aircraft (they areaircraft in the Museum’s collection).

Each participant must, one after the other, fliptwo cards. If the two cards correspond to thesame aircraft, the participant scores a point. Ifthe drawings on the two cards do not correspond to the same aircraft, the cards areflipped face down again. The next participantthen tries to do the same.

The following consists of historical informationregarding the 16 aircraft found on the cards.

de Havilland D.H. 60X Moth

The romance withpowered flight isreally starting totake off in Canadaduring the mid1920s. Suddenly, there is wide demand for anaircraft that is affordable, reliable, easy to flyand easy to maintain. The de Havilland Mothflies in to fill that need. The Moth quickly becomesthe airplane known for “putting the fly inflying”. With its reliable engine, superb controls,and efficient air frame, the Moth is economicaland highly manoeuvrable. During the late

1920s and early 1930s, the pilots flying Mothsspread the word of aviation throughout Canada.At air shows and special events, Moths approachfrom the horizon and for many Canadian of theera, it is the first aircraft they’ve seen.

Canadair Sabre 6

In the mid 1950s,Royal Canadian AirForce (RCAF) pilotshelping to keep thepeace in Europebecome the envied elite flying force of the West.The reason: their Canadian-built Canadair Sabrefighters powered by the Canadian Orenda jetengine. The Sabre is the first swept-wing fighterbuilt in North America, and quickly gains areputation as “a pilot’s plane”. A single-seater,the highly manoeuvrable Sabre is the firstfighter that can routinely exceed the speed ofsound in a dive. Though it represents a giantstep forward in military aviation, it still has onefoot in the past. For unlike all other advancedfighters that follow it, the Sabre is still a manualaircraft. Early Sabres had a successful career atwar— tipping the balance against the Russian-built MiG 15 during the Korean War — and onpeacekeeping missions around the globe.

McDowall Monoplane

It is 1910, and RobertMcDowall, a municipalengineer from OwenSound, Ontario, isvacationing with hiswife in Paris. The couple decide to visit aParisian display, and it is there that McDowallfalls in love again—this time with aviation, for

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Aircraft of the Collection

on display is the famous Blériot XI, which in1909 became the first airplane to cross theEnglish Channel. Back in Owen Sound,McDowall’s second love gets the best of him,and he sets to work on his own version of theBlériot. But alas, man cannot fly on love alone,and despite its builder’s dedicated efforts, theMcDowall Monoplane never truly flies. Thoughits design is not aerodynamically sound, theMcDowall Monoplane nevertheless does represent the pioneer spirit and ingenuity thatsustained the early development of aviation.And after being restored by the CanadaAviation Museum in 1987, it finally claimed itsrightful place as the only surviving Canadianpioneer aircraft.

Messerschmitt Me 163B-1a Komet

In 1944 the Alliesh a v e c l e a r l ygained an upperhand in the warwith Germany.But the Germanshave yet another secret weapon up theirsleeve— the Messerschmitt Me 163B-1aKomet. The Komet is a short-range rocket-powered interceptor designed to blast off highinto the sky and intercept incoming Alliedbombers. The Komet is very fast, enabling it tolaunch lightning attacks on Allied planes.Trailing a long rocket exhaust tail, it stuns andsurprises Allied airmen. But in the end, thehighly advanced Komet is a dangerous aircraftto operate and it claims more German thanAllied pilots— built by enforced labour, theKomet is the victim of frequent sabotage. In

fact, a small, sharp stone placed under thehighly volatile fuel tank of the Komet at theCanada Aviation Museum is clear evidence ofthe sabotage that threatened the aircraft.

Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow

The explosion ofthe first Sovietatomic bomb, inSeptember 1949,sends shockwavesthroughout theWestern world. That same year, preliminarydesign studies for a supersonic bomberinterceptor begin in Avro Canada’s designoffice. In April 1953, the Royal Canadian AirForce (RCAF) submits a specification for anextremely powerful and superbly equippedtwin-engine two-seat aircraft. Avro Canada’sproposal is accepted. The Arrow is born. Thefirst aircraft is presented to the public in October1957. On the same day, the USSR launches theworld’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, an eventthat will have serious consequences for thefuture of the CF-105. The Arrow flies for the first time in March 1958 but, already, costs are soaring. In September, a newly electedgovernment terminates its fire control systemand missile. In February 1959, the entire projectcomes to a end. In the ensuing furore, thegovernment is harshly criticized. Even today,the entire affair retains an almost mythicalstatus. Few Arrow artifacts have survived andthe Canada Aviation Museum is fortunate in thatit has a forward fuselage, two wingtips, anIroquois engine and other components.

