| The Canadian Aviation Historical Society |
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From the Desk of the Executive |
Last chance to register for the 2024 CAHS National Convention in Saskatoon Our convention is only a week away, but there's still time to join us in person or online. For in person attendees, you may still be able to reserve your room at the convention rate of $105 per night by emailing Kim. The CAHS is pleased to invite you to our annual convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Wednesday 19 June to Saturday 22 June 2024, held in partnership with the RCAF History and Heritage in recognition of the RCAF's 100th anniversary. Full convention registration is only $225 for members and will include the Wednesday reception, lunch for three days, our annual banquet, two days of speaker sessions, and the tours. Registration for online attendance will include access to all convention sessions via Zoom, but not the tours or evening events. Recordings will be made for sessions where the presenter grants permission, and these recordings will be available to all attendees after the convention, subject to technical limitations. Most convention activities will take place at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum. Since this is the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), we have a heavy, but not exclusive, focus on RCAF history and stories. Convention Schedule Wednesday
Optional tour of the Saskatoon Museum of Military Artifacts (1:30 to 3:30 pm)
Meet and Greet (7 pm to 9:30 pm at the Sandman Hotel Saskatoon)
Thursday (9 am to 4:30 pm) (Shuttle to Saskatchewan Aviation Museum at 8:30 am.)
Will Chabun - Canadian Military Aviation in Saskatchewan
Jerry Vernon - Wing Commander Paul Pitcher, Battle of Britain Pilot
Bruce Gowans - The Cessna Crane (T-50): From Service Flying to Scenic Flights
Bernie Runstedler - Father John and the Puss Moth (lunch speaker)
James Winkel - Christian Beliefs, Catalinas and Cansos: The Huge Role Amphibious Aircraft Played to Help Develop Northern Saskatchewan Fisheries
Dr. H. Robert Galway - The James Bay Treaty Flights of 1929 & 1930: An Illustrated Journey with the Vintage Photographs of Wm. Roy Maxwell
Dr Rachel Lea Heide - Genesis of an Air Force: Canadian Airmen’s Sense of Identity in the Great War, 1916-1918
Friday (9 am to 4:30 pm) (Shuttle to the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum at 8:30 am; shuttle to the Diefenbaker Centre at 1 pm.)
SAM tour Presentation by RCAF Heritage and History Barbeque lunch with SAM members Tour and presentation at the Diefenbaker Centre Awards Banquet (7 pm to 9:30 pm at the Sandman Hotel Saskatoon) Don Currie - Concorde Visits Regina (banquet speaker)
Saturday (9 am to 4:30 pm) (Shuttle to Saskatchewan Aviation Museum at 8:30 am.)
Annual General Meeting (9 am to 11 am)
Deana Driver Crash Harrison - Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death
Fredrick Petrie - Oral Histories in Telling Aviation Stories (lunch speaker)
Brian Cotter - LAC Doug Smith, an RCAF Career
Clint Ward - The Golden Age of Post War Aviation, A Personal Journey
Roddy MacKenzie - Bomber Command & 6 (RCAF) Group in the Second World War Convention concludes: 4:30 pm (Note: schedule subject to change) The convention hotel is the Sandman Hotel Saskatoon, 310 Circle Drive West, Saskatoon, S7L 2Y5, conveniently located near the Saskatoon International Airport and just off one of Saskatoon's main roads. Situated 2.7 km from Saskatoon International Airport, the hotel features free parking, a lounge and restaurant, a business centre, an indoor pool, a hot tub, and a fitness centre. The rooms feature free Wi-Fi, TVs, coffeemakers, and sitting areas. Some rooms add pull-out sofas and/or kitchenettes. There may be rooms available at the convention rate of $105 per night. To reserve your room, contact Kim directly at her email.
Known as the "City of Bridges" due to its numerous river crossings, Saskatoon boasts stunning panoramic views and picturesque landscapes. Visitors can explore the vibrant Meewasin Valley, home to lush parks, walking trails, and the Meewasin Valley Authority. The city's cultural scene is thriving with a diverse range of art galleries, theatres, and music festivals. History enthusiasts can delve into the past at the Western Development Museum or the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. Baseball fans can watch the Saskatoon Berries in their inaugural season in the Western Canadian Baseball League. Flights are available in the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum's de Havilland Tiger Moth.
