Aviation and Heritage Roundup MArch 2026
Provided by Paul Squires, CAPA-ACCA Contact, Wetaskiwin, Alberta
New Books
The Junkers Ju 52, W 34, Sikorsky S-43 and Caproni 310 in Norwegian Airline Service, 1933-46
In Norwegian text
(3211) Flaggets Heder, Vol. 4: Våpenhjelpen, 1950-1972 – European Airlines Norwegian Air Force aircraft supplied under MAP, including CF-104
The History of British Airways Told Through Museum Artifacts
The Observer Corps: The Hidden Defenders Tracking Enemy Aircraft in Britain’s Skies
The SPAD A Series: Its Technical Development and Combat Use
Finnish vs Russian Air Combat During the Winter War: An Illustrated Study
Latest Collection from Renowned Artist Ronny Bar Focuses on WW1 British Fighters
Major Four Part Study Opens With Examination of Soviet Air Power in the Baltic, 1940–41
Flying Colours: Historic Aircraft Color Profiles By Richard J. Caruana
Coming Soon: Illustrated Study of America’s Failed First Pacific Air Campaign,
If you have an interest in this campaign, I would recommend W.H. Bartsch’s epic
Doomed at the Start, from Texas A&M University Press Doomed at the Start
Catalina Flying Boat: The Complete Operational History in Australian Service, which would include Boeing-Canada aircraft, and one of the very few RCAF losses in Australia, radar specialist F/L J.M. Barnes, October 1, 1943.
Three Volume SPAD XIII Series Concludes With Study of Late Variants
Battle of the Coral Sea: WW2’s Pivotal All Aircraft Battle Explained Of note, this was not the first battle between an aircraft carrier and combat ship
Handley Page Halifax: A Comprehensive Assessment Canadian interest.
New Aircraft Models
ICM to Release Late-Production HP.52 Hampden. Churchill’s ‘Flying Suitcase’
Eduard Offering Limited Edition P-40K ‘Royal Class’ Dual Combo Kit With Tons of Extras I remember when plastic models could be bought at the drugstore for $1.00.
LEGO to Release Large Pan-Am DC-3 Model With Impressive Details
New IBG Kit Recreates Spitfire Prototype’s Full History For Type’s 90th Anniversary
Italeri Releases Spitfire Mk IX Focused on RAF Aces includes markings for 3 RCAF aircraft
FineMolds to Release New A6M Zero Kits Representing Prototype and Model 32
IBG Releases Limited Edition Spitfire Mk Vb Kit Bursting With Features
Airscale Releases New “State of the Art” Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib Hybrid Kit in cooperation with Typhoon Legacy in Canada. Car-door type.
Eduard Release ProfiPACK Spitfire F Mk. IX With New Liveries RCAF Marking for a 401 Sqn. aircraft shot down over Dieppe landings.
Eduard Releases Limited Edition, Dual Combo Bf 109K-4 Model Kit
Eduard Releases New Fw 190F-8 Model Kit With 7 Liveries
March 30 – Greenwood exhibit on evolution of Air Women’s uniforms
Women’s RCAF uniform evolution reflects progress – The Aurora News
March 30 – Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum re-opens
‘Fantastic’ RAF Cranwell aviation museum to open after makeover
March 30 – Inside the F-35
Inside The F-35’s Cockpit System
March 30 – Inside the B.737 MAX
Inside The Boeing 737 MAX’s Flight Control System
March 30 – Is Westjet playing a shell-game with flight cancellations to avoid compensation?
WestJet told passengers flights were cancelled for safety. Records suggest otherwise | CBC News
March 30 – The woman whose job is to tell us when Armageddon is coming.
‘This was the real thing’: Meet the woman who alerts the world when an asteroid could hit | Space | The Guardian
March 29 – USAF Air Command aircraft lost
Rare US “Eye In The Sky” Command Plane Destroyed In Iran Strike On Saudi Air Base
How did that happen?
This seems bad – Lawyers, Guns & Money Oh.
March 29 – I guess the ICE didn’t help.
