Times-Advocate, 1988-11-02, Page 27Memories are made of this
Times -Advocate, November 2, 1988 Page 9A
Restored Lancaster is centre of attention and affection
By Yvonne Reynolds
Don Reynolds, RR2 Kippen,
took a trip back in time' last week.
The former RCAF/Canadian Armed
Forces Radio Officer saw a sight he
had last seen 28 years before - Lan-
caster 213 in flight with his former
crew captain, pilot Cy Dunbar,- at
flit controls.
Reynolds and Dunbar had flown
in the Lanc, one of 422 built at
Halton, Ontario during World War
Two, while stationed with the 107
Rescue Unit in Torbay, Newfound-
land. Reynolds was posted to Ot-
tawa in 1960, to continue flying in
Lancs with 408 Photo and Recon-
naissance Squadron, and Dunbar last
sat in the cockpit of 213 on July
10, 1963. Lancaster 213 was re-
tired from service later that year.
Since then, the plane that refuses
to fade away has been at the heart of
a number of record-setting events.
In 1%5 the aircraft was raised on
pylons near Godcrich airport, to
stand for the next 13 years as a si-
lent but impressive memorial to the
airmen who served in Bomber
Command.
When the Royal Canadian Legion
heard the Canadian Warplane fieri-
rage Museum at Mount Hope, Ha-
milton's airport, was looking for a
Lancaster that might be made air-
worthy again, they thought of 213,
one of about 10 Lancs still existing
in Canada, and one of the few that
sell had an intact middle section be-
cause she had been displayed on
three pylons instead of only one.
The Sully Foundation of Goderich
set up a Legion Scholarship fund in
exchange for 213, and then handed
the battered and weatherbeaten plane
over to the Museum.
Another two years passed before
the fuselage was airlifted by Chi-
nook helicopter to Mount Hope on
November 5, 1979, establishing a
record in terms of weight and dis-
tance lifted. The engines, wings,
and tail assembly travelled by road.
Full-scale restoration began in
1983, setting another record.
"This was the Museum's largest
undertaking", said Henry Swienga
from the CWHM's publicity depart-
ment. • •
More than 4,000 .people from
around the world, primarily former
'military personnel who had a war-
time or post-war association with
Lancasters, joined the Lancaster
Support Club and raised over one-
quarter million dollars for the resto-
ration project. Private companies
and individuals contributed equip-
ment, labour and expertise valued at
another $1.25 million.
The rejuvenated Lancaster, one of
only tWo in flying condition in the
world, took off triumphantly on
September 24 and flew its first offi-
cial flight in 25 years before an au-
dience of over 5,000 at Mount
Hope airport. (The aircraft had un-
dergone previous check flights to
make sure everything was in good
working order.)
The craft was given .an illustrious
new name. It was dedicated as the
Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, to
commemorate Pilot Officer Andrew
Mynarski, awarded a posthumous
Victoria Cross for giving his life in
an attempt to rescue the tail gunner
after the Lancaster he was in was
shot down in flames in June, 1944,
Ironically, the rest of the crew sur-
vived, and werr#at Hamilton to wit-
ness the Mynarski Memorial Lan-
caster's inaugural flight.
The Lancaster bombers, beating
through the air with their four pow-
erful Merlin engines, have always
captured the loyalty and affection of
all who had anything to do with
them.
Dunbar, now a senior commercial
pilot with Canadian Airlines, re-
sponded to the powerful pull of a
Hot summer affected fishing
PETERBOROUGH = Trout and
salmon have eluded Ontario's an-
glers this year, and Ontario's hottest
summer on record may be to blame,
said officials of the "Molson Ex-
port" Big Fish Contest.
Although catches of large fish are
up this year, overall Contest entries
of brown trout, speckled trout, rain-
bow trout, and salmon are down
says Contest Administrator, Dr.
Terry Quinncy.
"We tend to forget that fish be-
have in ways quite different from
our own. Much of our behavior as
humans is dictated by the calendar
and our watches. For fish, a major
factor is water temperature," says
Quinney. "For example, each spe-
cies has a preferred feeding tempera-
ture, as keen anglers know. This
summer's high temperatures un-
doubtedly affected feeding habits,
particularly in trout. But with de-
creasing temperatures in early fall,
some of the year's best fishing is
available between now and the close
of the 1988 "Molson Export" Big
Fish Contest on November 30."
Other species eligible for prizes
in both the Live Release Category
and the Catch and Eat Category are
largemouth bass, .smallmouth bass,
muskel-lunge, northern pike, wall
eye, and lake trout. But any species
of fish -- from American eel to yel-
low perch-- caudtt in Ontario wa-
ters can be entered in the "Any Fish
Can Win" Grand Prize Draw. The
draw is held in conjunction with the
"Molson Export" Big Fish Con-
test.
Prizes in the 1988 Contest in-
clude Evinrude motors, cash awards,
and hundreds of Berkley rods and
reels. In the "Any Fish Can Win"
Grand Prize Draw, one lucky com-
petitor will •be drawn to win a
Dodge Dakota pickup truck, a
Stryker bass boat and trailer, and a
70 h.p. Evinrude outboard motor.
Entry forms for the "Molson Ex-
port" Big Fish Contest and "Any
Fish Can Win" Grand Prize Draw
are available from Evinrude, Chrys-
ler, and Stryker Bass Boats dealers;
all Molson representatives, North-
ern Ontario Tourist Outfitter lodg-
es, Canadian Tire Stores; or directly
from the Ontario Federation of An-
glers and Hunters by calling (705)
748-6324.
Entries, accompanied by a photo-
graph of the fish, should be sent to
the Ontario Federation of Anglers
and Hunters (Box 28, Peterborough,
Ontario, K9J 5Y6) before the Con-
test closes on November 30.
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love affair he had thought was over.
Hearing the Lanc was flying again,
he took time off from his job, and
was checked out on his old friend
on October 23.
Dunbar is one of the two pilots
qualified to fly the Mynarski Me-
morial Lancaster: On learning he
was to bring the plane to the Air
Ontario hangar at London on Octo-
ber 26 for a two-hour static display
for Air Ontario employees in recog-
nition of the 560,000 avionics
package of radio and navigation
equipment Air Ontario df nated to
the Lanc, Dunbar phoned his former
crew member. He- and Reynolds
spend the two hours catching up on
28 years of news_, and reminiscing
about old times.
"The Lancs were rugged, reliable
and dependable. Though not built
for either speed or comfort, they
would get you in and out of almost
any situation: In all the hours in
the 10 years I flew them, I never re-
call being apprehensive", Dunbar
enthused.
Reynolds agreed, having flown in
46 different Lancasters, beginning
with 405 Maritime Squadron at
Greenwood, Nova Scotia.-
Flying a Lanc again is the realiza-
tion of a long-time dream, Dunbar
said.
"It feels great, as if I hadn't been
away all this time. The Lancaster
handles exactly as I remember. It is
a first-class job of restoration",
Dunbar concluded.
The historic plane will be flying
around Ontario to take part in vari-
ous events connected with aviation.
It will also be taking many people
on a trip down memory's lane.
MEMORIES - Don Reynolds climbed into thQ Mynarski Memorial Lancast-
er for a close-up view of the plaque from 408 Rescue Unit (left). The crest
on the right is from the 426 Thunderbird Squadron Association.
REUNION - Don Reynolds (left) renewed acquaintance with former crew captain Cy Dunbar and Lancaster 213,
now the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, when the restored aircraft visited Air Ontario, London.
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