A visitor to Ontario, who has an interest in military aviation, won't want to miss The National Air Force Museum on the grounds of Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
Only an hour and a half drive east of Toronto, the museum is home to Canadian Air Force planes, uniforms, models, artwork and many other artifacts. Open seven days a week during the summer, and five days a week during the winter, the museum offers free parking, and admission by donation only. It is definitely worth a visit.
Air Force Exhibits
The main building, which is where a visitor first enters, offers a large area full of exhibits, arranged in chronological order. Uniforms include those of a World War One officer, an orange flight suit worn by CF-104 pilots, and the tunic and medals of former Air Marshall Leonard Birchall.
Display cases are full of patches, models, pieces of air force equipment and rare photographs and diagrams.
One exhibit even includes a diorama depicting "The Great Escape". In this Second World War incident, a group of Allied airmen escaped from the German POW camp Stalag Luft III. Fifty of the escapees were ordered executed by Hitler, including several Canadians.
Many paintings, by some of the world's best known aviation artists, also adorn the walls of the main hall.
Halifax Mk VII Bomber
After visiting the exhibits on display in the main hall, the next stop on a visitors tour is the museum's restored Halifax Mk VII bomber. This plane is one of only three remaining in the world, with the other two being located in England.
The plane was shot down near the end of the Second World War, and lay in the depths of a Scandanavian lake until it was raised in 1995. The plane was returned to Canada, and painstakingly restored over the years.
The Halifax is currently on display with a replica of a Burgess-Dunne floatplane purchased by the Canadian government in 1914. This aircraft was the first military plane in Canadian history, and the only piece of equipment belonging to the Canadian Aviation Corps.
A Spitfire replica is also on display in this section of the museum, as well as an Auster observation plane flown by the Canadian Navy and Air Force in the post war years.
The Outdoor Air Park
Exiting the museum building, the visitor enters a 15 acre airpark, where twenty four restored aircraft are on display. In addition to the planes, there is an anti-aircraft gun, an airport fire engine, and many plaques and monuments dedicated to squadrons and personnel of Canada's air force.
The impressive collection includes another Spitfire replica, a Labrador helicopter, a CF-104 Starfighter, and many others.
The air force has played an important part in Canadian military history, both as a combat arm and in search and rescue operations. The National Air Force Museum in Trenton does a wonderful job of preserving this heritage, and honouring those who have served Canada.
Jason Gray - I was born and raised in the Toronto area, and am proud to be a Canadian. I have always had a strong interest in history, especially the ...
