Bob Diemert

[NWONT]

another shot

[NWONT]

Firefly after paint

[NWONT]

another shot

[Antique Pilot]

Bristol Bollingbroke

Google says this Boly was in Brasschaat Belgium in 1984. I did a search of all museums in Belgium and it doesn't show up.

AP

[NWONT]

The story I got, and many of my stories are wrong, that after the war there were many planes scattered over the prairies on farms. This was one of them. Some farmer asked Bob to get it off his property. Not much left of it. I have some other pictures of it on slides that I haven't had the patience to deal with. As I remember ther were bullet holes in this plane but a farmer could have put them there. Ray

[AirFrame]

@NWONT, minor nit, but it's "Fairey" not "Fairy".

[NWONT]

Thanks, Airframe...I ain't had much book learnin'............

[oa5599]

Fantastic pics! Thanks for posting.
Did he ever do anything with the Bollingbroke?

[NWONT]

I don't know but I don't think so. There wasn't much left of it. Bob wasn't a rich man. He made a bunch of money from his planes in the movie "Battle of Britton" but to get his planes home from the jungles of the South Pacific he made deals with the Canadian Navy for transportation.

[oa5599]

Yeah I'd heard that. Didn't the Val go to the National Museum in exchange for hercs transporting some of his aircraft back to canada?

[NWONT]

The story gets confusing and I'll probably f*#k it up....but.... my understanding is Bob promised a plane to someone in the Canadian Armed Forces for hauling some hulks back from the South Pacific. Transport Canada was watching what he was doing in Carmen as they weren't on speaking terms. Bob made arrangements with every farmer between Carman and whatever military base the plane was to go to so he could fly over their property at a low attitude. One day the plane Transport was watching was gone. After a search it was discover much later at the military base in Sask....or wherever. Apparently this was a legal flight because it was low and over private property. Maybe bullshit....I don't know...just what I heard. Bob didn't take much shit from anybody!!!!!

[Antique Pilot]

Yeah I'd heard that. Didn't the Val go to the National Museum in exchange for hercs transporting some of his aircraft back to canada?

Yes I believe that was the idea. The Val did go to the National at Rockcliffe. I don't recall when, probably early 1970's. The Val was traded to the Planes of Fame museum in Chino California. Apparently the POF had a helicopter that the National wanted more than the Val. I saw the Val at Carman in the late 60's since I used to hang around there. I next saw it at Chino in 1985 and again about 2005. It was not prominently displayed. It had a Wright R2600 installed. It would be great if the POF could resurrect the Val and make it flyable.

AP

[oa5599]

I was at Planes of Fame in 2015 and it was tucked in the back corner of the restoration hanger. You can just see it behind the bearcat. paper covering the canopies. Doesn't appear to have been much progress in the last few years. Apparently it requires a full resto and its low on the list behind several other aircraft. Maybe someday we'll see it back in the air.

[Beefitarian]

He is building a new plane for delivering pop and chips.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local ... 35671.html

[AirFrame]

Two year old article?

[Cat Driver]

Two year old article?

Yes about one of the most interesting members of the flying / restoring community.

It gives us a break from professional pilots arguing about why they don't want to wear parts of the uniform supplied by the company they accepted a job from.

Bob is a real breath of fresh air for some of us to read.

[Addicted4life]

Thank you for all the pics and stories folks. This is why I read this forum in the first place. All the bickering on the other threads is pretty toxic.

[AirFrame]

It gives us a break from professional pilots arguing...

Good point. Carry on.

[Beefitarian]

Sorry but, it was news to me. I am fascinated by the guy. He might do things a bit on the cheap but he makes things that fly, so good on him!

[oa5599]

http://www.pembinatoday.ca/2017/08/22/d ... ion-career