The fourth annual Wings and Wheels aviation and motor show was held May 22 through 24 in Downsview Park, hosted by the Canadian Air and Space Museum (CASM).
This year was a milestone event marking and celebrating the 100th anniversary of Canadian flight, when the Silver Dart took off in Baddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The event does not have as many planes to look at as at a usual air show, but has a family fair feel to it with flights offered (at an extra cost) in WW II Harvard trainers as well as helicopters.
The most interesting (to me anyway) were two aircrafts on display that are also in use by the Estonian military. These were the Antonov AN-2, a huge heavily made single engined biplane that makes a sound that stays with you for days and a tiny, two seat, Robinson R-22 helicopter, very small, easy to maintain and inexpensive ($250,000.CDN).
Present also was the pride and joy of CASM, the Avro CF-105 Arrow full size replica, which in its reality was decades ahead of its time with regard to speed and design.
Other planes of interest were the fighter. Among them were the current Canadian CF-18 Hornet, a Korean War Russian Twin Seat MIG-15, WW II US North American P-51, a Chance Vaught Corsair and from the war to end all wars era the WW I British Sopwith Camel biplane and German Fokker DR. I triplane.
Of interest also ere were former frontline trainers: the Canadian CT-114 Tudor in Snowbirds costum, a Czech Aero L-29 Delfin, a WW II American, the North American AT-6 Harvard, the British designed but Canadian built deHavilland 82C Tiger Moth and the 87B Hornet Moth. A static display featured a T-33 Silver Star, which was in Canadian service for over fifty years.
Among the transports exhibited were a Douglas DC-3, a Lougheed 10A Electra that was in Trans Canada Air Lines costume and a Stinson V-77 5 seat executive WW II aircraft.
A Grumman Tracker that was built to hunt and destroy submarines for the Canadian Navy was also at the show.
Oh, and the wheels: a 1936 LaSalle, 1935 Auburn, 1937 Cord and 1959 Cadillac all convertibles in perfect condition plus a number of planes and cars that flew and drove in.