Chaos Continues: TSA Callouts Reach Record Numbers As Over 500 Officers Quit
March 28 – A good review of the new Soesterberg National Military Museum in the Netherlands by Kris Christiaans
Nationaal Militair Museum Soesterberg: From Airfield to World-Class Museum – Vintage Aviation News
March 28 – Experts look at La Guardia controller numbers on duty.
Were 2 enough? Experts question number of air traffic controllers during LaGuardia midnight shift | CBC News
LaGuardia Air Canada crash: Spotlight on air traffic controllers
March 28 – Helps to know someone
Delta Air Lines Holds Flight For Nearly An Hour For Late Passenger Related To Executive
March 28 – Storing Middle East airliners
The War In Iran Has Made This Small Spanish Airport Very Popular
Match 25 – And comments from an instructor pilot
Flight simulator recreates final moments before LaGuardia runway crash | CBC.ca
And NAV CANADA
LaGuardia Air Canada crash: Shortage of traffic controllers
March 27 – Anniversary of first flight of the DASH-7
Today In Aviation History: First Flight of the de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 – Vintage Aviation News
March 27 – Transport Canada was informed of tight seat problems by attendant before it became public.
Transport Canada warned about WestJet seating ‘hazard’ weeks before viral video: documents | CBC News
March 26 – US House votes to allow supersonic civil flights over land
U.S. House Passes Legislation to Clear Path for Civil Supersonic Flight Over Land – Aviation News
March 26 – Another detailed review of the Military History Museum at Berlin-Gatow by Kris Christiaans (reviewer to watch for).
Militärhistorisches Museum Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow: Germany’s Aviation Museum on a Historic Cold War Airfield – Vintage Aviation News
March 26 – The development of the Gulf for air travel, and the effects of the war
How a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
March 26 – South Korea rolls out KF-21
South Korea Unveils First Series-Production KF-21 Fighter in Historic Bid for Defence Autonomy – Aviation News
March 25 – First Brazilian-built Gripen E unveiled
Brazil Joins Elite Ranks with the Official Unveiling of the First Nationally Produced Gripen E Fighter – Aviation News
March 25 – Apollo samples still giving interesting results
How magnetic is the moon? A new study cracks the long-standing mystery | Space | The Guardian
March 25 – The Mig-21 may fly it’s last operations this year
Why The World’s Most-Produced Fighter Jet May Finally Disappear In 2026
March 24 – The Flight Attendant who survived the La Guardia crash.
‘A miracle’: Canadian flight attendant ejected from plane survives New York crash | New York | The Guardian
Flight attendant survives being thrown from Air Canada plane | AP News
March 24 – 1,000 Twin Otter delivered
De Havilland Canada Celebrates Historic Milestone as 1,000th Twin Otter Joins SATENA Fleet – Aviation News
March 24 – Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon need emergency help to preserve it’s hangar
Brandon air museum puts out mayday call for roof, concrete repairs | CBC Scene (MB)
For comparison, the Edmonton hangar of the Alberta Aviation Museum was originally built to the same plan, but post-war remained in RCAF service for 418 (Edmonton) Squadron, and was updated with post-tensioned wires under the original trusses (applied to all other similar hangars marked for post-war use), which prevented the roof from sagging, and helped preserve the original cold-rolled asphalt roof. In the early 2000s, a new roof was installed over the original roof surface, and recently, when examined and compared to other structures in Eastern Canada, the trusses showed minimal sagging.
Family History. My Mother and new-born sister with my Grandfather waiting for the Transair flight to Winnipeg, September 25, 1963, with the Hangars in the background.
And it appears this is a problem at the Bushplane Museum too:
Bushplane museum fundraising for critical repairs – Sault Ste. Marie News
Save Canada’s Aviation Treasure: Why Visiting the Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie Is a Must for Travel Lovers in 2026! – Travel And Tour World ignore the AI slop in the image, if you can. I just finished reading Hagedorn and Garcia’s Pulp Fiction Fighters – Aircraft Exported to Latin America for Military Purposes, 1930-1939, which I found fascinating, but it seems AI has now scanned it too, which I find sad.
