ON PROUD WINGS

THE COMOX VALLEY AIR FORCE MUSEUM ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

19 Wing Comox Dec 2006 19 Wing Comox June 2005

Volume 1

Issue 11

Photo Ken Oxley

CVAFMA Executive 2005-06

President: Vice President: Financial: Secretary: Membership: Bingo Coordinator: Fund Raising: Newsletter Staff Publisher: Mike Hendren Harlin Price Mike Spooner Allison Hetman Lynda Oxley Herb Lightfoot Terry Chester

Ken Oxley Contact Information

Museum Chairman: John Low, Capt. 19 Wing Heritage Officer Curator/Program & Volunteer Manager: Lorraine Angly Gift Shop Manager: Noreen Purdy Comox Air Force Museum 19 Wing Comox, Lazo BC V0R 2K0 (Vancouver Island) Phone/Fax: 250-339-8162 E-mail: info@comoxairforcemuseum.ca Website: www.comoxairforcemuseum.ca Museum, Library and Gift Shop open 10am - 4pm daily Spitfire Hanger - Saturdays 10am-3pm Spitfire/Y2K Project Website: www.y2kspitfire.com Heritage Airpark is open May-September10am - 4pm

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

H. J. Simons, Rodney Jones, Robert Lesage

THOUGHTS FROM OUR CURATOR

The Cam Taylor Collection

Photo Ken Oxley

Roland, brother of S/L Cameron Taylor delivers collection to the museum

The Museum recently became the recipients of a very unique and valuable collection that belonged to Squadron Leader Cameron Taylor. S/L Taylor is depicted in the painting from the Greenwood Art Association memorializing the successful attack on a German submarine by a 407 Demon Squadron Wellington. What is particularly remarkable about the attack is that the submerged vessel was spotted, tracked and taken out of commission during the dark of night at an altitude of 15 feet with the help of a spotlight and depth charges. What is remarkable about the collection is that it includes S/L Taylors Log book recording the attack, the message from the War Office congratulating Taylor and his crew on the sinking of U-772 and the Mercator Map where S/L Taylor mapped out the sortie. The collection also includes Taylors medals: DFC and Bar (received for the U-772 sortie) 1939-45 Star Atlantic Star Aircrew Europe Star Defence Medal Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp 1939-45 War Medal S/L Taylor also had two R.C.A.F Operational Tour Wings and one Bar, meaning he had participated in at least 68 sorties.

Lorraine Angly

Curator/Program & Volunteer Manager

THE PUBLISHERS CLIPBOARD

2006 and was a busy year for the volunteers and staff with many accomplishments we can be proud of. Starting with the extensive renovations to the main museums exhibit area, tidying up the various storage areas, Heritage Stone project, refinishing of the Argus, progress on the Spitfire, the extension of the Y2K hangar, and the usual functions we organize and attend, a lot got done. If you have any comments, ideas, articles or material that would be of interest to other Association members for our newsletter, please contact us at info@comoxairforcemuseum.ca or leave a message at the Museum. Visit www.comoxairforcemuseum.ca or drop by the museum to find out more about current activities. To join our Association download the application on our website under Volunteer, leave a phone message at the Museum, or drop by and fill out an application. For only $10 annually, some of the benefits you receive include our newsletter, discounts in the gift shop, and a voice in the organization. Ken Oxley Publisher/Volunteer If you are currently receiving this newsletter by mail, please forward your email address to receive a high quality issue via the internet.

