THUNDER BAY — The Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre brought three vintage Harvard IV airplanes back to the city this weekend.
These iconic aircraft were manufactured in Fort William in 1951 and 1952, on the Canadian Car and Foundry’s production line.
“So many of your fathers, mothers, aunts (and) uncles might have worked on these airplanes. They were used as an advanced training aircraft all the way from 1938 until the 50s,” said John Hill, one of the centre's volunteers.
A pilot would start on a small airplane like a de Havilland Tiger Moth, Hill explained, before advancing to an aircraft like the Harvard and then going on to fly famous and more commonly known aircraft such as the Spitfires or Mustangs.
The centre is offering flights on these local historical airplanes for its Wings of Time — Homecoming of the Harvards event, which is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Hill plans to fly one of the aircraft with his daughter, who came into town from British Columbia.
“She and I both will be flying on an airplane that my father flew when he was in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1952, well before I was born,” said Hill. “And so, both of us are going to get a shot at Grandpa's airplane.”
These airplanes are taking off for the main event at the Wasaya Airways terminal on the south side of the Thunder Bay International Airport, where signage and parking staff will direct visitors.
The first aircraft arrived from Alberta on Friday morning.
“It's owned by a fellow by the name of Geoffrey Brayne, who owns a Home Hardware dealership out in Lethbridge and he was gracious enough to volunteer to come in with his beautiful airplane,” said Hill.
The other two aircraft are coming in from Tillsonburg, Ont., from the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, Hill said, and each of those airplanes will take 10 rides per day.
"The rides are sold out already, so you... (are) going to be seeing these aircraft flying around the city over the entire weekend," said Hill.
At any given time, two of the Harvards will be in the air while a third will be on static display.
A newer model of the Harvard (supplied by the military, that is still used for training in the same fashion), a vintage 1954 Bell 47 helicopter (similar to the one in the television show M.A.S.H) and a number of vintage cars will also make appearances at the event.
There will also be ice cream available and the event will feature performances by the Roy Coran Big Band on Saturday between roughly 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., depending on the flying conditions, and a parade is set for the same time on Sunday with the Macgillivray Pipe Band and Thunder Bay Police Pipe Band.
Entrance to the event is free of charge or by donation, thanks to the support of 22 sponsors.
