Reg cancelled in 1990

This Neptune was formerly RCAF 24113 and was purchased by The Flying Fireman of Victoria and converted to air tanker with a 3,000 gallon retardant tank. In 1972 it was used on a trial basis by the British Columbia Forest service during fire season and the Neptune did well in that role. Transport Canada did not approve the modifications so the Neptune was sold and went to the United States and worked there as an air tanker until it crashed in 1975. Its remains and parts of another Neptune were used in a rebuild and it is now on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona as N14448.

Built by Canadian Vickers, this PBY crashed while fighting fire at Snow Lake, Manitoba in 1978 and was destroyed with two fatalities. It apparently nose dived into the ground likely from fuel starvation to one of the engines.

Constructed by Eastern Aircraft division of GM and delivered to the US Navy as 69327. Modified by Fairey Aviation from torpedo bomber to an Anti-Submarine aircraft for the Royal Canadian Navy as 326 in 1950. In 1961 it was modified again by Fairey Aviation to a fire bomber for Skyway Air Service as CF-KCG. In 1969 it went to Conair until 1976 when it was damaged in an accident in New Brunswick. From there it found its way to the Imperial War Museum in England where it was restored representing an Avenger flown by George Bush during World War II. Moved to Liverpool in 2023 for the future Battle Of The Atlantic Fleet Air Arm Museum.

The "Empress of Richmond" was delivered to CP Air April 22, 1983.

This Invader was destroyed in a crash near Clinton, British Columbia on August 7, 1974

I wonder what prompted the msg placed above the fuel guages.

Former Winnipeg based Central Flying School Tutor joined the Snowbirds for the 1992 season. Remaining with the team in various positions until at least 2002, it was declared surplus by the Air Force in 2006. The aircraft has been mounted on a pole as Snowbird 1 next to Mac the Moose at the Tourism Moose Jaw building, Moose Jaw, SK since 2011.

Beautiful Skylane owned by my friend Mr Bernardus aka VE7AUO. Many Search and Rescue flights have been made by this a/c. Unfortunately this aircraft crashed and was destroyed, killing its pilot a few years later.

This is the bird dog a/c which directs the air tanker operation on the fire.

After serving with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1952 - 1960 as 53638, this Avenger worked as an air tanker with Skyway, then Conair and then Forest Protection Ltd. It was eventually acquired by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Pennsylvania and is registered as N109K and often seen on the air show circuit as a US Navy torpedo bomber.

Tanker 86 crashed while fighting a forest fire near Cranbrook, BC July 16, 2003. There were no survivors in the crash which left wreckage of the a/c spread over a large area, a tragic loss. This photograph is dedicated to the memory of the crew who perished.

This Electra was destroyed whilst conducting fire retardant drops near Cranbrook,British Columbia. The two pilots did not survive the crash which started a wildfire when it exploded upon crashing. The date of the crash was 16 July 2003, less than a month after I photographed it.

This Twin Otter was De Havilland Canada's demonstrator with the appropriate registration from roll out June 1976 to January 1977. Delivered to Northern Thunderbird in Febuary 1977, the aircraft was sold to Aklak Air in September 1985. It's still current with Aklak Air at the time of uploading, althought it's been registered to Kenn Borek Air since 1994. The two airrlines entered into an agreement where Aklak could draw from Borek's fleet as demand shifted during seasonal flying.

This 1950 Beaver was kept by De Havilland Canada for testing and demonstration until sold commercially in 1956. Northern Thunderbird flew it from 1974 until sold to St Cloud Aviation of Alaska in 1984. The rugged bushplane is still current in Alaska operating with Sportsman's Air Service registered N987SP.

Modified by the Canadian Department of Transport in 1961 adding a new nose extension with three glass panels and a belly camera port, this Twin Beech was used by the Province of British Columbia for aerial photography and survey until 1971. Taxiing out here with Northern Thunderbird, it was sold to the USA as N62936 in 1996.

Under repair after a take-off accident April 3, 1981 which damaged the belly. This Norseman was first delivered to the USAAF October 13, 1943 as 43-5237. Sent to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation on November 30, 1945 for disposal, it became N55555 flying many years in Alaska. After refurbishment (again) in 1992 it was donated to the Alaskaland Pioneer Air Museum, Fairbanks, Alaska where it remains on display.

This smart looking Beaver was originally delivered to the US Army as 53-2782 November 3, 1953. Released to the civilian market, it became N2843D working out of Fairbanks with Interior Airways. Coming to Canada in 1971 as CF-NML with Northern Mountain Airlines, Northern Thunderbird picked it up in 1976, by now changed to C-FNML. Exported to the USA July 1990 to become N6653K, it's still current on the US register.

This fixed gear Skymaster was with Whitecourt from 1982 to 1989.