The Wright brothers are famous for being the inventors of the first powered aircraft, but few Canadians can name this country's first pilot, the name of the plane he flew or even when or where the first flight in Canada took place.
In case you don't know, the place was the frozen surface of Bras d'Or lake near Baddeck, Nova Scotia; the plane was the Silver Dart and the pilot was John McCurdy. His first flight happened on February 23, 1909, nearly one hundred years ago.
To celebrate the centennial of that first flight in Canada, why not visit one of this nations' many fine aviation museums? Here are some for you to consider. Sadly, you won't be able to find the original Silver Dart in any of them as it is long lost, but several museums have fine reproductions of the aircraft for you to see; one is in the Maritimes, two are in Ontario and two are in Alberta.
1. Canadian Aviation Museum - Ottawa, ON
For years thiscollection of important Canadian aircraft sat in a series of dingy, old air force hangars in Rockcliffe, but the museum has since been upgraded to a world-class institution worthy of repeat visits. Their Silver Dart replica is an airworthy example that was built in the 1950s and actually flew at Baddeck on the 50th anniversary of McCurdy's first flight. Unfortunately, it crashed, but has since been repaired and is on display for you to enjoy along with dozens of other aircraft. While there is an emphasis on planes important in Canadian history, the museum displays all sorts of aircraft from around the world.
2. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum - Mount Hope, ON
Located at the airport that serves Hamilton, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is this country's most important collection of Canadian military aircraft. Much of the collection is from World War II, but there are also several post-war jet fighters on display. There is a special emphasis on the many training aircraft used in Canada as part of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan which was instrumental in turning out new pilots and air crew for Commonwealth air forces during World War II. One of the trainers used during that time was the Harvard and, if you've got the money, you can even arrange to take a flight in one at the museum.
3. Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre - Sault Ste. Marie, ON
In a country as large as Canada with so many remote communities it is not an understatement to say that airplanes played a vital role in shaping our nation. Bush planes are the unheralded craft that played that role and this Sault Ste. Marie museum does them justice. It's a hands-on collection that is worth a visit. They also have a Silver Dart replica on display.
4. Reynolds-Alberta Museum - Wetaskiwin, AB
Located south of Edmonton in the town of Wetaskiwin, this museum celebrates all sorts of mechanical milestones and boasts a fascinating collection of cars, trucks, farm equipment, aircraft and vehicles of all sorts. It's also home to Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. It is also one of the collections in this country that displays a Silver Dart replica.
5. National Air Force Museum of Canada - Trenton, ON
The air force base in Trenton, Ontario has a long history and is the natural location to house a museum dedicated to the history of the Canadian air force. The interior collections are a fascinating display of Canada's long and proud military flying heritage. Outside, the museum has established the RCAF Memorial Air Park, a 16-acre area which has numerous aircraft on display and several memorial cairns paying homage to Canadian military aviators.
6. Canadian Museum of Flight - Langley, BC
Like many of Canada's aviation museums, the Canadian Museum of Flight is a volunteer-run, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving aircraft important in Canadian history. They have many fine aircraft on display, some of which have taken decades to restore. Among their most prized displays is the world's only surviving Handley-Page Hampden, a World-War II bomber of which 1,432 were built and only this one remains. The original craft had crashed in the ocean in Patricia Bay, B.C. during a World War II training flight and was salvaged in the 1980s and ultimately restored by the museum using parts from other wrecks.
7. Aerospace Museum of Calgary - Calgary, AB
This unassuming museum near Calgary's airport was founded by World War II pilots and aviation enthusiasts who wanted to tell the stories of aviation in western Canada. It boasts a collection of 23 aircraft from World War I to present and has a large display of airplane engines that demonstrate the evolution of aircraft powerplants. It also has a full-scale replica of the Silver Dart.
8. Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum - Halifax, NS
If you see a Voodoo jet fighter along the highway while driving to the Halifax airport, you'll know you've made it to the Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum. It bills itself as "Atlantic Canada's Only Aviation Museum that is dedicated to the preservation of both civilian and military aircraft." Among the aircraft on display is a Silver Dart replica that was built in Baddeck, Nova Scotia using McCurdy's original plans.
9. North Atlantic Aviation Museum - Gander, NL
Gander, Newfoundland played an important role in the early history of flight in this country as it was a vital refueling spot for aircraft crossing the Atlantic Ocean. During World War II, Ferry Command flew aircraft through here on the way from North America to the front lines of Europe. The museum is small, but honours an important part of aviation history.
10. Toronto Aerospace Museum - Toronto, ON
The Silver Dart may have been the first aircraft to fly in Canada, but the one that many consider to be the apex of Canadian aircraft design is the Avro Arrow. This 1950s-era jet fighter never saw service and only a few prototypes were built before the federal government cancelled the project. No examples of the Arrow survived, but the Toronto Aerospace Museum has built a full-scale replica that it proudly displays as part of its collection of aircraft of historical significance to the Toronto area.
Even if you can't see any of these museums in person, you can always explore their collections via the Virtual Museum of Canada, a website that can connect you to just about every museum in this country.
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