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Pinocchio’s last flight & the Ontario area 8th to 12th May 2012. Ian Ellington

Early one morning in May I was going through my mails as most people do these days, when one stood out from the rest with regards to a certain aircraft’s last flight and type last flight in the world!! Basically I was that stunned that I had to walk out of the room have a word with myself, and then come back in to see if I was seeing things! “Hope the neighbours didn’t hear me!!” Anyway after a second look and climbing down from the ceiling I started mailing people to see if these rumours were true, and after a couple of hours I started to get some feedback, indeed the rumours were true!!, “Pratt and Whitney Canada’s flying test bed Boeing 720 C-FETB (Pinocchio) was heading to Trenton CFB on the 9th May for its last flight, “SWEET!!” so after putting to bed the rumours I started checking for flights, hotels and car hire.

A bit of history of the aircraft C-FETB Pinocchio (The eighth wonder of the world!!)  Built as a Boeing 720-023B (Construction number 18024 and Line number 177) was first flown 14/01/1961 and was one of 154 model 720s built from 1959 to 1967. N7538A got delivered to American Airlines on the 03/02/1961 and operated for them for just over ten years until being sold to Middle East Airlines as OD-AFQ on 28/09/1971. Operating for MEA it possibly was a regular visitor into London Heathrow in the 70s/early 80s until being replaced on that route by its bigger brother the 707. It was sold to Aviatek in the UK Dec 1985, and was then “I think” stored at London Stansted for a month before being sold to Pratt & Whitney Canada  in Jan 1986 as a flying test bed for their up and coming turboprop and turbofan engines. Based at Montreal St Hubert (CHYU) it replaced a Vickers Viscount which is still on display at a local college in Quebec. C-FETB, as it was now registered then went under the knife “as we say” for two years to be specially modified and then after, operated for more than two decades from 1988 to 2010 for the Quebec based company. Its Last flight for P&WC was on 29/09/2010, where it was stored until the future of the aircraft was assured and being replaced by a Boeing 747SP.

Eager to preserve this historically significant test bed aircraft, Pratt & Whitney Canada and the Canada Aviation & Space Museum came to an agreement that would see the 720 go on loan to the National Air Force Museum of Canada at the Canadian Air Force base Trenton Ontario, where it will be on display and even open to the public with prior arrangements, so with everything in place, it was now just the sorting of a certificate of airworthiness to get it to Trenton CFB and setting a date for the aircraft’s last flight. A date was set for 9th May 2012, leaving Montreal St Hubert at ETD 11.30am, and after doing a couple of fly bys for the employees heading off to arrive at Trenton CFB at 13.00pm, on arrival at Trenton AFB plans were for the classic ex airliner to do two fly bys, one high speed, one with the gear/flaps down then land and bring to an end the last ever flying Boeing 720!

Back to the trip
Now knowing the plan for the smoky one and having the day at Trenton sorted, I could now decide on the rest of this short trip when heading back to Toronto area for the remainder of the three days and see what places are worth visiting. Toronto Pearson seems obvious to most people, but hey “I’m not up for sitting and watching rows and rows of Air Canada / Westjet modern Airbus and Boeings for hours on end!! “Something I found out on my last day” (Quality to quantity is my motto any day of the week!!). Anyway the plan after landing at Toronto was to head straight over to Trenton via a couple of tasty places on the way! First was Oshawa and then Peterborough, and after Trenton was Toronto Buttonville and then two full days at Hamilton, while trying to fit in Toronto City and the final day Toronto Pearson. “Simples”

As for getting there, I really wanted to fly from a local Airport, but after checking the likes of KLM and B/AWs thought it was too much, so then tried Canadian Affair, who do flights with Air Transat etc, and who I knew operated from Newcastle! Only problem was the toons flight is on a Wednesday and I needed to be at Trenton on that particular day so next was Glasgow! As it happens the flights were very reasonable priced and the timings were spot on! Flying out on Tuesday 8th May returning Saturday 12th May, but also giving me a taste of flying on an Airbus A310 which was an added bonus, something I’ve not flown on!

