Pacific Perspective - June 2003

The big photo shoot

	The Pup's 1916 Le Rhone rotary on full song! Calgary Tech 1958. Photos courtesy Swain Collection by Anon
	1916 Le Rhone cylinder detail.
	Technical Services at CPA Repairs, RCAF Lincoln Park, Calgary, 1958. Tony is head down at the front, and beyond are Leo Zelen, Byron Horlacher, Les Saunders, and Nelson Chan.
	Hall of Famer Sammy Tomlinson, Co-Owner Pilot Tom Sigsworth, and CP Repairs Technical Boss, Bill Burge after the historic first engine run. Calgary 1958.
	The Pup, Tony, and Pilot Tom Sigsworth, Calgary Tech hangar, 1958.
	Forming the Pup's big cowl at CP Repairs.
	Abbotsford 1974. Snoopy holds down the tail as Siggy's Pup and friends watch the Snowbirds take off.
	Delta RAAC Chapter 85 Awards Banquet at the Sundance Hotel. Club Secretary Jim Hunter, (centre), avoiding The Broken Prop Award from Pres. Tim Baker (L) and V.P. Gerard Van Dyke (R) at Delta RAAC Chapter 85 Annual Banquet held at the Sundance Inn. Photo by Don Souter

In 1958 I was 24, a recent Brit immigrant draftsman at CPA (Repairs), a DND contractor at #10 Repair depot, RCAF Lincoln Park, in SW Calgary.
A military aircraft overhaul base, it was a great job, we got to be 'ad hoc' test flight crew on neat stuff like Canso's, Lanc's, Mitchells, Alberts, whatever, and commuted about in plush Beech 18 Expeditors. I thought I'd gone to heaven!
Anyway, one day whilst pondering the design of a new concept in hangar floor squeegees, (someone had to do it) the boss, Bill Burge, rushed in looking for a camera for a big official job. Perversely, the fancy official office camera was up in the Arctic recording our Salvage Party's efforts to retrieve a government Otter from under the ice.
"I've got a camera" says I. "Right, great... get it," says he.
When I produced a battered 'One shot' plastic box Brownie Hawkeye from the trunk of my old car, he sighed.
But this was a big job, and it would have to do. "Get in the car!" he ordered.
We sped across town at high speed, frantically stopping enroute for an official roll of film. We eventually skidded to a halt in the parking lot at the tech school, just as a group of students pushed out an ancient biplane. ..."Allo! Allo! Wot's this then?" Was this the Big Job?
Being from the Air Base and all, we were to officially record an imminent historic event. Desperately hunting out a dark corner, I feverishly loaded the new official film, not a simple thing those days.
"Get plenty of pictures!" ordered the boss.
Easy to say, with only eight snaps on the roll. Seemed that the big event was the first run of a new engine. Big deal? We did that at CP all the time.
However, in 1958, I knew toot about old planes. To me, the last bloke to fly this one was likely "Biggles," every Brit schoolboy's fictional WW 1 hero fighter Ace.
But this was the first run of an engine which new in 1916, had been packed in grease ever since! There was more!

THE GANG OF TWO...
Turned out that two old friends decided it would be fun to have a genuine World War One airplane. If they couldn't find an old plane, they'd build one. Sort of. So, they would find a WW 1 engine, and build a 'kite' to match!
Tom Sigsworth was Chief Controller at Calgary Airport, and an old WW 1 pilot. His chum Stan Green taught aviation maintenance at the Alberta Institute of Technology & The Arts, now S.A.I.T.
A student controller at Calgary tower happened to mention that his father once talked of a bunch of old airplane engines and parts at a friend's farm somewhere near Edmonton. Intended to power snow sleighs, but due to obscure technical difficulties, this never happened.
Excited, Tom and Stan hunted through numberless farms in central Alberta, and incredibly, among scads of rotting farm machinery in one farmer's barn, still packed in the manufacturer's Cosmolene preservative grease, they found two zero time Le Rhone rotary engines, circa 1916! And, fortuitously, complete with six drums of castor oil, the only suitable lubricant.

