A long time ago

	On the numbers! Cover Detail from Penhold’s TOPSEC, 1953. Swain’s handmade photos
	Penhold’s RCAF Air Sea Rescue responds to a call. Swain’s handmade photos
	Says it dropped a wing on ‘I’m in a stall!” Swain’s handmade photos
	It’s a pilot’s life in the Mess. Strange ritual hand signals. Swain’s handmade photos
	Barney tells Brian & Dirk about his Grumman T-34. Photos courtesy Tony Swain
	Don Watson’s Fabulous Fairchild 24 and Fleet Canuck come out for an airing at Delta.
	Delta’s precious Elgood Moth steps out!
	Nelson’s John Dale enjoys a day at Delta.
	The Cox RV-9 starts to look like a plane!
	Langley’s Museum of Flight’s Lodestar guards the gate.
	Old Pilot Pat Lobsinger and his neighbors, the Kharbra family, anxiously await a Young Eagle flight.
	Sunny’s school chum Kenny is ecstatic on his first ever real airplane flight.
	Sunny Kharbra flies… Dreams do come true! Photos courtesy Tony Swain
	Chuck Croft and his fabulous Bucker Yungmann  at Delta.
	BCAC’s Hardy Staub inspects the Bucker’s cockpit.
	Chuck’s proper cockpit. A Grass roots romance by Bucker!

An Editorial, 1953 …Well, here’s the first copy of Penhold’s TOPSEC! Bit late due to the move up from Currie, but the articles make up for it.

Previously written by Staff Officers, but since this is a student’s magazine, we’ve used student talent.

Many articles refer to Penhold Mud. Recently, when our guys were off to a wedding, we enjoyed the luxury of a professional shoe-shine in Calgary. The shoe-shine guy was amazed and annoyed at how the mud stuck fast to our footware, in spite of his washing, scrapings, and mutterings.

However, curb stones sprout up everywhere now, and before long (we hope), roads may put in an appearance and end the oppression of the “Mud of Muds.”

We even venture to say that in a few years, Penhold will be the “Station of Stations” in Canada.

And to the new Cadets, the course is tough, but on graduation, the satisfaction will outdo anything you ever accomplished before. So we thank the instructors and staff of Ground and Flights for their constant guidance throughout the course, and above all, their remarkable patience! Flt Cdt R.D. Johnson, Editor, Course 50B… (Paraphrased some, TS).

WRITE SOMETHING!

It’s hard to believe that was more than 50 years ago… Sigh!  One day, the dreaded Senior Course Leader, A/P/O G.R. Boden, RAF, an imposing personage, resplendent in pseudo Cadet Squadron Leader bars and flashy white banded best cap, grabbed me and roared, “Swain! You’re always doodling! Draw me some pictures, and write an article!

And that’s how I got in the writing game.

Just so you know, in 1953, Penhold was a fancy new retreaded Training Station, better known now as Red Deer Industrial, presided over somewhat by our fearless COPA Chair, Sherry Cooper. This is historical stuff! Here’s what I wrote. Has anything changed?

MUDMANOLOGY…

After living, (or existing), a few weeks at Station Penhold, one becomes acquainted with the local menace, which as everyone knows, is mud. It became obvious that a scientific probe would have to be made in order to combat this terror.

Mud may be divided into seven classes: 

1. Dry mud (usually Dust). 2. Slimy Surface.  3. Soggy.  4. Two inches deep (Sticky).  5. A foot or more deep (Goo). 6. Liquid Mud. 7. Blowing mud (Includes Splashing mud).

Dry Mud, in the pure form, is only noticeable in favourable conditions, and only for a short time, after which it degenerates instantly to Blowing Dust, to the consument glee of the met man. The appearance is terrifying and reminds one of the Rockies in miniature. Is used generally for breaking car springs and twisting ankles.

The Slimy Surface mud is just an after effect of a shower on the top of Dust. Does not usually leave the ground, but may be hurled great distances by rear wheels of trucks, cars, motor-cycles or small children.

Soggy mud is half to one inch deep, and easily cleaned off shoes etc. Care must be exercised in the use of Plimsolls (used only by Brits, and not often found here).

The fourth type is seen a little more often, and is the sticky stage, in which mud is dragged into the buildings, where it conveniently drops off, and refuses to budge. Attempts at clean up, results in an ever lengthening smear along the floor which soon dries into Blowing Dust, causing a sharp drop in visibility inside buildings.

The next two divisions are most prevalent at 4 FTS, Goo and Liquid mud. To be classed as Goo, it must be at least 12 inches in depth. This category has the peculiar quality of consuming any article, man or machine left standing in it for more than 10 minutes (A warning here is given to car owners, courting couples, and possibly hitchhikers).

It is rumored that the C.O. has seriously considered employing the Air Sea Rescue to look after Harvards that run off the runway.

FLOATING RUNWAYS?

The presence of this Goo and Liquid mud, makes one suspect that we are being trained for the Fleet Air Arm, as Penhold's floating runways are much akin to a carrier deck. One course has actually gone on strike until they are issued Mae-Wests.

Presently, the two storey buildings have a basement, however, the concern is that before long they’ll be one story and two basements!

