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Aviation History
1959
1959 - 0653.PDF
322 FLIGHT, 6 March 1959 The S»J*w Dart replica being flown by W/C. Paul Hartman at the anniversary celebrations at Baddeckt Nova Scotia on February 23, 7969, titty yean after the historic flight illustrated at the toot of this pope J. A. D. McCardy Honored at Baddeck and at Montreal: A Silver Dart Flies Once More (but briefly) After Fifty Years CANADIAN CELEBRATION COMMEMORATING the fiftieth anniversary of the firstpowered flight by a Canadian in Canada—and also thefirst by a British subject in the British Empire—Canada's jubilee programme got under way on Monday, February 23. Thiswas the anniversary of the day in 1909 when J. A. D. McCurdy made his half-mile flight above the ice of Bras d'Or Lakes atBaddeck, Nova Scotia, in the Silver Dart aircraft produced by the Aerial Experiment Association, the pioneer group founded byDr. Alexander Graham Bell. At Baddeck, 13,000 spectators were present to watch W/C.Paul Hartman, D.F.C., D.F.M., R.C.A.F., fly the Silver Dart replica from the ice of the Bras d'Or Lakes. Hartman had madea number of previous flights in the machine and had reported that it was a very delightful light aeroplane—provided a cross-wind landing was not required. At 11 o'clock on the anniversary morning he took off, and flew well for about half a mile beforestrong gusts of wind caused him to lose control of the machine. The aircraft made a hard landing, damaging the port wing andthe undercarriage, but Hartman was unhurt. After the flight W/C. Hartman said that he was very dis-appointed at the accident, but Mr. McCurdy, who was guest of honour at the celebration, described the flight as marvellous."This was the son of thing pilots faced on every flight," he recalled. A special honour which had been kept a secret from the pioneerpilot was his appointment, announced at a luncheon following the morning celebrations, as an honorary air commodore of theR.C.A.F. McCurdy had been credited by Prime Minister Robert Borden during the first world war with suggesting theformation of a Canadian air force (the R.C.A.F. was founded in 1924). Among the people who watched the anniversary flight wereseveral who had witnessed the original flight by McCurdy fifty years previously. Some of their sons and daughters present weretaking part, in period costume, in a tableau staged by the Victoria County Drama Society to represent Dr. Alexander Graham Bell,his family and scientific associates. The Canadian Post Office marked the occasion by issuing aspecial five-cent stamp on February 23 (which, ironically, depicted three Avro Arrows as well as the Silver Dart), and a limitednumber of first-day covers was flown in the Silver Dart replica. This mail was destined for the Queen, Mr. Macmillan, Generalde Gaulle, President Eisenhower and other people and organiza- tions—including Flight—having a particular interest in theanniversary. Inside the first-day covers was the following message fromMr. McCurdy: — "Just fifty years ago it fell to my lot to make the first powered aircraftflight in Canada. I look back over half a century of aviation in our country with considerable pride. Since that first short flight at Baddeckto today's trans-Canada passenger schedules much has been accom- plished in the aeronautical engineering and transport fields. I paytribute to those who have made it possible. I would especially commend to your thoughts those pioneers who in the early years of Canadianaviation went into the north to explore for new and as then unknown natural resources which have made this country rich. I ask you alsoto remember those who in this period twice answered the call of duty and in the air gave all to their country." The Baddeck celebrations include participation by the threeCanadian Services; approximately 1,000 dignitaries were present by special invitation; and the total crowd was almost six timesthat which had been expected by the organizers. Following the morning ceremony and his introduction by Premier Robert Stanfieldof Nova Scotia, Mr. McCurdy thanked the townsfolk of Baddeck for the testimonial dinner which they had held in his honouron Saturday, February 21, and for a day in his life, which, he said, he would never forget. The R.C.A.F. replica of the Silver Dart was constructed atR.C.A.F. Trenton and, later, Mountainview, Ontario, by a group from No. 6 Repair Depot led by L.A/C. Lionel G. McCaffrey.The completed replica was publicly shown at an Air Force Day display at Trenton and at the 1958 Canadian National Exhibitionin Toronto. On the evening of February 23 commemorative dinners wereheld at Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia; Montreal; and many Pilot, J. A. D. McCurdy; aircraft, Silver Dart; date, February 23, 1909—first powered flight by a British subject in the British Empire
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