Photos © Ruud Leeuw
Photos © Ruud Leeuw
In the evening the weather suddenly cleared and so these photos are a fitting start to this account. With the sun out, my mood improved considerably. |
In the top right corner one can see another aircraft approaching, coming in to land. Map Yellowknife (external link, in Acrobat Reader format) |
 C-FGOG; DHC-6-300 c/n 348, reg'd Air Tindi 02Apr06. |
 Oh, what a nice take off !! DHC-6 C-GMAS |
I was on a tight schedule here, with only the friday, saturday and sunday to roam around for Classic Air Transports.
So imagine my dismay when, all through the night, I heard the rain drumming its staccato rhythm on my window again...And indeed, the morning broke with rain and many shades of grey... So I first watched the World Champion soccer match Germany to Argentina and made my way to Buffalo Airways at Yellowknife's airport around lunchtime. After I introduced myself, I decided to explore the hangar first and so I found Joe McBryan's Noorduyn Norseman Mk.V CF-SAN (c/n N2929, manufactured in 1947, owned by Buffalo Airways since 1995). Why it wasn't in the water I cannot tell. |
C-GWCB/140 is Beech B95 c/n TD369, registered 08Dec94, manufactured 1960. |
I stood and waited in the open hangar until the rain subsided a little. It had become clear to me that since Joe and his son weren't around, and with only 3 days of stay for me here in Yellowknife, there wouldn't be much of a chance to join a flight (which I had been secretly hoping for). But there were of course some very interesting planes to explore here. So let's get on with it! Looking at the gloomy, cheerless clouds here is C-GPNR, C-47A c/n 13333. |
As C-GPNR it was bought by Buffalo Air Ltd. and named "Murray Crosby" during Oct80, registered in Apr81; the registry was amended to Buffalo Airways (1986) Ltd on 12Jan95 and continues to serve Buffalo Airways. |
Here is Buffalo Airways' website, check it out! First identity was 42-23509 upon delivery on 13apr43 to the USAAF and it certainly went places... Such as Oran,Algeria for the 12th AF. After WW2 it obtained the Czech nationality and became OK-VAV for Ministry Dopravny (Ministry of Transport, delivered 14sep46), later reregistered as D-05 for the Czech Airforce (02dec50). |
The perfect beast..: Curtiss C-46A Commando. |
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| Curtiss C-46A Commando C-GTXW has construction number 30386. Here is some history about it- It joined WW2 as 42-96724 in August 1944 and flew in the CBI (China-Birma-India) theatre. It was sold to the Government of India on 10Apr46. At some point it got the US tailnumber N78458 for unknown party. Perhaps for the ferry across continents, into Venezuela, for RANSA. It became registered as YV-T-JTC (1957?), reregistered as YV-C-ARM on 18Oct57. It was reported at Miami on 21May64 and described as in 'derelict condition'. But 2 years later it was rebuilt by F A Conner and leased out as HP-424 (1966 - 26May67) for Aerovias Panama. HI-145 became its next identity (for whom?) and around 1970 it became HI-171 for Aeromar. But it was stored again in Miami, in 1973, with F A Conner. All this from the Curtiss C-46 Commando publications by Air-Britain (1978) and Lundqvist Aviation Research (1981). |
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Piston Engine Airliner Production List (TAHS, 2002) adds the following to its aviation history: |
 The cavernous cabin of C-GTXW |
 The cockpit of C-GTXW |
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| Two DC-3 cargo flights were scheduled that day, both were on hold due to the weather on their destinations. One was to go to the Echo Bay Mine, at Port Radium,NWT. Later, when I went for a late lunch, I saw a crewmember I'd seen in the crewroom being called to the phone in the cafetaria; he left in a hurry. So I did too! But he'd been driving a car and I was walking... I was only just in time to poke my lens through the gate to record C-GJKM taxiing out. Less that 5 mins after that phonecall "Kilo Mike" was off chocks. I did wait at the hangar to see it go airborne but after 20 minutes I gave up. Another 15 minutes later it went airborne... missed it !  Why it waited so long, I don't know.The other flight was cancelled that day. |
