The Aero Space Museum of Calgary features the following collection of aircraft currently on display to the public:
Sopwith Triplane
World War OneHerbert Smith designed the Sopwith Triplane in 1916. Within weeks it was in combat. While short-lived, with only 144 built, it was one of the great successes of World War One. Powered by a nine-cylinder Clerget rotary engine, the Triplane was highly maneuverable with an exceptional rate of climb. It gave the pilot the widest possible field of vision and permitted a high rate of roll.
Avro Lancaster Mk X
World War TwoThe Lancaster was a direct development of Avro’s unsuccessful Vulture-powered Manchester twin-engined bomber. The first four-engined Merlin-powered Lancaster flew on January 9, 1941.The 4-engined Avro Lancaster heavy bomber makes its operational debut laying mines and the first bombing raid on Essen followed one week later. The Lancaster Mk.I, fitted with Merlin XX engines, remained the only version in service throughout 1942 and 1943.
Avro 652 Anson MK. II
World War TwoThe original three Ansons were designed as a six passenger commercial aircraft, the first of which flew in January, 1935. In 1936, the design was then modified for Royal Air Force use on general reconnaissance and transport particularly coastal patrol where is earned the nickname "Faithful Annie". Popular as a trainer, early in the Second World War the Anson was selected as the standard twin-engined aircrew (pilots, navigators and bomb aimers) trainer for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
North American Harvard
World War TwoThe Harvard is arguably one of the best pilot training aircraft ever produced. The original version, the NA-26 first flew in 1935. The RCAF took delivery of its first one in the summer of 1939 and operated them continuously until May 1965.
Taylorcraft Auster Mk. VII
World War TwoThe Taylorcraft Company began in 1939 at the Britannia Works, near Leicester, England, as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes Limited. 1,604 high-wing Taylorcraft Austers were built during World War II for the armed forces of the UK and Canada.
Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck
Post World War II MilitaryThe first jet combat aircraft designed and built in Canada was the two-seat Avro CF-100. The project was started in 1946 with the first prototype flown on January 19th, 1950. Ten pre-production Mk.lls were followed by 70 Mk.lll production versions. On October 11, 1952, the prototype of the second operational variant appeared. The Mk.lV first flew with improved avionics and armament, plus more powerful engines. The last version was the Mk.V with a further increase in power. The RCAF accepted a total of 692 CF-100s and further 53 (all MK.V) were sold to Belgium. Officially the speed of CF-100 was limited to mach 0.82. It was known with some derision as the "Clunk" or the “Lead Sled”. The last CF-100 was retired in 1981.
de Havilland DH 100 Vampire F Mk. III
Post World War II MilitaryFirst flown in September 1943, the de Havilland Vampire was the first jet fighter to enter service with the Royal Air Force just after the Second World War. It is of all-metal construction except for the forward portion of the fuselage housing the pilot's pressurized cockpit, which is made of wood. Power came from a 3,100 lb. thrust de Havilland Goblin 2 jet engine.
North American F-86 Sabre
Post World War II MilitaryOn April 4, 1949 Canada joined NATO and committed itself to supporting the aerial defense of Western Europe. In August 1949 a manufacturing agreement was signed between North America Aviation (NAA) and Canadair of Montreal to build the Sabre in Canada.
Cessna 188 AG Wagon
Civil Aviation AircraftCessna Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas built the Cessna AgWagon in 1965 as one of the first purpose-built airplanes for seeding and aerial application of herbicides and pesticides. Prior to this most spray planes were converted from other uses, such as was done with Stearman and Tiger Moth trainers after WWII.
Barkley Grow T8P-1
Civil Aviation AircraftThe aircraft is a twin engine, all metal, low wing transport with a heated cabin arranged for six passengers and a crew of two. The first model was rolled out in April 1937 by Barkley-Grow Corporation of Detroit, Michigan and was tested by famous racing pilot, Lee Gehlback.
1936 Waco EQC-6 Custom Waco 10 Cabin Series
Civil Aviation AircraftThe name WACO is synonymous with classic antique biplanes throughout North America. Three partners calling themselves the Weaver Airplane Company (hence the acronym WACO), formed the company in Troy, Ohio in 1923. By 1929 WACO was the largest producer of commercial and general aviation aircraft in the U.S. In Canada, the WACOs were used extensively in the '30s and '40s for barnstorming, air ambulance work, recreational flying and general freight-carrying duties. The first air ambulance in western Canada was a QC-6 operated by Speers Airways, Regina in 1936. In 1934, the first model year of the QC-6, three were purchased by Calgarians and flown to the city.
Beechcraft D18S Expeditor Mk.3NM
Civil Aviation AircraftThe Beechcraft Expeditor was designed by Walter Beech as a commercial aircraft in 1936 and is one of the most successful aircraft designs in aviation history! During WWII it was used as a military transport and as a trainer. It remained in production until 1969 as a popular executive and civilian transport plane. It operated in Canada’s north, both on wheels and on floats.
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
Civil Aviation AircraftThe de Havilland Canada Twin Otter (DHC-6) is a Canadian aviation success story. In the mid-1950s de Havilland Canada began to evolve a twin-engine STOL aircraft concept to follow on the success of the DHC-3 Otter. Once suitable engines were developed, (the 500 shp Pratt and Whitney turboprop from United Aircraft of Canada) the concept became feasible. The two turboprops offered 50% more power with just 35% of the weight of the Otter’s single radial engine.
Douglas DC-3 (C-47, R4D, Dakota)
Civil Aviation AircraftThe Douglas DC-3 first flew on December 17, 1935. Powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, it has robust all metal construction, except for fabric-covered control surfaces. Crewed by two pilots, it can carry 24 passengers.
AEA Silver Dart - Full Size Replica
Civil Aviation AircraftIn 1907, Toronto engineering classmates Frederick "Casey" Baldwin and John A.D. McCurdy inspired the great inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, with tales of flight. Bell, through his association with the pioneering aircraft visionary Dr. S. P. Langley, had a keen theoretical interest in flight research. The Wright brother’s had become household names, as had the Brazilian, Santos Dumont and the Frenchmen, Louis Bleriot and Henri Farman. The inventive in many countries were planning enthusiastically about the prospects for powered flight.
Quickie Aircraft Corp. Quickie 2
Recreational AircraftOne of the most unusual designs in our collection is the Quickie 2. It gets its unique name because it was supposed to be quick to build and because it was so fast in the air. This is a home built aircraft designed by Burt Rutan, famous for his VariEze, the round the world Voyager design as well as SpaceShipOne, the first privately built and flown craft to fly into space.
Sikorsky S-51 Dragonfly (H-5)
HelicoptersThe S-51 was an early postwar development of the R-5. Although intended for the civilian market, most S-51s went into military service. They served with all the US military services as well as with the air forces of Australia, Britain, and Canada. The seven RCAF S-51s were designated H-5. The first helicopters in the RCAF, they were used mainly for training and experimentation. The S-51 was the first helicopter to open and operate from Cold Lake performing search and rescue missions. All H-5s were retired by the mid-1960s. The United States built 214, and 165 were made in Britain.
Bell 47G
HelicoptersBuilt by the Bell Aircraft Corporation, the first prototype flew on December 8, 1945. This was the first helicopter to use the amazing high visibility ‘goldfish bowl’ style canopy. On March 8, 1946 the Model 47 was awarded the world’s first helicopter type certification by the US Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA). Bell built more than 4,000 47s between 1945 and 1974. Augusta Bell of Italy license built over 1200, Kawasaki of Japan 239 and Westland of the UK, 239.