Latinbear

Thanks very much Mark, it was really nice to do some aviation things while there and what really made it interesting was the BC focus of both Comox and the BC museum. While we were in the town of Campbell River we looked in an estate agent's window and a house in a remote part of somewhere called Gilford Island caught my eye. It was 28 miles by boat from a town called Port Hardy and the only access was by boat or seaplane! Seeing both the number of boats and planes brought home the reality that for many people that is how they get around the remoter parts of the region.

That was quite a trip! We drove past Sproat Lake on our way to and from Tofino. Spectacular scenery and seeing the Mars must have been a real bonus too. We had thought about going up to Port Hardy because there is a highly rated bear watching outfit based in nearly Telegraph Cove. However, it was a long way and we would have ended up spending too long in the car. Funnily enough we did the inside passage too but that was south to Prince Rupert from Juneau if memory serves me right. It was 30 years ago so the memory is a little hazy. Jasper and Banff are wonderful places although the area around Jasper was hit by a huge wildfire caused by a lightning strike while we were on the island and as a result was closed to all visitors. There were plenty of Twin Otters and Beavers buzzing around the Island but we didn't get the change to fly in either type of aircraft. We did however take a boat trip from Campbell River to the Toba Inlet and these are what we saw!

Thanks for the suggestions. When I was doing my research on Comox I discovered that the RCAF has a number of museums and one of the ambitions is to do a cross-country road trip which would incorporate them but as ever time is the dominant element. The CWH museum would be a special trip and entirely justifiable to SWMBO I think. You know it makes sense Rodders!

Many thanks. Your comment has made me realise I posted image 3 twice. Opps and now corrected. The seaplane you refer to is a domestic aircraft designed and built by two Vancouver based boat buildering brothers called the Hoffar's. The museum's exhibit is a full-scale model. I imagine the museum has changed quite a lot in 18 years since your visit! It was alluded to rather than specifically mentioned but there is a desire to build another hangar, possible to house the Lancaster, but this would cost several tens of millions of dollars. A nice offer of the Link trainer but yes, shipping costs would have been very painful indeed.

Looks like a great show with a nicely varied selection of aircraft. The TAF F4s and RCAF Hornets were real treats! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks AD. Unfortunately, Ontario was too far away and is a trip in itself. With luck, I'll go next year and perhaps be fortunate to fly in the Lancaster.

Corrected. Thank you.

Terrific set of shots Des and the narrative really adds to them. Rather sadly it reminds us of what we have lost in terms of military airshows and aircraft types. Thanks very much sharing these and the previous sets.

The BC Aviation Museum is based in North Saanich on the Island adjacent to Victoria International Airport, some 40 minutes' drive from the provincial capital Victoria and 10-15 minutes' drive from the ferry terminal at Schwartz Bay. As per the name the museum's theme is aircraft associated with British Columbia and offers a selection of civil and military aircraft with associated displays and artefacts. Unfortunately, I only had an hour to look round as we needed to catch the ferry to the mainland but there is enough here to keep a visitor happy for a full morning or afternoon. The museum has its own Lancaster which is currently in large and small pieces. Built shortly before the war ended it never saw combat but instead operated in the maritime patrol role in Canada until retirement in 1963. It then sat on a pedestal in Toronto before being acquired by the museum in 2018. The aim was to restore it to flying condition although my understanding is that this is not feasible owing to structural issues in some of the aircraft's sections. The expectation was that it would take 10 years to reassemble and refurbish but this target is realistically a bit of a stretch. Opening hours are 10-4pm, Thursday through to Tuesday, closed on Wednesdays. The entry fee is a very reasonable CAD$15. The museum is staffed by friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers. More details of the museum and each of the airframes on display can be found here: British Columbia Aviation Museum (bcam.net) 1. The day after the Queen's death. It was noticeable that very shortly after the news broke flags on government and prominent private buildings moved to half-staff. 2. 3. 4. The refurbishment hangar with pieces of the Lancaster. 5. The Lancaster's centre section. 6. The wings sit behind the fuselage. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Viscount 12. Bell 47D 13. The child in each of us will be delighted that you sit in the cockpit of the Silver Star. 14. This Bolingbroke is a hybrid from two aircraft. 15. Anson Mk 2 16. A Harvard is to the right of the picture. 17. Tracker 18. A26 Invader converted to a fire bomber. That's it, thanks for looking.

No confession required. Simply a convergence of good taste!

I received a marketing email yesterday from a firm called iHobby inviting me to subscribe to the newly merged SAMI and MMI which is edited by Jay Laverty. Suffice to say I deleted the email.

What a fantastic line-up of a terrific aircraft. Some lovely schemes there too. Thanks very much for sharing these.

Excellent set AD! The head on of the Hind shows off its menace very nicely and the head on the Lysander is a beauty!

Really enjoying this series Des especially with the details accompanying the photos. Thanks for sharing all of these.

Thanks Parabat. I agree entirely. Not only was it hugely enjoyable, it was also for a very good cause in helping the Flight to continue in operation and I feel privileged to be able to have done it. That said, the trolley service was lacking compared to the airlines but then when you're in the cheap seats I'm not it's worth anything anyway.