Red Deer - Air Spray

Air Spray
Red Deer, June 2023

This Harvard flew the last official Harvard flight with the RCAF on July 21, 1965, after operations ceased at CFB Penhold. The trainer was struck off strength in October ’65.

The city of Red Deer took over the airfield portion of the base and the Harvard was displayed as a gate guard at the base entrance.

South of the city of Red Deer, near the village of Springbrook, one can find the maintenance and storage facilities of Air Spray and Buffalo Airways on the old RCAF Penhold base.

Photo: Michael S. Prophet.

In the Air Spray 1967 Ltd. hangar, a well-used veteran, Cessna 310P C-GXJP, belonging to Air Spray receives, its check. Note; - There weren’t any Air Spray Electra LongLiners around. They all were busy fighting fires!

C-FGWX is a Cessna 150F of a private owner.

C-GOVJ is a Gulfstream 695A Jet Prop Commander of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

C-GFGT is an Air Spray owned and operated Cessna 340A, Red Deer, June 3, 2023.

Aero Commander 680 Turbo Commander C-GZON during her C-check at the company base at Red Deer, June 2023.

Built from an Air Tractor 802, the Fire Boss is a single engine, turboprop Airtanker with scooping capability.

An Air Tractor 802 receives attention inside the Air Spray hangar on the south side of Red Deer Airport during June 2023.

Anonymous Air Tractor 802 at Red Deer, AB, June 2023, minus a few essential components.

Many years of storage at Red Deer are drawing to a close for RJ-85 N509XJ. She formerly flew with Northwest – Mesaba Airlines.

This stunning photograph help capture the essence of the lost age of the early turboprop airliners.

C-GNPB flew from the late 70's for the Fuerza Aerea Hondurena with serial 'FAH-555'. She was ferried from Tegucicalpa on December 15, 2011 to Red Deer, with tech stops in Brownsville/Texas and Casper/Wyoming (3 weeks break due to repairs). She finally arrived at Red Deer January 12, 2012.

This ship started her career with American Airlines as N6106A "Flagship Dallas".

C-GNPB's wear tear radome.

I received the following poem from Marshall Massengall; - Once upon a time, when these planes merited cordons and carpets rolled out to them, their schedules listed in color and flair in printed timetables and advertising and their departures and arrivals announced with fanfare. Then, all too soon, it seems, they were relegated to secondary services and routes before settling into un-celebrated multi-stop milk runs, commuter and shuttle services.

They were built to fly, and they showed it.

Lockheed Electra N9744C was front-line equipment with Reeve Aleutian Airways for many years.

After her long service with Reeve N9744C left for the UK to work with Atlantic. After a long storage at Coventry, she was made airworthy again and air tested on June 26, 2011. Two days later she made the Atlantic crossing on her way to Red Deer, Canada.

I received the following info from Shawn Miller; - We liked getting 44C (check her nose wheeldoor) because it was the only one of Reeve’s Electra’s that had a built in APU so we didn’t have to worry about hooking up the start bottle to it. Sucked when was out though because it used the factory air start location in the right hand wing root. Pain the arse to hook up and spooky because our guys liked starting #3 first and our cart hose really wasn’t quite long enough to put the cart anyway but right in front of that spinner.

What a beautiful paint job.

So many Electra’s lined up. What a privilege!!!

Stored Electra’s at Red Deer.

C-GYVI provided yeoman service for so many operators and she is, since March 2003, stored at Red Deer.

C-GYVI framed in by Electra flaps and engine housing.

The Lockheed Company and the engineers who, with pencils and slide rulers, designed such a safe, reliable airplane.

C-GYVI was once registered to the Cathedral of Tomorrow / Rex Humbard Foundation as N8LG (Rex Humbard was an American Evangelist who became famous with his TV shows). As such she visited Amsterdam-Schiphol in April 1979 where I spotted her... Oeps, I’m getting old! During this visit John Denver used the Electra for his April 1979 European tour .. I am leaving on a Jet Plane!

C-FLXT is a former Mandala Airlines Lockheed Electra.

These stored Electra's have been plundered extensively to keep the rest of the fleet in the air!

C-FVFI, ex Mandala PK-RLD, has the tail of P-3 N308D.

The Mandala Electra was named 'Kencana Wingu'.

C-GXXN is a stored Cessna T310P which is owned by Air Spray.

This Electra was operated by American Airlines for just under eight years before being sold to Varig in 1968. In December 1991 she was withdrawn from use and stored at Congonhas Airport. Two years later she was sold to Commercial Link Trade who registered her HR-AMM and leased her to Interlink of Congo. During 1994 and 1995 she worked in the Congo. The latter part of the 90's she was stored at Lanseria, South-Africa. Finally she ended up with Air Spray as C-GZYH. During October/November 2002 she was being readied for her flight from Lanseria to Canada. A crew made there way over 8470 Nautical Miles and made 6 stops along the journey. Also flying over the North Atlantic Ocean with a quick stop in the Azores Islands. They left Johannesburg Nov. 20, 2002 and arrived in Red Deer, Canada on Nov. 27, 2002. Info supplied by Jorg Wilkening.

Honduras in the early 90's authorized the registration of aircraft regardless of its base by paying a rather high few that is why there were many 707's and other aircraft like the Electra registrated in Honduras.

During the 70's and 80’s HR-AMM / C-GZYH belonged to the Varig fleet as PP-VJW.

The scene in June 2023, depicting the redundant Air Spray Electra L.188 fleet lined-up at Red Deer.

Electra's lined-up side-by-side.

A former Zantop Electra at Red Deer. She seems to be intact except for some missing parts!

C-FEHK framed by wings of two Electra’s on a sunny spring afternoon in June 2023 at Red Deer.

Paul Lindner informed me that this ship is the last one in the world displaying the Zantop name.

C-FEHK is a stored Ted Smith Aerostar 600A owned by Air Spray.

This old workhorse, robbed of her Allisons.

Lockheed L.188 C-GOIZ passed through the hands of a succession of American owners before being purchased by Zantop in 1973. She was sold to Air Spray 1967 Ltd. in December 2011.