A Word from the Museum Chairman

In this newsletter, I would like to take some time to look to the future to see what is coming our way.but first; I would like to congratulate our editor, Ken Oxley on his new job with Visitors Choice magazine. Ken was working with the magazine on the Museums advertising, and they liked his work so much they hired him! So, back to the future Don Smith will be back with us during the last week in November. During this time, we hope to work on the 407 Squadron display, banners for the ceiling, and our aging diorama. Looking ahead..2007 is going to be a big year for the Museum! 2007 is our 20th Anniversary as an accredited Canadian Forces Museum. We will be tying all our major events to this, and will have a final celebration on the Battle of Britain weekend. More information will follow soon. The Friends of the Museum have been busy working on the next Fundraising initiative. They are organizing a charity hockey challenge between the Vancouver Canucks Alumni and the Comox Valley First Responders. Check out our website for more details. I am sure most of you will be involved in one way or another, but the most important thing right now is to get the word out. Tell your friends, family, neighbours tell everybody. One of the events that will be new next year is the History Fair. The Museum will be hosting the School District History Fair in April 2007 at the Comox MFRC building. All the schools in the local area will be involved. Farther down the road2009 will be a big year for aviation in Canada, that year marking the 100th anniversary of flight. The Comox Air Force Museum will be participating, with displays

etc. There is even a plan to have a Back to Baddeck Flight, which would start in Comox and proceed across Canada. Well, that is about all for the musings on the future. Thank you volunteersyou will make it happen. Capt. John Low Chairman CAFM 4

Presidents Report

Winter 2006

Vancouver Canucks Alumni Charity Hockey Game 25 February. Volunteer now, and have chance to meet the Old Canucks. Tickets are now available. The Museum gets half of net proceeds, other half to MFRC. Lots of fun. Heritage Stones sales are growing by the day; now 70 sold. Next Dedication Ceremony scheduled for 3 June 2007. Christmas Party 12 December - Officers Mess; awards, certificates, door prize draws, snacks, beer and wine. A good time. Its at the annual Christmas party that the Association and the Museum acknowledge and celebrate the countless hours that members put in as volunteers in the functioning of the Museum. With the Team Leaders of the Spitfire group, Heritage Aircraft, Heritage Vehicles and Museum Volunteers, each will nominate one individual who represents the Spirit of Volunteerism. From there, one person is chosen by the Executive members of the Association Board of Directors for special recognition at the Christmas Party, representing the Spirit of the Volunteer. Their contribution to the Museum is recognized by awarding a Life Membership, a gift certificate for the Kingfisher Resort and Spa plus their name will be added to the Volunteer Recognition Board which will be placed in the Museum Volunteer corner. I mention all this as it is important for everyone to know what this award represents and how it is chosen. Hope to see you all at the Christmas Party.

Mike Hendren President CVAFMA

UPCOMING MUSEUM EVENTS

12 Dec 06 - Volunteer Appreciation Christmas Party - Officiers Mess TBA Jan 07 Driftwood Mall Volunteer Fair TBA Feb 07 Cumberland Heritage Fair 25 Feb 07 Vancouver Canucks Alumni Charity Hockey Game

BOOKS

Guest Column

The good news continues the new books on aviation topics keep getting better and the variety is expanding. World War II. Avid readers will know of the first two volumes of 2nd Tactical Air Force, the excellent chronicles of the founding of the formation, its early sorties into occupied Europe, the support of the Normandy landings and the early months of the campaign in northwest Europe. Volume 3 completes the story as it covers the last months of the war and the campaign into Germany itself on a day by day basis. Many excellent photographs and much technical data. In another direction, see We Flew, We Fell, We Lived, Philip Lagrandeurs new book of stories from RCAF prisoners of war and escapers. The escapers exploits are amazing and the heroism of those who protected the escapers is clearly told. He also word paints a remarkable picture of the life in the prison camps. West Coast Aircraft. Grumman is best known as having been fighter maker for the US Navy. However, there was a civilian side to its business, in production of small amphibious aircraft. Fred Hotson and Matthew Rodina have produced a beautiful book on the Grumman Mallard, a very recognizable older cousin of the Albatross formerly flown by the RCAF on west coast SAR duty. Only 59 Mallards were built, a few are still flying. The photographs are marvelous, the authors tell a remarkably detailed story of the aircraft and the data tables are comprehensive. BCATP and related items. GpCapt (Retd) Kenneth McDonald, DSO, DFC, RAF, has produced a most readable memoir about life in the pre-war RAF. This includes flight training in Canada, marriage to a Canadian from Barrie, air combat in Wellington and Halifax bombers, post-war RAF including service as a station commander in Malaya at RAF Changi, retirement and a new life with Canadair in Montreal, second retirement to a small house in Toronto and a new career as a writer with a decidedly conservative slant, on the side of the angels in the controversy with the CBC over The Valour and The Horror. I met GpCapt McDonald at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Toronto in 2004 he was 90 then and still in good spirits. The book is well worth any Canadians time. What appears in this column are my brief opinions of books recently received in the Library the opinions are not definitive and the comments do not cover all of the books received. Come in and visit and ask to see the acquisition list to get a better picture of whats new on the shelves. Happy Reading!