Glasgow Airport Tuesday 8th May 2012

Very early start as my flight was at an ETD of 10.15am, so left the house at 03.45am to give me a bit of time etc. Anyway dropped the van off in a park and ride (www.bookFHR.com) (Recommend this Park & Ride) and headed round to the airport to check in, but after checking in I made the mistake of going straight through departures/security and sitting in one of the piers shooting arrivals through the glass and waiting for my ride to arrive as appose to walking round to see what was on the stands first! Wasn’t until we taxied out in my ride Air Transat Airbus A310 C-GSAT that to my horror was a Tanzanian DHC8-300 on delivery sat their on the ramp begging to be worked!!!! Not the best of starts to the trip and not the best of languages as well for the passenger sat next to me to hear!!!!! Think she was alright about it later when I got a drink down her neck and said sorry! Anyway the flight was a smooth and quiet 7 and quarter hours. Nice machine the A310, although the interior was looking a bit dated on this particular aircraft.
Only two aircraft worth a mention at Glasgow.
EC-HTS EMB120F Brasilia Swift Air
5H-ABG DHC8-300

On arrival at Toronto Pearson I didn’t really have time to blast round the perimeter so it was off to pick up my hire ride. “Jesus” I did ask for the smallest car but this was a tidy little Fiat 500 with an electric fold back roof! “Tasty” (came in handy for taking shots over the fence!!!! See later) anyway as mentioned earlier, I was planning on dropping into Oshawa and Peterborough on the way to Trenton, (one) it’s not much out of the way and (two) it would be rude not to pop in and work a couple of tasty aircraft that’s meant to be there?

Oshawa Tuesday 08/05/2012

Oshawa Airport is a small general aviation field with aircraft up to the size of commuters and executive jets etc, and is roughly 70kms out of Toronto so worth a visit. I was told there’s a Dakota, a Beech 18 and an Antonov AN2 based there. Anyway directions are heading out of Toronto on the freeway 401 East, after travelling about 55 kms turn left at exit 410 and head onto Brook Street north, after a couple of kms turn right onto Dundass Street east for 4 kms then another left turn onto Thornton road north and after another 4kms turn right onto Taunton road and then eventually right onto Airport Boulevard and airport on right. It takes about an hour depending on traffic. On arrival a quick Knock on the door of the FBO had a very attractive honey escort me out with full access to the hangers and ramp, even offered to open the Dakota up so I could look inside.
Loads of tins but the main interest was the following.

CF-OOW Douglas DC-3C Dakota (C/N 13342) ALCI Aviation with Enterprise Airlines titles
C-FZOP/C-FFEV/C-GRBP/N724AS Falcon 10’s + one other behind hanger on belly covered over! (Never seen so many Falcon 10’s at one airport!)
C-FPCZ Pilatus PC12
C-GFBR Antonov AN-2P
C-GBBS Beech 200
C-GFMP PA31T Cheyenne
C-GWBO PA23 Aztec
C-FCLO Beech E-18S (Carries fake registration of N-FCLO)
C-FASU Bell 206 Jet Ranger Durham Police

Peterborough Municipal Tuesday 08/05/2012

Peterborough Municipal is again a small general aviation field, but just had the runway extended and can now take aircraft up to the size of 737s etc, but most jets that visit here are heading to the Flying Colours facility who are specialists in converting Canadair Regional Jets to Challenger 850s, they also do respray and interior refits on Challenger aircraft. I was also told there's two Beech 99’s and a stored Dakota here, so hence why this place had to be visited, and not being too far off the beaten track, anyway, so leaving Oshawa, out of the airfield turn right onto Taunton road for 25kms and turn left onto ON-115 for about 38 kms, then a right turn onto county road and the airport exit a couple of kms down the road on right. Again about 65kms so roughly an hours travel depending Traffic. On arriving I headed straight round to Flying Colours facility, but unfortunately I didn’t get any access due to the guy I needed to see was in a meeting, but on the way out I poked my head into the hanger with two challengers and a Regional jet visible, cant remember the regs but one challenger had a real tasty colour scheme. I then had a stroll down to the small terminal building to see the duty officer who gave me a ramp tour so I could work the stuff of interest scattered around the field.
Of interest amongst the tins etc.

