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Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Fri Jul 13, 2018 2:22 pm

Surprised this hasn't been posted here yet. Lifted from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Facebook page.

Toronto’s historic Avro Lancaster bomber could receive some assistance from Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, custodian and operator of North America’s last and only flying Lancaster.

The Toronto Lancaster has been in storage for many years and the City recently decided to find a new suitable home to display and restore the large aircraft. The Toronto Economic Development Committee are now recommending the Lancaster be given to a museum in British Columbia.

This recommendation is not sitting well with many Torontonians who believe this short-sighted recommendation was based primarily on financial justification that ignores the historical and social significance of this aircraft to the City of Toronto. This aircraft was manufactured in Toronto by Torontonians at a desperate time when WWII threatened the nation and democracy. Few Canadian families from the 1940s were spared losses from this conflict. The City of Toronto Lancaster is a testimony to the determination of Torontonians to support the national interests of the time.

David G. Rohrer, President & CEO (and current Lancaster pilot) of Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, believes the Lancaster should remain in the Toronto area to represent the 10,000 Toronto workers who built the 430 Lancasters. “Now that the Toronto bid was rejected, we are now proposing to the City of Toronto to restore the Lancaster to running taxiable condition over a 10 year restoration process. After evaluation of the project, perhaps restoration back to flying condition could also be considered.”


Found it here (scroll down): https://www.facebook.com/CanadianWarpla ... ageMuseum/

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:02 pm

Why was the Toronto bid rejected?

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Mon Jul 16, 2018 7:12 am

The bid submitted by the Save the Lanc Group was rejected because they had no aircraft restoration experience, no funding , no facility , no equipment and no land to build a facility on . In a nut shell they had absolutely no feasible plan . They are basically just a very naïve small group that is trying to block the transfer of the airframe to a Museum capable of carrying out the restoration. They efforts are doing more harm than good. The City of Toronto's Economic Development Committee has recommended the city transfer the aircraft to the British Columbia Aviation Museum. They were the only bidding group that actually had all the qualifications required .

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Mon Jul 16, 2018 10:00 am

The City of Toronto has virtually no motivation to restore this Lanc.

FM-213 flies by all the time and costs them nothing, so a static machine that will cost a boatload is a tough sell.

It's time to get out of the way, of people that have the resources to treat this Lanc the way it deserves.

Andy

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Mon Jul 16, 2018 10:11 am

DH82EH wrote:The City of Toronto has virtually no motivation to restore this Lanc.

FM-213 flies by all the time and costs them nothing, so a static machine that will cost a boatload is a tough sell.

It's time to get out of the way, of people that have the resources to treat this Lanc the way it deserves.

Andy


EXACTLY !

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Mon Jul 16, 2018 1:47 pm

Crazy to think of her still needing restoration. Hope it gets sorted out someday.

Used to visit her all the time up on the pillar in Coronation Park when I was a boy in the early 70s.

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Mon Jul 16, 2018 10:01 pm

Fleet16b wrote:
DH82EH wrote:The City of Toronto has virtually no motivation to restore this Lanc.

FM-213 flies by all the time and costs them nothing, so a static machine that will cost a boatload is a tough sell.

It's time to get out of the way, of people that have the resources to treat this Lanc the way it deserves.

Andy


EXACTLY !


+1

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:57 am

Victoria Air Maintenance has posted the following statement on their Facebook. For those who don't know these are the folks next door to the British Columbia Aviation Museum and would be assisting with the restoration of FM104. Given their prior restorations I think they are more then up for the task IMO

https://www.facebook.com/VicAirMtnc/

The CWH does not fit the city’s criteria for deaccession of this artifact. This is clearly stated in their previous decision if you read the Economic development committee decision ED28-7. This is a museum artifact, and it’s deaccession is governed by the city’s mandate that: (The public interest in FM104 must be protected and the public benefit of FM104 maximized by keeping it in the public domain.
Placing it where it can be maintained and interpreted well; and, FM104 would be best placed with an aviation museum without a Lancaster, given the rarity of the object and to avoid duplication in an institution's collection. Place her with a museum that does not have a Lancaster and where it will be seen by the public at large).
Yes we all know it was built in Malton, and respect that, but so were the other Lancaster’s in Ontario. We are as passionate on the west coast as the people of Toronto on the subject.
These aircraft were built in Canada by Canadians, they were crewed by Canadians from every province, the Lancaster was operational on the west coast as well as the east coast. We listen quietly to all the mud slinging as we finalize plans to move the Aircraft to her new home. Toronto’s contribution to the Canadian war effort is forever commemorated by their amazing accomplishments.
My family never served in the RCAF they were preoccupied on the ground removing the occupying forces from Sicily, Italy and holland with #11CTR #Ontariotanks
Respectfully
Mike Ingram
http://www.vicair.net