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Aircraft of the Collection

de Havilland Canada Beaver

In the mid 1940s, de Havilland Canadais wondering whatfeatures Canadianbush pilots wantmost in a new aircraft. So the company undertakes one of the first comprehensivesmarket research surveys. The resulting aircraft—the Beaver—quickly becomes a testament tothe importance of research and development.The Beaver’s ability to adapt to any type oflanding gear, its power and manoeuvrability,and its “short takeoff and landing” (STOL) capabilities, quickly make it a favourite onevery continent of the world. During theKorean War, it becomes known as the“General’s Jeep”, because it is the chosen craftof commanding officers travelling from onecombat zone to the next. As the generals findout, it can outperform the helicopter in everycategory except straight vertical lift. In civilservice, the Beaver becomes a renowned bushplane, and many continue in service today. TheBeaver was chosen in 1987 by the EngineeringCentennial Board as one of the country’s outstanding engineering achievements.

SPAD VII

As World War I entersits third year, theGerman-built Albatrosis having a field daywith the less- advancedaircraft of the Allies. But France has hadenough, and so along with Britain, begins production of the superior French-designedSPAD VII. With aces like Canada’s A.D. Carterat the controls, the SPAD VII helps reassert

Allied control over the skies. But immediatelyfollowing the war, there are other plans in storefor the SPAD VII that today is on display at theCanada Aviation Museum in Ottawa. Afterserving a stint in the U.S. Army, the SPAD VIIstars in “Wings”, the very first film to win anAcademy Award.

Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk. IX

I t ’s July, 1942.For almost a yearnow, the Germanshave enjoyed aerialcombat supremacy with their sleek Focke Wulf190 fighters. In response, the Allies havedesigned an improved version of the legendarySupermarine Spitfire, the Mk IX. The newSpitfires roll of the assembly line and streak offthe runway in rapid succession. With its morepowerful engine, the new Spitfire can hitspeeds upwards of 650 km/h. In all areas ofcombat performance, the Mk IX meets or beatsthe Fw190. The balance is restored. TheSupermarine Spitfire and the men who flewher are legends.

Bell HTL-6

As the 1950s get underway, the helicopter isbecoming increasinglyvisible in North America.One of the organizationsintrigued by its potential is the Royal CanadianNavy (RCN). For its first helicopter, the RCNchooses a proven American design, theBell Model 47, first flown in 1945 and thefirst helicopter to be commercially licensed,in 1946. After an incredible career on every

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Aircraft of the Collection

continent, with more than 6 400 Model 47sbuilt by Bell and its licensees in Italy, Japan andthe United Kingdom, production ends around1977. The RCN acquires half a dozen HTLs, theU.S. Navy designation of the Model 47.However, most Model 47s in use in Canadatoday are civilian. The Museum’s HTL-6 flewwith the RCN between 1955 and 1966, when itwas retired to the Canada Aviation Museum. Itserved in many roles over the years, includingship-based survey work along Canada’scoasts and in the Arctic.

Boeing 247D

In the early 1930’s,commercial air travelis already starting toattract people awayfrom railway service. But being an air passengerleaves a lot to be desired. The planes areuncomfortable, not very reliable, and affordonly rudimentary onboard service. Then alongcomes the Boeing Corporation to the rescue.Boeing’s 247 is the first modern airliner,capable of flying coast to coast in just 19 3/4hours, and able to climb on a single enginewith a full load. It is an all-metal, stressed- skin,cantilever monoplane with retractable under-carriage, air conditioning, a working galley,onboard toilet—even flight attendants. Demandfor the 247’s advanced features leads Boeingcompetitor Douglas Aircraft to design andbuild the celebrated DC-2 and DC-3, which incorporate all of the 247’s innovations and more.

A.E.A Silver Dart

It’s February 23,1909. On the ice ofNova Scotia’s Brasd’Or Lake, a smallcrowd has gathered to watch the Silver Dartprepare for flight. At the controls is J.A.D.McCurdy, designer of the Silver Dart, and aCanadian. The engine stutters, the balloonfabric wings flutter, the craft skims along theice. As skaters race to keep up with her, theSilver Dart lifts off and flies half a mile. Below,the crowd on the lake has witnessed history inthe making. The Silver Dart is the first poweredheavier-than-air aircraft to fly in Canada. A full-scale airworthy replica of the Silver Dartwhich flew at Bras d’Or Lake on February 23,1959, is on display at the Canada AviationMuseum in Ottawa.

