Bellanca Aircruiser CF-AWR

[Antique Pilot]

IMG_9343.JPG (123.52 KiB) Viewed 10269 times

IMG_0001.jpg (517.62 KiB) Viewed 10269 times

On Jan 24 1947 CF-AWR experienced an engine failure and landed in the bush 130 miles north of Sioux Lookout not too far from Cat Lake. The aircraft was salvaged by the Western Canada Aviation Museum in 1974. It has been undergoing restoration by volunteers off and on for the past 41 years and is close to being completed. While in service with Mackenzie Air Services in the mid to late 1930's it transported pitchblende ore from Great Bear Lake to Ft. MacMurray. The ore was then shipped by rail to the USA. Pic # 1 taken today Pic # 2 taken 1970.

AP

[beech 18]

January 10, 2015

Antique Pilot

Any idea when AWR may go on display in the museum?
Are they looking at a certain date or just once completed?

[Antique Pilot]

January 10, 2015

Antique Pilot

Any idea when AWR may go on display in the museum?
Are they looking at a certain date or just once completed?

They do not have a specific date in mind. Lack of room to display it now is a problem.

Cheers,
AP

[Antique Pilot]

Ronnie Morrison removing a part on the firewall from CF-AWR to help keep Hooker Air Services's Bellanca Aircruiser CF-BTW operational, summer 1970.

AP

[DHC2eater]

Hi AP....

I'm heading down the west coast next week and was going to stop in to see BTW.....apparently it's moved inland somewhere....do you know if it's still available for viewing and where.?

Eater

[Antique Pilot]

Hi AP....

I'm heading down the west coast next week and was going to stop in to see BTW.....apparently it's moved inland somewhere....do you know if it's still available for viewing and where.?

Eater

They were trying to re-engine BTW with a Wright R1820. Just a guess but it may be at the place where the Spruce Goose is kept. McMinville (sp?) Oregon. Or possibly at Beaverton where Erickson Skycrane is based. I was not aware that it was moved. Good catch.

AP

[beech 18]

Feb 20, 2015

A collection of photographs displayed in the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg
of Bellanca Aircruiser CF-AWR.

[Johnny#5]

Pretty big machine really

[Siddley Hawker]

It was indeed, it had a Wright 1820 in the nose.

Several years ago I built this model of BKV in Mackenzie Air Service titles for a friend in Whitehorse.

[Johnny#5]

What kind of plane was on the Mackenzie logo, if anything? When did they operate the Aircruisers?

[Antique Pilot]

It was indeed, it had a Wright 1820 in the nose.

Several years ago I built this model of BKV in Mackenzie Air Service titles for a friend in Whitehorse.

CF-BKV was re-engined with a P&W R-1690 Hornet in 1944.

AP

[NWONT]

CF-BTW is displayed in a museum in Tillamook Oregon. In 1975 I noticed a bunch of new cylinders on a pallet in our hanger in Gimli Manitoba. Seems Standard Aero-Engine in Winnipeg was cleaning out the warehouse and gave them to Barney Lamm as he had the only still operating P&W Hornet.

[Antique Pilot]

Just curious could or would this piece of aviation art, it really is a unique configuration be considered a biplane. I expect the additional surfaces generate lift even with the anhedral and dihedral(sp ?).

It is not considered a bi-plane. The wing design is called a "Sesqui-plane" Sesqui is a combining form meaning one and a half. Yes the lower panels would develop considerable lift.

AP

[Antique Pilot]

What kind of plane was on the Mackenzie logo, if anything? When did they operate the Aircruisers?

The aircraft in the logo is a Fairchild 45-80 Sekani. Only 2 were built by Canadian Fairchild in 1937. Mackenzie Air Services operated CF-BHE on a trial basis in 1938. Both aircraft were scrapped in 1938.

Mackenzie Air Services operated CF-AWR from 1935-1939, CF-BTW from 1941-1943, CF-BKV from 1938-1942.

Mackenzie Air services was one of the companies merged in 1942-43 to form Canadian Pacific Airlines. The Bellanca's were operated by CPA for a few more years.

AP

[Siddley Hawker]

The British Yukon Navigation Company also operated an Aircruiser, CF-BLT, out of Whitehorse, in the 1930's. It burned in a hangar fire in the late 1930's I think - I'm too lazy to go look it up in Bob Cameron's book. Here's a model of it in a pan of water on Cameron's patio, with a shot of the marge of Lake Labarge as background.

[beech 18]

Feb 21, 2015

Siddley Hawker

Beautiful models of the Bellanca Aircruisers CF-AWR and CF-BLT.

[Antique Pilot]

The British Yukon Navigation Company also operated an Aircruiser, CF-BLT, out of Whitehorse, in the 1930's. It burned in a hangar fire in the late 1930's I think - I'm too lazy to go look it up in Bob Cameron's book. Here's a model of it in a pan of water on Cameron's patio, with a shot of the marge of Lake Labarge as background.

CF-BLT burned up in the hangar fire Dec 9, 1940. Beautiful models by the way.

AP

[Siddley Hawker]

Thanks AP. There are a few inconsistencies. I did everything by the instructions instead of treating them as someone else's opinion and the horizontal stab turned out too thick.

[LousyFisherman]

and the horizontal stab turned out too thick.

That'll buff right out

Awesome pics from all

LF

[Geophy]

I have been going through pictures and other records taken by my father in the 1930's to 1950's in the NWT. He was a prospector who worked for Consolidated Mining and Smelting (CM&S). CM&S had a total of 25 bush planes over the years. CM&S trained many geologists to be pilots. Therefore I have a number of pictures of bush planes. I have two pictures of Bellanca CF-BTW. One picture shows the plane crashed in bush with damage to the front. Mackenzie Air Services is written on the side. The second picture shows the aircraft with the wings off and the engine removed, still in the bush. I have researched the internet and archives and have not seen pictures like these. The only indication of a crash I have found suggested that it had a problem in July 1941.

I would like to know where the crash occurred and the actual date.

The third crash picture I have shows Noorduyn Norseman CF-EIH which crashed August 25, 1947 at Allan Lake, NWT. The picture shows only the tail sticking out of the water. I also have the letter my father sent to my mother describing the crash which took place in front of his camp. There were five men on board and they all survived.

It is interesting that these two planes are in museums today.