Thursday, May 28, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #107" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the "Predator" MQ-1 UAV! Chris wins the "sailboat fuel"!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the "Predator" MQ-1 UAV! Chris wins the "sailboat fuel"!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
RCAF "Veteran", and "batwing-flapped" Otter, check out her "salty", "explosive" demise!
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 32
Otter 32 was delivered to the RCAF on 22nd March 1954 with serial 3674. It was allocated initially to the Station Flight at Trenton Air Base, Ontario. It was recorded arriving in the Falconbridge, Ontario area on 26th June 1955 to assist in the search for a missing person on Lake Wanapitec. It was posted in July 1955 to 408 Squadron at Rockcliffe. With the squadron it flew north to assist in the unit's tasks in Quebec and Labrador. After flying with 408 Squadron for the summer, it went to No.6 Repair Depot for storage in October 1955, returning to 408 Squadron in April 1956. It is mentioned in the Squadron's history operating out of Knob Lake (Schefferville, Quebec) during the early summer of 1956, and on 7th July VC994, the Goose Bay-based C-47 arrived at Knob Lake with a crew for 3674, which then flew to Goose, out of where it was to operate for the rest of the summer.
3674 suffered a mishap on 12th October 1956 while taking off from Rigolet, Labrador with five persons on board. During the run-up prior to taking off from a rough sea in high winds, the port wing rose and the starboard float sank until the wing touched the water. A flooded compartment in the right float contributed to the incident. Some damage to the ailerons and flaps occurred. On 16th October, the Otter was towed the length of Lake Melville back to Goose Bay by a USAF barge, and repaired.
The following month, the Otter flew south and went on loan to DHC from November 1956 until February 1962. Based at Downsview, it was used for STOL research. At one stage it was fitted with huge 'batwing' flaps, mounted on a ground test rig, and had tufting fitted to show the effect of airflow on the flight surfaces. After the tests, it was returned to conventional configuration. On 9th May 1961 it went into storage at Dunville, before being allocated on 27th July 1961 to 12 TSU, De Havilland, who prepared the Otter for return to RCAF service. On 16th February 1962 the Otter was assigned to the Central Experimental Proving Establishment (CEPE) at Uplands, Ottawa for what is described in the records as a “Telecom Evaluation”. It was fitted with a set of amphibious floats (taken from Otter 3689). Photographs of the Otter during this period show it in Rescue marks with “Air Material Command” titles.
There followed quite a number of different postings for the Otter. On 16th May '62 it went to the Cold Lake Station Flight, Cold Lake, Alberta and then on 18th January 1963 it arrived at Rockcliffe and joined the Air Force Headquarters Piston Training Flight, where it flew alongside the Flight's Expeditors and Dakotas. The amphibious floats were taken off 6th September '63 (and installed on Otter 3673) and 3674 reverted to an Otter on wheels. It continued in use with the Piston Training Flight until 31st March 1964 when it transferred to the RCAF base at Uplands, Ottawa for use by the Headquarters Training Flight. On 9th April 1965 it was re-assigned to 402 Squadron, Winnipeg but was actually based at Armstrong, Ontario servicing a Mid Canada Line radar site. The radar station was located near to Armstrong on the northern shore of Lake Nipigon and had its own flight of Otters, detached from other units, mostly from 402 Squadron, Winnipeg.
On 28th May 1965 the Otter returned to the Headquarters Training Flight at Uplands but on 23rd June '65 flew to Trenton before heading north for Goose Bay and service with its Station Flight on 12th August '65. Here it remained until 11th October 1966 when it was re-assigned to 438 Squadron at St.Hubert, Quebec which was to be its last posting. 438 “City of Montreal” Squadron was one of the auxiliary squadrons, flying Otters and Beech Expeditors. The Otter's service with 438 Squadron was to last little more than a year. On 7th January 1968, 3674 was engaged on a navigation training cross-country flight from its base at St.Hubert. The pilot was on a ski training exercise and after performing circuits and landings on a bay, he proceeded to Lake Memphremagog, Quebec where he flew a standard “strange lake landing pattern”.
