Fleet16b's ...Fleet16b

Jeff Hunt · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:36 am

WIX member Fleet16b had his beatiful biplane at Guelph Ontario yesterday for an annual classic's fly-in hosted by The Tiger Boys who are based in Guelph. Caught lots of Cam's flying as he was busy taking passengers up for local flights.

Today has a high fog bank sitting over the area and with any luck it will burn off shortly for what will be my last chance at an air show/ fly-in for 2008.

Cheers,

Jeff

marine air · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:45 am

That looks like an absolute blast to fly!

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 12:51 pm

Great shots! Can you share more from the Tiger Boys? They have quite a collection!

TOM WALSH · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:12 pm

Jeff:

Great pictures.

Do you know the history of where this aircraft served?

I have copies of the log books of three Aces from World War II - Major Pierce Winningham "Mac" McKennon and 1st. Lieutenant Hipolitus Thomas "Tom" Biel who served with the 4Th Fighter Group and Captain Arthur Bernard "Barney" Cleaveland of the 57Th FG.

All three trained on Finches in the RCAF.

Cheers,
Tom Walsh.

Bill Walker · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:40 pm

This aircraft is the original RCAF 4494. It first served with No. 4 EFTS at Windsor Mills, Quebec from July 1940, and may have been with another No. 3 Training Command school later on (still digging up that part of its history). It was sold as scrap in late 1943, and went to a private owner in Mexico in 1944, when the Cornells started to arrive in large numbers. It was back in the US by the 1970s, and returned to Canada in 1991.

Jeff Hunt · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:11 pm

Thanks for the comments.

I will post more Tiger Boys stuff shortly. Did my first ever air to air today (21Sept)with this Finch as the subject. Shot her from the back seat of another Finch (CF-GER).

Cheers,

Jeff

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Fleet16b · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:56 pm

Jeff

Thanks for posting the pics they turned out great and thanks for the disc, those oics are also well done.
All and all I flew 42 people over two days. It was great to give something back to this great hobby we have.

As for the history of my Fleet.

Born : 1940
Where: Fleet aircraft Co. Fort Erie Ontario Canada.
Type : Fleet 16b
S/N : 397
Entered RCAF Service: 1940
RCAF Designation and S/N : Finch 2 , 4494

Reported to have been sold to the Mexican Air Force in 1944 along with many other Finches that were being phased out.
Most of the Finches were massed at Oshawa prior to transfer to Mexico

She popped up again in the 1970's having been bought by a collector in Texas. Later it ended up in Oaklahoma.
There it was purchased by Robert Ratcliffe in St Marys Ontario Canada.
Bob restored the aircraft to her original flying condition but gave it a new s/n 92319( still, the a.c still has it's original data plate from Fleet mounted on it.)
which was his birth date.
Eventually 4494 was sold to an owner in Columbas Indiana.
There i attempted to purcahse it but was one day late.
The new owner took 4494 to Harrisburg Pa..
after owning it a year , Th owner sold me the a/c and I brought back Canada. that was 2004.
I have slowly been able to located more and more original equipment so she is looking more and more authentic as time goes by.
all told I have close to 300 hrs on her.
Incidentally, my Dad served at #9 EFTS and flew Fleet Finches there, so I am a second generation Fleet Pilot
Dad is now 89 yrs old and gets a big kid out the fact that his kid is flying Fleet Finch.

I feel very honored to own her.

Keep'em Flying

Fleet16b · **Posted:** Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:59 pm

Sorry in the history above I forgot to list :

RCAF service life : #4 EFTS Windsor Mills Quebec Canada

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