|
Hi everyone,
I just found this newspaper article. It looks like Peterborough airport is the new home for this ex-RCAF Vampire. I am quite sure that the Peterborough airport is also home to David Carlaw's Yale.
Can't wait to see a Vampire in flight!
Flying out of the past
TREVOR WILHELM
Local News - Saturday, December 10, 2005 @ 08:00
It was a metal beast capable of great destruction, but it was like a friend to old fly boy Rob Guillet.
Tears met metal yesterday as the former Royal Canadian Air Force pilot and his plane were reunited after five decades apart.
But this particular DeHavilland DH 100 Mark III known as the Vampire is not your average airplane.
It's the world's oldest flying jet fighter; it has appeared in several Hollywood movies and John Travolta once owned it.
Guillet saw it yesterday at the Peterborough airport for the first time since 1954.
"It brings back a lot of memories," said Guillet, 74, fighting back tears. "You formed a very strong bond with your aircraft when you were flying, you were alone in it. It's kind of like it's coming home."
Guillet, who has lived in Lakefield for seven years and was on Stoney Lake before that, joined the air force's University Air Training Plan while studying geology at the University of Toronto.
He joined the 411 Squadron in 1953 after earning his wings, then started flying the Vampire.
"This was Canada's front line fighter and the first jet aircraft Canada ever had," Guillet said.
"We were essentially home defence, if you like, during the Korean War. We were defending the father land."
He said Canada bought 85 of the planes from England in 1948.
They were the country's first fighter aircraft, said Al Rubin, president of Wings of Flight, which recently bought the plane.
"Canada had 10 squadrons, before even the Americans had fighter squadrons," Rubin said. "Canada was first."
This particular aircraft serial number 17072 is the oldest flying jet fighter in the world, according to Rubin.
For Guillet, the old plane was a site for sore eyes. He even wore a tie to meet his old friend.
Guillet came to the reunion in a navy blue blazer with his squadron's crest on it and a striped blue and maroon tie.
He stills remembers the first time he tackled the sky with the Vampire. His instructor just put him in the cockpit and told him to take off.
"One day I just got in it and my instructor stood on the wing, helped me get it started, then he said, 'Wait until I get up in the control tower,'" Guillet said. "Then all sorts of other encouraging remarks like, 'We've cleared all the other aircraft away from the airport.'"
Just before he took off, Guillet got one more confidence booster.
"I managed to get it onto the runway and he said to hold it there for a moment," Guillet said. "I just took a look over my shoulder and there was the crash truck and the ambulance and the fire truck all moving up behind me."
Once he was in the air, all apprehension melted away.
"You just felt you had unlimited power," Guillet said. "And it was quiet in there because you tended to leave the noise behind. It was like sitting on a vacuum cleaner, it was just a humming sound."
It was a different story when he unleashed the power of the plane's four 20 mm cannons.
"When you pushed the gun button, so help me, you thought the wings had come off," said Guillet. "It was just a remarkable little airplane. I didn't think I'd ever see one of these again. It's been over 50 years."
According to the log book, which Guillet still has, he last flew the plane on Feb. 28, 1954.
The Vampire has had some adventures since he last sat in the cockpit.
When the planes went out of service in 1956, some were sold to the Mexican air force and some ended up in museums.
Guillet's plane left Canada in 1958, ended up in California and made it big in the movies.
Rubin said it appeared in several movies, including a James Bond film.
"Any time they had a film and wanted an aircraft that was unusual," he said. "It was a Hollywood aircraft."
Then John Travolta bought it. The movie star, who has a collection of airplanes, restored it before selling it to a company in Florida.
"Capt. J. Travolta" is still printed on the side of the cockpit.
The Peterborough airport is the plane's new home.
Wings of Flight president Al Rubin said his organization bought the plane on behalf of the Canadian Air and Sea Museum.
Peterborough will be the plane's base of operations as it visits air shows in Canada and the United States.
Rubin said it's possible more aircraft could be stored here as well.
"The idea now is to develop more heritage and history for people in Canada," Rubin said. "Any time we have an opportunity to do something like this, especially with an aircraft of this type, it's very important."
Regards,
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
