- The Greek parliament this week approved the purchase of seven De Havilland DHC-515 water bombers. They will replace older versions of what is known in Europe simply as “Canadairs”, a reference to the design’s original manufacturer. Greece will share the aircraft with other E.U. member countries when required. Deliveries are expected between 2027 and 2030. The contract is valued at € 361 million ($534 million). Check out this week’s featured video on the “Canadairs”.
17 May 1957
Photo of Crew in front of Lancaster Aircraft.
RCAF.
- A Canadian-built Avro Lancaster, previously housed in the National Air Force Museum of Canada (NAFMC) at CFB Trenton, Ontario, was partially disassembled and shipped to Base31 in nearby Picton, the current name of the one-time training facility that was part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War. A fleet of five flatbed trucks transported the warbird earlier this week to Base31’s aviation museum where restoration work will continue. The Lancaster is expected to be returned to the NAFMC for permanent exhibit in four to five years.
- Landmarks across Canada and around the world will be illuminated in blue on April 1 to honour the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. In Canada, the CN Tower, the Montreal Tower, the Calgary Tower, Niagara Falls and the sails of Vancouver’s Canada Place are all set to be illuminated in blue. Canadian embassies and diplomatic missions abroad will also participate, and efforts are underway to enlist other participants both at home and in other countries.
- Aviationtag of Germany has announced the debut of a new “skin tag”, a keychain or luggage tag that is fashioned from a small piece of aircraft aluminum, precisely cut, polished and laser-engraved, using the skin of a retired and scrapped airliner. The newest addition is from an Air North 737-200, previously registered as C-GNAU.