Curtiss HS-2L

World War I is over,and flight is about tomake its first realimpact on Canadiancivilian life. Of all theaircraft build for the Allies during the conflict, it is a Curtiss HS-2L— an American-built anti- submarine “flying boat”— that makes itsway into the country aviation lore. Donated bythe United States to the Canadian governmentafter the war, La Vigilance —the Curtiss HS-2Lon display at Canada Aviation Museum—makes the first long-distance flight in Canada,from Halifax to Grand Mère, Québec, in 1919.At the controls is Stewart Graham. His wife,

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Aircraft of the Collection

Madge Graham, accompanies him on theflight, and that makes her the first woman tomake a long distance cross-country flight inCanada. La Vigilance becomes the firstcommercial aircraft entered on the CanadianCivil Register and makes the first bush flight inCanada. In 1922, while on a commercial flightfor Laurentide Air Services, La Vigilance crasheson takeoff from a lake near Kapuskasing,Ontario, where it remains until it is raised by acrew from the Canada Aviation Museum. Overa 10-year period, the Museum’s staff lovinglyrestores La Vigilance, making it the only surviving Curtiss HS-2L in the world.

de Havilland Canada Dash 7

It is the mid-1970s, and thed e m a n d f o refficient businessair travel hasnever been greater. The de Havilland Companyof Canada thinks it has one of the answers: theworld’s first real “short takeoff and landing”(STOL) airliner, capable of providing efficientand convenient service between smallerdowntown airports. That airliner—the Dash 7—is hailed as a marvel of Canadian aviation engineering. Combining and improving on thebest features of the de Havilland Canada’s successful Beaver, Otter, and Buffalo, the Dash 7does everything asked of it: it is fast, quiet,able to drop into and fly out of small airportslocated close to major downtown areas. Whilemany Dash 7’s enter service and continue toperform beyond expectations even to this day,de Havilland eventually stops production,because the anticipated development of

downtown airports doesn’t materialize and theDash 7’s STOL characteristics make it moreexpensive to operate on normal routes thanconventional airliners. The first Dash 7 to rolloff the de Havilland Canada production line ison display at the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa.

Curtiss JN-4 Canuck

World War I is ragingand it’s the cause ofa lot of “firsts” theworld over. In Canada,the war demands themanufacture of thecountry’s first mass-produced aircraft — theCurtiss JN-4 Canuck. Developed from theAmerican Curtiss JN-3, the Canuck is built byCanadian Aeroplanes Ltd., which becomesrecognized as the most efficient aircraft manufacturer in North America during the war.Over 1 200 Canucks are built in Canada during1917. Production peaks at 30 aircrafts a week,and Canada becomes a leader in flight trainingfor Allied pilots. When the U.S. enters the warin 1917, it buys hundreds of Canucks fromCanada, making the aircraft the country’s firstmajor export aircraft. Following the war, theCanuck becomes the first aircraft to carry airmail in Canada, the first to cross the Rockies,the first to be used for aerial surveying, and thefirst aircraft seen in many parts of Canada. TheMuseum Curtiss JN-4 (Can.) is one of thoseCanucks sold to the Americans that was recovered from a barn in upstate New-York in1965 to become the Museum’s first majorrestoration project.

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Aircraft of the Collection

Stearman 4EM Senior Speedmail

It’s the early 1930’s,and a few of thepilots in Canada’sfledgling air mailservice are feelingthe envy of theircolleagues. It’s not because they’ve beengiven better routes to fly. Nor is it becausethey’re making more money. It’s because thoselucky few have been assigned to fly newStearman 4EM’s. The Stearman can outperformjust about any aircraft flying in Canada, militaryor otherwise. It’s fast, with a top speed of closeto 250 km/h, and even when carrying a full loadof mail, the aircraft is a pleasure to fly.

Avro Lancaster X

The Second WorldWar is raging. Inthe dark of night,an RCAF Lancasterbomber is flying a mission over Germany. Thetarget is spotted below. The bomb bay’smassive doors swing open, and the heaviestload carried by any bomber during the warplummets groundward. Suddenly, the Lancasteris ripped by enemy shells. With part of its tailsection missing, the Lancaster is damaged, butnot destroyed. It manages to return to base inBritain, like so many durable Lancasters, itsmission accomplished. The Lancasters werethe backbone of the Allies’ Bomber Command.

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Aviation in Canada

The Walkway of Time: Highlights inthe History of Canadian Aviation

As visitors enter the Canada Aviation Museum,they are greeted by an extraordinary, near life-size, bronze sculpture. With the body of a manand two pairs of bird’s wings, the creature isstretching its wings into the wind, poised fortakeoff.

