Days Gone: A Reflection Of Aviation Tales

           With this article I’ll be bringing to light some of the tales I’ve heard from my family and friends over the years of aviation. Some I was present for during my almost 23 years of life so far that I’ve been privileged enough to live, others have been told long before my time. So strap in, get IFR clearance, and await the blue skies of stories ahead.

          In a previous post detailing the BCATP, I reflected on a story my Gido told me of pilots that would dive at him and other hired men around Yorkton area and how he reflected on those stories fondly. It wouldn’t be the last time my family had an encounter with the Air Force over the homestead however. When my father was growing up the Pine Tree Line, part of NORAD’s defense against the Soviet Union was very active and there was an installation near Yorkton. Often RCAF aircraft would run circuits over the homestead, sometimes low enough to be at treetop level to try and avoid radar detection. When I was young the RCAF would still fly over the Yorkton area occasionally. I believe around 2002 or 2003 we pulled into the farm to visit with my grandparents and we were greeted with a formation of Chinooks. I remember being in awe at the sight of these giant helicopters in the distance, sitting on the porch with my Gido watching them. Another interesting encounter was around 2009, when a C-130 flew high above the farm while I was out playing.

          It wasn’t always a safe sight to see however. It the 1970s, I believe around 1974 or 1975 a small twin engine aircraft crash landed on the farm my grandparents once ran. The pilots were on their way to an auction in Edmonton to sell the plane for a client when one of the engines began to have issues. The co-pilot was a veteran of the Second World War, and urged the pilot to try and land- he had been in a similar situation a few times during combat missions. The pilot however- an airline pilot, had trust in the aircraft, and argued with his co-pilot about how serious the situation was. Eventually the bickering turned into a fist fight in the cockpit! It was only stopped however when the engine that was having issues began to smoke. Their only option was a field, so both pilots quickly composed themselves and circled for an approach. Thankfully the landing gear could be deployed, and they successfully landed. My Baba and Gido were coming back from a day of shopping in Yorkton, and witnessed the whole thing. My Gido pulled up to the plane as the door opened and the pilot got out and kissed the ground in his bewilderment. The co-pilot quickly approached my Gido and introduced himself and explained the situation. Of course with not many options on the table for the pair, my Gido agreed to help. Within a couple of days, after what I assume was one of the hardest self-taught mechanic courses in a time before the internet the aircraft was on its way again, only this time to Saskatoon to get a more thorough inspection of the engine. One of the pilots would return once in awhile, grateful for the hospitality my family provided. I’m currently trying to track down more information on the incident; any help would be greatly appreciated.

          In 2014 I had the privilege to be invited to take the marksmanship course at the now defunct summer training camp Penhold, which actually happens to be the Red Deer Regional Airport. At one point, Penhold itself had a colorful history with the BCATP and the RCAF, but those days are long gone. To be 16 again and relive that summer I would give anything. The canteen had one of the best selections of model planes ever, there was a movie theatre on site, the food was great, and of course a fine selection of teenage romance straight out of a novel- as Homer Simpson once said, “Boys will be boys!”

          However the main allure to me wasn’t any of that- it was the massive boneyard of vintage aircraft. At one point Penhold housed the largest collection of A-26 Invaders in the Western Hemisphere; Air Spray had acquired around 14 of the type for fire suppression, and many by 2014 were either mothballed there or cut up in the boneyard. To add to the allure, many other types like C-47s and DC-3s, as well as a Convair CV-240 were situated in the boneyard courtesy of Buffalo Airways. Eventually the temptation was too much, and by the beginning of August two others and myself had began to plan the phrase I referred to earlier- boys will be boys. One Sunday, a day we got off from training, we set out as camouflaged as we could and snuck into the boneyard; it was off base, so getting caught was a risk that could have ended our vacation right then and there, but as boys fascinated with the treasure in front of us, it was a risk all of us were willing to take. It was there, hidden away from everything else that we found a rare airframe- an LAS Super 26, the only one of its kind. It wasn’t much to look at, but at one point it was a pressurized and souped up version of the A-26. It was wrecked in a hangar fire in 2003 and dragged out to the boneyard and to this day it still sits there, waiting for a day that never comes- rescue. Thankfully though we successfully got in and out without being noticed, although the muddy shoes must have been suspect to everyone. I’ve since been out to Penhold three more times, and even applied with Air Spray to be ground crew for them. I was privileged enough to have a nice talk with the owner of the company and he even gave me a tour of one of the Electras they now use for fire suppression. Perhaps one day I’ll have a chance to film an episode of my series with them. However if any reader does have a part of an A-26 they’d be interested in parting with, I’d be happy to buy it possibly. It’s that summer I fell in love with the type.

          There are many more stories I could tell, but if I told them all it would be a book. Perhaps in another post I’ll tell more. One thing is for certain though- the future will hold many more exciting aviation memories!