Ex C-GJDM Douglas C-47B Dakota (C/N 20721) on a long term restoration project as the owner is hoping to get it airworthy again.
C-FRIL Canadair Regional Jet 100 ex Jazz Air (Covered over as a Spares sauce) after being written off in a hard landing at Toronto back in 2007.
N203BH/N212BH Beech 99’s both ex Bar Harbour Airlines
N850PL Canadair Regional Jet 200/Challenger 850 (Stored awaiting sale?)
C-FUQZ Canadair Regional Jet 200/Challenger 850 Zhonggeng Group titles.
C-FDTP Beech 300 Super King Air
C-GKSI Pa31 Panther (some sort of survey aircraft as it had a camera in its tail)

After a tasty visit it was off to my hotel for the night, a Travelodge at Trenton Air Force Base. So I headed out from Peterborough Airfield turned left and back onto the ON-115 and after about 4 kms turned left onto the Trans Canada highway 28 South for about 30kms which brought me back onto the freeway 401 east again. After about 50 kms turn left (exit 522)onto the county road 40 south which takes you right into Trenton City and follow Dundass St east which leads you right passed the base.

Trenton CFB Wednesday 09/05/2012

If i'm honest didn’t get much sleep, probably the excitement of seeing a classic ending its days here or the fact in reality it might go Tec and then not see it at all!!!!!! Anyway Trenton CFB is the equivalent of the RAF’s Brize Norton, a transport base for the Canadian Air Force, not in the same league as Brize now though as their old Boeing 707s have now long gone and been replaced by Airbus A310 Polaris, and we still have the Victor Charles, however theirs still several C-130H Hercules around, and on the Friday 10th the last Super Herc “as the Canadians call them” was due for delivery to the Canadian Air Force.
I had been mailing Pierre Gillard (ATC at ST Hubert were the B720 was based) and the executive director Chris Colton (from the Can force museum Trenton) who kindly put me on the media/press list, so I was ecstatic to find out that I would be airside and also get inside this aircraft after it had landed, but the down side was it wasn’t going to be the best for the fly by and landing shots, so after a visit to the museum and a chat with Chris the plan was to head out to the approach and after landing head back round to the terminal to meet up with the media, get airside and work the beast after it had parked up. Anyway as I said earlier the car roof did come in handy as the fence on the perimeter was just too high to get over with the camera without steps etc, so parking up along the fence and opening the roof gave me the chance to stand on the seat and just get over the fence! Result!! “Im never gonna slate another Fiat again” So……all sorted and ready for action we just sat and waited now and were treated to some impressive touch and goes from a selection of aircraft belonging to the Canadian Air Force, in fact the only transport type we didn’t see fly was the Airbus A310 Polaris, touch and goes and fly bys from several Hercules a CC-177 Globemaster and even a challenger in for training! But time was getting on and at 1pm no sign of this classic down the approach, then news started filtering round Pinocchio had been delayed due to weather at St Hubert and was not due now until 3pm! Time soon went by shooting the Hercs and Globemaster on go a round’s until on the horizon roughly at 3.10pm! SMOKE!!!!!!! What a sight it was on approach and with the relief that it was here, I had to now compose myself to work this as it done its first fly past, a fast one at that! Followed by a slow one with gear and flaps down, then for its final landing and bringing to an end Boeing 720s operations! Having no time to dwell though, it was like wacky races as several cars started up and burned some rubber heading round to the terminal, I wasn’t to sure where I was going so I followed at the back in the little fiat. Once we got round it was straight through the terminal doors and onto the ramp where Pinocchio was sat with all the local press and media around her. Now began a handover ceremony where after the aircraft was open to us to have a look round. I later had a bit of crack with the crew who told me the aircraft had one more landing and then needed a wing spar replacement, but other than that the aircraft was in good shape! “So….. no chance of a last circuit then Mr pilot???” To which you can guess his answer was! Anyway after 90 minutes working this beast at every angle inside and out it was time to say farewell and head back to Toronto where my next three nights were going to be. Sad day but happy one as a similar aircraft operated by Honeywell in Phoenix didn’t get to go to a museum and got the JCBs bucket instead a couple of years ago!!

All Canadian Air Force
15001/15002/15003/15004 Airbus A310/CC-150 Polaris
130308/130311*/130314*/130317*/130319/130323 Lockheed CC-130E Hercules (note * all stored beside runway 24 with bits missing etc)
130335/130341 Lockheed CC-130H Hercules
130344 Lockheed CC130H-30 Hercules
130601/130602/130610/130612/130613/130614/130616/ Lockheed CC-130J-30 Super Hercules
17702/17703 MDD CC-177 Globemaster
144614 Canadair CC-144B Challenger
C-GDNH/C-GDVF Beech 200 Super King Air’s
And last but not least
**C-FETB Boeing 720-023B (Pinocchio)
I won’t do a list of the excellent Canadian Air Force Museum at Trenton as you can see it all here on the link below, but well worth a visit as I’ve never seen a CP-107 Argus before, (Bristol Britannia Copy with piston engines) and Halifax, some nice exhibits and well spaced out for good shots! http://airforcemuseum.ca/en/aircraft-2

Well that was it, excitement over and back onto the freeway 401 west bound, for the 2 hr trip back to Toronto!! I just about had enough time to pop into Toronto Buttonville before dark though, so made the effort.

