March 04, 2013
Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise operation from the late 1960's to 1974.
Beech 18 CF-YQB arrived in Sioux Lookout in the summer of 1969. She was painted
in the Royal Canadian Air Force paint scheme with the bare metal fuselage, white top,
red wing tips and red vertical stabs with the lightning bolt down the sides of the fuselage.
The horizontal stab was bare metal. The name Severn Enterprise - Sioux Lookout, Ontario
was painted on both sides of the fuselage. The aircraft was fitted with a brand new set
of Bristol Floats.
In the summer of 1970 the cartoon character "The Road ." was painted on each side
of the nose of the aircraft by an artist / painter who lived in Sioux Lookout.
Before float season in 1973 the aircraft was repainted in the Superior Airways / Severn Enterprise
paint scheme with the white top, wide gold stripe down the sides of the fuselage, and
red wing tips and vertical stabs. The horizontal stab remained bare metal. The Road
. on the nose was removed when YQB was repainted.
CF-YQB worked most of its life out of Sioux Lookout. This Beech 18 was always on floats.
It was stored behind the office at the water base in Sioux at the end of each float season.
It was never operated on skis by Mr. Wieben.
YQB did not have a cargo door. Even with no cargo door YQB never missed a beat. The
cabin door and door frame were squared off at the bottom so loading freight was no
problem in most cases. This Beech hauled everything she was called upon to move.
Plywood, two by fours, 45 gallon drums, boats, fisherman, hunters, quarters of moose,
and anything else that would go inside or could be tied on the outside. This Beech always
had the boat rack installed and it was used a lot.
The cabin interior of YQB had the original Canadian Air Force green leather walls and ceiling.
It had one fold up bench seat down the right side. The back of the cabin still had the small
compartment that would have been used in its prior life as a washroom. In its new life it
was used to store the emergency equipment and ropes, etc.
I do not recall any serious accidents or incidents that YQB was involved in. In the summer
of 1971 she was hauling a load of freight north out of Sioux Lookout when a cylinder on the
left engine failed. It landed on a river approx. 230 miles north of Sioux and waited for the
maintenance crew to arrive and replace the cylinder. Once replaced the aircraft carried
on north to deliver its load of freight.
The aircraft was fitted with the spar mode in the early spring of 1974 in Armstrong, Ontario.
The aircraft arrived back in Sioux Lookout in May for summer float season.
One point about CF-YQB. Every pilot that flew YQB liked her. They all said it was the best
performing Beech 18 on floats that they ever flew. She got off the water quickly and had
a fast cruising speed. It was fitting that the Road . was painted on the sides of the
aircraft nose.
After 1974 I believe that YQB was operated out of Pickle Lake. I am not sure what became
of this Beech 18 after it left Mr. Wieben's fleet.
YQB was a fine aircraft and sure looked nice coming off the water in Sioux Lookout.
A photo of CF-YQB coming into the dock at the water base in Sioux Lookout.
The boat rack is installed and the Road . can be seen painted on the nose.
This was taken at the end of the day and by the way the floats are sitting in
the water, the aircraft is empty.
This photo was taken in 1971.