SIGGY'S PUP...
So they would build a Sopwith Pup, which used that engine. Basically, Tom provided the money, and hunted down parts, and Stan organized his aeronautical students to build the whole thing, a superb exercise at the Tech. Tom would eventually fly the plane.
Amazingly, just for the asking, Lord Tommy Sopwith himself had the original draftsman mail a set of original plans to the duo. He even donated 800 dollars to the pot!
In light of the advances in technology since WW 1, Lord Tom was asked what improvements they might make? "NONE!" said he, but maybe use modern fabric. And that's what they did.
However, he agreed to one piece longerons instead of two spliced pieces, and to using later model wheel rims. And now, in 1958, incredibly, here stood a brand new 1916 Sopwith Pup!
The excited students bustled about with chocks, pulled the jewel-like engine through with a peculiar, snatching motion.
On a rotary, the crankshaft is bolted to the firewall, the prop to the crankcase, and the entire engine spins around the fixed shaft, producing interesting torque effects in flight. No valve springs are required, as centrifugal forces hold the valves closed!
Fuel for a rotary is fed through the fixed stationary crankshaft, mixed up good in the whirling crankcase, then thrown out by the same centrifugal force, through shiny copper inlet pipes into the combustion chamber, via an automatic suction operated inlet poppet valve.
One pushrod per cylinder opens the exhaust valve, which simply dumps the exhaust into the cowl where it blows hot castor oil over everything behind, producing unwelcome aid to the pilot's digestive system ...sigh.
As the big end bearings, exhaust cams, timing gear and everything was lubricated by oil in that same crankcase, gas would totally dilute any mineral oil, and pretty soon, pop went the ball bearings and other stuff. Hence the Castor Oil, which doesn't mix with fuel!
This day, the cowls were yet to be made. A humungous lathe being sought to hold the wooden former to spin the aluminum to shape. We did the job later at CP Repairs.

A REAL WHIRLIGIG...
WW 1 and 'Bush' Air Engineer Sammy Tomlinson was on hand to supervise the run-up. At the time, Sammy was chief of our Woodwork Shop at 10 R.D. and secretary of the WW 1 Royal Flying Corp Vets.
My boss had me make up their Christmas Cards, which meant sketching all WW 1 RFC aircraft. Quite the job! Still have a copy somewhere.
Anyway, after pulling the prop through, sucking in, and other ancient rituals, the old Le Rhone fired up on the third pull, and what a magnificent sight. With no cowls we could actually see the whole engine spinning in a huge whirling blur.
You didn't just reach in behind the prop and tweak-adjust anything on this baby! There was no throttle as we understand the term, just a vague mixture control and an ignition On/Off 'Blip Switch'. It simply ran at full bore at the selected mixture setting. According to the specs, with its big and beautiful curved wooden prop, it produced 80 HP at 1250 RPM ...absolutely amazing. A real whirligig!
Everyone was delighted, and I rushed around snapping lots of action photos. Well, two, and a few more of the proud people involved with this lovely old/new plane. It was truly a great day.

A POPULAR SIGHT...
Tom Sigsworth became a popular sight, flying the Pup around Calgary. He'd been tower Chief at Calgary for many years, as well as an instructor at the Flying club.
The Pup was a REAL Sopwith, not a replica, with a proper serial number and everything. And it was brand new!
The next year, 1959, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of flight in Canada, Siggy's Pup took pride of place on the RCAF float leading the Stampede Parade, a happy begoggled Tom Sigsworth waved delightedly from the cockpit, surrounded by a bevy of lovely young girls.
Eventually Stan wanted to move on to other projects, and the Pup was sold away to the Bob Camsdale Museum at Thun Field, near Seattle.
In 1974, Bob roaded it up to the Abbotsford Air Show, and Tom came out from
Calgary to put it together, with son Brian, and friend Ron Stunden.
It was great to see it fly again, dog-fighting with a Fokker Triplane, Dan McGowan's Replica SE5a, and George Neal's Nieuport.
Later, old Tom moved to Langley, BC, and joined the Delta Chapter RAA 85. He was a wonderful character, and we were sad to lose him some years ago. His son Brian comes out to Delta once in a while, driving his wonderful restored vintage 1949 MG TC sports car.
He kindly dug through his dad's stuff up in his attic to help with specifics for this fascinating tale... Thanks Bri!
And that's the tale of The Big Pup Photo Shoot, enjoy the pictures! But where's the old Pup now? Anybody?