After two touch-and-go landings, the Otter was landed on the ice. While taxying for take-off, one ski broke through the ice, which then gave way and the Otter sank. The two crew members evacuated the aircraft through the rear door and managed to reach firm ice. They had no time to turn off the fuel or electrics. The aircraft sank until it was supported by the wing tips resting on firmer ice. As the crew were walking to the shore, the Otter exploded and sank to the bottom. The investigation determined that the ice thickness was only four inches, and that the Unit had failed to determine that there was adequate ice thickness on the selected training areas. The official record notes “Salvage attempt abandoned”. However, eight and a half years later, in June 1976, a salvage company, Laffitte Salvage, managed to raise the fuselage after a marathon twenty four effort. It was later seen in a scrapyard at St.Laurent, Quebec.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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"Good grief", 4 inches of ice! The "Noodle Boys" must have been the crew on this aircraft!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 32
Otter 32 was delivered to the RCAF on 22nd March 1954 with serial 3674. It was allocated initially to the Station Flight at Trenton Air Base, Ontario. It was recorded arriving in the Falconbridge, Ontario area on 26th June 1955 to assist in the search for a missing person on Lake Wanapitec. It was posted in July 1955 to 408 Squadron at Rockcliffe. With the squadron it flew north to assist in the unit's tasks in Quebec and Labrador. After flying with 408 Squadron for the summer, it went to No.6 Repair Depot for storage in October 1955, returning to 408 Squadron in April 1956. It is mentioned in the Squadron's history operating out of Knob Lake (Schefferville, Quebec) during the early summer of 1956, and on 7th July VC994, the Goose Bay-based C-47 arrived at Knob Lake with a crew for 3674, which then flew to Goose, out of where it was to operate for the rest of the summer.
3674 suffered a mishap on 12th October 1956 while taking off from Rigolet, Labrador with five persons on board. During the run-up prior to taking off from a rough sea in high winds, the port wing rose and the starboard float sank until the wing touched the water. A flooded compartment in the right float contributed to the incident. Some damage to the ailerons and flaps occurred. On 16th October, the Otter was towed the length of Lake Melville back to Goose Bay by a USAF barge, and repaired.
The following month, the Otter flew south and went on loan to DHC from November 1956 until February 1962. Based at Downsview, it was used for STOL research. At one stage it was fitted with huge 'batwing' flaps, mounted on a ground test rig, and had tufting fitted to show the effect of airflow on the flight surfaces. After the tests, it was returned to conventional configuration. On 9th May 1961 it went into storage at Dunville, before being allocated on 27th July 1961 to 12 TSU, De Havilland, who prepared the Otter for return to RCAF service. On 16th February 1962 the Otter was assigned to the Central Experimental Proving Establishment (CEPE) at Uplands, Ottawa for what is described in the records as a “Telecom Evaluation”. It was fitted with a set of amphibious floats (taken from Otter 3689). Photographs of the Otter during this period show it in Rescue marks with “Air Material Command” titles.
There followed quite a number of different postings for the Otter. On 16th May '62 it went to the Cold Lake Station Flight, Cold Lake, Alberta and then on 18th January 1963 it arrived at Rockcliffe and joined the Air Force Headquarters Piston Training Flight, where it flew alongside the Flight's Expeditors and Dakotas. The amphibious floats were taken off 6th September '63 (and installed on Otter 3673) and 3674 reverted to an Otter on wheels. It continued in use with the Piston Training Flight until 31st March 1964 when it transferred to the RCAF base at Uplands, Ottawa for use by the Headquarters Training Flight. On 9th April 1965 it was re-assigned to 402 Squadron, Winnipeg but was actually based at Armstrong, Ontario servicing a Mid Canada Line radar site. The radar station was located near to Armstrong on the northern shore of Lake Nipigon and had its own flight of Otters, detached from other units, mostly from 402 Squadron, Winnipeg.
On 28th May 1965 the Otter returned to the Headquarters Training Flight at Uplands but on 23rd June '65 flew to Trenton before heading north for Goose Bay and service with its Station Flight on 12th August '65. Here it remained until 11th October 1966 when it was re-assigned to 438 Squadron at St.Hubert, Quebec which was to be its last posting. 438 “City of Montreal” Squadron was one of the auxiliary squadrons, flying Otters and Beech Expeditors. The Otter's service with 438 Squadron was to last little more than a year. On 7th January 1968, 3674 was engaged on a navigation training cross-country flight from its base at St.Hubert. The pilot was on a ski training exercise and after performing circuits and landings on a bay, he proceeded to Lake Memphremagog, Quebec where he flew a standard “strange lake landing pattern”.