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| Douglas C-47A C-GJKM is c/n 13580
and its aviation history reads as follows- Delivered as 42-93645 on 11Jun44 to the USAAF, transferred as KG713 to RAF Montreal on 08Jul44. It made its way to the UK but returned to Canada in 1946. Some RCAF service details: 2 AC Winnipeg 02jul46 – 1 ANS Summerside 28sep51 – 2 AOS Winnipeg 13mar56 – [Dak 3N 29jan62] – ANS Winnipeg 26apr62 – [Dak 3NRO 29may70] - CAF 12946 Jun70 - FTSU Winnipeg 01jul71 – 429 C Sq Winipeg 02mar72 – AMDU Saskatoon 13may75. On 30Jul76 it was assigned to one G.Wilson of Calgary. Four years later it became C-GJKM for Buffalo Air, during Oct80. It also served with Northwestern Air, but this is/was a subsidairy of Buffalo Airways.  Since 1994 it has continuously been in service with Buffalo Aws, apparently at some time it was also decorated with a '6' on its tailfin. |
 C-47A C-GWZS has c/n 12327.Its USAAF serial was 42-92518 when it was delivered on 14Jan44, but it soon went as KG330 to RAF Montreal (05Feb44). The Canadian Government obtained ownership on 22Apr46 and it was designated a Dakota IIIN. it continued to serve faithfully until 1975, when it was registered as C-GWZS for Can-Air Services Ltd of Edmonton (bought 23Oct75, registered 07May76). Contact Airways leased it in 1979, but Buffalo Airways started its long line of ownership in Dec79. It seems to await its next load: a trustworthy moneymaker! |
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 Douglas C-54A C-GPSH has c/n 7458 and started its career as 42-107439 with the USAAF upon its delivery on 06Jan44.When WW2 ended it was handed over as N90414 to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) on 13Nov45. American AL bought it on 08Apr46 and named it "Flagship America”. But such a typical military transport could not last long and it went to Aircaft Sales Ltd on 02Apr49. It found new purpose in Australia, as VH-EBN operating for QANTAS (named "New Guinea Trader"), on 09Jul49. After a considerable career it was leased as VR-SEA to Malayan Airways (renamed “ Albatross”), which started on 10Sep58. During April 1960 it was returned, reregistered as VH-EDN for QANTAS (also renamed "Pacific Trader"), which was soon revised again to VH-EBD (again for QANTAS, in July 1961, renamed "Norfolk Trader" in 1961). It ended its career here in Feb77 when it was stored at Sydney. The Air Express bought it on 22Aug77 and renamed it the "Tasmanian Tiger". This did not last long and as N5581T it went to Basler Flight Service, who bought it on 21Jan80. C-GPSH was assigned for the first time for Calm Air Int'l in March 1982. It returned to the US Register as N7171H for Ernst & Young Inc on 10Aug90, soon finding a new owner with Int'l Airline Support Group (Dec90). And during Jan91 it finally became C-GPSH for Buffalo Airways (1968) Ltd. |
 C-GPSH Buffalo Freightliner. |
 Named "Arctic Distributor" |
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Ooopsss...
August 18, 2006 - CARAT LAKE, Nunavut -- With a lone caribou on site bearing witness, Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially opened Nunavut's first diamond mine Thursday. |
Occurrence No. : A06W0250 Date: 29-12-2006 Time: 12:15 MST Location : CYWO LUPIN, 26NM N, NUNAVUT Registration : C-GPSH Model : C-54 Injuries- Fatal:0 Serious:0 Minor:2 Occurrence Summary: A Buffalo Airways C-54 aircraft, registration C-GPSH, over-ran the runway during the landing roll at Carat Lake, NU. The nose wheel collapsed and the aircraft's nose dropped over an embankment off the end of the runway. The aircraft was carrying 9000 litres of Arctic Diesel to the mine. The fuel cells, which where bolted to the aircraft's floor, broke loose and resulted in an unknown quantity of fuel spilling. An environmental clean up response had been initiated. 
