This twin-Beech has no military background and wasn't built till 1946 (as NC80213) but has been restored to resemble an RCAF photographic section aircraft stationed at Winnipeg in 1944. The RCAF took delivery of the first of 388 C-45 Expeditors in August 1939. Three types were used - the 3NM for navigation, bombing & weapons training and photo survey, the 3TM for VIP transport and the 3T for cargo. Later registrations were CF-HHI (International Nickel, used for mine transport) and TG-JIQ, with the current registration allocated in 1977. It remains flyable and available for pax rides.

The CWHM's Tutor entered service with the Canadian Armed Forces in 1965. It spent most of its career at CFB Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, attached to 2 FTS and in 2000 was retired along with the rest of the fleet, which had originally numbered 190 Tutors, as CT-155 Hawks and later CT-156 Harvard IIs came on line. However, the type is still flown by the "Snowbirds" aerobatic team.

This Dakota was delivered to the RAF in February 1944 as FZ692 and transferred to RCAF 437 Sqdn in September 1944. Post-war it served 424 Sqdn as 12945 for Search & Rescue at CFB Trenton. After withdrawal from service by the Canadian Armed Forces in 1973 it was used for mineral and environmental surveys by Environment Canada as C-GRSB. Donated to the museum in May 2014, it has been restored to its wartime colours as used in the Normandy and Rhine Crossing landings and still flies frequently, with passenger rides available for C$275. The CWH titles are very small above the registration

This Buffalo was completed at Downsview in May 1978 and was one of four built for the Sudanese Air Force, serialled 811 and also used by Sudan Airways as ST-AHP. It has been restored as Canadian Armed Forces DHC-5 115461 which was flying under United Nations colours when it was shot down over Syria on 9th August 1974, killing all nine on board. Some parts of the prototype Buffalo were used in the rebuild of the museum's example, which was dedicated to the "Canada Nine" in 2009.

Beautifully finished in original silver colours, this dramatically-posed two-seater Starfighter is located near the CWH museum building and car park.

This CF-100 was manufactured in 1958 as an all-weather interceptor and was one of the last batch produced. Later converted to a Mk.5D electronic counter measures (ECM) aircraft, it was used for simulation of enemy aircraft during NORAD exercises, fitted with wingtip fuel tanks instead of rocket pods to extend range for ECM duties. It served in the electronic warfare role with 414 "Black Knight" Sqdn in North Bay, Ontario until December 1981. It made its last flight on 10th February 1982 and is on loan from the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, painted black to represent the prototype.

The civil Cessna T-50 was first flown in 1939 and from it, the AT-17 multi-engine trainer was derived for the military, often known as the Bobcat, or Crane in Canada. Over 5,400 were built, including more than 800 Cranes for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) to supplement Ansons. The CWH Museum's Crane 1A was constructed in 1942 and flew with 4 SFTS at Saskatoon and 11 SFTS at Yorkton, Saskatchewan. After the war, it was flown by various owners in Quebec and Ontario as CF-FGF. It remains flyable.

But in 1956, this Canadair Sabre flew with the RCAF in Europe for six years and then with the "Golden Hawks" aerobatic team for the 1963 airshow season, so unlike other examples, the colour scheme is genuine. The National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa acquired it in 1964 and was modified with clear panels down the left side of the fuselage to show its interior construction.

This Norseman was delivered new to Canadian Forest Products in 1950 and was operated latterly by Huron Air & Outfitters, often on floats, till sold to CWH in 2014.

The Fort Model 60K was the only aircraft actually designed in Canada to be built during WWII. Intended as an interim trainer that was less expensive than the Harvard, it was not very successful although 100 were acquired from 1941. Most ended their days by 1944 as radio trainers and were sold off even before the war ended. The CWH example was the prototype, employed by the National Research Council Test & Development Establishment until it was assigned to 2 Wireless School in 1942 and is the only survivor that remains flyable. Note the overwing strut which adds to the ungainly appearance.

CWH's airworthy Chipmunk with one-piece canopy typical of the Canadian-built variants

This Firefly is the former Royal Australian Navy Mk.VI WH632. The RAN disposed of the fighter in 1960 and it was then stored. After six years, WH632 was sold to the Camden Aviation Museum, Camden (NSW). In 1978 it was acquired by Canadian Warplane Heritage, who restored it to airworthy condition at Victoria (BC). It unfortunately crashed on delivery to Hamilton on 6 May 1992 and didn't fly again for three years. Grounded in 2013, it was only returned to flight a few weeks prior to this shot, taken just after a local flight.

Constructed as a B-25J-35-NC by North American at Kansas City in August 1945 and allocated 45-8883 but not taken up by USAAF. Sold as N(L)75755 in 1946 and kept N number until acquired by the CWH in 1976 and painted as HD372 of 98 Sqdn.

Taken on strength with the R Canadian AF in October 1952 with s/n 20412

Based in South Carolina with owner Bob Russell. Built by Flug Werk at Gammelsdorf, Munich and fitted with a Russian Shvetsov Ash-82 engine, a copy of the Wright R-1820 Cyclone. I believe the engine was sourced from a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber. The same radial was used in the Li-2 and Il-14 airliners.

Canadian registered from November 2019 and previously N766L

Built for the USAAF as P-39F 41-7215, some 9,588 of the unconventional Airacobra series were manufactured and entered service from 1941. The unique car-style cockpit entry doors are visible here. Just arrived from the US for the weekend's air show.

Besides the Battle of Britain Flight's PA474 in the UK, "Vera" (as she is known thanks to the painted code) is the world's only other airworthy Lancaster, although the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre's NX611 may in the not-too-distant future become the third.

This beautifully presented Mustang made its first post-restoration flight on 26 Sep 2020 and has a widely-travelled history. After delivery to the USAAF as 44-72059, it was acquired by the Swedish Air Force in 1945. Ten years later, it was sold to Nicaragua and eventually salvaged in the US in 1963. It found its way back to Latin America for service with the Bolivian Air Force from 1966 which whom it remained until 1995. Repatriated to the US again, restoration was began in 2002 and not completed till 2020, impressively finished to represent an P-51 of 424 (City of Hamilton) Sqdn RCAF. The aircraft is privately-owned by Hannu Halminen.