After two touch-and-go landings, the Otter was landed on the ice. While taxying for take-off, one ski broke through the ice, which then gave way and the Otter sank. The two crew members evacuated the aircraft through the rear door and managed to reach firm ice. They had no time to turn off the fuel or electrics. The aircraft sank until it was supported by the wing tips resting on firmer ice. As the crew were walking to the shore, the Otter exploded and sank to the bottom. The investigation determined that the ice thickness was only four inches, and that the Unit had failed to determine that there was adequate ice thickness on the selected training areas. The official record notes “Salvage attempt abandoned”. However, eight and a half years later, in June 1976, a salvage company, Laffitte Salvage, managed to raise the fuselage after a marathon twenty four effort. It was later seen in a scrapyard at St.Laurent, Quebec.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good grief", 4 inches of ice! The "Noodle Boys" must have been the crew on this aircraft!
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #106" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Rockwell 500 "Shrike" Commander! "Mike from Oz" wins the "sailboat fuel", Curt was close, but it is the piston machine!
"HOOVER!"
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY SOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Rockwell 500 "Shrike" Commander! "Mike from Oz" wins the "sailboat fuel", Curt was close, but it is the piston machine!
"HOOVER!"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Here is a "storied" Otter, and firefighting "pioneer", still "flying the bush". Actually, this is the Otter I will be flying this float season, and we are now in Red Lake, all training done, and "ready for business".
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 111
Otter 111, registered CF-ODQ to the Department of Lands & Forests, was delivered to the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS) on 20th June 1956. It was their fifth Otter and was delivered on the same day as their fourth CF-ODP (103). ODQ pioneered a new system of fighting forest fires in 1957. New 35 gallon tanks made of lightweight material were fitted on top of the floats, filled by two scoops. These tanks, having an operational capacity of 80 imperial gallons, were six feet long and 22 inches in diameter and were filled in ten seconds at 40 mph while taxying on the step. Once airborne, the pilot cascaded the water by rotating the tanks upside down. The original flight tests were carried out on ODQ, which was also used on real fires during 1957.
ODQ was to serve the Province for the next 28 years without any recorded incidents, a remarkable achievement. As with the other OPAS Otters, 111 was re-registered on 6th September 1972 to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as C-FODQ and continued to serve the Province's bush country. As the Ministry disposed of its Otter fleet during the mid 1980s, ODQ was sold. Its registration to the Ministry was cancelled on 5th December 1984 and it was registered to a company called Ellair Ltd of Thompson, Manitoba. This was in connection with its acquisition by its next operator Northwinds Northern Inc, also of Thompson, to whom it was registered in March 1985. This was quite a large operator, which had a fleet of single Cessnas, a Beaver, several Piper Navajos and Britten Norman Islanders, but ODQ was its only Otter.
Having served at Thompson for ten years, it was next registered to Parry Sound Air Services Ltd of McKellar, Ontario in April 1996. The following year it was registered to Peter Hagedorn Investments Ltd on 22nd July 1997, trading as Chimo Air Service, based at Red Lake, Ontario and still sporting the all-yellow colour scheme of its days with the Ontario government. It was kept excellent company by the other members of the Chimo Air Service fleet, two Norsemen and a Beech 18. ODQ continued in service with Chimo Air Service during 2004.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 111
January 1st, 2008. C-FODQ. In service with Chimo Air Service, Red Lake, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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"Yup", ODQ's story will continue. "Stay tuned".......