The convention is a great opportunity for you to renew friendships and make new ones with people who share your passion for aviation. We hope you can join us. |
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Jim Bell, Secretary, Canadian Aviation Historical Society |
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Click the button above, then click on the little magnifying glass to begin your search. |
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From the Desk of the Journal Editor
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At present, we have available for instant access on our website a growing archive of high-quality, fully searchable digital editions of our Journal. This collection of 42 quarterly and one recently published special edition is provided free to all current CAHS National Members via log-in (here) and for purchase by the general public, including non-member readers of this newsletter, via our webshop (here). Our commitment to preserving and sharing the rich history of Canadian aviation will be made even more evident by the upcoming addition to our digital archive of all legacy editions of the Journal published from 1963 to 2009. This monumental task has been made possible in part by the dedicated efforts of a volunteer CAHS National member, who has already completed the majority of the archival-level scanning work. The portions of the work he has transferred to me thus far are of exceptional reprographic quality. The next step, prior to posting on the site, will be meticulous optical character recognition (OCR) processing and post-OCR editing to correct any 'typo' level mistakes. Webmaster Andrea Wiseman will be performing this task as part of her soon-to-be expanded CAHS role here at SkyGrid Studio. With Andrea's time on the various required background tasks ramping up soon (mainly to keep the CAHS site backend running smoothly with constant membership database updates, etc.), I will be free to concentrate much-needed time on Journal production. At present, we have four Journal editions and roughly 10-12 unassigned (to specific Journal numbers) articles at various stages of production. There are also a number of other articles in the repository awaiting further attention. I am looking forward to committing more time to this work in the very near future. The next edition in line, Volume 58, Number 3, is practically ready for the proofreaders once I get another few sessions of final layout alteration, photo/caption substitution, and editorial comment behind me. However, given how close we are to convention time, and with it coinciding with a need to take some personal time for a long-overdue out-of-province family visit, I will wait until after convention week to get it to final proofreading. Volume 58 Number 4 is also well along in layout and will be pretty close behind 58-3. In the meantime, and in keeping with the D-Day / Operation Overlord Anniversary theme, I have just published an article on our website that I had intended to slot into a future edition of our Journal. That may still happen, but for now, I trust it will give our non-member newsletter readers a sense of what typical present-day CAHS Journal content looks like. The piece is image-intensive, as are most Journal articles. In the tradition of our fine publication, I hope it gives some of our growing readership an understanding of yet one more aspect of Canada's vast aviation history. Select the image below to access the article. In closing, I also want to remind non-members that our Anywhere-Online Membership option is a very inexpensive way to access the current and growing online archive of the Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society. |
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Terry Higgins, Creative Director, Website Administrator, CAHS Journal Managing Editor and Graphics Director, Canadian Aviation Historical Society |
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From the Desk of the Treasurer |
The CAHS is launching the 2025 edition of its annual aviation art calendar. Our bilingual calendar features 13 colour art pieces from CAHS artist members. If you are attending the CAHS convention in Saskatoon later this month, you can purchase a copy of the calendar on site with no shipping fee. If you are not able to attend the convention, you can buy the calendar online for $20 (shipping included). Copies of the 2024 calendar are still available at the sale price of $10 (per copy (plus $5 shipping in Canada). The RCAF Centennial Special Edition of the CAHS Journal has launched, and copies have been sent to all CAHS members. Copies are for sale on the CAHS website: $20 (plus shipping) for the print edition or $12 for the PDF version. We still have our previously featured books available in our shop and at Login Canada. Your purchases help support the CAHS' operations and special projects and also promotes the work of the CAHS' aviation authors and artists. |
Cordially, Dr. Rachel Lea Heide, National Treasurer, Canadian Aviation Historical Society |
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CAHS 2025 Aviation Art Calendar |
| The annual aviation art calendar is available ($15 a copy plus $5 shipping in Canada). This bilingual calendar includes 13 full-colour images featuring a collection of civilian and military aviation aircraft. |
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CAHS 2024 Aviation Art Calendar |
| The 2024 aviation art calendar is on sale ($10 a copy plus $5 shipping in Canada). This bilingual calendar includes 13 full-colour images featuring a collection of civilian and military aviation aircraft. |
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CAHS Journal RCAF Centennial 1924-2024 Special Edition |
| Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, featured in this special edition of the Journal of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society are:
A Documentary History of the Badges of the RCAF and CAF Air Command – by Brittany Dunn
A History of the RCAF in 100 Objects ( a sampling) – by Mike Bechthold
RCAF Historiography: Some Highlights From a Survey of the Field – by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Johnston, CD, PhD
A Snapshot of RCAF Air Transport During the Early Cold War: Bill Carr’s Command of No 412 Squadron – by Richard Goette
The Para-Belles: A More In-Depth Look at the RCAF’s Para-Rescue Nursing Sisters – by Major Mathias Joost (retired)
Historical Snapshot: Para-Rescue Nursing Sisters Mini-Bios – by Major Mathias Joost (retired) |
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News about Freddie the Flyer |
| Congratulations to Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail - historian, writer, and former CAHS President - on the news that her book "Freddie the Flyer" has won the inaugural Atlantic Book Awards Readers’ Choice Award. You can read more details about this honour at Danielle's blog. "Freddie the Flyer" has also been shortlisted for next year’s Hackmatack Award; Danielle also discusses this on her blog. You can purchase of copy of "Freddie the Flyer" at a discount through the CAHS shop for $25 (shipping included). |