The Falcon was created in 1932 in the classicalstyle of the Renaissance as a tribute to modernaviation by renowned Canadian sculptor,surgeon, and physical educator, Robert TaitMcKenzie. It is a powerful depiction of human-ity’s age-old yearning to fly.

While The Falcon stands in the foyer representinghumanity’s longing to escape the bounds ofearth, the aeronautical collection inside theMuseum proper tells the other side of the story— the final realization of the dream of flight inthe twentieth century’s development ofpowered, heavier-than-air flying machines.

The aircraft and exhibits in the Canada AviationMuseum are arranged chronologically to guidea visitor along a "Walkway of Time" that tracesthe history of aviation and highlights Canada’spioneering contributions.

The visual effect of the exhibits is quite spectac-ular, with the original and often bright markingsof the aircraft standing out against the starkwhite and gray background of the Museuminterior, as they would on a snowy northernairfield or frozen lake.

The aircraft are clustered in pools or islands oftime, with each island representing a key period

in aviation history. Visitors can view the entirecollection from the second floor mezzanine.On the main level they can follow aviation historystep-by-step from its beginnings to the presentday. The journey back in time begins with thepioneer period.

Early Flying Machines

The first aircraft visitors encounter is the SilverDart, Canada’s first successful heavier-than-airflying machine.

The story of the Silver Dart began in 1907, whenthe world-famous inventor of the telephone, DrAlexander Graham Bell, and four promisingyoung men interested in aviation formed theAerial Experiment Association (A.E.A.). Bellhad previously performed aerodynamic experiments with kites, but he was already inhis sixtieth year, past the age for experimentingaboard untested and frail flying machines.

The younger members of the A.E.A. includedGlenn Curtiss, an American designer of internalcombustion engines; Lieutenant ThomasSelfridge of the U.S. Army; and two Canadians,John A. D. McCurdy and Frederick W. "Casey"Baldwin, both recent engineering graduatesfrom the University of Toronto.

The A.E.A.’s purpose was an ambitious one —no less than the construction of a "practicalaerodrome or flying machine driven throughthe air by its own power and carrying a man."The association operated alternately out ofHammondsport, New York, where Curtiss hada machine shop, and Bell’s estate at Baddeck,a tiny Maritime village on Cape Breton Island,Nova Scotia.

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Aviation in Canada

The A.E.A. was extremely successful, buildingand flying four airplanes in rapid succession.The last of these was the Silver Dart, designedby John McCurdy and considered one of themore advanced airplanes of its day. On 23February 1909, McCurdy made the firstairplane flight in Canada in the Silver Dart,taking off from the ice of Baddeck Bay andflying for about 800 metres. Mabel Bell shareswith us her account of this historic achieve-ment: "Everyone came. School was left outand the children brought their skates. Whenthe Silver Dart lifted off the ice they cheeredand tossed hats and mittens into the air. AfterJohn landed we invited everyone in for sand-wiches, tea and coffee, and Alex’s favouritedrink, raspberry vinegar."

After forty-six successful flights in the SilverDart, some covering distances as great as 32kilometres, McCurdy and Baldwin attemptedto raise funds for further experiments bydemonstrating the airplane before militaryauthorities at Camp Petawawa, Ontario, on 2August 1909. Unfortunately, on the landing ofthe fourth flight of the day, the Silver Dartflipped over and was smashed beyond repair.

On February 23, 1959, exactly fifty years afterthe first historic flight, a replica of the SilverDart built by the Royal Canadian Air Force(RCAF), was flown by Wing Commander PaulHartman at Baddeck Bay with John McCurdy inattendance. This is the aircraft on exhibit in theMuseum.

Many other Canadians tried their hand at build-ing and flying airplanes before the First WorldWar. But the Museum’s only original airplanefrom Canadian aviation’s pioneer period – in

fact, the only surviving Canadian aircraft fromthis period anywhere – is the McDowallMonoplane. Built by Robert McDowall, amunicipal engineer from Owen Sound inOntario, it completed a few "hops," but neverflew successfully. Nevertheless, it remains afascinating example of the efforts of early avia-tion enthusiasts.

After the crash at Petawawa, McCurdy,Baldwin, and even Bell himself made repeatedappeals to the government in Ottawa for finan-cial support for aviation. But to no avail.Canada went into the First World War withoutan air service, and our main contributions werethe provision of men and the manufacture oftraining aircraft.

Flying for the Allies in the FirstWorld War

On 4 August 1914 Britain declared war onGermany. Canada, as part of the great BritishEmpire, was at war, a war in which the airplanechanged forever the way nations do battle.

The war brought new words to the aviationdictionary, among them: "dogfight," "ace,""bomber," "air raid."

