FPL's TBM Avenger History is now up!

[cadam]

After a long wait, Forest Protection Limited's TBM Avenger History Project is now up and running at the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum (ACAM)!

It presents the histories of over 80 US and Canadian Avengers that flew in New Brunswick during the early years and the heyday of the Spruce Budworm aerial spraying program. It is not meant to duplicate the Warbirds site, although we initially used Warbirds as a basis for our format. We have linked to Warbirds and other sites rather than just duplicating the info.

You will also find many Avengers not in the Warbirds list, and Warbirds is welcome to use the information contained within the ACAM site.

Please have a good look, and contact me, Chris Adam, if you spot anything that needs to be changed or if you have additions. Please note that the link on the ACAM site may change once we get more organized.

Thanks to all at Warbirds who helped us out.

[RMAllnutt]

It makes fascinating reading... Many thanks for posting. It was interesting, and sad, reading the first entry about the crash of Conair 603. It seemed clear that the pilot had once flown for Air America... I wonder what his connection was.

All the best,
Richard

[HELLDIVERS]

Wow!!Too cool I've never seen such a large collection of TBM tanker photos before!! Thanks for all of your efforts at collecting and posting all of this information for our enjoyment. Your research filled a lot of holes in the colorful history of the surviving TBMs that are still flying today. I was suprised at the number of losses during that period. Many of the ones that were scrapped would have made many a project in todays market of war birds. Thanks again Mike

[cadam]

Thanks. I had a great time compiling this project (and there will be a few adjustments to the text coming up). Warbirds is encouraged to use the info posted to update the Avenger files. There are several aircraft not in your list

[HELLDIVERS]

Can anyone add to Chris Adams list, the TBMs that were operated in the U.S. by several different spray outfits? Swiss mustangs posted several good photos there must be lots more out there any takers? Thanks Mike

[Steve T]

Chris--

What a terrific piece of work. Always liked Avengers (and still miss old "ABG" that was lost in the Hgr#3 fire at Mt.Hope); was very pleased to be able to visit FPL in 2002 when several of the Avengers were still on site (actually the WIX member gallery shot of me was taken aboard one). One of my earliest warbird memories, circa 1974, is of a formation of Avengers (Norfolk's, probably, in retrospect) rumbling along in the distance while my dad and I were visiting the Rockton sailplane field...I didn't yet know what an Avenger was, but Dad did and informed me that's what those were...We used to drive round southern Ontario looking for warbirds, found the last two Hicks & Lawrence TBMs at St.Thomas that way in September 81. I have a profile shot of CF-XOM "18" that looks exactly like the one on the FPL project page for that TBM.

Coincidentally I've recently been pulling out old prints of "working warbirds" from my binders with a view to scanning them to CD and putting them up on P'bucket. Looking at all these Avengers in tanker/sprayer trim makes me anxious to get going on that!

Cheers

S.

[cadam]

Next week I plan to fix some broken links in the Introduction and add 2 files alluded to: US and Canadian spray companies (some companies have little info save a name and location) and a list of FPL's Avengers in chronological order. Still in development are files on New Brunswick airstrips used in the spray program.

This work is still in progress -- feel free to comment and contribute. Note that the emphasis is on the NB spray program, not on pre- and post-spray history.

[Steve T]

OK, got those Avenger, et cetera, pix up on P'bucket...Chris, feel free to filch any you can use on that fantastic NB history site...here's the link:

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll26 ... 0Warbirds/

The shots are mainly TBMs and A-26s, with a few Trackers etc. tossed in. A companion group of shots of propliner/skytruck types will be added later.

Here are a couple TBMs post-New Brunswick-period:


CF-KCL, ex Conair/FPL, seen at Markham ON ca. 1990 when with IVA (Thomson/Rubin collection); now Stateside



CF-IMI, Skyways' first TBM tanker, also ex Conair/FPL, seen at Minot ND in May 1995 when with Warren Pietsch; subsequently restored as a USN TBM-3E, reg N337GA, now with Steve Searle in Oz...


S.

[HELLDIVERS]

Great photos we need more any new restorations/ photos out there? How about some updates? Sorry mine is still in Minnesota but I'm getting my thrills working on the CAF TBM on weekends. Thanks Mike

[Jack Cook]

Here's N337GA...........

[cadam]

William Sawchuk pointed out an error in BuNo: The BuNos for FMSX and FMSY were duplicated, no doubt to my copying the file to create a new one. The changes may take a day or 2 to show up. I also added files to the Introduction (2 weeks ago).

Please let me know if any links do not work.