Photographic Print
Archival Item
1996.39.1
Colour photograph of Canadain Pacific aircraft, DC-3 CF-CPY on the ground. Caption on back of photo reads "Passenger spelling the engineer off digging Canadian Pacific Airline DC3 out of annual spring mud at Mayo Airport Y.T." Dated Mayo - Spring 1961.
Photo attributed to Norm Randall - Canadian Pacific Airlines Engineer.
Photo attributed to Norm Randall - Canadian Pacific Airlines Engineer.
This image was taken by the donor.
Built in August of 1942, Douglas serial No. 4665 spent the first three years of her life in the camouflage colours of the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), flying transport missions in India and China.
In April 1946, she was among the C-47s bought by Grant McConachie's newly-formed Canadian Pacific Airlines, to replace the Lockheed Lodestars then on mainline service. Converted to civilian DC-3 configuration with seating for 28 passengers, she was issued the Canadian registration CF-CPY and began a fifteen-year career with CPA. She flew the company's scheduled routes throughout Canada during the mid-1950s, but as CPA upgraded their mainline fleet to Convairs and DC-6Bs, CF-CPY found herself on less glamorous domestic routes such as the run between Whitehorse, the silver-mining town of Mayo and the legendary gold-mining centre, Dawson City.
In April 1960, CF-CPY was sold to Connelly-Dawson Airways of Dawson City. For the next six years she worked as a bush plane, operating on wheels or skis, hauling supplies into remote places such as Old Crow and the oil exploration camps in the Eagle Plains area.
From 1966 until her last flight in November 1970, CF-CPY was again based in Whitehorse, serving the scheduled and charter routes of Great Northern Airways. When GNA declared bankruptcy, she passed into the hands of Northward Airlines, but never flew again. Used for parts for a while, she was finally donated to the Yukon Flying Club in 1977.
Starting in 1977, the Yukon Flying Club restored this northern veteran to its Canadian Pacific Airlines colours for permanent display at the Whitehorse airport. The restoration took four years, but in 1981, she was raised onto the pedestal built by master welder Al Jacobs. Pivoting on its mount, CF-CPY always points into the wind, just as she would have while lined up on the runway for takeoff. Due to the fine balance point, it only takes a 5 knot wind to turn her.
In July 1998, she was brought down from the pedstal for another restoration by the Yukon Transportation Museum .Following about 1,500 hours of volunteer labour and $20,000 in materials, a pair of cranes lifted her back into position in September 2001.
The DC-3 was moved from airport property to the Yukon Transportation Museum in July 2009.
http://explorenorth.com/library/aviation/cf-cpy.html
In April 1946, she was among the C-47s bought by Grant McConachie's newly-formed Canadian Pacific Airlines, to replace the Lockheed Lodestars then on mainline service. Converted to civilian DC-3 configuration with seating for 28 passengers, she was issued the Canadian registration CF-CPY and began a fifteen-year career with CPA. She flew the company's scheduled routes throughout Canada during the mid-1950s, but as CPA upgraded their mainline fleet to Convairs and DC-6Bs, CF-CPY found herself on less glamorous domestic routes such as the run between Whitehorse, the silver-mining town of Mayo and the legendary gold-mining centre, Dawson City.
In April 1960, CF-CPY was sold to Connelly-Dawson Airways of Dawson City. For the next six years she worked as a bush plane, operating on wheels or skis, hauling supplies into remote places such as Old Crow and the oil exploration camps in the Eagle Plains area.
From 1966 until her last flight in November 1970, CF-CPY was again based in Whitehorse, serving the scheduled and charter routes of Great Northern Airways. When GNA declared bankruptcy, she passed into the hands of Northward Airlines, but never flew again. Used for parts for a while, she was finally donated to the Yukon Flying Club in 1977.
Starting in 1977, the Yukon Flying Club restored this northern veteran to its Canadian Pacific Airlines colours for permanent display at the Whitehorse airport. The restoration took four years, but in 1981, she was raised onto the pedestal built by master welder Al Jacobs. Pivoting on its mount, CF-CPY always points into the wind, just as she would have while lined up on the runway for takeoff. Due to the fine balance point, it only takes a 5 knot wind to turn her.
In July 1998, she was brought down from the pedstal for another restoration by the Yukon Transportation Museum .Following about 1,500 hours of volunteer labour and $20,000 in materials, a pair of cranes lifted her back into position in September 2001.
The DC-3 was moved from airport property to the Yukon Transportation Museum in July 2009.
http://explorenorth.com/library/aviation/cf-cpy.html