At first the airmen’s main job was reconnais-sance. They brought back "bird’s-eye views" ofthe enemy and later photographs. The pilotsdidn’t want enclosed cockpits. They wouldhave ruined the view and hampered the use oftheir first weapons – hand-held rifles, pistols,bricks and even grappling hooks! These weresoon replaced by mounted machine guns.

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Aviation in Canada

The French SPAD VII is one of the classicsingle-seat fighters – the wire, wood and fabric"Top Gun" of its time. Rugged and solid withgood performance it was flown by the French,British, American, Belgian, Italian and Russianair forces.

The French called pilots of great skill and daring"aces." During the War, "ace" gained its presentmeaning: a pilot who has downed five or moreenemy aircraft in combat. Pilots like Bishop,Ball, Guynemer, Rickenbaker, Baracca and thefamous Red Baron, von Richthofen.

Canada entered the war with a handful ofairmen. By 1918 there were 22 000. A third ofthe pilots in the British air services whodowned thirty or more enemy aircraft wereCanadians. Our image of First World War aviatorsis one of flamboyant gallantry, but the truth isthat hundreds of young men died horribledeaths in their flying machines. Some 1 563gave their lives, and well over half that numberwere decorated, three with the Victoria Cross —W. A. "Billy" Bishop, A. A. McLeod, and W. G.Barker. Of seven British pilots credited with 50or more victories, four were Canadians, includ-ing the Empire’s two leading surviving aces —Bishop with seventy-two victories, andRaymond Collishaw with sixty.

The Museum’s Curtiss JN-4 (Can.) Canuck isone of 1 288 machines produced by CanadianAeroplanes Ltd of Toronto, a company estab-lished by the Imperial Munitions Board to meetthe RFC and later the US Air Service’s require-ment for training aircraft. The Canuck, a modifiedAmerican Curtiss JN-3, holds more firsts thanany other Canadian aircraft. It was the first

aircraft to be mass produced in Canada andfirst to be exported in large quantities. It flewthe first Canadian air mail in June 1918between Montreal and Toronto, and made thefirst aerial survey, in Labrador, in the summerof 1919. After the war, it entered into wide-spread civil use, where it became the preferredairplane of barnstormers, giving manyCanadians their first sight of an aircraft andtheir first chance to fly.

Bush Flying in the 1920s and 1930s

During the First World War, Canadiansacquired skills as aircraft mechanics, design-ers, builders, and pilots. Over 2 000 returneeswere trained combat pilots. The desire of someof these people to carry on in aviationprovided a springboard for the developmentfirst of bush flying and later of Canadiancommercial airline services in the yearsbetween the wars.

In 1919 most of Canada’s north was unexploredcountry. Flyers in aircraft like the ones ondisplay in the Museum’s Bush Flying island putthe wilderness on the map. They were essentialto the discovery and development of ournatural resources. They made this country intoa vast community linked by highways in thesky. The hair-raising experiences of Canada’sbush flyers in some of the most inhospitablewilderness territory on earth have becomelegendary.

These were years of record-breaking flights —Alcock and Brown flew non-stop across theAtlantic and Lindbergh made his famous solocrossing aboard the Spirit of Saint Louis. In

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Aviation in Canada

Canada we met the challenge of distanceinside our borders. Flying boats like the HS-2Lgave us access to thousands of ready-madeairports – our lakes and rivers.

One of the Museum’s proudest acquisitions isLa Vigilance, a Curtiss HS-2L flying boat. HS-2Ls flew coastal patrols from France, theUnited States, and Canada during the FirstWorld War. After the war, the Canadian forestindustry began to consider the uses of aircraftin forestry patrol work. La Vigilance was one oftwo surplus HS-2Ls acquired by the St. Maurice Forest Protective Association for spotting bush fires, mapping, and transportingfirefighters and their equipment. In 1919, LaVigilance performed the world’s first commer-cial bush flight in the St. Maurice Valley northof Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

In 1969, the Museum managed to salvage LaVigilance from the bottom of an unnamed lakenear Kapuskasing, Ontario, where it hadcrashed on takeoff in 1922. Painstakinglyrestored using parts from two other HS-2Ls inaddition to those from La Vigilance, it is ondisplay in the Museum – the only surviving HS-2L in the world.

During the 1920s and 1930s, many small bushflying companies operated right across thecountry. They carried people, equipment andsupplies primarily for the natural resourcesindustries, delivered the mail and performedaerial surveying and mapping. In 1934 Canadaset the world record for freight carried – mailand machines, eggs and dynamite, cows andcanoes, medicine and furniture. You name it,they flew it.

