CMF Hampden Restoration pics

[daveymac82c]

Hi everyone,

quite a while back there was some interest in seeing pictures from the Canadian Museum of Flight's restoration of the Handley Page Hampden between 1985 and 2003.

The project was headed by Fred Gardham with help from many volunteers. Fred worked on Hampdens during WWII and used his memory and old drawings to reconstruct the CMF's example. He started restoring sections of the Hampden in a small workshop near his apartment in Downtown Vancouver, BC. From the pictures you can see how things were done in pieces. A lot of the work was done outside as the CMF has never had a facility large enough to cover out entire collection. This made for difficult times. Most if not all of the work was done during the summer months, which in this area are very short.

For more information about the CMF's Hampden including a story of it's crash into Patricia Bay, it's discovery, recovery, and restoration please check out www.canadianflight.org/collect/col_11.htm

This is what she looked like in 1985, shortly after being brought back to the CMF's site in Crescent Beach(Surrey), BC.


The first section to be rebuilt was the nose section


And there's me in front of it... 1986.


Efforts were made to put the pieces together to resemble something like an airplane. The machine gun in the upper right part of the nose was its orginal machine gun and when the Hampden was recovered the gun was cleaned up and it still worked after about 40 years of being underwater.


Eventually the centre section, rear fuselage, and tail section were completed


The wing tips on either side were the next to be reconstructed


This image shows some of the conditions faced while working on the Hampden


A large pile of parts from the recovered wreck were always kept close by to reference. It became a favourite home for small snakes.


Eventually she started to look like a plane (ref: www.canadianflight.org)


Eventually she was put back on her feet. Those are the original tires.


Here's me, a few years later, when I spent the summer helping Fred and co. with the restoration. This was my first experience with restoration work and I loved it. I learned a lot! I helped with metal work on the port engine nacelle. I was found to be very useful for climbing inside the cowling and holding the bucking bar.


In 1994 the CMF forced to move to a new homesite in Langley. Work on the Hampden stopped while the move took place. Work restarted, but at a slower pace until she was finally completed in 2003. (ref:www.canadianflight.org)


After the completion of the restoration there was a wonderful ceremony to mark the feat and to dedicate the airplane to Fred Gardham who put his heart and soul into the restoration. It was quite an amazing undertaking especially considering his age when he started it.


Fred Gardham


Me and Fred, 2003


So there you have it people. Currently the only Handley Page Hampden on display in the world and one of two in existance. Come and check it out. Hey Nathan, there's an early WWII airplane for ya!

Cheers,

David

[Dave Homewood]

That's a fantastic set of photos you have there Dave. Congratulations to you, Fred and all the others who worked so hard to resurrect an almost extinct bomber. It is just amazing to see that all this was done in the outdoors. Most world class restorations like this would have had a hangar. I hope it eventually gets undercover so it can be preserved for centuries to come.

[BLR]

Hey David,

Nice pics.

On another subject, is the museum doing a memorial or something for Gogi? I know the RAA are planning one for Sept but I was wonder if the museum had any plans.

Also heard there have been some staff changes and it's safe for some of us to join up again!

Brian....

[Dave Homewood]

Out of interest, in that first photo, over the back behind the trees, is that a Hudson fuselage?

[AIRIC]

Thanks for sharing. I visited the museum in 2001 and was very pleased to see the Hampden. This was before it got painted so we will have to make a trip back soon.

Eric

[daveymac82c]

Dave, Thank you for the kind words. That airplane in the background of one of the pictures is actually a Lockheed Lodestar CF-TCY.

Brian, as for a memorial for Gogi, I am not sure. I haven't been in communication with the staff at the CMF about Gogi passing away. I think it would be very good for the CMF to do something.

As for the staff changing at the CMF... YES, there are new staff. Sandy Sideroff (Tinsley) left her position as executive director at the museum at the end of May. In her place Terry Brunner is now, but in the position of General Manager of the CMF. As CMF president we have Gord Wintrup.

They are working together to move the CMF forward after being somewhat dormant for several years. They are interested in proper marketing and expansion of the museum. They have plans to build a new hangar at Langley on the current CMF property. Yes, it'll cover all of our airplanes finally, and house the Hampden inside, but it won't afford us any more space. It'll cost in the neighbourhood of $2-2.5 mill.

Brian, I strongly suggest that you come back to the CMF. Many ex-members left over the years, but since June 1st, there have been several of them coming back. There seems to be a renewed excitement at the CMF and things are looking good.

The only bad news it that the new staff are also more interested in keeping the CMF at Langley, and not interested in Boundary Bay.

I've been back and forth about talking with the management at Boundary Bay to see about what could be done to let the CMF have the WWII hangar there (Which is totally empty)... But because I know our executive staff are disinterested, I haven't made formal contact. I might still, since I feel Boundary Bay Airport would be a better home than Langley.

I am also starting a project with Chris Ryan at the CMF to see about saving a PBY Canso that is wasting away at a local airport. If you'd like to help I'd love to have you onboard.

Cheers,

David

[APG85]

Neat story and great pictures! Unbelievable that you did that level of work outdoors. Got any more shots of the finished product?

[daveymac82c]

I do not have too many pictures of the finished product. It is not the easiest airplane to photograph because of it's position on our museum's property.

I'm at work right now so I'll try posting more pics when I get home.

Cheers,

David

P.S. Thanks for all the interest in our Hampden!

[daveymac82c]

I have some sad news to report.

On February 3rd 2008, Fred Gardham passed away at the George Derby Long Term Care facility for Veterans at the age of 93.

There was a small service held at the care centre on February 25th that I was lucky to have been able to attend.

I will greatly miss Fred, his class, his wealth of knowledge, his caring heart, and his firm hand shake.

I wish I had gotten to spend more time with before he had to leave us. Strangely, several weeks ago I had been thinking about him and how nice it would be to visit with him. I think it was around the same time of his passing.

We miss you Fred.

[Forgotten Field]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Very glad you and the crew put so much work into the airplane. Very good looking.

[warbirdguy]

Thanks for sharing the story and pic's.

[b29flteng]

Thank you for the post. I too, miss several of my mentors.

[JDK]

On February 3rd 2008, Fred Gardham passed away at the George Derby Long Term Care facility for Veterans at the age of 93.

There was a small service held at the care centre on February 25th that I was lucky to have been able to attend.

I will greatly miss Fred, his class, his wealth of knowledge, his caring heart, and his firm hand shake.

Hi Davey,

I'm sorry to hear that. Although I never met Fred, his achievement (with the museum) of resurrecting the Hampden is world famous, rightly so. That will clearly stand as a memorial to his achievement as well as to the other Hampden veterans.

Thanks for letting us know.

[Richard Woods]

Sorry to hear about your friends death.

That the Hampden was restored outside is nothing short of amazing...

Ric