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:26 am

DH82EH wrote:It's time to get out of the way, of people that have the resources to treat this Lanc the way it deserves.
Agreed, but that's just not what usually happens.
No town wants to hand over something to a group, then incur the wrath of the few citizens that get their pants in a twist over any change.
It's not just airplanes, it happens all the time with railroad and ship preservation, too.
There are two retired steam locomotives that the city owners' wanted to sell and the locals went bonkers, and now they're both still sitting where they were, rusting away.

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:14 pm

The latest from the facebook of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

https://www.facebook.com/CanadianWarpla ... ageMuseum/

UPDATE - From David G Rohrer, President & CEO, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum -

After several attempts to speak with Toronto Councillor Thompson, Head of the Economic Development Committee, he finally returned my calls yesterday and in our conversation stated that his committee would not entertain our amended CWH submission to restore Toronto Lancaster FM104 and keep it in the Golden Horseshoe Area and GTA at no cost to any taxpayers. Thompson indicated the plan to send FM104 to the British Columbia Aviation Museum is a done deal and that if they cannot take it will go to Edenvale.

While Thompson’s committee recommendations regarding the disposition of the Toronto Lancaster FM104 goes to Toronto City Council for ratification, Thompson indicates that only a “Motion in Council” from another City Councillor can now delay or cause a further review of the issue which he feels is now final as his committee will not consider any other options.

So at this point it is really up to the Toronto politicians to stand up and represent the wishes of their constituents with respect to the disposition of FM104 if they are so inclined.

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:26 pm

It needs to head West, there's already a Lancaster in Hamilton which is minutes (flying) time from Toronto. CWH & Toronto politicians should sit down & shut up.

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Thu Jul 19, 2018 7:36 pm

There's also another Lanc under rebuild in Trenton.

If the resources exist out west then it should go.

Andy

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Sun Jul 22, 2018 1:59 pm

Hey guys,

It's been ages since I've been on this message board. I've been far too busy with my flying career, but it doesn't mean I love warbirds any less.

I have had a keen interest in Lancasters for a long while.

I personally created an organization with the mission to acquire Lancaster KB882 when had become available a few years ago. I wanted to bring it to British Columbia for restoration to flying condition. In the first iteration of that process it was awarded to Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton, Alberta. But, citing costs of moving the Lanc, they turned it down. The plane again was put up for competitive bidding process, and I was involved again, and again missed out. The plane was then granted to the RCAF Museum in Trenton, and embarrassingly bringing the population of Lancasters in Ontario to 5. That's 5 out of all 16 Lancasters in existence.

When Lancaster FM104 (in Toronto) became available, I again made an effort to acquire it and bring it to British Columbia. This time with the backing of the Canadian Museum of Flight of Langley, BC. I also had huge support from the Langley Township, and Langley Airport management. Things were looking good, but again, our bid was not successful.

I'm extremely happy to see it will "likely" be going to the British Columbia Aviation Museum (BCAM). They have a great organization, and with the help of Victoria Air Maintenance (who restored Bob Jens' Mosquito, and whom also specialize in warbird restorations) they can do amazing things. Even though the BCAM doesn't fly any airplanes in their collection, it does appear that they want to restore the Lancaster to airworthy status!

It will be very nice to see the population of Lancasters more evenly distributed across Canada, and I think it's important for aviation and war history to be shared with more people, and the Lancaster is symbolic of so much. The people of BC will have an artifact that will tell so many stories: the efforts of those that built and maintained the Lancaster, the tragic losses incurred by Bomber Command, the horrific impact Bomber Command had on civilian populations (we want to remember this history, so we never repeat it), and the post-war use of the Lancaster.

I'm so excited!

Cheers,

David

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Wed Jul 25, 2018 2:22 pm

Bottom line is there are less than 20 Lancasters on the entire planet. No one seems to be able to come up with any valid reason why 5 of them need to be in Ontario. People are losing their minds on FB over this.

Re: Possible Toronto Lancaster Development

Wed Jul 25, 2018 6:29 pm

Maybe it's the same reasons that all the Spitfires need to be in England :D

Andy
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