BCFA RUST REMOVER...
BC Floatplane Association COPA Flight 72 held a great Rust Remover in April at Langley. More than 100 people attended. The presentation by Transport Safety Board speaker Gerry Binnema was awesome, and slow motion movies of float pilots making irretrievable errors in judgement were very compelling.
Things happen awful fast on water, there's no skidding and sliding along!
Simply WHAM! BAM! You're sunk and upside down. So take extra care.
Flight Captain Steve Nunn brought the members up to date on negotiations with the BC Parks people regarding access to our lakes, and some 'off the wall' plans to impose local flight rules on aircraft flying through BC mountains.
These things are being aggressively addressed, though your written input will likely still be required down the road.

ENCOURAGING WORDS...
Vice Pres Dennis Popowich introduced Solicitor General Rich Coleman, MLA for Fort Langley-Aldergrove who appeared pleased with the turn-out, and had some encouraging things to say about the BC Government's interest in General Aviation.
He thanked everybody for expressing their concern in writing, and assured us not to be shy approaching the government about our concerns, and they would be taken very seriously for resolution. This understanding attitude appears to continue from what I hear from the BCFA meet with BC Parks John Block, Director of Protected Areas.
COPA President Kevin Psutka brought the gathering up to date on the many things COPA is doing on our behalf. There are a myriad things, which is expensive, and why COPA needs you to urge other Canadian pilots to join us. We need the numbers and the funds to continue the watchdog, advocacy job we constantly do. No one else will do it. We are it!

AND MORE...
Next was popular Jack Schofield, an icon among float guys, just retired from publishing his excellent, nostalgic flying story magazine, AVIATOR, a past COPA Award winner.
As always he had some amusing tales to tell, but was hesitant to get talking in case he couldn't stop. His story was a riot.

JOHN LOVELACE...
Finally, John Lovelace, of the TV series Wings Over Canada, presented some of the fascinating 'out-takes' that have occurred during the series. He also demonstrated a sample 'Lovelace Interview' of some present, who had never appeared on the show, and it was amusing to see how many takes are needed to assemble a usable scene for the Telly.
We were certainly impressed by the vast amount of travel people and cost involved in producing such a show.
We are extremely fortunate that John chose to do this thing, and realistically present small airplanes to the public as a magic carpet for folk to go SEE and DO things.
The Public Relations benefits for us are enormous. That's why he and his show were honoured with the 1999 COPA Appreciation Award.

TONI ONLEY...
Another notable Canadian present was celebrated, artist and author Toni Onley, Officer of the Order of Canada, and dedicated environmentalist. Toni flies about for inspiration in his Lake Amphibian, and understands the paucity of impact we have on the wild.
An enthusiastic member of COPA and the Floatplane Association, we welcome his insight and support in our efforts to educate government and the general population.

