The Stranraer
by Julie Matchett
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Affectionately known as the ‘Whistling Shithouse’ by many of the pilots who have flown them, the Stranraer became famous on the BC Coast when Jim Spilsbury of Queen Charlotte Airlines adopted the plane as his aircraft of choice. Formerly used as coastal patrol planes during the Second World War, a number of Stranraers were earmarked as surplus and sold off for civilian use after the war. The origin of the unusual nickname seems to be a bit of a mystery. According to some, the name stems from the sound the plane made flying through the air—a ‘whistle’ caused by the wires and struts that held the plane together. A rather more humorous explanation involves the ‘relief system’ on board the plane—essentially a rubber hose hanging on a hook that vented to the outside of the plane. Supposedly, the wind rushing through this contraption caused a whistle which reverberated throughout the craft, hence the nickname. Whatever the truth of the matter, the ungainly-looking ‘Stranny’ won the hearts of both passengers and crews alike and proudly served the BC Coast for over 18 years.
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One of the more unique planes to have flown along the coast, the Republic SeaBee had, at one time, a starring role in the famous mercy flights undertaken by Bob Langdon of BC Air Lines. Described by one pilot as looking like ‘a combination of an egg and a toothpick’ the funny-looking planes were a source of curiosity and amusement to many people along the coast, and throngs of inquisitive kids often gathered around the docks when they landed, eager to poke fingers at them. The aircraft were popular with the public who appreciated the sense of comfort and safety these rugged planes lent. ‘Built like a tank’ and ‘like a big old 50’s Chevy’ were apt depictions. Although the amphibious SeaBee was a good aircraft, it wasn’t the most practical choice for coastal flying because of the wing floats which extended out from the plane, making docking somewhat awkward. If a suitable dock was available this wasn’t a problem, but coastal flying so often involves flying out to hard-to-reach, remote areas and the SeaBee proved to be too impractical for these situations. Many pilots also found the plane to be unreliable and constantly needing repair work. The more suitable Cessnas and Beavers eventually took over coastal flying, and the SeaBee became a well-loved relic of the past.
The Norseman
by Julie Matchett
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“A wonderful old airplane—I loved it!” is how Stan Kaardal of Campbell River described the Noorduyn Norseman, remembering the days when it was a common sight soaring over coastal waters. It was Canadian Robert Noorduyn who designed the basic bush aircraft in 1934, after realizing that no existing aircraft was suitable for flying the kind of rugged terrain that existed in the Canadian North and elsewhere in the world. In fact, the Norseman is one of the only planes in the world to be designed, built and marketed solely by Canadians. The basic structure of the fuselage was welded steel tubing; the wings were constructed entirely from wood except for the flaps and ailerons which were also made from steel tubing and then a canvas skin was attached to the metal. The prototype aircraft, named Mk I – CF-AYO, made its first flight from Montreal in November 1935. In successive years, the basic design was improved upon by adding more powerful engines and increasing the payload capacity. Canadian Car & Foundry took over production of the Norseman Mk V in 1947 after Noorduyn Aircraft ended its run. Queen Charlotte Airlines and BC Air Lines both included the Norseman in their fleet of aircraft since it was reliable, easy to maintain and capable of short landings and take-offs – a requirement of flying around northern Vancouver Island. At some point in its career, the Norseman got stuck with the unofficial nickname of ‘Thunder Chicken’ – this unconventional, yet oddly endearing name might explain the fondness some pilots have for the big bird.
de Havilland Beaver
by Julie Matchett
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“Yep! That’s the best looking Beaver I ever saw!” remarked Lee Frankham as he was proudly showing off pictures of his favourite plane. No doubt a sentiment echoed by pilots and enthusiasts alike, the de Havilland Beaver is one of the most loved and respected airplanes in the world. A true Canadian legend, the Beaver was a success right from the beginning. Designed by de Havilland Canada in 1948, the company wanted to develop a plane that would be suited to flying in the rugged Canadian wilderness. After extensive consultation with bush pilots, the immortal Beaver was born. A mainstay of the floatplane industry on Vancouver Island, the Beaver is world-famous for its reliability, performance and functionality and is the perfect choice for navigating the numerous waterways and inlets that dot the Pacific Coast. Despite the fact that de Havilland stopped producing the plane back in 1967, hundreds of Beavers still exist around the world and many have been extensively modified and adapted to suit changing technologies. The ultimate workhorse, the Beaver is respected around the world and is guaranteed a place in the pages of Canadian aviation history.
