Warbird Information Exchange

I just got the phone call I've been waiting for 9 months. I've just been awarded salvage rights to a Canadair Sabre Mk. 6. s/n 23400. It's in one piece in a shallow lake southwest of Goose Bay. The aircraft was being ferried to Europe by No. 1 Overseas Ferry Unit. The aircraft had to have an aileron changed at Goose. The pilot had an engine failure and put it down on Little Lake Minipi. It was left there and sank when the ice melted. I already have a salvage team ready to dive on it this summer.

Congrats! Mind if I post your news and name on WIX? I am sure there are others that would be interested in these events.

What are your eventual intentions for the Sabre?

I do not mind at all. I'm planning to have the Sabre sent out to the Nanton Lancaster Society Museum at Nanton, Alberta. One of the former Golden Hawks team leaders is from Nanton. If that falls through, then I am going ot see if any of the current active duty squadrons that operated Sabres would be willing to fish it out and take it home.

What year did it end up in the lake?

and selling the engine sounds like a non-starter.

Great news none the less though...

R.C.A.F. Canadair Sabre 6 s/n 23400 and c/n 1190, crashed at about 17:30 Hours in daylight conditions on the 19th of February 1956. The flight test conducted after an aileron replacement. The Sabre experienced a complete engine failure while in level cruise flight. It made a flaps up, wheels up landing on snow covered Lake Minipi at 52:25 North - 60:45 West. The aircraft was fitted with its drop tanks. They no doubt cushioned the impact. The pilot was S/N 30257 Flight Lieutenant Ray D. Himmelman R.C.A.F. He walked away from the crash unscathed. He did get sheken up a bit as he did not fully secure himself in the cockpit. This aircraft and others were being ferried overseas by No. 1 Overseas Ferry Unit for use with the R.C.A.F.'s No. 1 Air Division.

Lake Minipi is between 62 and 74 statute miles south-west of Goose Bay
depending on which end of the lake you are taking the measurements.

I talked to Alf McDonald tonight. He's a former member of the Golden Hawks. He knows Ray Himmelman very well and told me that he winters in Mexico. I'll fire Ray off an e-mail tomorrow morning.

Keep you posted!

They were taken by an R.C.A.F. photographer from Goose Bay during the first salvage operation. The second salvage op took place in June of 1956. I think I mentioned that the engine was slung out by a U.S.A.F. H-21 (22nd Helicopter Squadron based at Goose Air Base). The H-21 suffered an engine failure and let go the engine. It hit the deep snow and broke in two. It was discovered accidentally the following spring and eventually recovered.