Alberta Aviation Museum
53°33′57″N 113°31′2″W / 53.56583°N 113.51722°W
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| Established | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Location | Edmonton, Alberta |
| Founder | Bill Cottrell |
| Website | Alberta Aviation Museum |
The Alberta Aviation Museum is a museum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is located on-site at the former Edmonton City Centre (Blatchford Field) Airport on the southwest corner of the field (11410 Kingsway Avenue).[1][2]
The museum operates daily except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.[3]
History
The Alberta Aviation Museum hangar is the last remaining example of a 'double-double' Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) hangar. These hangars, built for the BCATP across Canada, were made of pre-cut wooden timbers of British Columbia fir. They could be built as single units, double units, and the 'double-double' which is four units.[4][5]
Built in 1940 after 3 double hangars for RCAF Station Edmonton, it was originally opened 5 October 1940 as No. 2 Air Observers School (AOS) under the command of Wop May. After the USA entered the Second World War the airport was used to service United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) aircraft heading to Alaska until the new USAAF base that was to become CFB Namao (now CFB Edmonton) opened outside of Edmonton and absorbed some of the traffic. Postwar the museum hangar was used by No. 418 (City of Edmonton) Reserve Squadron, Pacific Western Airlines and for Distant Early Warning Line (DEW Line) construction before becoming a car dealership in the late 1960s.[4][5]
Known in Edmonton as "The Hangar on Kingsway", it has been designated 'M' Hangar, Hangar #6 and later Building #14 by the Edmonton City Airport. It is now a designated municipal and provincial historic site.[4][5]
Current
With the closure of the city centre airport the fate of the museum was, for a time, uncertain. However, since that time the building has been designated as a municipal and provincial historic resource. The Alberta Aviation Museum, now recognized by the Alberta Museums Association, will remain in its current location and act as a community fixture for the new residential neighbourhood, Blatchford.[6][7][8]
The museum hosts several groups including the 504 Blatchford Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets,[9] the 180 (20th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA) Royal Canadian Army Cadets,[10] #700 (Edmonton) Wing - Air Force Association of Canada[11] and 418 (City of Edmonton) Squadron Association.[12]
Collection
Airplanes
| Plane | Serial |
|---|---|
| Avro Anson | 886 |
| Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck | 100476 |
| Barkley-Grow T8P-1 | |
| Beechcraft Model 18 | |
| Canadair Sabre | 19101 |
| Canadair CT-133 Silver Star | |
| Cranwell CLA.4 | |
| Curtiss JN-4 (replica) | |
| Curtiss "Stinson Special" (replica) | |
| de Havilland Mosquito | VP189 |
| de Havilland DH.60 Moth (on loan) | |
| de Havilland Tiger Moth | |
| Fairchild 71 | |
| Fleet Canuck | |
| Ford Trimotor | |
| Fokker D.VIII (replica) | |
| Fokker Universal | |
| Lockheed F-104 Starfighter | D-5805 |
| Noorduyn Norseman | |
| North American B-25 Mitchell | 44-30791 |
| Piper PA-18 Super Cub | |
| Stinson Reliant | |
| Vickers Viking (7/8-scale replica) | |
| Waco UIC | |
| Westland Lysander (2/3-scale replica) (loaned out) |
Helicopters
| Plane | Serial |
|---|---|
| Bell 47 |
Gallery
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Affiliations
The museum is affiliated with:Alberta Museums Association, Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association, Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage Information Network, Edmonton Heritage Council and Virtual Museum of Canada.
References
- ^ Alberta Aviation Museum
- ^ Location
- ^ "Admission and Hours". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
- ^ a b c British Commonwealth Training Air Training Plan Hangar
- ^ a b c Hangar #14
- ^ "Blatchford". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
- ^ Future of Alberta Aviation Museum up in the air as City Centre Airport closure date nears
- ^ Redesign of Edmonton's Alberta Aviation Museum taking off
- ^ 504 Blatchford Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets
- ^ Alberta Army Cadet League Locations
- ^ #700 (Edmonton) Wing - Air Force Association of Canada
- ^ The Edmonton Aviation Heritage Society Centre at Blatchfort Field
External links