Toronto Buttonville Wednesday 09/05/2012

Buttonville is the general field for the Toronto area and as you can imagine is a busy place, again probably the biggest types of aircraft are going to be biz that you’ll see here. Very easy to get to off the 401, exit 375 onto the 404 northbound Don Valley Parkway taking exit 29 after 12 kms, and airport will be on your right. I didn’t have much luck here with regards to access as it was getting late, so just drove round the perimeter and worked what I could, Loads of tins and the following of interest.
N815AF Pilatus PC12
N450JG Learjet 45
N30DF PA31 Navajo
C-FETN DHC,2 Turbo Beaver Mk3 (on Floats)
N179SL Piaggio P180 Avanti
C-FRIK PA61 Aerostar
+ a couple of Falcon 20s and a Ce500 Citation which I couldn’t get to!!

My next three nights was at a hotel 2 kms from Toronto Airport and right on the freeway 401, so ideal for getting a quick start. As I mentioned earlier im not one for sitting at main airports and watching loads of the main carrier’s modern aircraft coming and going, so id decided to have two days at Hamilton. Hamilton is about 70 kms south of Toronto and a bit on the lines of East Midlands in that it’s a main cargo hub, although no way as busy as EMA. What you do get still at Hamilton is the classic cargo aircraft that you don’t get now at East Midlands anymore, Boeing 727’s/DC8’s/DC10’s/props and even bizjets that carry car parts etc! So for me well worth the visit. Kelowna are based with their with a fleet of Boeing 727-200s and DC10s, so you’ll always get a couple on the ground even if you just pass through on a short visit, anyway for me though I was spending all day their, and not a lot happens during the course of the day, the odd cargo flight coming and going and Westjet who have a couple of Boeing 737s based their.

I’d been checking www.flightaware.com before I headed out to Canada and all the time while I was out their as you can then get an idea what’s due in daylight hours at Hamilton, so the long days their were made even longer by the early starts I had, first day leaving the hotel at 05.30am and second day at 04.30am!! Although it’s only 50 minutes from the hotel to the Hamilton Airport, there was some tasty movements from 5.30am just as the sun was rising so well worth making the effort with the early starts, a couple of Boeing 727s a DHL DC8 in every midweek morning at 6am, and what ever turns up which sometimes isn’t on flight aware until just before its arrival, so a bonus!! Also at Hamilton for the war bird freaks amongst us is a fantastic museum with the other airworthy Lancaster, which is just getting repaired as its had a bit of a mishap when the wing tip folded over during flight, thankfully the crew got it back down to safety. Still looks magnificent though. So………..the plan was to get their early work stuff coming and going while heading round and do the ramps in-between the quiet periods, “which some times was worse than our own DTV!!!!!”
As for directions to Hamilton from Toronto, Easy, just head from 401 west to 403 west then to the QEW heading to Niagara falls/Hamilton and then hit the 403 again then 08, its all sign posted anyway from leaving the QEW for

Hamilton Thursday 10/05/2012

A fantastic place to head for runway shots is to head back out of the airport and turn right, head passed the Kelowna hanger for about half a mile then as you go into a bit of a dip into the road theirs a cross roads, turn right their and it takes you to the perimeter where you come out alongside the runway, the road then turns right and heads parallel with the runway until it stops at a crash gate where theirs a pull in!!! The fence is just too high though so you do need steps, or in my case a Fiat 500!!!!! The sun is fantastic from mid morning until sunset, but there are places to go on the other side of the runway for shots early on the morning, which I didn’t bother with if I'm honest.