Why Canada’s Bushplane Heritage Centre Belongs on 2026 Itineraries
March 24 – Drones over Louisiana Air Base
Mysterious Drone Swarms Infiltrate High-Security US Nuclear Bomber Base in Louisiana – Aviation News
March 24 – CWH to feature 80th Anniversary of the Chipmunk at its Warbirds Fly-In this year
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum to Host Warbird Fly-In Celebrating Chipmunk Anniversary – Vintage Aviation News
March 24 – Fine for flying a drone over an active firefighting area
Kelowna man penalized $5,000 for flying drone in active fire zone | CBC News
March 23 – Historic Snowbirds Tutor going to BC Aviation Museum. Was also part of the Golden Centennaires (remember them?)
Historic Snowbirds jet coming to BC Aviation Museum in North Saanich
First lead Snowbird jet headed to B.C. Aviation Museum – Victoria Times Colonist
Historic Snowbird aircraft joins BC Aviation Museum’s collection in North Saanich
March 23 – and Down Under, an RAAF Orion arrives at it’s destination despite nearly lost in flood
Former RAAF P-3 Orion Finally Reaches Evans Head Museum After Flood Survival – Vintage Aviation News
March 23 – Put your Dakota ‘out to grass’
Mid-America Flight Museum to Host DC-3 Gathering at Texas Grass Strip in September 2026 – Vintage Aviation News
March 23 – Re-Built Boomerang flies (apologies for the AI Slop ads, they really are awful)
Australia’s CAC Boomerang Fighter A46-54 Flies Again After 81 Years – Vintage Aviation News
March 23 – Premier Ford wants to take over the operation of the Island Airport from the City of Toronto
Ford says province will make Billy Bishop Airport ‘special economic zone’ as it eyes expansion to allow jets | CBC News
Ford says he’s going to take over Billy Bishop Airport. What happens now? | CBC News
March 21 – Improving weather predictions goal of NASA flights from Goose Bay
Flying into the unknown: Inside NASA’s mission from Labrador | CBC News
And future planning
March 21 – Turns out Boeing had good reason to try to kill the C-Series (A.220)
Why Might The World’s Game-Changing Single-Aisle Aircraft Have Boeing Worried?
March 21 – Wrong aircraft selection forces Air India flight to Canada to u-turn
Wrong Boeing 777 Variant Forces Canada-Bound Air India Flight Into 9-Hour U-Turn
March 20 – Canadian Space Agency cancels Lunar Probe without warning
Canadian Space Agency cancels lunar rover mission | CBC News
Canadian Space Agency Cancels Lunar Rover Mission, Major Blow to Canada’s Moon Ambitions
Canadian Space Agency terminates Lunar Rover Mission in 2026-27 Plan – SpaceQ Media Inc.
March 20 – Student from Cochrane selected for NASA Space School
NASA education paves the path for Alberta student
March 20 – Good question. Why is de-icing hard to get at Northern airports
Northern aviation deserves the same de-icing resources as the south, says pilot | CBC News
March 20 – Smart watch, dumb move.
Officer reportedly leaks location of French aircraft carrier with Strava run
March 20 – That Floating Feeling
Experience: I’ve been on more than 2,000 hot-air balloon flights in 124 countries | Life and style | The Guardian
March 19 – Air Canada flight intercepted by NORAD due to stolen Aeroplan points
Air Canada Intercept: Stolen Aeroplan Miles Trigger NORAD Fighter Jet Response
March 19 – Denmark takes Trump seriously
Denmark planned to blow up Greenland runways if the US invaded, reports say
March 18 – And so do the Finns
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country’s defence
March 19 – Possum takes up some shelf space in the airport shop
Watch: Real possum spotted on toy animal shelf at Australian airport
(There was an ermine that got into the arrivals area of the Edmonton International Airport through a crack in the foundation. Would come out and run around the passengers’ feet while they waited for their luggage. Most people didn’t even see it.)
March 18 – Shuttleworth planning Spitfire 90th Fly-in
Shuttleworth to Celebrate 90th Anniversary of the Spitfire with Unique Gathering of Airworthy Marks – Vintage Aviation News
March 18 – Which US Airlines cross into Canada the most?