David Stinson/Volunteer Comments from the Visitors Guest Book

Excellent display with a good sense of humour San Diego Teaching my sons to appreciate the sacrifice Your volunteers are the cream of the crop Great gift shop Great effort, getting better with each visit Colorado Springs It was nice to see the plane that my Dad was in Great mannequins really cool (must be the gray paint) Extracted by Lynda Oxley 6

The Spitfire Hangar

As 2006 winds down its probably a good time to reflect on the incredible past 12 months at the Y2-K Spitfire hangar. All attendance records have been shattered starting with the 2006 Open House in May. At that annual event we attracted 1,300 guests and 10 Spitfire veteran pilots attended to share stories and good wishes with our guests. Attendance continued to gain momentum in the spring and just kept growing throughout the summer and into the fall. With an increase in attendance our souvenir sales took off and donations were up substantially, for the first time in a few years we have raised enough money to keep our engineer Bonn Svensson on the job for an uninterrupted 14 months and enough funds are in our bank account to keep Bonn employed till early 2007. Bonn works on average 2.5 days per week and each day he is ably assisted by Tom Quibell. Our website continues to attract more visitors as we gain increased recognition around the world. In the past year we have been written up in the Vancouver Province, Legion Magazine, a Harvard Owners group newsletter in Ontario, and all local Newspapers. The December issue of FlyPast is also publishing an update on our progress. Our project has been described by some.as the most significant aviation project in Canada, we tend to agree. During the past year we have sold well over 70 copies of the Limited Edition print Touche this fund raising initiative alone has raised close to $14,000. Prints have been shipped all across Canada to the USA and the UK. The tail section, complete with horizontal stabilizers have now been completed and were temporarily installed onto the fuselage to insure a correct fit (see below). Work continues on the control arms located in the tail section and considerable progress has been made on the tail wheel assembly and many intricate parts have been machined in house by Dave MacLeod. When you cant find a spare part for an historic aircraft like the Spitfire you have to carefully craft them. Dave has turned out to be a skilled operator of the shop lathe and milling machine. November 11, 2006 Remembrance day in the Y2-K hangar turned out to be another success story for the Spitfire restoration project, we had 110 people attend after the ceremony downtown and we were fortunate enough to have Duke Warren, Jim OToole and Stocky Edwards (shown below) drop by to sign prints, books etc for our many visitors. I must say it was refreshing to witness such positive reaction to these veterans by so many people in the hangar. Thanks to all those people that continue to support the Spitfire project. Dont forget were open every Saturday for tours.

Photos Pat Murphy

Thanks for your time and support,

Pat Murphy and the Y2-K Spitfire team

7

The Last Three Months

Photos Ken Oxley

Spitfire Hangar Extension completed

Volunteers Tom Lowe and Don Grenon supervise

Volunteers inspect the progress on the Spitfire

Capt. Low thanks MCpl Gary Siebens for his help painting the Argus

The assembled Black Maria replica safe and dry in hangar 7

Comox Valley Air Force Museum Association

and the

Comox Air Force Museum

Invite You and a guest to

the Annual Christmas Party and

Volunteer Appreciation Night.

When: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 Time: 7 - 10 PM Where: Officers Mess
Refreshments, Door Prizes, Volunteer Award For info 339-8162