Growth of the Airlines

As the small bush companies grew, theybecame the precursors of Canada’s modernairlines. Western Canada Airways, formed byWinnipeg businessman James A. Richardsonin 1926, eventually became Canadian PacificAirlines and more recently Canadian AirlinesInternational. In 1937, the Canadian govern-ment established Trans-Canada Air Lines(TCA), now known as Air Canada, to providetranscontinental air transport service in thiscountry.

The Museum’s collection includes a Boeing247D. This aircraft was the world’s first modernairliner. All the most up-to-date developmentsof the day were put into this machine. Theprototype flew in 1933. It combined greatercomfort and safety with much improved cruis-ing range and speed. Advertised as the ClubCar of the air it provided the comfort of sound-proofing, air-conditioning, reading lamps and,with a flight attendant for ten passengers, allthe care and attention you could want. It hadan automatic pilot, could fly safely on oneengine and had retractable landing gear. The247D made all other airliners obsolete. It evenflew faster than the military aircraft of its time.

The Lockheed 10A Electra was Trans-CanadaAir Lines’ first new airplane delivered in 1937.TCA , now called Air Canada, started up in1937 with two second-hand Electras and aStearman Model 4 mailplane. When regularTCA passenger service began in 1939, the trav-elers welcomed by the stewardess at thebottom of the ramp were in expert hands. Thatyear 1 000 young women applied for twelveflight attendant positions. Pat Eccleston, one of

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Aviation in Canada

TCA’s first attendants: "To be a stewardess inthose days you had to be a registered nurse.Many passengers were nervous about flyingand the company needed people who weretrained to talk to strangers and make them feelat ease. You had to be aged 21 to 25, femaleand single. The minute you got married youlost your job. Because the cabins were sosmall you couldn’t be over 5 foot 5 inches (1.65metres)."

The luxury, performance, and safety improve-ments, plus a bigger passenger cabin, wereincorporated into the Douglas DC transport,culminating in 1936 with the appearance of theDouglas DC-3, one of aviation’s all-time greats.The first transport that could operate at a profitwithout subsidies, the remarkable DC-3became the backbone of commercial airlinersaround the world. The aircraft on display is,appropriately, TCA’s first DC-3. Acquired by theairline in 1945, it flew for thirty-eight yearsbefore Goodyear Canada donated it to theMuseum.

Canada in the Second World War:"Aerodrome of Democracy"

One cluster of airplanes stands out boldly fromall the others in the Museum collection. Theirbright yellow color identifies these machinesas training aircraft used in the BritishCommonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). Theplan produced airfields all across Canada andhelped create a modern, mass-productionaircraft industry in this country. All BCATPtrainers in the Museum — the Harvard, theAnson, the Tiger Moth, and the Finch —werebuilt in Canada.

As in the First World War, however, Canadaentered the Second World War ill-prepared tofight an air war. The Royal Canadian Air Force(RCAF) had only 270 aircraft on hand, almostall of them outdated. But Canadians respondedto the challenge with overwhelming generosity.By the end of the war, Canada had producedover 16 000 operational and training aircraft.

The huge Avro Lancaster bomber is particularlysignificant to Canadians. It was the mostsuccessful heavy night bomber of the SecondWorld War. The "Lanc" Mk. X is one of about450 built in Canada and ferried to the Royal AirForce’s Bomber Command in Britain. Afterchecking out an early Canadian-built Mk. X,one British inspector told his staff to look itover if they wanted to see how an aircraftshould be built.

Night fighters and anti-aircraft fire took adeadly toll especially when bombers flew theirown route to target before the development ofbomber streams, when up to 1 000 aircraftflew in organized formations. However, Lancscould take incredible punishment. Many madeit back to base riddled with bullets, with gapingholes in their sides and even parts of their wingand tail sections missing.

The Hawker Hurricane was without a doubt themost important aircraft in the Battle of Britainof 1940. Since the war, the Spitfire’s glory hasovershadowed the vital role of the Hurricane inthis great strategic air battle, even though 85percent of the victories were accredited to theHurricane.

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Aviation in Canada

More Hurricanes were built than Spitfires. TheHurricane was simpler to build, could takemore punishment and be repaired morequickly — of vital importance in the three-and-a-half month battle when the Royal Air Forcewould lose 915 aircraft. During the war, 1 400Hurricanes were built in Canada under thedirection of Canadian Car and Foundry’s chiefengineer Elsie MacGill. Seven RCAF squadronsflew Hurricanes beginning in that crucial Julyof 1940.