The Runway at Carat is located at N6601 W11127. The (gravel)strip was 3100' long, but was lengthened to around 4000' before this incident occurred. The winter ice road will connect the mine with Yellowknife some time in January. The mine will receive its yearly supply of fuel and other operating materials through this road for approximately six weeks. Location, courtesy Google Earth Photos of its resurrection can be seen on my webpage Photos by Friends & Others, page 8. |
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C-FBAA is a Douglas C-54D with construction number 10653.It was delivered as 42-72548 to the USAAF on 03Apr45; the US Army Air Force was renamed US Air Force (USAF) and its registry was revised acordingly on 18Sep47. It was stored in the desert of Arizona, on Davis Monthan AFB during Oct71. On 18Oct78 it was registered as N4994H for Aero Union Corporation and converted for use in a new role: that of aerial firefighting. And so it became 'Tanker 12'. I saw it at Chico,CA in 1996, when it was for sale by Aero Union. It became CF-BAA for Buffalo Airways in April 2002 (my own records record a purchase and ferry flight in 2001) and in spite of this recent purchase it has been stored here at Yellowknife, after spending a period at Red Deer,ALB. |
Douglas C-54D C-GBPA / 16 has c/n 10673.It too started its career in World War 2: as 42-72568 it was delivered to the USAAF on 16Apr45, but transferred that same date to the US Navy, registration 56506; during 1962 it was modified to C-54Q. Its military career was terminated in Nov.1970, when it was parked and stored in the Military Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC, later AMARC) of Davis Monthan AFB in Arizona. N87591 was its first civil identity, being registered for Westair Int'l upon it spurchase on 26Dec74. Hillcrest Aircraft Company obtained it on 09Jan76 and a few years later, on 23Mar81, it was bought by Conifair Aviation; thus it became C-GBPA and was converted for the use as tanker/sprayer, receiving the large '16' on its tailfin. During Oct96 it was reported to be stored at Quebec City; Conifair had ceased operating in Oct94. C-GBPA was bought by Buffalo Airways on 30May02, but it doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot here either. My Yellowknife Day2 page has photos of the interior, which show "Papa Alpha" still has the tanks installed. |
| Things were worryingly quiet with Buffalo Airways during my visit, but others did seem to be doing brisk business, such as this DHC-5 Buffalo (what's in a name..!) of Arctic Sunwest. This is C-FASY, DHC-5A c/n 107. Its aviation history is well documented on the Buffalo Roster, on that useful website www.dhc4and5.org/BuffaloRev3.pdf (Note that this is an Acrobat Reader file).
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 DHC-5A C-FASY on finals... |
 Note the cargoramp is already lowered. |
Now, what is this, sticking out of a.... tent?It does seem to be a makeshift hangar.... These guys certainly have a way with creative solutions! I bet it is cold to work here in winters, though.  |
This is C-FAVO, a Curtiss C-46D Commando (c/n 33242).You'll find the history information on my Yellowknife Day 2 page. This C-46 suffered a broken back.. This happened about 3 years ago when it slipped off the runway and in the manouvre of applying power to get the tailwheel back on the runway, the sideway movement (it had a full load in the cabin) caused this 'hernia'.. A photo on Airliners.net by Ralph Pettersen clearly shows the damage. Martin A.Cooper seems to have found the date of this event, he wrote: "I found a local newspaper report for Yellowknife/NWT that said C-FAVO was involved in an incident at Yellowknife on the 19th May 2004 when the tail wheel left the runway whilst the Commando was being taxied into position for take off." Normally this would have been fatal for such an old airframe, but that is clearly not an attitude that sits easily with Joe McBryan! So, fortunately, we see a slow but steady progress in its repairs. |
| Here are more photos of C-FAVO on Airliners.net And seen back in action, at Norman Wells (Feb08) on Flickr.com  |
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Here is info about Avgas on Wikipedia.org |
 C-GPNR c/n 13333. A few more photos of this classic airliner. I like the insignia "Summer Wages": no doubt a source of some cynical remarks here... |