- C-FODQ of Chimo Air Services at Red Lake, Ontario March 2000 (Rich Hulina)
- May 15, 2009, Red Lake. Can you believe it? Photo by Steve Taylor
- May 15, 2009, Red Lake. "Time for beers, boys"... Photo by Steve Taylor
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 111
Otter 111, registered CF-ODQ to the Department of Lands & Forests, was delivered to the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS) on 20th June 1956. It was their fifth Otter and was delivered on the same day as their fourth CF-ODP (103). ODQ pioneered a new system of fighting forest fires in 1957. New 35 gallon tanks made of lightweight material were fitted on top of the floats, filled by two scoops. These tanks, having an operational capacity of 80 imperial gallons, were six feet long and 22 inches in diameter and were filled in ten seconds at 40 mph while taxying on the step. Once airborne, the pilot cascaded the water by rotating the tanks upside down. The original flight tests were carried out on ODQ, which was also used on real fires during 1957.
ODQ was to serve the Province for the next 28 years without any recorded incidents, a remarkable achievement. As with the other OPAS Otters, 111 was re-registered on 6th September 1972 to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as C-FODQ and continued to serve the Province's bush country. As the Ministry disposed of its Otter fleet during the mid 1980s, ODQ was sold. Its registration to the Ministry was cancelled on 5th December 1984 and it was registered to a company called Ellair Ltd of Thompson, Manitoba. This was in connection with its acquisition by its next operator Northwinds Northern Inc, also of Thompson, to whom it was registered in March 1985. This was quite a large operator, which had a fleet of single Cessnas, a Beaver, several Piper Navajos and Britten Norman Islanders, but ODQ was its only Otter.
Having served at Thompson for ten years, it was next registered to Parry Sound Air Services Ltd of McKellar, Ontario in April 1996. The following year it was registered to Peter Hagedorn Investments Ltd on 22nd July 1997, trading as Chimo Air Service, based at Red Lake, Ontario and still sporting the all-yellow colour scheme of its days with the Ontario government. It was kept excellent company by the other members of the Chimo Air Service fleet, two Norsemen and a Beech 18. ODQ continued in service with Chimo Air Service during 2004.
*** LATEST UPDATE!***
Otter 111
January 1st, 2008. C-FODQ. In service with Chimo Air Service, Red Lake, Ontario. R-1340.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yup", ODQ's story will continue. "Stay tuned".......
- C-FODQ of Chimo Air Services at Red Lake, Ontario March 2000 (Rich Hulina)
- May 15, 2009, Red Lake. Can you believe it? Photo by Steve Taylor
- May 15, 2009, Red Lake. "Time for beers, boys"... Photo by Steve Taylor
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
It's Time To Play..... Otterflogger's "Name That Cockpit"!
OK, "Ladies and Gentlemen", time for "installment #105" in our "cockpit series", which will be a continuing "brain-strainer".
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Stearman 75 Model "Kaydet"! I keep the "sailboat fuel" this week, boys! Good thing, I was running out!
This is the "cockpit" of "the" ......................
***MYSTERY UNSOLVED!***
This is the cockpit of the Stearman 75 Model "Kaydet"! I keep the "sailboat fuel" this week, boys! Good thing, I was running out!
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Steve's "Otter Of The Week"! .....by Karl E. Hayes
Italy, Germany, France, England, Vietnam, then Cambodia, where her story "grew cold"... until some new information surfaced.....
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
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Otter 200
Otter 200 was delivered to the United States Army on 8th February 1957 with serial 55-3327 (tail number 53327) and first served with the 202nd Aviation Company, Boscomantico AAF, Verona, Italy, part of SETAF. It was one of five Otters (the others were 53323, 53324, 53325 and 53326) delivered from Downsview to Red Bird Field, Dallas, Texas where they were fitted with radios suitable for use in Europe. They were then flown to Mobile, Alabama from where they were shipped to Bremerhaven, Germany, where they were re-assembled and flown to the depot at Mannheim, Germany. They were collected from there by pilots from the 202nd Aviation Company and flown to their new base at Boscomantico AAF in May 1957. 53327 continued to fly for the 202nd Aviation Company until May 1962, when it was flown back to the depot at Mannheim to be prepared for its next assignment, which was to the 2nd Aviation Company in France, where it arrived in January 1963. It was noted visiting Leeds Airport in England during July 1964. It continued to fly for the 2nd Aviation Company until July 1966, when it returned to the depot at Mannheim.