Canadian Aviation in the Jet Age

Immediately after the war, commercial aviationmushroomed. From nine million passengersworldwide in 1945, the number climbed to 24million in 1948. The widespread introductionof jet transport beginning in the late 1950screated a revolution in speed, comfort, andefficiency similar to that of the first modernairliners in the 1930s.

Most Canadians are aware that, for a briefperiod before the program’s cancellation in1959, the supersonic Avro Canada CF-105Arrow interceptor made this country a worldleader in jet fighter aircraft. Few Canadiansknow, however, that Canada had establishedsimilar leadership in jet airliners, with the AvroCanada C-102 Jetliner.

When it took off for the first time on 10 August1949, the Jetliner was the first jet transport to flyin North America; it was only two weeks behindthe first in the world, the British de HavillandComet. Within a few flights, the Jetlinerexceeded 800 km/h whereas the most advancedtransports of the day achieved about 450 km/h.

However, with the advent of the Korean War,the Canadian government ordered AvroCanada to concentrate on production of theCF-100 interceptor. The Jetliner never enteredmass production. The prototype made its lastflight in November 1956, after which it was cutup and sold for scrap.

The Museum tells the bittersweet story ofpostwar jet design and manufacture in Canadawith an exhibit that includes the only remainingmajor parts of the Arrow and the Jetliner—nose sections from each.

The CF-100, first flown in January 1950, met ahappier fate. The only one of Avro Canada’sjets to reach production, it was considered thebest all-weather fighter of its day and was usedby the RCAF and the Canadian Armed Forcesuntil the last one was retired in 1981.

The Korean War was the first time jet fightersmet in combat. In the air, it was essentially aduel between the American F-86 Sabre and theSoviet MiG-15. They both have the swept-wingdesign developed from German researchduring the Second World War.

Although the MiG was in some ways superior,the final score in Korea was 800 MiGs lost, 78Sabres lost. Pilot training and experience madethe difference. Unlike the North Koreans, many ofthe allied pilots were Second World War veterans.

The outstanding success of the Canadian aviation industry in the postwar period is theBeaver, first flown in 1947. The Beaver is alsothe precursor of de Havilland Canada’sadvanced short takeoff and landing (STOL)aircraft such as the Dash 7.

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Aviation in Canada

Many innovations found in the Beaver werebased on the answers to a questionnaire deHavilland Canada sent to bush operatorsacross the country. The result? The best smallutility aircraft in the world! Its all-metal structurewas a first for Canadian-designed bush aircraft.Its effective wing and flap design gave it excellentSTOL performance. The floor hatch and widedoors handled rolled-in fuel drums and bulkycargo, saving time and money.

Eventually, the Beaver became the mostnumerous of all Canadian-designed aircraftwith 1 691 manufactured. Hundreds of Beaversare still flying more than fifty years after thefirst one took off. The Museum’s specimen is,appropriately, the prototype Beaver, acquiredin 1980 after almost thirty-three years ofrugged flying.

Conclusion

The Canada Aviation Museum is of specialsignificance to this country and its people.Aviation has profoundly influenced the lives of Canadians and holds a special place in their hearts.

Since Canadians began the world’s firstcommercial bush flying operations shortlyafter the First World War, aircraft have played acritical role in opening up this vast, rugged,and sparsely populated land. Perhaps no othernation on earth has relied as heavily as Canadaon aviation. The aircraft, artifacts, and exhibitsin the Canada Aviation Museum attest to thisfact.

But the juxtaposition of the aircraft from theSilver Dart to modern jets also tell a morefundamental and universal story. The astonishingsuccesses and noble failures of aviation havebeen achieved by individuals responding tothe powerful allure of flight. Because of theirinsatiable desire to participate in this greatadventure, they propelled aviation from thehalting experiments of the pioneers to thesophistication of the jet age.

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Vocabulary

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aerodynamics: the study of forces of airacting on objects in motion relative to air.

ailerons: moving parts, attached to the rearedge of an airplane’s wings, that help theairplane roll (or bank) left to right.

air: a mixture of gases making up the atmos-phere which surrounds the earth.

airfoil: a streamlined surface designed insuch a way that air flowing around itproduces lift.

airplane: an engine-driven, fixed-wing,heavier-than-air aircraft.

airship: a long cigar-shaped aircraft filled withgas that is lighter than air, propelled by anengine, and steerable. Also called a dirigible.

altimeter: an instrument for measuring in feetor in meters the height of the airplane abovesea level.

altitude: the vertical distance from a givenlevel (sea level) to an airplane in flight.

anemometer: an instrument that measuresthe speed of wind.

atmosphere: the blanket of air surroundingthe earth.