The US Airlines With The World’s Most Cross-Border Canada Flights
March 18 – Steel Airplanes
10 Steel Marvels of Aviation | Hush-Kit Aviation World
March 17 – Curious case of a passport cancelled
Canadian pilot’s career ‘destroyed’ by cancelled passport
March 17 – When film and TV history nearly changed
That time, Clint Eastwood almost drowned after crashing in a US Navy Skyraider off the coast of Northern California
And not the first time:
June 19, 1947, Pan American Airlines Constellation NC88845 ‘Clipper Eclipse‘, flying from Pakistan to Turkey, suffered an engine failure, followed by engine overheating and a fire, forcing it to land at night in the Syrian desert, resulting in the loss of seven crew members and eight passengers. Nineteen passengers and 3 crew survived. The lost crew members, Captain, First Officer, Second Officer-Pilot/Navigator, 2 Flight Engineers and 2 Radio Officers, all at their flight stations, indicate how labour-intensive these early long-distance flights were. Technical difficulties were significant as well; the same aircraft had had to return to land at Gander with an engine problem less than a week earlier, delaying them by two days on the eastbound flight (www.check-six.com). The only surviving flight officer was Third Officer, relief pilot E.W. Gene Roddenberry, who was in the cabin assisting the two cabin staff members, a Purser and a Stewardess. Roddenberry abandoned his flying career after this and took up writing. He was later better known as the creator of the ‘Star Trek’ TV series (via wikipedia).
March 16 – A look at the Kelowna Flight Centre CF-104D
The KF Centre for Excellence’s CF-104 Starfighter – Vintage Aviation News
March 16 – And the Windsor Lancaster
Sky-high plans for Windsor’s aviation museum | The Drive Magazine
March 16 – Trump wins war – to stop aircraft flying over Mar-a-Lago, and his neighbours are going to court.
Mar-a-Lago Neighbours Complain of ‘Unbearable’ Noise from Trump’s Flight Diversions
March 15 – Controllers, Pilots and Cabin Crews adjusting to Iran War
How passenger planes keep flying during a war
March 15 – Two minutes from engine failure to a safe landing on a road
‘You just execute’: 19-year-old pilot makes emergency landing in Florida | Florida | The Guardian
March 15 – Preserved Lancaster TW911
Randy’s Warbird Profiles: Avro 683 Lancaster B.Mk.I (FE) – Vintage Aviation News
March 14 – Innovation Awards ceremony at Winnipeg Aviation Museum
Manitoba innovators shine at first DARE Innovation Awards | Winnipeg | winnipegsun.com
March 12 – Development of the DHC-515
De Havilland DHC-515: The Future of Aerial Firefighting Takes Shape – Aviation News
March 11 – Bell 214ST production to restart for fire-fighting tasks
Production to restart for the 214ST helicopter – Wildfire Today
March 11 – Airbus H175M and Canada
Airbus: H175M could match Canadian defence ambitions – Vertical Mag
March 11 – Satellite to re-enter atmosphere after 14 year flight
A 1,300-pound Nasa spacecraft to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere
March 11 – Sprinklers are not always your friend. Again.
Mississauga museum that tells story of Sikh Canadians suffers water damage from fire | CBC News
March 10 – The Gift that Keeps on Giving. Dresden faces a large evacuation as a WWII bomb is discovered.
Dresden city centre to be evacuated after WW2 bomb found
Supplementary article on the bullet found in Museum tank is a good reminder of what extra efforts are needed when displaying military equipment
Live bullet find stops Dorset museum staff in their tracks
March 10 – Ford plans to take over Island Airport operations from Toronto
Ford says Ontario government will take over Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport | CBC News
March 10 – Volunteering to ‘future-proof’ Antarctic base and museum due to climate change
Somerset conservation carpenter helping fix remote science base
March 9 – NRC acquires Global 6500 for research
Canada’s National Research Council Acquires Bombardier Global 6500 for Advanced Defence Research and Development – Aviation News
March 9 – A look at the NASA WB-57 (Big Wing Canberra) history
The Space Review: Big wing bird: NASA’s WB-57 gets grounded
March 9 – Way cleared for sale of Stephenville Airport
Sale process for Stephenville airport gets green light as judge grants receivership order | CBC News
March 9 – The fun part of volunteering
‘There’s no shortage of good stories to tell’ – Winnipeg Free Press
March 9 – What if you built a Parkade and no one came?
