Built for the USAAF as C-54E 44-9012 but delivered to the US Navy as R5D-5R 90402 in 1945. Redesignated as a C-54R in 1962. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB with park code 3C057 in 1970. To Aero Union as N62297 in 1974 and converted to a firebomber. Sold to Buffalo Airways as C-GBAJ in 2005 and firebombing tank removed. Used for parts at Hay River by 2011.

Tucking the undercarriage away, after take off on a Northwestern Air scheduled service from Merlyn Carter Airport, Hay River, NWT

Named "Summer Wages", on short finals to land at Hay River on the afternoon scheduled service from Yellowknife across the Great Slave Lake - "The Sked".

One of the Buffalo Airways firefighting fleet, with bombing number "02". Seen in the background is stablemate C-GCTF, "58".

Note the flat tyre. The previous evening I had flown into YHY (from Yellowknife) on this a/c. I watched it depart YHY a little later and noticed smoke coming from the port engine. The aircraft made a circuit and landed, bursting its starboard tyre on landing. It was still awaiting attention when I took this photo the next morning. This same aircraft suffered an accident after take off from Yellowknife 19 Aug 2013. This time it was the starboard engine just as the aircraft rotated. A combination of being overweight and the prop not fully feathering resulted in an off airport emergency landing.

Sold to Pacific Flying Boats Dec 2010.

Acquired by Buffalo Airways in Dec 2005, ex Aero Union N4958M. Before that it was N427NA with NASA, whose colours it is still in.

Acquired by Buffalo Airways in Dec 2005, ex Aero Union N62297.

Acquired by Buffalo Airways Dec 2005 ex Aero Union N2742G.

This was an old friend I had photographed back in Abbotsford BC in Jun 1986 when it was still operated by the The Department of Transportation Canada (as CF-CUE). It was acquired by Buffalo Airways in Feb 95. It wasn't until 2008 that it was seen in the Buffalo livery and once again showing CF-CUE.

Delivered to the USAAF as 42-92518 then to the RAF as KG330 in 1944. To the RCAF in 1946. Reserialled to 12913 in 1970. To C-GWZS in 1975 and to Buffalo Airways in 1979. We had flown from Yellowknife on it and later flew back on it.

Built in 1969. Registration had been cancelled a few days earlier. Registered as C-GKIT in 2015.

Built for the US Army as U-21F 70-15911 in 1971. To N998RC in 1999 and C-GHYT in 2003.

Sign at the main entrance, with the central hangar area at left. Merlyn Carter was a bush pilot from Hay River, who was killed by a bear in 2005 while on a solo fishing trip at the age of 71.

If only I had known they would manage to get this beauty ready for a ferry flight across the lake that same evening. She departed to Yellowknife some five hours after I left. With 27,673 hours on the clock, she was put up for sale after the 2015 fire season and still is in 2020.

Tail art to underscore the environmental task as a fire bomber, for which she was being readied once more. The text says "Mountain Aven Protecting N.W.T. Beauty".

The pride taken by 'Buffalo Joe' and his company in the operation of this propliner is evident from the nose art. The "First around the World" logo was adopted by the Douglas Aircraft Company after a group of Douglas World Cruisers had successfully circumnavigated the globe - in 1924.

View from across the Hay River west arm, and runway 14/32, onto the main apron where Buffalo's "sked" is being serviced after arrival. The main storage area starts on the left and on the right is the main building with terminal.