Warbird Information Exchange

Just thought I'd share some pics with you folks. I went down to the CHAA hangars this morning as usual on Tuesdays to lend a hand with restoration, but there was a lot more activity than usual.

First off, there was a crowd of would-be Harvard pilots busy washing one of the fleet. It got pretty dirty (and oily!) going to and from Geneseo.




And while this was going on, some visitors from the west joined the circuit and landed.
It was CH2A's (Canadian Historical Aircraft Association) Stearman and Chipmunk from Windsor, and they were carrying valuable cargo...




For those who aren't aware, one part of the 100th Anniversary of Powered Flight in Canada Celebration is the Back to Baddeck relay flight.
A special leather bag (the 'baton') has travelled the country since March, and is now on it's way back to the East Coast. More on the B2B flight here.

The 'baton' was handed off by CH2A President Denis Schryer to our C Tech O Bill Ritchie.




After a quick bite to eat and a fill up, Denis and Jim Wilson (who was flying the Chippie) departed for Windsor.




I got to 'guard' the bag for a bit. I kinda felt like I was carrying the 'football' on Air Force One!



I believe sometime next week it will be flown to either Borden or Downsview. (in a Harvard of course!)

Enjoy.

NO photo Joe-just big unhappy red X

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

Photos work here, at least now! OK, what's with the background on the "baton"? Lot of yellow planes there, guess it helps to find them in the winter months.

Sorry about that. They came up fine for me. Must be a photobucket problem.


Ya lost me there.... I thought it would be important to explain what the relay flight was all about.

Just asking about the history behind the relay and the handing off of the bag. How far back does it go, who started it, that sort of thing.

It's all there in the link I posted, but it started in March out in Nova Scotia. The 'baton' is visiting all the CAPA (Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association) museums as well as all the privincial/territorial capitals and Ottawa on it's way around the country.

The first legs were flown by CAF CP-140's (that's Canadian Armed Forces, not the other CAF) up to Iqualuit, Nunavut, and made it's way out to the West Coast. It has flown in such aircraft as a Buffalo Airlines DC-3, Fleet 80 Canuck, Stampe biplane, two Tiger Moths, CF-18 Hornet, Lockheed 10A Electra, Lancaster, Cornell, as well as three Harvards!

Inside the bag, there's the special logbook to document each leg, as well as an assortment of mementoes (ie patches, pins, coins, books, newspapers, etc).

If all goes well, it should be 'Back to Baddeck" around September 9th.

Very cool! Good way to "Shake hands" with the other groups, get publicity and just celebrate flying.

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