RCAF History Forum

[beech 18]

December 29, 2014

The Beech 18 over the prairies.

[Moose47]

G'day Beech

Thanks, you just made my day!

Do you need any wartime history on this aircraft? I have the record cards as well.

Take care and hope to see more of this beauty.

Cheers...Chris

[Old Dog Flying]

Now if only I had a 1:32 scale kit of the Bug Smasher......

Barney

[beech 18]

Dec 30, 2014

Moose47

It would be nice to know the history of this Beech.
I found the photo on the web and there was no information included.

I did notice that there is no Plexiglas bubble on the top of the fuselage.

Also it has frost shields on the two cockpit sliding windows.
The interior of the Beech was a bit cold in the winter.



Old Dog Flying

A 1:32 scale model would be very nice.

[Antique Pilot]

RCAF Beech Expeditor 3T 1391 was TOS 18.8.44. It was SOS 19.3.62. It then went to France under a mutual aid program.

AP

[paul.baker8]

The Canadair shown was taken in Gibraltar very late 1950's early 1960's. My Shell crew fuelled it.

[beech 18]

Feb 20, 2015

Moose47

I came across a Beech 18 parked in a hangar with a different paint scheme
that is normally seen on R.C.A.F. Beechcrafts.

This Beech was probably painted in the late 1960's or early 1970's?

The lightning bolt was painted above the cabin windows instead of though
the cabin windows as normally seen.

On the fuselage below the windows was painted Air Transport Command.

Was that paint scheme unique to one group or was it common in the R.C.A.F.

Searching on the internet I found the attached photo but no details about
the different lightning bolt.

The photo had below it C-45 Expiditor RCAF serial #1534 A0-N.

[Moose47]

G'day Beechy

It is a Beechcraft Expediter Mk. 3TM from No. 412 'Falcon' (T) Squadron. The squadron was assigned VIP duties while based at R.C.A.F. Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. The aircraft is shown wearing the short-lived VC codes. (VC-AON)

I will finish this up later today after I come back from my grandson's hockey game.

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day Beechy

The short-lived 5 letter aircraft registration was in response to I.C.A.O. Canada was the only country whose military adopted this system. It was implemented between May 1947 and November 1951. The system was very unpopular and an administrative night mare. So, your photo was taken between the two aforementioned dates.

Cheers

[Moose47]

G'day Beechy

"This Beech was probably painted in the late 1960's or early 1970's?"

The original Royal Canadian Air Force ceased to exist effective on the 1st of February, 1968.

Cheers...Chris

[Old Dog Flying]

If you look at the fins you will see the old WW2 type fin flash which would have been changed by 1952 to the Red Ensign flag. I could look up the change-over date but these old eyes are too bloody tired

Barney

[beech 18]

Feb 22, 2015

Moose47 and Old Dog Flying

Thanks for the information you have provided about the R.C.A.F. Beech.

Attached is a photo of the Beech 18 I mentioned with the lightning bolt painted above the windows.

I can't see any markings on the aircraft at all.
I was also trying to find out where this may have been taken. It is from a photo collection from years ago.
Any possible information you may be able to add.

The aircraft has been parked for some time because of the dust, etc on the fuselage.
The DC-3 in the background looks like there is no paint on it.

[Moose47]

G'day Beechy

I think it and the Dakota have been taken out of service pending disposal. To get that much dust on an aircraft would take a long time. I blew the photo up and noticed the Expediter is packed full of stuff. Did you happen to notice on the starboard wing, someone has written AMAP in the dust? I'm trying to find out if it is an acronym or part of someone's name. I wish I could get at least two digits but there is nothing. The Dakota looks like its been stripped as well. Difficult to say where the photo was taken. Do you have more photos you can post?

Cheers...Chris

[Moose47]

G'day Barney

The R.C.A.F. started to use the Red Ensign circa June 1956. It replaced the tri-colour fin flash.

Cheers...Chris

[beech 18]

Feb 2, 2015

Moose47

Again thanks for the information and help.

That is the only photo I have of that aircraft or hangar.
It was sent to me by a friend whose Dad had the photo stored away.

His Dad has passed away and we were trying to find out where it might have
been taken. The Beech with the different paint scheme was one thing we
noticed right away. I saw the AMAP writing in the dust. I don't know
what that means either.

[ejwalshe]

Member pei posted a photo of B9700 back on Aug 9, 2014.

This photo of B9700 was taken at RCAF Grostenquin in 1963.

B9700

109-4.jpg (45.85 KiB) Viewed 4896 times

My father Fl/Lt Edward John Walshe was navigator on this aircraft November 7, 1963. Captain was Fl/Lt Anderson.

LFQG-LFQM, LFQM-EGKK, EGKK-LFQM, LFQM-LFQG (Grostenquin, Marville, Prestwick, Marville, Grostenquin); total flying time 6h 45min.

[beech 18]

April 21, 2015

Moose47

A photo of a few Harvard aircraft in flight.
This was from an old photo collection and I don't know where it was taken.
Looks like snow on the ground.

Would you have any information on the history of this aircraft.

[Moose47]

G'day Beechy

First off, if you have any more gems like that, please post them.

The aircraft is a North American Aviation Harvard Mk. II. s/n 3079. It was taken on strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 6th of August 1941. During the war, it served with No. 14 Service Flying Training School at Aylmer, Ontario. It was involved in two accidents while with this school. Post-war, it was converted to a Mk. IIA (armed version with wing mounted .303 calibre machine guns, fitted to fire rockets or drop bombs) and served with No. 400 'City of Toronto' (F) Squadron at R.C.A.F. Station Downsview. It was struck off strength with the R.C.A.F. on the 11th of October, 1958 and then transferred to the Italian Air Force under Mutual Aid.

Cheers...Chris

[beech 18]

April 23, 2015

Moose47

Thankyou for the information about the Harvard photo.

The picture came from the same collection that the photo of the
Beech 18 in the hangar came from that I had posted in February.

They are from a friend whose Dad had taken them when he was in
the R.C.A.F. and has since passed away.

[NunavutPA-12]

I've not had a chance to peruse this entire thread, and perhaps someone has already mentioned this, but let's not forget that many Canadian lads were seconded to the RAF.

My father enlisted at No. 5 Manning Depot, Lachine, Quebec, trained at Mont Joli and served in 578 Squadron, 4 Group, as a rear gunner in a Halifax.