Canoe, Hunt, Fish, and Fly, by Otter

Dawn on the Icelandic River, Riverton. 

Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005. I was up early, due to the "Bush Pilot Alarm Clock" that rings off in my head every 4 AM. Today I was taking my son to a hockey camp in Gimli, for Bantam-aged prospects for the Interlake Lightning Midget "AAA" Hockey Team. We left home early, and headed for the rink.

I love hockey rinks, especially the smell, first thing in the morning. Looking at the fresh ice, before there is a blade mark on it, seeing the clock turned on, and watching the young lads "hit the ice", to me, is time well-spent. Anyways, all the boys were quite talented, and the coaches put them through some intensive drills. After an hour and a half, the boys were spent and would receive a 3 hour break before the next session on ice. We had lunch, and looked for an interesting place to kill some time. Guess where we went?


Shane underneath Curtiss Commando C-46 C-GIBX! 

I have posted previously about C-GIBX and sister ship C-GTPO, including this spring, when both aircraft were missing engines. Read about them here, Spring!! Finally!! These aircraft are owned by FNT First Nations Transportation Inc.. The aircraft serve communities in northern Manitoba and Ontario, hauling massive amounts of freight. We wanted to get a look inside, and were escorted by a FNT employee. So, how do you get over-sized freight "up north"? In a "C-46", of course!


A typical C-46 load, looking from the cargo door towards the cockpit. 


Look at this cockpit, WWII-era vintage! This is a real,
working airplane. What a beautiful sight!! 


Love that control-quadrant! 


A view from the cockpit rear-ward............. 


As we exited C-GIBX, a Canadair CL-215 belonging to the Manitoba Government taxied by............. 

I knew that FNT Transport owned a Douglas DC-3 also, but had never seen it. So, Shane and I went looking for it, and didn't have to go very far!


Shane scowls and faces into the wind from a "squall" that blew through while we were on the apron, in front of beautiful DC-3, CF-FTR!! 


I love these old airplanes. Big tail-draggers with radial engines! 


Not as big as the C-46, but nonetheless a thing of beauty! 


Two of my favourite "specimens"............ 


The DC-3 had two 895kW (1200hp) Pratt & Whitney R1830S1C3G Twin Wasp 14 cylinder twin row radial piston engines driving three-blade variable pitch propellers, or two 895kW (1200hp) Wright SGR1820 Cyclone nine cylinder radials. These are the Pratt and Whitney 1830s.
 


Technology 70 years old. I would love to fly it, and make noise, and spew oil! 

DC-3 SPECIFICATIONS

Powerplants

Two 895kW (1200hp) Pratt & Whitney R1830S1C3G Twin Wasp 14 cylinder twin row radial piston engines driving three blade variable pitch propellers, or two 895kW (1200hp) Wright SGR1820 Cyclone nine cylinder radials.

Performance

Max speed 346km/h (187kt), economical cruising speed 266km/h (143kt). Initial rate of climb 1130ft/min. Range with max fuel 2420km (1307nm), range with max payload 563km (305nm).

Weights

Typical operating empty 8030kg (17,720lb), max takeoff 12,700kg (28,000lb).

Dimensions

Wing span 28.96m (95ft 0in), length 19.66m (64ft 6in), height 5.16m (16ft 12in). Wing area 91.7m2 (987sq ft).

Capacity

Flightcrew of two. Seating for between 28 and 32 passengers at four abreast or 21 three abreast.

Production

10,655 built in the USA, including 430 for commercial operators prior to US entry to WW2. 2000 or so built in Russia under licence. More than 400 remained in commercial service by 1998.
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Then Shane and I figured, if we looked hard enough, we might find an old relic somewhere around the airport. Sure enough, it didn't take us long to find................


A Saunders ST-27 carcass! 

The Saunders ST-27 was a deHavilland Heron converted by Saunders Aircraft of Gimli, Manitoba, in the 1970s. Modifications to the aircraft included lengthening the fuselage and replacing the Heron's four Gypsy piston engines with two Pratt and Whitney turbines. The aircraft had (2) 770 HP Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turboprop engines with a cruising speed of 211 mph and a maximum range of 986 miles. The Saunders ST-27 is 58' 10" long and has a wingspan of 71' 6". Only 14 were ever produced, as financial backing dried up. Too bad.


Empty nacelles where the "Pratt" turbines should be............ 


Quite "skookum" nose-gear! 


Actually, a very sleek-looking airplane. 


Interior looking rear-ward, still in zinc chromate primer...
 


Cockpit bulkhead.......... 


Looking in the unfinished cockpit............. 

I looked at my watch. "Holy shit, Shane, let's head for the rink"! We burned rubber, and Shane dressed for his second session on the ice that day!

Anyways, Shane played in 2 inter-squad games Sunday, and it was a great experience during the weekend. I love the old radial-engined airplanes, and long for the days when the skies were full of them. As I sit and type, I must admit, this past weekend was time well-spent!

Till next time...........

"Kaun ba bi"!