Vancouver airport parkade might never be finished, construction halted 6 years ago – BC | Globalnews.ca
March 9 – Latest search for the missing Malaysian Airlines airliner failed
New Search for MH370 Wreckage Ends Without Discovery Twelve Years After Disappearance – Aviation News
March 8 – Flypast at CFB Moose Jaw for International Women’s Day
‘Sky’s the limit,’ flight school commandant says at Moose Jaw air base International Women’s Day event | CBC News
March 8 – Gander’s International Lounge is now a designated heritage site.
Gander airport’s international lounge is now a registered heritage structure | CBC News
March 6 – What to do when missiles fly
‘Where do we go?’ What it’s like being an airline pilot when missiles start crossing your flight path | Air transport | The Guardian
March 6 – Flight paths through the Middle East are being squeezed out by conflict
Flight paths squeezed as Iran conflict closes more airspace
March 5 – Hybrid power DASH 8
RTX Unveils Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator to Revolutionize Regional Aviation Efficiency – Aviation News
March 5 – Summary of Airliner problems in Gulf
Airlines weigh risks in Mideast skies filled with ‘hot pieces of flying metal’ | CBC News
March 5 – One of the many who served in the RFC/RAF in the First World War from Canada
Aces of the Great War: Wilfred Beaver – Mastering the Bristol Fighter’s Sting – Vintage Aviation News
March 4 – Preserved Canso 9815
Randy’s Warbird Profiles: Canadian Vickers PBV-1A “Canso A”/Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina – Vintage Aviation News
March 4 – Aero Club of Switzerland 125th Anniversary
The Aero Club of Switzerland celebrates its 125th anniversary | World Air Sports Federation
March 3 – Passenger flights routed around the conflict zone, graphic
A 5-Hour Flight Now Takes 7.5: The Massive New ‘Dead Zone’ Redrawing The World’s Flight Maps
March 3 – Piper Museum in Lock Haven planning expansion
Piper Aviation Museum Marks 40 Years With Planned Expansion
Piper Aviation Museum to expand – AOPA
Piper Aviation Museum celebrates 40th anniversary with expansion project
March 2 – Canada boosts firefighting aircraft.
Canada boosts national aerial firefighting capacity – Wildfire Today
Good reason, too:
‘Unprecedented’ snow drought sets up extreme wildfires for Western US in 2026 – Wildfire Today
Synchronized wildfires will strain global fire resources: report – Wildfire Today
March 2 – RAF base in Cyprus targeted by drones
Two drones intercepted heading for RAF base, Cyprus says
March 2 – Houston Air Terminal Museum closure due to economic downturn and Facebook decision
Piece of Houston aviation history goes dark as 1940 Air Terminal Museum closes abruptly
March 2 – A hot air balloon collided with a radio tower 900′ up. Rescued by the local fire department
Watch dramatic hot air balloon rescue 900ft in the air in Texas
March 2 – Last flight of a P-26
Final Flight at Chino: Planes of Fame’s Boeing P-26A Peashooter Takes to the Skies One Last Time – Vintage Aviation News
March 2 – Recycling airplanes into luggage tags
Behind The Scenes: Why This German Company Is Cutting Up Massive Aircraft
March 1 – Southwest new seating enforcement may kill the airline
Passengers declare Southwest is dead after killing last beloved perk: ‘Extortion’
March 1 – Selfish to the Max! Holding an airline toilet occupied for 5 hours so he could get his daily run. Too bad they couldn’t just do what they did to the seamy reporter on Die Hard 2 (that otherwise ridiculous movie).
Miles High Club: Instagram Runner Faces Backlash After 5K Run In Airplane Lavatory
March 1 – Initial impacts of the US and Israeli war on Iran All of this may soon become old news as events unfold.
Grounded: 33 Middle Eastern Jets Are Stranded At 13 North American Airports
Heathrow Airport Chaos: 15 Middle East Jets Grounded As Airspace Remains Shut
Terminal Chaos: Thousands Sleep In Airports As Middle East Hubs Remain Crippled
Dubai International Airport Hit By Drone Following Iranian Retaliatory Strikes
Middle East Airspace Plunges Into Chaos After US-Israel Strikes On Iran
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