Before the attempt was abandoned, the mud depth testing committee lost two telegraph poles, a mile of wire, three chains, and a French Cadet.

It is apparent that even if the mud were removed, Penhold would be left unserviceable, for it would be at least four and a half miles underground, (quite safe against atomic attack however, thus complementing the new Diefenbaker Bunker across the road).

The mud has some practical use in that it is useful for determining weather. When it is wet, it is raining, when dry, it is hot, and varying degrees in between.

To sum up, the decision was that any attempt to remove the “Terror Mud,” would result in complete chaos, and an unacceptable loss of men and machines  - more than WW 2. So the attempt is abandoned pending better modern mud-removing equipment is conceived. Prof. A.J.W. Swain, Course 5501.

SUCH MISERY

And so, under such misery, callow 18-year-old youths were forced to wear sexy uniforms, eat steak, and fly huge noisy aeroplanes learning not to drop wings all over the place. Just to satisfy some gover’ment guys at NATO HQ. Unbelievable!

An Air Force Flight School is an intense exciting place. Anything that can happen in an airplane, does happen. Guys miss the runways, land gear up, land in fields, get lost, do backwards circuits, and throw up in a flight test.

Thus the Officers Mess evolved some strange customs to compensate, especially on a dining in night, like the TGIF, the ‘Thank God it’s Friday’ dinner party. There were Cards Nite, Bingo, Yule Nite, St. Patrick’s Ball, and the dreaded St.Valentine’s Dance. Sound like your local flying club? Go for it, they’re tried and true honourable traditions.

MOM’S DAY AT DELTA

Delta’s monthly Pancake Breakfast fell on Mother’s Day this year and the duty pilot cooks fed over 120 people.

Some really interesting planes showed up, and everyone had a great time with the hangar talk talk.

We were surprised when COPA director hopeful John Dale turned up from Nelson in his very nice 172, which is for sale. He was pleased to get together with our new COPA Chap, Terry Wilshire, and they had some serious head to head discussions.

The sun came out and enticed Delta’s Vintage Club into the air. The Elgood Tiger Moth, Don Watson’s Fairchild 24, and Moira’s fabulous Fleet Canuck.

Barney brought his Grumman pseudo T-34, and ‘f Red Baron’ and his Renegade took time out from his Intergalactic Aerodrome’s South Surrey border patrol, to drop in for some sustenance.

Even Delta’s vigilant Lockeed Lodestar Gate Guardian strained at the chocks pining for a flight over to Langley to see it’s chums down at the Canadian Museum  of Flight, particularly Hammy Hampden and newcomer Tessy Tutor.

AND MORE YOUNG EAGLES

Al and Barb Fielder’s Flight 5’s Young Eagle Day was the same weekend, and five planes flew 77 kids.

One time pilot and great Air Park friend, Pat Lobsinger brought his neighbours, the Kharbra family and a young friend along to register, only to find it all over!

Oh woe! After working up such courage for a first airplane ride, the two school chums were so crestfallen.

But after a bit of argy bargy, shazam! The Al-Barb crew came through and put them aboard a YE plane headed home to Boundary Bay, which took the long way around.

So they got the full circle tour! The parents were so happy, and the boys over the moon. Now the two 12 year olds are clamouring to be Air Cadets. This Young Eagle program is miraculous!

THE OLD WOODEN WASP

A couple from Brit, who we met last year on our big Alaska Cruise, turned up the next weekend so we took them for a day at the Airpark. They were astounded by the tranquility of the place. Whilst Anne bustled about with The Mary in the Old Coffee Shop, I gave Eddie the Grand Tour.

He also joined in enthusiastically breaking up the wooden Wasp shipping crate, which was much more sturdy than we’d thought. I wielded a big axe, and he being a truck driver, swung a five-pound sledge! It took us quite a while, and I sure lost a few pounds.

After a nice cup of tea, we were delighted to see a bright yellow biplane plunk down and taxi to the pumps. It was Chuck Croft and his gorgeous Bucker Jungmann.

New BCAC Guy Hardy Staub materialized from nowhere to help us drool! And our trusty digitals snap snap snapped, all over the place. What a great romantic cockpit! And all kinds of wings and struts and things.

Anne said later, it was the first time Eddie had relaxed in the whole six weeks. He’d sure like to stay, but trucking jobs for little Brit blokes from Chester don’t grow on trees!

Rounded off the day with dinner at the new Watermark Restaurant on Kits Beach. Outstanding. The others had salad, halibut and chicken curry, but I went for broke with the racks of lamb. And it was scrumptious!

SO IT’S BYE FOR A WHILE

We’ll see you at the COPA Convention in Oshawa, then we’re off to a NATO Trainee Re-union at Old Warden, UK, to see some Penhold Flight Cadets from 50 year ago.

I’ll bet they haven’t changed. Still have mud on their shoes. Doesn’t come off, you know. We’re a mite nervous about the big retirement party here for us. We’d planned to quietly fade away. Some plan.

Fly safe now!  Cheers… Tony Swain,

 This month Tony Swain retires his COPA directorship representing B.C. and Yukon. He has been a COPA member for more than 20 years and has been an active participant in many aviation groups. He flies many types of aircraft and is concerned about the rights of sport pilots.