C-FRJZ IAI-1125A Astra SPX
C-GTDO Gulfstream G100
C-GCJB/GCJN/ Boeing 727-200F’s Cargojet
N204TW Falcon 20F Ameristar
C-FTWJ/GGWJ/GYWJ Boeing 737-700 Westjet
C-GWRG Boeing 737-800 Westjet
N377SC Falcon 2000
N159EC Learjet 45
C-GGKF/GMKF Boeing 727-200F’s Kelowna (Purolator Colours)
C-GWKF Boeing 727-200F Kelowna (Purolator Titles)
C-GCNZ Boeing 737-300 Canadian North
VP-BAJ Boeing 727-30(RE) (WFU and used by Mohawk College)
C-GKFD/GKFT Douglas DC10-30F’s Kelowna
C-GKFA/GKFB Douglas DC10-30F Kelowna (Purolator Titles)
N413UP Boeing 757-200F UPS
N873SJ Douglas DC8-73F Astar/DHL
C-GSKA/GSKU/ Beech 1900 Sky Link
C-FGXX Be90 King Air
C-GRJR Piaggio P180 Avanti
I decided to leave at around 6pm as there wasn’t anything of interest due until after dark, so I headed off to do Toronto City (Toronto Island Airport).

Toronto City (Island) Thursday 10/05/2012

Not the best of places for photos during the day but apparently a good spot is to board the ferry (which is past the terminal ferry) and head to Toronto Islands Park south side of the airport where you can take shots with Toronto city and the CN tower in the background. That’s during the day of course but by the time I got their it was 7pm; the sun was well round so I just decided to go onto the free ferry that takes you across to the Airport. I was hoping that the stored DHC7’s where still their as I’d not spoken to anyone with regards to these beasts. Anyway on parking the car and jumping on the ferry I could see three examples of the type! Unfortunately the two tasty ones (Basic Arkia Colours) were no good for shots being blocked in by tins etc! However one was ok for a shot although in a basic all white scheme. I then did the usual knocking on doors but had no luck as everyone had left. Anyway Toronto City is a busy place with Porter and Air Canada Express DHC8-400s coming and going all the time.
Directions from Hamilton. Head out of the airport and onto the 08 west then 403 west and QEW then look for the lake shore Boulevard west, simples! Roughly about an hour depending on traffic.

C-GGXS DHC, 7
C-GNUY/GYTZ DHC7’s (Basic Arkia Colours)
C-GKQC/GLQC/GLQD//GLQO DHC, 8-400’s Porter
C-FSRN/FSRW DHC, 8-400 Air Canada Express
C-GYNN Agusta AW139 Orange Helicopters
C-GCYB Ce441 Conquest

Hamilton Friday 11/05/2012

I decided to leave the hotel at 04.30am and get to Hamilton in plenty of time having missed the DHL DC8 landing yesterday by 5 minutes. A local who I spent the two mornings with told me the sun is up by 5.15am and ok for shots, so glad I did as I got classic in the shape of a Convair CV5800!!! A stretched Convair CV580 arriving and departing, while also getting the DC8 (N873SJ)and a couple of Boeing 727s! After about 8am it went really quiet so off went the local and I headed off to a Subway which is near one of the FBO’s at the airport for breakfast.

C-GLKF/GQKF/GXKF Boeing 727-200F Kelowna (Purolator Colours)
C-GKKF Boeing 727-200F Kelowna (Purolator Titles)
N361FL Convair CV5800 IFL Group
C-FCJI*/FCJP*/GUJC/ Boeing 727-200F Cargojet (*WFU/Spares)
C-FDOL Bombardier BD100 Challenger 300
C-FRWK Mitsubishi MU2B-60
N71MT/N652FC Eclipse EA-500’s
C-GKGA/GSKM/GSKU Beech 1900 Sky Link
C-FHGA/GEGA Ce208B Caravan
C-GAJS/GLNL Learjet 35A’s
146419 Bell 412 Canadian Armed Forces (Visiting Museum for dinner!!!)
130319 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (“ “ “ “ “ “ “ “)
C-FWSI/GWJG Boeing 737-700’s Westjet
C-FKCJ Boeing 757-200F Cargojet
C-GBFO Pa31T Cheyenne (WFU used by local College)
N818CK Learjet 25A Kallita Charters LLC
N827AA Falcon 20F USA Jet
C-FXZY Yak 52

Another quiet day with the odd tasty movement, so after checking Flight aware, a classic biz (Westwind) was due in at 15.20pm. So thought I’ll hold on for that then head to Toronto Pearson as nothing later was due at Hamilton, “well before dark anyway!” Unfortunately the Westwind got delayed so gave it 30 minutes but it did a no show! So just headed off.