Fairchild Husky
by Julie Matchett
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The Fairchild Husky was originally conceived as a replacement aircraft for the existing pre-war bush planes such as the Norseman and Fokker. The unique rear-loading door and large cabin area made hauling large, bulky items relatively easy—it wasn’t unusual to see a Husky flying along with a load of lumber or a 16 foot canoe sticking out the open back door. The brainchild of Fairchild Industries Ltd., out of Montreal, the Husky began production in 1946. Built as a rugged, mainly metal craft, the plane was able to carry up to 8 passengers plus cargo and sported starboard and port-side doors which made loading of small freight much easier. Although an innovative craft for its time, several factors were destined to doom the project. The drawback of the plane was the underpowered Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine, which proved unpopular with pilots. Plans were underway to refit the planes with the more powerful 550 HP Alvis Leonides engine to improve performance, but unfortunately by this time, the company was in the midst of financial difficulties. To add fuel to the fire, the hugely successful deHavilland Beaver was also being produced, which made marketing the problematic Husky more difficult. With only 12 Huskies produced, Fairchild Industries went bankrupt in 1948. There is only one complete Husky still in existence.
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“I’d rather be in a twin-engine airplane and have one engine quit, than be in a single engine airplane and have one engine quit.” Words of wisdom from Larry Langford, who despite skepticism on the subject, spearheaded the use of the Beech 18 on the coast. In fact, Langford, who is the owner of Vancouver Island Air in Campbell River, is also responsible for the creation of the ‘Seawind’—the result of 6 years of extensive modifications on his company-owned Beech 18. The end product? A completely unique aircraft, the only one of its kind in the world. Although the Beech 18 may not be the workhorse of the coast that is the de Havilland Beaver’s claim to fame, it still plays an important part in the floatplane industry on Vancouver Island. Manufactured by the Beechcraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas, over 9000 Beech 18’s were produced in a production run ending in 1969. There are few planes in the history of aviation that have more modifications available than the Beech 18, making it an extremely versatile aircraft. Larger than the de Havilland Beaver, it carries a maximum of 12 passengers and cruises at speeds close to 200 MPH
Grumman Goose
by Julie Matchett
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Originally designed and built for the jet-setting Manhattan millionaire crowd, the luxurious Grumman Goose soon proved to have far more potential than first realized. The amphibious nature of the aircraft, combined with generous interior space and rugged construction, made it a favourite for many land and coastal operations all over the world, including military use in World War II. The ‘flying-boat’ hull and retractable landing gear makes the Goose an extremely versatile airplane, able to navigate in areas where most planes cannot. The first Goose rolled off the assembly line in 1937; three hundred and forty-five of the planes were manufactured before Grumman ceased production in 1945. Since that time, the Goose has won the respect and admiration of fans from across the world. On Vancouver Island, the Goose was popular for many years and was flown by several companies, most notably Alert Bay Air Services, Gulf Air and Queen Charlotte Airlines. Pacific Coastal Airlines in Port Hardy still flies the Goose to this day.
There are only about 50 of the aircraft left in the world, both in active use and in museums.
Piper Super Cub
by Julie Matchett
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Described as the ‘poor man’s Beaver’ by Len Crawford, the Piper Super Cub is a natural when it comes to navigating tricky coastal inlets and waterways. Small and rugged, the aircraft is capable of take-offs in very short distances, becoming airborne relatively quickly. It easily handles impossibly short landing areas and its sturdy construction is well-suited to the demands of coastal flying. Manufactured by Piper Aircraft, the Super Cub was based on an earlier design of the company, the J-3 Cub. Modified with an updated electrical system, a more powerful engine, a strengthened airframe and flaps, the Super Cub proved to be a popular addition to the company’s fleet.