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In April 2007 Howard Thomson sent me following recollections: "As a young man in my twenties (1990 or so), I was priveleged enough to get a job in the Fort Simpson region with the North West Company (northern Canadian retailers). My trip to Fort Simpson was highlited by my first trip on a Buffalo Airways DC-3. The flight from Yellowknife to Fort Simpson was about 1 1/2 hours long. It was sheer joy! From the rumble of the engines, to the feeling in my stomach from the bouncing and rolling on the takeoff... My first thing to attend to when I arrived in Fort Simpson was to phone my parents back home and let them know I arrived safely. And to let my dad know about my wonderful flight. I think he was even more excited than I was, as he told me about the planes history! I flew those beasts every chance I could get (even though the competitors airline was only about 45 minutes compared to my 1 1/2 hours). I think I made at least 8 flights on Buffalo DC-3's and it is one of my fondest memories of my time in the North. Thanks for your report as it brought back a flood of happy feelings. I'm getting the itch to go for a DC-3 ride again ..... maybe if im lucky?!" Howard |
 Don McDonald flew C-GPNR "Summer Wages" for Buffalo Airways many moons ago; see this photo taken at Hay River around 1981. |
The follwoing was published on Northern News Services-
Yellowknife (28Jun06) - The last NWT charter airline using space at the Yellowknife International Airport has opted to set up its own terminal for passengers. |
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I found C-GCTF temporarily out of service due to an unwilling engine no.2. |
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 I did regret it that most Buffalo planes were down and out upon my visit... Only on the monday, when I sat in the terminal's cafetaria waiting for my flight, I saw a Buffalo DC-4 depart. |
C-FBAJ is an early Douglas C-54A; it has c/n 3088.It sat in the back of the hangar, but I did not see any work done; perhaps C-GCTF had been given priority. I forgot to ask what maintenance it was undergoing.
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| This C-54A started too as a "warhorse":
41-37297 for the USAAF and delivered on 13Jul43. It was entered in the US Civil register as early as 1946, as N150 for the Civil Aviation Administration (later this name changed to Federal Aviation Adminstration). It continued its Civil Service career until 1962, when it was bought as N11712 by Airplanes Inc. This may have been a broker and in 1963 ownership was transferred to C B McNeill. During the 1960s it rapidly changed owners: American Aviation Suppliers bought it on 07Mar64, then it went to Surplus Sales Inc (a lease starting 07Mar64 until 17Jun64), returning to American Aviation Suppliers, then obtained by PASCO Aviation (24Jun64) and Allied leasing Corporation (11Jan65) with a lease by that same date to Passaat Airlines and in Jan66 it was purchased by Cryderman Air Service. It even went abroad: as HP-434 it was acquired by Aerovias Panama Airways in 1966, but in Oct67 it was registered as N11712 for Pinellas Central Bank. Cryderman Air Service reacquired it in Sep68 and some continuity finally set in... In 1975 we see a familiar name reappear: Aero Union Corp bought it and converted it into a fire bomber and so it became Tanker '02'. Buffalo Airways has good relations with Aero Union and bought this airframe too, in March 2000, registering it as C-FBAJ (initially storing it at Red Deer,ALB where it was sighted in Oct01). |
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 C-GIWJ/7 "Canso Airtanker Borddog" |
 Beech 95 (c/n TD32), mfr 1958, registered 06Jan99 |
 It was time to testrun no.2: the radial thunder was impressive, so was Rod's commentary when the repairs did not bring the required result... |
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For the Teccies: here is something written on Wikipedia.org about Piston Engines Here are some photos on Airliners.net of C-GCTF in an awkward position : |
C-GPNR was assigned to do the daily run to Hay River,NWT (across the Great Slave Lake).
 Canadian North is a scheduled carrier here; no doubt the passengers of this 737 have no eye or thought about the uniqueness of this Douglas DC-3 still involved in scheduled passenger service ! |
I had a look inside C-GPNR before it boarded the passengers. |
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The bad weather took away all the light quite early in the afternoon and so I decided not to try to board this flight as I would have no photo opportunity at Hay River.
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| This concluded my visit here for this friday and I took a cab back to my pleasant B&B in the Old Town. There were still 2 days of my visit remaining and I was hoping for better weather. |
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Continue to ... Day 2 at Yellowknife !
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