Toronto Pearson Friday 11/05/2012

Probably not the best of time to be heading towards Toronto (4pm) as it took me nearly two hours to get to the Airport, anyway I headed straight round beside the Fed Ex facilities which is on Derry Road and is a good place to shoot aircraft climbing out and rolling off runway 23. Classic Shots of the heavies rotating in the late afternoon sun can be had from here, probably from 3pm till sunset id reckon?? Stayed here for an hour then headed round to the FBOs just before dark and managed to get access into one Hanger/ramp for the biz etc!

N572FE/N615FE McDonnell Douglas MD11Fs Fed Ex
C-GPDJ Piaggio P180 Avanti
C-FDKL Hawker 800
C-GBIS BAe 125-800A
C-GHYD IAI-1124 Westwind
C-GBBB G1159A Gulf 3
C-GRGE Falcon 50
C-GEPG Falcon 2000
C-FEXB/FEXV/FEXY Ce208 Caravan’s Fed Ex
C-FMJM/GQCC Ce550 Citation Bravo’s
C-GKZL Ce560 Citation Encore
C-FTIU/FTJN Raytheon 390 Premier
VP-BMB Falcon 900
N349PH DHC, 8-200
C-FHGA Ce208B Caravan
N420BG Learjet 55
C-FTEN Ce750 Citation 10
VT-JWJ Airbus A330-200 Jet Airways
SP-LPG Boeing 767-300 LOT Polish Airlines
PH-AOA Airbus A330-200 KLM

Toronto Pearson Saturday 12/05/2012

Today was going to be a bit of a chilled out day and not expecting to see anything tasty, had a bit of a lie inn! First stop was runway 23 where you can park at a Wendy’s car park (Airport Road) and work stuff landing or even taxiing out as the sun was perfect for aircraft taxiing by just before they lined up. But the problem is that 23 isn’t the main arrivals runway so was fairly quiet on aircraft landing. After a couple of hours working stuff taxing out I decided to head to the the main arrivals runway which was 24 today, easy to find places down here as theirs a industrial estate and I just drove around until I found a tasty place, again just follow Airport Road until you go under the approach and look out for the likes of the Aviation Shop and a couple of strip bars on the left!! Tasty!!!! Shots are ok their until about 2/3pm when the sun gets round the other side, so then just head back along Airport Road again and look for a Arizona Bar on the right!! Theirs a big car park and waste ground which is where I stayed the rest of the day checking the local honeys out as they went to work in the strip club, and obviously working the hoards of Air Canada Airbus and Westjet Boeing 737s so I won’t list the common stuff below!

C-GCGS BAe 125-800A
HL7764 Boeing 777-200 Korean Air
C-FLZR Boeing 737-800 Thomson Airways/Sunwing
C-FTAH*/FTDW/GTVF*/GTVG*/GVVH* Boeing 737-800 Sunwing (*Basic Travel Service Colours)
I-DEIG Boeing 767-300 Alitalia
D-AIGV Airbus A340-300 Lufthansa
B-6509 Airbus A340-600 Hainan Airlines
D-AIHK Airbus A340-600 Lufthansa
C-FORB/GCPM G1159 Gulf 4
TC-JJP Boeing 777-300 Turkish Airlines
PH-AOC Airbus A330 KLM
OE-LAT Boeing 767-300 Austrian
C-FUAA Boeing 737-800 Jetair/Sunwing
N545FX Bombardier BD100 Challenger 300
N311QS Ce680 Citation Sovereign
C-GKWQ Piaggio P180 Avanti
EI-??? Boeing 777-200 Transaero

My flight back to the UK was a late one, departing at 22.45pm which got me back into Glasgow at a shade after 09.30am!! Again a great smooth flight aboard C-GPAT Airbus A310 of Air Transat in a quick 5hrs 45mins, which brought to an end a very enjoyable and successful trip. It was just now though driving back home and trying to keep my eyes open as I don’t sleep well on overnight flights!!
Hope I’ve not rabbitted on too much so thanks for reading if your still here, but also a big thanks goes out to the guys who without their help, would have seen miss a classic on its last flight!!

Chris Colton Executive Director (Canadian Air Force Museum)
Pierre Gillard (St Hubert Montreal ATC)
Kenneth I Swartz (Aviation Writer)
Andrew Cline (The Aviation shop at Toronto Airport)
“Thanks Guys!!”

Cheers
Ian Ellington

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