Calgary Select: Aero Space Museum of Calgary

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Plaque

There is a plaque located directly when you arrive at the Museum.

Plaque at the Aero Space Museum

The plaque reads as follows:

Canada
"The Aerodrome of Democracy"
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The monument and surrounding landscaping was conceived by the Aircrew Association - Southern Alberta Branch in co-operation with the Aero Space Museum Association of Calgary and the Calgary Airport Authority (CAA). A "Canada Remembers" activity in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of Victory in Europe May 8, 1945.

Contributors to this development as follows:

From Industry and interested individuals:
Ace Construction Co. (1987) Ltd., Burnco Rock Products Ltd., Cana Limited., Cibc - Chinook Centre Branch, Computing Devices Company, Douglasdal Estates Inc., IGA Stores, International Oilfield Equipment Brokers Ltd., Investors Group, R. M. Jennings, John Pieper Construction Ltd., Lafarge Construction Materials Ltd., McMillan Bloedel Ltd., PCL Construction Management Inc., Ranger Oil Limited, The Eaton Foundation, Vanessa Brown, D.K. (Doc) Seaman, Jack Zuidema

From Military Groups:
Gunners Association-Southern Alberta Branch, Ex Prisoners of War Association - Southern Alberta Branch and Edmonton Branch, Jewish War Veterans of Canada, Royal Alberta United Services Institute, Royal Canadian Legion-Centennial Calgary Branch 286.

In Memoriam:
C.Douglas Burrows DFC, Lorne Desjardine CD & CLASP, John Littlewood, Maurice Pettit DFC & Bar, Ralph Pilkington

From Members of Aircrew Association:
Jim Askew, Eric Atkinson, Ralph F. Atkinson, JOhn M. Ballachey DFC, Glenn Basset DFC, Harold Barsky, Harold Benson, Paul W. Benson, Alex Branch DFC, Edward Bredlin QC, Bruce E. Brown, E. Bryce Chase, Rae E. Churchill CD, Wm. F. Clark, George Cooper, E.Mac Cooper DFC, Carl Dales DFC, John W. Denmee, John Dobson, R.A. (Roy) Findlay, Michael F. Fisher CD, Manley Flynn, Rhoda Flynn, Ian Fowler, Leonard Gardner, H. Ross Geddes, L.G. (Hap) Geddes, J Grant Gunderson, Paul Hawkes, V.L. (Doug) Hawkes, Thomas T. Humphrey, Eric H. Knight, Dr. Doug Lawson, Yvon H. Lefebvre DFC, Norman G. Loudoun DFC, James Love DFC, Fred Marsh CD, Eric McFall DFC, Gerald L. McFerran, Jack McIntosh DFC, Don McIvor DFC, Vern McKeague CD, E. Alex McQuarrie, Doug Morrison DFC, Bill Moure, Dr. Vincent J. Murphy, R.H. (Bob) O'Connor, Doug R. Penny DFM, J.K. (KIng) Perry, R. Wm. Pitman, Bruce Powell CD, R.H. (Rex) Probert DFC, George A. Rogers, Wm. J. Rodgers, Dave Rosenthal, William Rowbotham, C Ray Savage DFC, F. John Sherlock DFC, Clifford F. Smith, Mahlon L. Smith CD, H. Frank Tibble, Wm. V. Tobias DFC, W.E. Bill Vine DFC, CD, Dennis Wagner CD & CLASP,Wilkie A. Wanless MID, Dave Watson CD, Ralph S. White, Myron Williams, Hal Wyatt.

Aircrew Association - Southern Alberta Branch

Aerospace Museum Association of Calgary

Aero Space Museum of Calgary

The Aero Space Museum of Calgary is located near the Calgary Airport and makes for an interesting and educational outing. Below we have some detail as well as some photos of the kinds of things you will find there.

Aerospace Museum Sign Location:
4629 McCall Way NE, Calgary
Tel: 403-250-3752
Website: www.asmac.ab.ca

Hours: Open daily 10am to 5pm (call to check on holiday hours)

Some of the exhibits

de Havilland D.H. 100 Vampire F. Mk. III

de Havilland D.H. 100 Vampire F. Mk. III First flown in September 1943, the de Havilland Vampire was the first jet fighter to enter service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) after the Second World War. In 1948 it also became the first jet to enter service with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The Vampire uses a plywood/balsowood forward cockpit section similar to other de Havilland aircraft.

For many RCAF pilots, the Vampire was their first introductio to the jet fighter, pressurized cockpit, and tricycle landing gear. It was an instant favourite with many who flew it.

Our Aircraft:

The Museum's Vampire served at several bases in Eastern Canada until it was sold to private interests in the United States. It was subsequently acquired and brought to Calgary by ex-403 Squadron pilot, Honourable A. Milton Harradence of the Alberta Court of Appeal. Harradence would fly this aircraft as well as a P-51 Mustang and an F-86 Sabre at various venues in Canada and the United States.

North American F-86A Sabre

Canada chose the F-86 Sabre to support the aerial defense of Western Europe when it joined NATO in 1949. The Canadian government decided to build the Sabre in Canada under license at Canadair in Montreal, Quebec.

The first of Canada's Sabres flew on August 9,1950, was piloted by A.J. "Al" Lilly. A few days later, in a dive, he became the first person to break the sound barrier over Canada. At the height of the Cold War, Canada provided 300 F-86 Sabres in 12 squadrons to Nato as part of the European Air Defense Force.

Our Aircraft:

The museum's Sabre served in the United States Air Force as a chase plane and later, as a fighter aircraft. Test pilot legends, Chuck Yeager and Pete Everest, are known to have flown this very aircraft.

After retirement from military service, this aircraft had several owners before being donated to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. In 1997, the Calgary branch of the Sabre Pilots Association of the Air Division Squadrons (SPAADS) purchased the remains of this aircraft.

In 1999, the aircraft was restored and finished in Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) colours to honor the 75th Anniversary of the RCAF.