Red Deer - Buffalo Airways

Buffalo Airways
Red Deer, June 2023

,outh 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.

Buffalo Airways Ltd. at the 38 Avenue/Airport Drive, Springbrook, Alberata, Canada.

In the Buffalo Airways hangar, a well-used veteran DC-3 belonging to Buffalo Airways is under restoration.

C-GJKM was production built as 42-93645 and transferred to the RAF as KG713. Transferred again to the RCAF on April 8, 1946, the Dakota was re-serialed ‘12946’ in 1970. She was struck off strength on July 30, 1976. The DC-3 was bought by Buffalo Airways October 1980 as C-GJKM.

C-GJKM during restoration at the company technical base at Red Deer, June 2023.

C-GJKM in heavy maintenance.

Fatigue and corrosion problems are constant enemies of classic Propliners.

On Friday May 3, 2019, C-GJKM had made a forced landing in muskeg, 3.5 miles from Hay River Airport after engine failure.

Looks like an Allison engine!

C-GHRS is a 1954 built Temco D-16 Twin Navion.

The Temco D-16 is a 1950's twin engine civil aircraft from the USA. It was produced in a San Diego, Calif. facility by conversion of a Ryan Navion to replace its single engine with two wing-mounted engines. It is commonly known as the Twin Navion.

Two 125 hp Lycoming O-290 four-cylinder engine powers the small plane.

I visited this hangar more than 20 years ago, - Nothing has changed really. Keep it that way!

I love such places!

Allisons, full of dents and scratches.

The Allison T56 is a single shaft, modular design military turboprop with a 14-stage axial flow compressor driven by a four-stage turbine. It was originally developed by the Allison Engine Company for the Lockheed C-130 transport entering production in 1954. The commercial version is designated 501-D. With an unusually long and numerous production run, over 18,000 engines have been produced since 1954.

C-FKFM / Tanker 54. This aircraft first flew from Convair’s San Diego plant in April 1953 and was delivered as a Convair 340 to United Airlines as ‘Mainliner Seatlle’. During her long career this veteran workhorse served many operators and finally ended up with Buffalo Airways in December 2022.

In the following years this airplane will be pieced out.

C-GQHL is a Cessna T-310P.

A former Air Atlantic Electra with a Buffalo DC-4 in the background.

C-GBNV / Tanker 56 Douglas C-54G, at Red Deer, June 2, 2023. Ex USAAF 45-0535. Later with Conifair Aviation as C-GBNV before being bought by Buffalo in 1995.

C-GIZU first flew in 1960 and served KLM Royal Dutch Airlines from 1960 to 1968 as PH-LLG ‘Neptunus’. It passed through the hands of several owners before ending up in store at Red Deer, Alberta, in October 2016.

The propeller has lift on one side and drag at the other. At the tip "induced drag" is created, which means that lift and drag meet and balance out. This create tip vortices, which are accountable for most noise. When compared, rounded tips create less induced drag than square tips and thus less noise.

C-GIZU still wears the Air Atlantic's distinctive color scheme.

Decommissioned airplanes.

Their carcasses being used to supply spares for the survivors.

C-FDTD. Originally delivered to the USAAF in January 1944 as 42-02451, the Skytrain passed through a succession of owners, including Trans Canada Air Lines and the Government of Canada – Department of Transport, before ending up with Buffalo Airways in August 2017. During the first month’s of 2019 she was made airworthy again and ferried to Red Deer from Montreal Saint-Hubert Longueuil Airport.

DC-3 C-FDTD looks to be in superb condition.

C-FDTD glinting in the sun.

Several former Conair Aviation Convair 580's languish in Buffalo Airways Red Deer Airport storage facility in June 2023.

Lots of metal parked in Red Deer, sad to see.

Her time is running-out.

There they are, in what’s left of their glory.

C-GKFO / Tanker 53. This Convair flew with Braniff from May 1953 until July 1966. The airplane had an extensive career with later owners but finally was stored at Red Deer, Alberta some time ago. She will cannibalized for her valuable parts.

Some derelict Convairs and a pristine DDC-3 at Red Deer, Alberta.

Their carcasses are being used to supply spares for the survivors.

This Convair is owned by Buffalo Airways.

Douglas C-47A Skytrain, C-GWZS, changed hands several times. Her first owner was Royal Air Force. In April 1946 she was transferred to the RCAF as KG330. When she was struck off charge in the 70’s she was sold to Can-Air as C-GWZS. In April 1980 Northwest Territorial Air bought the DC-3. In June 1988 Buffalo Airways took possession of the Skytrain and several years ago she was parked at Red Deer, Alberta for part-out.

The Oldjets.net management team is ofcourse also interested in Propliners.

It was a warm and beautiful June 2023 afternoon, when I photographed this Buffalo Airways DC-3 C-GWZS in the Red Deer storage yard.

Stored forever?

Even with both engines removed, C-GWZS still manages to look classy.

DC-3 C-GWZS and Convair Tanker 42 look like resting forever.

Convair C-GYXC. The aircraft first flew in the 50’s as a R4Y-2T for the United States Navy. This airframe enjoyed a long and various career. Next to General Motors Corporation, she operated respectively for; - King Solomon Airways, Air Chathams, Pionair Australia, and Conair Aviation, before being acquired by Buffalo for part-out at Red Deer.

