Warbird Information Exchange

Anyone have any history or information on the following Canadian Car & Foundry
Harvard IV, construction # CCF4-102, RCAF serial 20311?

I have two T-6/Harvard wing center sections on hand (an AT-6D example and a Harvard
IV one), and the plan is to build up one good wing center section out of the two (I am aware of the
differences between the two!).

Anyway, I dug my wing center sections out from the corner of the hangar yesterday in preparation for tearing into
them for the rebuild, and I found a dataplate on the Harvard one saying it is CCF4-102.
If it helps, I obtained this Harvard wing center section from a Richard Benner in Wasilla, Alaska
a number of years ago.

As an aside, I also have the tailcone section for Harvard IV CCF4-47, RCAF 20256 (still wears
it's original RCAF paint) and a Harvard IIB modified to Mk IV fuselage truss (serial 14-565).

Thanks,

Bela P. Havasreti

Bill Walker runs a great website with info about all RCAF airplanes. He frequents WIX so you can probably catch him on here. His website is:

http://www.ody.ca/~bwalker/rcaf1_5digit_main.html

I couldn't find the specific aircraft you're looking for, but an e-mail to Bill will probably get you an answer of some sort.

Cheers,

David

Thanks David, I just sent Bill an e-mail.

Bela P. Havasreti

20311 taken on strength 5/23/52 and struck off charge on 8/12/59. Used by No. 4 Flying Training School, written off.

Info is from "Harvard! The North American Trainers in Canada" by David C. Fletcher and Doug MacPhail.

Thanks BDK!

That's the one T-6 book I don't have in my library....

Bela P. Havasreti

Doug MacPhail is WIX member "MacHarvard", maybe send him a message.

Brian...

I contacted David Fletcher last last year & he ships this book from his house in Vancouver. Send him a cheque & he'll send you the book. Here's the URL I used:

http://mars.ark.com/~dcf/harvard2.html

Just got back from a road trip without Internet, here is what I have on 20311.

Received by No. 11 TSU at Fort William on 23 May 1952. Assigned to No. 4 FTS at Calgary on that date, delivered there on 26 June 1952. No. 4 FTS was based at Calgary in 1952, but shortly after this moved to Penhold, Alberta and then Gimli, Manitoba. I have info on this aircraft being used at Penhold, but nothing about Gimli. To storage at Lincoln Park (today Calgary International) on 12 August 1959. This is quoted in several sources as the "struck off" date, but the aircraft history card doesn't record an actual struck off date. The card is unusually lacking in details. However, several other Harvards near this serial number have the usual volume of recorded info, and only served with 4 FTS their whole RCAF career. When struck off it was "written off", not transferred to Crown Assets, which usually means it was scrapped or broken up for spares by the RCAF, and not sold whole.

Hope this is of interest. At my current rate, all this will be on my web pages in about 40 years.

_________________
Bill Walker
Canadian Military Aircraft Serials
www.ody.ca/~bwalker/

I don't know how I missed it Bill, but I just saw your response.

Thanks!!!

This T-6 Anorak likes to keep detailed notes on where all his
"major" parts came from, and what the history was for each part...

Happy holidays,

Bela P. Havasreti

Bela,

Where was that dataplate located on the center section?

I met Richard in Chino a number of years ago. He seemed like a great guy. Alaskans are really dedicated to aviation!

The dataplate is riveted to the aft surface of the starboard end
of the aft spar (just outboard of the last lightening hole).

Richard Benner was great to deal with.. As I recall, he hauled
the wing center section (and a few other T-6/Harvard parts) down
to me (Seattle area) from Alaska for just the gas money it took
to get here!

Bela P. Havasreti

Thanks Bela. I'll have a look!