It was transported back to the United States and then onwards to Vietnam, where it arrived with the 605th Transportation Company in January 1968, and was then assigned to the 18th Aviation Company. It is mentioned in the unit's history for an incident on 10th July 1969: “CW2 Cliff Welsh, CW2 “Porky” Porter and SP4 James Estabrooks were on an instrument departure from Pleiku to Nha Trang. At 7,000 feet, twenty five miles southeast of Pleiku, “Reliable 327” (the Otter's radio call-sign) blew a thrust plate seal. Maintaining their poise, the crew declared an emergency and were vectored to Camp Holloway in actual instrument conditions. The aircraft was landed without damage”.
53327 continued in service with the 18th Aviation Company until March 1971 when the unit was disbanded. The Otter was handed over to the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau, the unit responsible for the storage and disposal of all Army Otters in Vietnam. In August 1971 the Otter was handed over to the Government of Cambodia, one of 18 Otters transferred to that country. Their operation was short lived and the fate of this Otter can only be described as “withdrawn from use and scrapped”.
- by Karl E. Hayes
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To quote "Bill Kurtis", her case went "cold". Then, some new info surfaced on Otter 200.......
CHECK OUT - Khmer Air Force U-1A Otters by Dr. Joe F. Leeker
Scroll down to Page 3 and read about Otter 200......
Fate: ground looped on landing on 2 July 73, while operating outstation; total loss
(Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for July 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1).
WOW! Amazing story of old "Reliable 327".....
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
All information is from Karl Hayes' "masterful" CD entitled:
De Havilland Canada
DHC-3 OTTER
A HISTORY
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Otter 200
Otter 200 was delivered to the United States Army on 8th February 1957 with serial 55-3327 (tail number 53327) and first served with the 202nd Aviation Company, Boscomantico AAF, Verona, Italy, part of SETAF. It was one of five Otters (the others were 53323, 53324, 53325 and 53326) delivered from Downsview to Red Bird Field, Dallas, Texas where they were fitted with radios suitable for use in Europe. They were then flown to Mobile, Alabama from where they were shipped to Bremerhaven, Germany, where they were re-assembled and flown to the depot at Mannheim, Germany. They were collected from there by pilots from the 202nd Aviation Company and flown to their new base at Boscomantico AAF in May 1957. 53327 continued to fly for the 202nd Aviation Company until May 1962, when it was flown back to the depot at Mannheim to be prepared for its next assignment, which was to the 2nd Aviation Company in France, where it arrived in January 1963. It was noted visiting Leeds Airport in England during July 1964. It continued to fly for the 2nd Aviation Company until July 1966, when it returned to the depot at Mannheim.
It was transported back to the United States and then onwards to Vietnam, where it arrived with the 605th Transportation Company in January 1968, and was then assigned to the 18th Aviation Company. It is mentioned in the unit's history for an incident on 10th July 1969: “CW2 Cliff Welsh, CW2 “Porky” Porter and SP4 James Estabrooks were on an instrument departure from Pleiku to Nha Trang. At 7,000 feet, twenty five miles southeast of Pleiku, “Reliable 327” (the Otter's radio call-sign) blew a thrust plate seal. Maintaining their poise, the crew declared an emergency and were vectored to Camp Holloway in actual instrument conditions. The aircraft was landed without damage”.
53327 continued in service with the 18th Aviation Company until March 1971 when the unit was disbanded. The Otter was handed over to the 388th Transportation Company at Vung Tau, the unit responsible for the storage and disposal of all Army Otters in Vietnam. In August 1971 the Otter was handed over to the Government of Cambodia, one of 18 Otters transferred to that country. Their operation was short lived and the fate of this Otter can only be described as “withdrawn from use and scrapped”.
- by Karl E. Hayes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To quote "Bill Kurtis", her case went "cold". Then, some new info surfaced on Otter 200.......
CHECK OUT - Khmer Air Force U-1A Otters by Dr. Joe F. Leeker
Scroll down to Page 3 and read about Otter 200......
Fate: ground looped on landing on 2 July 73, while operating outstation; total loss
(Air America’s Phnom Penh Station monthly report for July 73, in: UTD/CIA/B39F1).
WOW! Amazing story of old "Reliable 327".....
CONTACT KARL, CD PRICING and ORDERING INFO - De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER - A HISTORY by Karl E. Hayes
