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■ iwwawi AU'KStsa ■mutiwtiwwmBMi Wednesday, November 11,1998 COMMUNITY CALENDAR • LIFESTYLES • SPORTS • COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE • TV LISTINGS The Harvard Mark flight at the Canadian Museum near Hamilton, IV is readied for Warplane Heritage V Columnist Re-lives Training Of World War II Pilots by Flying... Into the Wild Blue Yonder... By Rob Evans The Traveller The desire to soar like a bird is as old as time itself. Many a person Has looked up longingly towards the heavens heavens and wished they could free themselves themselves of the restraints of gravity. Clarington resident, Bill Calver, answered the call over 25 years ago and now it is his passion. He knows both the joy and the potential risks of flying. In 1991, while flying his homemade homemade Osprey 2 aircraft, Bill experienced experienced engine I trouble and crashed into a com field near Kingston, Ontario. With a broken broken back, broken ribs and a punctured punctured lung, he radioed for help. His message was I received by a Rob Evans Japanese airliner airliner flying over Bangkok and aid was dispatched. Mostly recovered from the accident, Bill is flying again today in his own single engine Cherokee. Born and raised in Bowmanville, Bill is now an aviation historian with a wealth of knowledge about World War II aircraft and the men who flew them. He was a driving force behind the dedication of the clock tower in Bowmanville's Rotary Park in June 1996, to three pilots who were not so lucky. The Colville brothers, Alex, Bill and John, known as Sandy to his friends, answered the call to duty during during the Second World War. Each would pay the supreme sacrifice and are the only known three brothers to become pilots and lose their lives while serving their tour of duty during the war. Two other Clarington airmen, Ken Cole and Lome Yeo, were also killed on that fateful night of March 15-16, 1944 along with Alex Colville during a bombing run over Stuttgart, Germany. In all, 17 Clarington pilots made the supreme sacrifice during World War II. To become a pilot during the war, young men would have to go through the British Commonwealth Air Training Program, BCATP. Canadians and Europeans were trained at various sites across Canada, including Flight Centre #20 at Oshawa. The Tiger Moth Many trainees, most of whom had never been in an airplane before, would begin their elementary training in the Tiger Moth. A two-seater biplane with a canopy over the cockpit cockpit to keep out the Canadian cold was their introduction to the skies. If the rookie airmen passed elementary, they moved on to advanced training where they would learn to pilot more powerful powerful airplanes. One of the most common common was the two seated, single wing Harvard. If they survived advanced training, the pilots earned their wings and were sent on to specialized training, training, many to become, fighter or bomber pilots. Not all passed. Not all survived. The naval air training centre at Kingston, Ontario, had 28 novice airmen killed while trying to earn their wings from 1940 to 1943. As an historian and amateur aviation aviation buff, I decided to attempt to experience experience something of what it must have been like for those brave young men over 50 years ago. My first visit was to the Oshawa airport where I met Stan Miller, the Chief Flying Officer of Warbird and Barnstorming Rides. Stan flew a Wellington bomber during World War II and has been a pilot for 56 years and still trains pilots today. I opted for the Trainer Flight, a half hour trip in the Tiger Moth similar to the introductory introductory flight given to cadet trainees back in the early 1940's. Getting Airborne Strapped into the front seat of the biplane and after a very short taxi, we were airborne. Cables and wires along with various switches and levers were exposed along the inside of the fuselage, A joystick and rudder pedals were in front of both the seats so that either of the occupants occupants could fly the plane. I discovered just how narrow narrow the cockpit was when Stan would turn the plane and the joystick in front of me pushed my leg up against the side of the cockpit. We seemed to be floating more than flying as we headed east from the airport toward Clarington. We crossed over the 401 near Harmony Road and watched as many of the cars below moved along quicker than us. Stan's voice came over the headset, "They may get there ahead of us, but they won't have as much fun doing it as we can." At that, the joystick kicked to my left and we banked steeply and began a series of turns that seemed to leave us suspended, spinning in place. Over the Lake Ontario shore line, east of the GM office building, Stan asked if I'd like to try to "get a feel" of the plane and gave me the controls. I tried a gentle turn to the right and straightened the plane, but on my attempt to turn to the left, I forgot to apply the left mdder as I manoeuvred the joystick. The plane began to bank to the left as the nose began to rise. Afraid I was about to put us into a barrel barrel roll, I quickly suggested suggested that Stan take back the controls. Scooting past the power plant and cement factory, (Stan claimed the pit was his swimming swimming pool,) we made our way over downtown Bowmanville. Circling high above the water tower, I was easily able to pick out individual buildings and landmarks, landmarks, including my house. A few passes over the town and we headed back to the south field of the Oshawa airport. airport. "Advanced" Flight With my elementary flight a success, it was time to move onto advancing training. Although Oshawa also lias Harvard trainers that you can take a ride in, I decided to head west and booked a flight at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Located next to the Hamilton airport, the museum has a large collection collection of airworthy hcr- Flying a Harvard itage planes, including a Lancaster bomber. Besides the many interactive exhibits, dozens of planes, cafeteria and huge gift shop, you can watch as craftsmen carefully restore recently acquired heritage heritage planes for display. I took along Bowmanville resident, Jim Rossiter, a stock car racer and model plane flyer, for his first trip in a biplane. He rode in the Stearman Kaydet, an elementary trainer used mostly in the United States because its open cockpit was not suited for Canadian winters.- My pilot for the ride in the Harvard Mark IV, was Peter Stewart. A crop duster by day, Peter has been flying the Harvards for 12 years and his father, George was one of the founding members of the museum. The plane itself seemed slightly larger and more solidly built than the Tiger Moth. Once inside the cockpit, this time I sat behind the pilot, I once again noticed that all the internal workings of the plane were exposed. Function over style for the military. military. We took off second, and as the Harvard sliced through the air, we quickly caught up to the slower Stearman. The roar of the engine bringing history history back to life and* cmising side by side, it was easy to imagine the excitement of the young trainees so many years ago learning the art of flying. flying. What a thrill they must have felt, in control of all that power and the freedom freedom it gave them. Eventually, the Stearman peeled off and Peter and I continued on towards Lake Erie, where after a few lazy turns, we headed back. Cruising at about 1000 feet and close to 200 miles per hour, we spotted the runway and began, what I thought was our approach. Descending to about 200 feet, Peter had one more thrill in store. We banked sharply to our left and executed a three G circle, the same as you would experience doing a loop, before lining up with the runway and making a perfect three point landing. Jim was already on the ground. And, despite the fact that he is used to piloting cars at almost twice the speed around Mosport race track, he was grinning from ear to ear from his ride. I know how he fell. Feel Like Flying? Warbird and Barnstorming Rides 1000 Stevenson ltd. N., Hanger 113 Oslutwa, Ontario (905) 721-0054 Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum 9280 Airport ltd., Mount Hope, Ontario 1 -800-386-5888 ■ Veteran pilot Stan beside the Tiger Moth. Miller stands