Convair C-FKFB was operated by United Airlines from 1953 until December 1962 and sold to Frontier Airlines that same year. The next couple of years she changed hands quite often and flew for Gem State Airlines, Golden Gate Airlines, ERA Aviation Alaska, Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter and finally Conair Aviation. She was sold to Buffalo Airways some time ago and stored at Red Deer, Alberta to be pieced out in the upcoming years.

Convair C-FKFB still manages to look majestic despite being parked amid the aeronautical trash at Red Deer.

C-FBAE. Originally delivered to the USAAF in February 1944 as 42-92755, the Skytrain passed through a succession of owners, including Trans Canada Air Lines and the Government of Canada – Department of Transport, before ending up with Buffalo Airways in 1998.

In June 2023 she was seen partly dismantled at Red Deer.

DC-3 C-FBAE in a sad state at Red Deer, relegated to providing spares.

Even wingless, even sitting, with faded chipping paint, this DC-3 is also still beautiful.

Wings clipped forever.

C-GEHH is, or better was, a 1979 built Piper PA-23-250 of On Eagle’s Wings Ecumenical Ministries Inc.

Lockheed L.188AF Electra, C-GLBA of Buffalo Airways.

This Lockheed ended its career in a salvage yard of Red Deer.

In 2012 her service life was over and ended up at Buffalo’s salvage yard at Red Deer Airport for part-out.

After six years of faithful service with the Yellowknife based cargo operator Buffalo Airways her service life was over and she was stored at Red Deer, Alberta to be parted-out for spares.

It will take some time to remove all the recyclable components from the shell of the Lockheed.

Not much time left for this Electra.

C-GZUZ is a Beech A100 King Air of Air Labrador.

I was capturing this Propliner in the scrap corner of Red Deer.

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, CF-FAV, ex RCAF '2195'. In the past she was preserved in the Alberta Aviation Museum.

These '102' parts belonged to Beech A90 King Air C-FCGE.

Dumped alongside a Buffalo Airways 'mule' in the Aeronautical dump of Red Deer is this King Air airframe, registreted C-GZUZ and wearing Air Labrador markings.

Another Buffalo Airways hangar.

Mind the Allison engine cowling on the left!

C-GPNR. After the Royal Air Force she flew many years for the Royal Canadian Air Force with serial '12932'. In 1981 she became part of the Buffalo Airways fleet.

Despite under the dust, she looks complete.

I noticed this Beech-18 in the back of the hangar with a lot clutter around it. The rear fuselage was stripped of all paint, but the forward fuselage still had the remains of a white color scheme with a thin blue cheatline. The outer wings were separate and the engines gone. It seems to be MSN. CA-226, CF-QMF, which is owned by Buffalo Airways.

Twin Beech CF-QMF is seen sleeping in the Buffalo hangar.

After a long career with the Royal Canadian Air Force, CF-QMF is seen sitting inactive in the Buffalo hangar at Red Deer.

C-FROD / 12927, MSN. 13028, is ex Canada Air Force. Built in 1944 and now resting at Buffalo Airways maintenance facility at Red Deer Airport.

Ship '927' of CANADA training command is missing some 'critical' parts.

'SYN' is the fuselage of Willy Laserich Adlair Aviation Beech King Air C-GSYN.

C-GSYN was name 'Louie Ameralik'.

This is a 1948 built Stinson Vogager which wears registration C-FAWO.

On the left side we see C-FSRF, a Cessna 175C Skylark and on the right side C-GICM which is a 1966 built Beech 95 Baron.

This 1974 built Cessna 310Q wears registration C-FGWE and is owned by Buffalo Airways. Mind; - A pollutin detection camara under her nose section.

Anonymous Convair 240 at Red Deer, AB, June 2023, minus a few essential components.

Former Trans Fair Convair 240 C-GTFC.

C-GTFC showing traces of previous markings. Unfortunately, Trans Fair Inc. went bust and the Convair was stored at Red Deer a long time ago.

Engineless, with paint fading and numerous years after being withdrawn from use by Trans Fair Inc. this forlorn Convair 240 awaits the cutter’s torch some day.

Some time ago, CF-CUE ended her duties and was placed in store at Red Deer Airport.

CF-CUE being portrayed on a sunny afternoon.

Yes I know, far too much pics of CF-CUE, but what a STUNNER it is!

CF-CUE worked for the well known Babb Company Inc. from 1948 until 1978 as N41407.

From 1978 until 1992 she was owned and operated by Whitehorse based, Trans North Turbo Air as CF-CUE.

CF-CUE in the storage lot at Red Deer Airport in June 2023. It looks like she still has hopes of resurrection.

Will she remain stranded at Red Deer.

The end is nigh for this DC-3 when captured by the camera at Red Deer, Alberta, in June 2023.

Former Artic Outpost DC-3A CF-VQV at Red Deer, June 2023.

C-GBNV / Tanker 56 Douglas C-54G, at Red Deer June 2, 2023. Ex USAAF 45-0535. Later with Conifair Aviation as C-GBNV before being bought by Buffalo in 1995.