balloon: a bag filled with gas or a mixture ofgases, that is lighter than air, propelled by thewind, and non-steerable.

barometer: an instrument to measure thepressure of the atmosphere.

biplane: an airplane with two sets of wings,one wing above the other.

blimp: a small dirigible that is lighter than air,propelled by an engine, and steerable.

cockpit: the place the pilot sits to fly theairplane. It contains the instruments andcontrols.

compass: an instrument used by pilots todetermine direction.

drag: the force that slows down an airplaneas it flies through the air.

elevators: the moving horizontal parts of thetail on an airplane that move up and down tomake the airplane climb or descend, or pitch.

engine: the part of the plane that providespower, or propulsion, to pull or push theairplane through the air.

flaps: the moving parts attached to the rearedge of an airplanes wings that are used toincrease lift and drag at reduced airspeeds(take-off and landing).

force: a push or a pull exerted on an object.

fuselage: the streamlined body of an airplaneto which are fastened the wings and tail.

Vocabulary

landing gear: the under structure (wheels,skis or pontoons ) of an airplane whichsupports it on land or water. Retractable gearfolds up into the airplane in flight. A fixedgear does not retract or fold up.

glider: an airplane without an engine.

gravity: the force which pulls toward thecenter of the earth.

lift: the upward force caused by the rush ofair around the wings, supporting the airplanein lift.

lighter-than-air: aircraft that is lifted into theair by a gas that weighs less then air.

pressure: a measure of force over a givenarea.

propeller: two or more twisted blades whichan engine turns which pull an airplaneforward as they turn.

rudder: the moving vertical part of the tailthat controls the left to right, or yaw move-ment of an airplane’s nose.

streamline: the shape of an object whichcauses air to flow smoothly around it.

supersonic: faster than the speed of sound (332 m/s (1195.2 km/h) at 0°C).

tachometer: an instrument which measuresthe speed at which the engine crankshaft isturning in revolutions per minutes (RPM).

thrust: the force of the engine which drivesan airplane forward.

turbulence: irregular motion of air; unevencurrents of air.

wing: the part of an airplane shaped like anairfoil and designed in such a way as toprovide lift when air flows around it.

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Connect the Dots

Connect the dots from 1 to 63.

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Connect the Dots

Connect the dots from A to Z.

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The Main Parts of an Airplane

Discuss the following words.

fuselagecockpitlanding gearwingsflaps

Label each part.

propelleraileronselevatorrudder

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The Main Parts of an Airplane

Colour the flaps yellow.Colour the fuselage red.Colour the landing gear purple.Colour the propeller orange.Colour the airlerons black.Colour the elevators green.Colour the rudder blue.Colour the wings brown.

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The Main Parts of an Airplane

1. ___________________________________2. ___________________________________3. ___________________________________4. ___________________________________5. ___________________________________6. ___________________________________7. ___________________________________8. ___________________________________9. ___________________________________

10. ___________________________________11. ___________________________________12. ___________________________________13. ___________________________________14. ___________________________________15. ___________________________________16. ___________________________________17. ___________________________________

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The Main Parts of an Airplane

1. Propeller2. Landing Gear3. Wing Strut4. Wing5. Right Wing Aileron6. Right Wing Flap7. Fuselage8. Horizontal Stabilizer9. Fin

10. Rudder11. Elevator12. Left Wing Flap13. Left Wing Aileron14. Door15. Seat16. Windshield17. Engine Cowl

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Parts that Control Airplane Movement

Colour the rudder blue.Colour the ailerons red.Colour the elevators green.

Fill in the blanks.

The make the airplane climb and descend.

The make the airplane roll left or right.

The makes the airplane turn left or right.

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The Four Forcesof Flight

Discuss the following terms. Drag - Lift - Thrust - Weight

Fill in the blank with the appropriate term. Label the airplane.

A is the force caused by the rush of air around the wings, supporting the airplane in flight.

B is the force of the engine that drives an airplane forward.

C is the force that pulls an aircraft towards the centre of the earth.

D is the force that slows down an airplane as it flies through the air.

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A

D B

C

Appendix

The Memory Game.

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de Havilland D.H. 60X Moth Canadair Sabre 6

McDowall MonoplaneMesserschmitt Me

163B-1a Komet

Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow de Havilland Canada Beaver

SPAD VII Supermarine Spitfire L.F. Mk. IX

Bell HTL-6 Boeing 247D

A.E.A. Silver Dart Curtiss HS-2L

de Havilland Canada Dash 7 Curtiss JN-4 Canuck

Stearman 4EM Senior Speedmail Avro Lancaster X