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Hawker Fury replica now mounted in Trenton |
| A surprising sight in Trenton is a 3/4-scale replica of a Hawker Fury, previously restored by the Tiger Boys, now displayed as part of a popular high rope climbing attraction. by Gord McNulty,
CAHS Vice President |
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A fitting tribute to RCAF Station Fingal, Ontario |
| Playwright Len Cuthbert, known for his acclaimed "Lawrence Station," enriches southwestern Ontario's aviation history again with "Snapshots," a dramatic portrayal of wartime life at RCAF Fingal No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, celebrating the RCAF's 100th anniversary. by Gord McNulty,
CAHS Vice President |
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Northern Lights Aero Foundation Elsie MacGill Awards |
The Northern Lights Aero Foundation have shared their 2024 Elsie MacGill Awards winners! Congratulations to all award recipients! |
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| Discover the untold stories of the incredible women who built warplanes during WWII at the Canadian Car and Foundry plant on the Rosies of the North website, an immersive experience funded by the Thunder Bay Community Foundation and curated by the Friends of the Finnish Labour Temple. |
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A 100-year-old Canadian D-Day veteran on remembrance, peace and the threat of war |
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| At 100 years old, Second World War veteran Richard Rohmer joins the 80th anniversary D-Day celebrations in France, commemorating the historic battle and reflecting on its enduring legacy. |
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RCAF 100th Anniversary Events |
CAHS now has a page for any RCAF Centennial event information provided to us. A link to the page (the image above) will also be placed on any CAHS Chapter webpages that have events in their area. |
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Canadian Aviation Moments |
Here are the questions and answers to this month's Canadian Aviation Moments: |
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| Question 1: What had the Canadian pilot William Claxton, who was only nineteen, exceeded in a few months on the front during the First World War?
Source: Canada’s Fighting Airmen, pg. 251 (Drew) |
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| Question 2: How many blueprints and drawings were produced for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan? Source: Wings For Victory, pg. 61 (Dunmore) |
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| Question 3: What were the two significant diversions of Germany’s national war effort that were directly brought about by the Allied Bombing? Source: No Prouder Place, pg. 324 (Bashow) |
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Spoiler alert - the answers to this month's questions follow. Skip the rest of this section and come back later if you wish to guess/research the answers first. Good luck and have fun! |
ANSWER 1: “Captain William Gordon Claxton, D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar, the sixth in order of enemy machines destroyed, had a meteoric fighting career without parallel in the annals of aviation. He was only three months at the Front before being severely wounded, but in that time shot down thirty-seven German aeroplanes and two balloons. Neither Bishop, Fonck or Richthofen equalled this number inn the same length of time. His almost unbelievable feat of shooting down six enemy aeroplanes in a single day was equalled later by Captain Trollope and Rene Fonck but never achieved by any other pilots during the War; Bishop’s record being five and Richthofen’s four.”
Source: Canada’s Fighting Airmen, pg. 251 (Drew) |
ANSWER 2: “The new directorate had to struggle along in sadly inadequate quarters in the 'Temporary Buildings' on Ottawa’s Wellington Street. In spite of their difficulties in these early months, the staff produced more than 750,000 blueprints and 33,000 drawings.” Source: Wings For Victory, pg. 61 (Dunmore) |
ANSWER 3: “Two significant diversions of Germany’s national war effort that were directly brought about by the Allied bombing turned out to be particularly damaging to German industrial output. These were the decision to concentrate the production of war materials in underground factories, and Hitler’s insistence on the production of a suite of Vergeltung (retaliation or revenge) weapons designed to counter what the Fuhrer termed the aerial terrorism of the bombing campaign.” Source: No Prouder Place, pg. 324 (Bashow) |
Select a chapter to discover what they have been up to since the last newsletter. Many of our Chapters remain very active on Zoom with presentations every bit as good as they would be if we did not have pandemic restrictions to deal with! |
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Special Thanks To Our Supporters |
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In addition to its members, contributors, and newsletter subscribers, the CAHS is thankful for the ongoing support of its Corporate Members, Museum Members, and Partner Organizations, as well as the many individuals and organizations whose financial donations are so generously given. If you would like to become a Corporate Member or Museum Member - or if you know an organization that might like to join - we are always happy to receive new applications. Please use the hyperlinks above to learn more about our corporate members and partner organizations. Corporate Members: |
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If you have changed your mailing or e-mail address, please get in touch to keep us up to date. Contact the Membership Administrator here. To enquire about membership payment records, contact the Treasurer here. Click here to renew immediately online, or to join as a new member. If you would like to register or renew by mail, printable forms are also available in the bottom area of this page on our site. If you have any aviation history-related news or events to share, please contact our newsletter editor here. Please feel free to forward to friends and family members, or encourage them to sign up on our website to receive the newsletter directly for FREE. We hope that you enjoy receiving this monthly newsletter and find the contents informative and enjoyable. If you no longer wish to receive it for any reason, please use the unsubscribe option below to have your email address removed immediately from the mailing list. |
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The Canadian Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) P.O. Box 2700 • Station D • Ottawa • Ontario • K1P 5W7 visit us at www.cahs.com The CAHS is incorporated as a Canadian Registered Charity under a Federal Charter with the business registration number 118829589 RR001 |
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