Fly in an Avro Lancaster

December 5, 2009

By Sid Kaplan            
Travel Writer
Troy Media

Sid Kaplan

HAMILTON, ON, Dec. 5, 2009/ Troy Media/ — If you like airplanes like we do, there are a couple of Canadian Air Museums near Toronto you should look at visiting.

The Canadian Air and Space Museum (formerly the Toronto Aerospace Museum) is a “newcomer” on the aviation museum scene. It was founded in 1997.

There is more to it, however, than simply the history residing inside: the building is historical in itself. It was the original 1929 home of de Havilland Aircraft of Canada. The site contains the oldest surviving aircraft factory in Canada, and it’s the birthplace of Beaver and Otter bush planes. The field used to be Toronto’s air force base.

The collection is a little light, but growing, and there are plans to expand the facility. There are a couple of de Havilland planes and a Lancaster which was taken from its “airplane on a stick” display status in downtown Toronto and is now under restoration.

The museum is open Wednesdays thru Sundays. It is also open on Holiday Mondays. Check their website for hours and fees.

The other Canadian air museum in the vicinity is a little further from Toronto, but you need to see it if you love planes. The Canadian Warplanes Heritage Museum is in here in Hamilton. It has a large collection of aircraft used by Canadians from the beginning of World War II up to the present.

The collection includes a Westland Lysander, a Hurricane, a Spitfire and an Avro Lancaster, all flyable aircraft. The Lysander just came out of restoration, and we originally saw it, along with the Lancaster and the others, at a recent air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

You’ll also see some older planes too. How about a de Havilland Tiger Moth, a Fleet Finch, and a reliable old Stearman PT-27 Kaydet.

Because many of the Museum’s aircraft are flyable they are taken out to air shows throughout the year. The museum’s website tells you to check the flying schedule to see which planes will be at the museum and which may be on tour.

The Canadian Warplanes Heritage Museum is about an hour from Toronto at Hamilton International Airport. It is open daily all year between 9 am and 5 pm, closed only on Christmas and New Years Day.

If you become a member of the museum, you can upgrade your membership to include a ride in one of their warbirds. You can get to fly n the Boeing Stearman, North American Harvard, DC3 Dakota, Beech 18, Chipmunk, Cornell, Tigermoth, PBY Canso, B-25 Mitchell, Fairey Firefly, and even – ready for this? – the Lancaster. Of course those big ones are going to cost you, but hey, where else can you fly in something like that? Check their website for details.

OK, we admit we’re airplane nuts, but we think it’s great to have two Canadian air museums close to a great city like Toronto.