REGIONAL SAFETY MEET...
In recent years, Transport Canada on the coast has held biannual Aviation Safety Council, basically, a round table of leaders of the BC aviation community. TC Regional
Managers, Transport Safety board, Nav Canada, ATAC, Pacific Maintenance Engineers, BCAC, COPA BC, Airport Managers, et al, et al... Everyone gets the opportunity to report to the forum.
The TC reps presentations are usually more formal, and full of current statistics, and looking for input and concerns relevant to their area. Attendees find it a very flexible and informal place to make specific or general concerns known.
Feedback and discussion is immediate, and the feeling that one has made one's point clear is very satisfying, and I'm sure a benefit to everyone. It's hard to give specifics, as the discussions are wide ranging, but as a recreational pilot, I know this is the only place I feel able to put my/our concerns forward in a manner that allows me to assess the reaction of other segments of aviation.
It pleases me to tell you that our COPA opinions are treated with great respect, even though we may not actually agree.

SOME STUFF...
Twenty-nine people attended the April 03 Spring Forum, where Nav Canada had to present a rather gloomy picture due to the unprecedented and well publicised downturn in large Carrier activity - the impact of which has not yet been felt.
Many feel that government must do 'something' to preserve the transportation infrastructure at a level useful to the people, commerce and our country.
Pat Kennedy of ATAC, and the Pacific Flying Club showed her dismay that the new chart provider, NAVCAN, advised her these publications would face an 80% price increase. Shades of Britain!
We reviewed CADORS activity, and there was discussion about the major cause of accidents, collision with terrain.
Some felt this description a bit of a catch all, which reflected badly on pilots, because many of those causes were actually unknown, and just "lumped in". My regular concern is, that within the industry, we understand, however, those none aviation people outside, the media, busybodies, parliament guys whoever, think we simply randomly fly into things without looking. Their subsequent speculations cause us mischief.
Our propensity for listing quite ordinary irritants as 'Hazards', distresses me when shown so in public documents. Then later, after experienced investigators deem there is no real problem, and nothing needs to change, Mr. Public Busybody comes back and says, "You said that was a hazard! But, you've done NOTHING about it?"
My comments caused some chuntering, problem being the word is based in aviation usage, and no better one springs to mind ...sigh. At least we pondered the thought.

OTHER FASCINATING STUFF...
BCAC was disappointed to hear that the cable marking system had proven unreliable. The strobes tested were just not up to 24-hour rugged operation requirement.
Who would have thought this to be so frustrating a problem?
Concern was raised as to how Transport could assist small rural airstrips where the tenants and users must constantly justify themselves personally to municipalities.
Why are US FAA Notams not available via a Canadian FSS?
Why do the flight plan opening frequencies provided by the temporary FSS at places like the Arlington Flyin, not work? No response when called?
IFR flights must make standard arrival and circuit calls at uncontrolled airports, talking with the local FSS is not sufficient. There could be simple VFR traffic about.
Control of ground vehicles is the airport operator’s responsibility, and official vehicles would be advised to have a listening capability on the active frequency.
George Miller suggested to avoid congestion due to training cycles, that maybe schools could be offered block times for their activities. Though how that might work, I'm not
Clear.  And much more fascinating stuff.

DELTA DOINGS...
Mary and I were honoured guests at Delta's RAA Chapter 85 Annual Awards Banquet which as expected, was a fun event. The food was excellent, a bold step up from Mary's strict Road Kill diet. Lots of awards to deserving people, big surprise applause for The Mary, which brushed off on me, cause they think I help with the garden.
We've been with these marvellous folks for more than 30 years, and what a fine bunch they are. I'm sure you find, as we do, that as a group, airplane people are the best. We couldn't have chosen a more satisfying hobby.
Delta Heritage Air Park's activities within the Regional Park system are warming up. The chance to see fascinating vintage airplanes is becoming more of a draw.
School and Scout groups are calling for guided tours, and our volunteers are becoming more adept at being 'docents' for this activity.
Delta COPA Flight 5 will have held it's first Young Eagles Day of the year, and already, 59 kids have been registered. A big thank you to our volunteer pilots, mostly from the Boundary Bay Flying Club, who use their clubrooms at Delta as the registration HQ.  Divided into small flights, the youngsters go for a proper briefing in the RAAC clubhouse, before boarding a plane for their flight. What a wonderful programme.