Lodestar CF-TCY restoration

[daveymac82c]

Hi everyone,

I don't want to hijack the CF-CPA thread anymore so I thought I'd start this little one.

As you may know from reading the CF-CPA recovery thread on here, the Canadian Museum of Flight (CMF) is in the process of transporting its Lockheed Lodestar (CF-TCY) from Delta Heritage Air Park to Abbotsford Airport where it will receive a deep cosmetic restoration by the students of the University College of the Fraser Valley Aerospace Engineer program.

Today we removed the tail section of the plane and the wings are ready to be lifted off. Tomorrow (OCT 10th) there will be a crane brought in to lift the wings off, and to lift all the pieces onto the transports that will take the airframe to Abbotsford.

There is significant corrosion on the airframe and many parts will need replacing. If anyone knows of good contacts for Lockheed Lodestar parts please let me know.

I don't know exactly what our time-frame is for the restoration, but I do know that when it is completed, I understand that the plane is to be put on a pole at Langley Airport, where the CMF is located.

I will keep you all posted on the progress of this project and post pictures when I can.

Cheers,

David

[warbirdcrew]

the plane is to be put on a pole at Langley Airport

That's too bad. I always thought that it was a unique addition to Delta Airpark and that it served a much better role in its "gate guard" duties there.

[daveymac82c]

I personally don't like the idea of putting it on a pole either.

But, one thing that is going to be an improvement is that it'll be displayed in Langley which will keep it further away from the harmful salty air that it was effected by at Delta Air Park. If you've taken a close look at the airframe there is some corrosion on the aluminum components that is quite frightening. All that because of its vicinity to the ocean. Luckily, those parts are supposed to be replaced during the cosmetic restoration at UCFV.

Cheers,

David

[BLR]

Vintage airliner may be on the move again
To get a revamp by aircraft-structure students at UCFV

Brian Lewis
The Province


Sunday, August 26, 2007


In its earliest days in the late 1930s, the twin-engine Lockheed Lodestar represented state-of-the-art aviation -- and made headlines on a number of fronts.

Millionaire aviator Howard Hughes used it to set an around-the-world flying record of three days, 19 hours in the summer of 1938. Soon after, it figured prominently in newsreels of British prime minister Neville Chamberlain flying home from Germany to announce his "peace in our time" agreement with Hitler.

This 14-passenger, transcontinental "airliner" was also the flagship of Trans-Canada Airlines' fleet between 1941 and 1947.

Today, very few of these magnificent flying machines remain, but one of them -- CF-TCY -- has been sitting for over a decade in Delta's Heritage Air Park at the foot of 104th Street beside Boundary Bay.

This particular aircraft was part of TCA's fleet and was once Canada's version of Air Force One in the U.S. when it served as the official carrier of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent, other dignitaries and visiting heads of state in the early 1950s.

However, this historic aircraft, which is owned by the Langley-based Canadian Museum of Flight, won't be at the Heritage Air Park much longer.

It's getting a much-needed cosmetic overhaul, thanks primarily to the University College of the Fraser Valley's aircraft structures technician program, which runs out of the UCFV's Aerospace Centre at Abbotsford International Airport.

The museum is currently working on the logistics of moving the Lodestar from Delta to Abbotsford. Since its flying days are long past, the Lodestar's wings may have to be removed, given its 13-metre wingspan.

However, if the wings are removed, it won't be the first time that's happened.

This aircraft was discovered at Chicago's Midway Airport in the 1960s, where it was about to be sold for scrap. The buyer, who owned an Illinois air museum, had to remove the Lodestar quickly so he hacked off its wings with a chainsaw.

When the Illinois museum closed in the late 1980s, the Lodestar was sold to the Canadian Museum of Flight, which at that time was located at Crescent Beach.

According to Bill Marr -- a spry 90-year-old who lives in Langley and flew this particular aircraft for TCA in the late 1940s, when the air museum moved to its current home at Langley Airport in 1996 -- there was no room for the Lodestar, so it was taken to Delta Heritage Air Park and has been stored there ever since.

"I'm very pleased that somebody is finally going to look after this aircraft," says Marr, who in his nearly 34 years with TCA-Air Canada flew just about everything from the Lodestar to a Boeing 747.

UCFV aircraft-structure instructor John Marshal is just as delighted. "This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students," he says. "There are many lessons we can transfer directly to the Lodestar and even though it'll never fly again, we'll approach the project just like a real aircraft with all the paperwork and documentation." And since CF-TCY is still an officially registered aircraft, students in the 11-month certificate program will be able to log their work and time on the Lodestar to help meet their apprentice and licensing requirements.

Once the work is done, the Lodestar will be placed on permanent display at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley.

If you have a story idea or noteworthy item about anything in the Fraser Valley, e-mail Brian at blewis@png.canwest.com

© The Vancouver Province 2007

[Chris Brame]

I hope they will rethink the outside display idea; I 'm grateful to see it being restored to display standard but the work is going to have to be redone soon enough from exposure to the elements... besides, I've always hoped I'd live to see one of Earl Reinert's aircraft flying again.

Well, maybe not the Ohka

[BLR]

Hey David,

Hope you don't mind posting these on your thread, I was at Delta Airpark today and the Lodestar was still there, all packed and ready to go.

Anyway I thought the group would like to see a few pixs of CF-TCY, keep us posted on what's happening with her.

BTW I was also at the museum and renewed my membership

Brian...

[daveymac82c]

Hey Brian,

I also feel bad that the plane's going on a pole, but it appears to be the only place we could put it. Our current home-site is far too small. We woudln't even have the space for a small Cessna, let alone a beauty of an airplane like the Lodestar. One day we might have a larger facility, but it doesn't appear that's going to happen any time soon. There are plans to raise enough money to build a new hangar on top of our current property (where all of our planes are located - minus the DC-3 and Lodestar). This would mean tearing down our small hangar where our biplanes are all located, and I guess it would also mean closing our doors to the public for at least a year. Boundary Bay seems like a better bet, but from what I understand the hangar there needs significant work. Hmmm... it would probably cost the same amount to build a new (small hangar) at Langley as it would to re-fit the WWII hangar at Boundary Bay.

feel free to post any pictures you have of the project. Thank you for posting the ones that you have. They look great. I wish I could have been there for when it was loaded onto the trailers, but was busy.

Cheers,

David

[peter]

Sad news.... Lets hope that they mount her in such a way as to cause absolutely no damage to the aircraft unlike the mounting if lancasters on our country. Hopefully funding can be quickly acquired to put up a new hangar to house all of the aircraft.

[daveymac82c]

Hey Brian,

I re-read your post and caught something I didn't notice the first time.

Welcome back to the CMF!!!!

We can always use more members with your progressive mindset.

Cheers,

David

[CF-CPA - Killer]

Hi there,

I'm currently working on the CF-CPA project, if there's anything i can do for you to help, let me know!

[daveymac82c]

Hey there,

Thank you for your offer. I'm not really involved with the project at all, but I will let the people involved know that you have offered help if needed.

Like-wise, if you need any help I am quite certain that our group working on CF-TCY would be happy to help.

It's quite exciting that there are now two Lodestar restorations going on in Canada!

Keep in touch.

Cheers,

David