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Along with the Beaver and the Otter, the Cessna is probably one of the most popular floatplanes on the Coast. The Cessna Company manufactured many different models, but for navigating the coastal waters of BC, the Cessna 172, 180 and 185 are the preferred aircraft. At one point, there were only two Cessna dealers in BC—one located in Vancouver and the other at Island Airlines in Campbell River. The Cessna Aircraft Company, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, has a long and storied history. From its humble beginnings with Clyde Cessna and his wood-and-fabric plane in 1911, the company encountered many obstacles on the road to success: reluctant money lenders, failed partnerships and a downturn in the economy which ultimately led to the company’s closure in 1932. It was Cessna’s nephew, Dwane Wallace, who took over the company in 1934 and paved the way for the incredible success story to follow. The Cessna 172, produced after the Second World War, became the most widely produced light aircraft in history and the company lays claim to the fact that its aircraft have trained more pilots than any other aircraft manufacturer. However, despite the company’s accomplishments, there have been setbacks: because of liability issues, the company was, at one point, installing signs on the front of their planes stating ‘Flying this aircraft could be dangerous to your health.’ Although they have since ceased production of single engine Cessnas, the plane continues to be valued for its speed and power and appeals to a broad spectrum of flyers.
Martin Mars Water Bomber
by Julie Matchett
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Sproat Lake near Port Alberni, BC attracts aviation enthusiasts and shutterbugs from around the world, eager to get a glimpse of the world-famous Martin Mars Water Bombers. The only 2 remaining airplanes of their kind in the world, the craft are owned by Flying Tankers Inc, a subsidiary of TimberWest Forest Products. Now utilized for firefighting, the planes, designed by Glenn Martin, were originally intended and used by the U.S Navy as troop and cargo transports in the Pacific Islands. In the 1950’s, the Mars fleet was decommissioned. It was Canadian aviation pioneer Dan McIvor who, recognizing their potential value as waterbombers, brought four of the planes to BC to have them converted. Two of the planes were unfortunately destroyed – one crashed near Northwest Bay, BC during firefighting operations; the other was lost in a typhoon. The remaining two were converted into waterbombers and entered active service in 1963. Since that time, the Martin Mars fleet has stood ready to protect BC’s precious forests from flames for over 40 years.
de Havilland Otter
by Julie Matchett
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Wanting to capitalize on the success of the highly popular Beaver and, at the same time, extend the company’s line of rugged, STOL (short take-off and landing) utility transports, de Havilland introduced the Otter in 1953. Originally named the ‘King Beaver’, the Otter was built to the same overall specifications as the Beaver, only larger in design and capable of carrying more passengers. Described as a ‘flying one-ton truck’, the Otter’s only drawback was the engine—many pilots found the Pratt & Whitney R1340 Wasp engine to be underpowered for flying such a sizable aircraft. Indeed, large numbers of the planes were suffering engine problems on a regular basis, and many an old-time pilot will remember an engine failure while navigating an Otter. To avoid this problem, many aircraft were converted to turbo-prop Pratt & Whitney engines which made the plane far more reliable. Nevertheless, the aircraft found acceptance within the bush pilot community and it also paved the way for de Havilland’s next triumph—the Twin Otter.
de Havilland Twin Otter
by Julie Matchett
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“Those airplanes did nothing but make me money!” Concerned about the size of the aircraft and navigability in the area, some companies were reticent to add the Twin Otter to their fleet but Gulf Air owner Don Braithwaite was also a logger and loggers, according to Don “…like anything that’s bigger—they can move more stuff!” With this in mind, he decided to take a chance, and it paid off in a big way. Derived from de Havilland’s successful single Otter design, the Twin Otter was a fantastic performer. Equipped with Pratt & Whitney turbo-props and enhanced design features, the plane proved to be far more reliable and powerful than its predecessor. Although production of the planes ceased in 1988, Viking Air in Victoria has purchased the type certificates from Bombardier Aerospace, which gives them the exclusive rights to manufacture new aircraft. The versatility and manoeuvrability of the planes have made them popular in areas with difficult flying terrains such as northern Canada, Alaska and Antarctica. Indeed, it’s the adaptable nature of the Twin Otter that makes it the quintessential bush plane, revered by pilots around the world, and one of the most successful aircraft ever produced.
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