Sitting on the ramp with sister ship C-FBMR tanker 21

Built in 1968 as a Bell 206A, this JetRanger flew in Canada with various operators between 1980 - 90. Pictured with Shirley Air (1980 -82), the helicopter returned to Canada registered C-GKBU in 1992 and is still current with Custom Helicopters at the time of uploading.

1950 built Beaver spent some time in Finland before coming back to Canada. When it was based near Prince George it made dolly takeoffs which were quite interesting to see. A truck hooked up to the dolly and quickly drove down the runway and when the Beaver reached flying speed it left the dolly and was away. On one particular dolly takeoff, the engine on the Beaver quit just as it left the dolly and it made a very rough landing and suffered a lot of damage. Now the Beaver is located in Alberta.

Reg cancelled in 1990

This Neptune was formerly RCAF 24113 and was purchased by The Flying Fireman of Victoria and converted to air tanker with a 3,000 gallon retardant tank. In 1972 it was used on a trial basis by the British Columbia Forest service during fire season and the Neptune did well in that role. Transport Canada did not approve the modifications so the Neptune was sold and went to the United States and worked there as an air tanker until it crashed in 1975. Its remains and parts of another Neptune were used in a rebuild and it is now on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona as N14448.

Built by Canadian Vickers, this PBY crashed while fighting fire at Snow Lake, Manitoba in 1978 and was destroyed with two fatalities. It apparently nose dived into the ground likely from fuel starvation to one of the engines.

Constructed by Eastern Aircraft division of GM and delivered to the US Navy as 69327. Modified by Fairey Aviation from torpedo bomber to an Anti-Submarine aircraft for the Royal Canadian Navy as 326 in 1950. In 1961 it was modified again by Fairey Aviation to a fire bomber for Skyway Air Service as CF-KCG. In 1969 it went to Conair until 1976 when it was damaged in an accident in New Brunswick. From there it found its way to the Imperial War Museum in England where it was restored representing an Avenger flown by George Bush during World War II. Moved to Liverpool in 2023 for the future Battle Of The Atlantic Fleet Air Arm Museum.

The "Empress of Richmond" was delivered to CP Air April 22, 1983.

This Invader was destroyed in a crash near Clinton, British Columbia on August 7, 1974

I wonder what prompted the msg placed above the fuel guages.

Former Winnipeg based Central Flying School Tutor joined the Snowbirds for the 1992 season. Remaining with the team in various positions until at least 2002, it was declared surplus by the Air Force in 2006. The aircraft has been mounted on a pole as Snowbird 1 next to Mac the Moose at the Tourism Moose Jaw building, Moose Jaw, SK since 2011.

Beautiful Skylane owned by my friend Mr Bernardus aka VE7AUO. Many Search and Rescue flights have been made by this a/c. Unfortunately this aircraft crashed and was destroyed, killing its pilot a few years later.

This is the bird dog a/c which directs the air tanker operation on the fire.

After serving with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1952 - 1960 as 53638, this Avenger worked as an air tanker with Skyway, then Conair and then Forest Protection Ltd. It was eventually acquired by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Pennsylvania and is registered as N109K and often seen on the air show circuit as a US Navy torpedo bomber.

Tanker 86 crashed while fighting a forest fire near Cranbrook, BC July 16, 2003. There were no survivors in the crash which left wreckage of the a/c spread over a large area, a tragic loss. This photograph is dedicated to the memory of the crew who perished.

This Electra was destroyed whilst conducting fire retardant drops near Cranbrook,British Columbia. The two pilots did not survive the crash which started a wildfire when it exploded upon crashing. The date of the crash was 16 July 2003, less than a month after I photographed it.

This Twin Otter was De Havilland Canada's demonstrator with the appropriate registration from roll out June 1976 to January 1977. Delivered to Northern Thunderbird in Febuary 1977, the aircraft was sold to Aklak Air in September 1985. It's still current with Aklak Air at the time of uploading, althought it's been registered to Kenn Borek Air since 1994. The two airrlines entered into an agreement where Aklak could draw from Borek's fleet as demand shifted during seasonal flying.

This 1950 Beaver was kept by De Havilland Canada for testing and demonstration until sold commercially in 1956. Northern Thunderbird flew it from 1974 until sold to St Cloud Aviation of Alaska in 1984. The rugged bushplane is still current in Alaska operating with Sportsman's Air Service registered N987SP.

Modified by the Canadian Department of Transport in 1961 adding a new nose extension with three glass panels and a belly camera port, this Twin Beech was used by the Province of British Columbia for aerial photography and survey until 1971. Taxiing out here with Northern Thunderbird, it was sold to the USA as N62936 in 1996.