I'd like to thank a good friend who sent me a link to this video of the final flight of Firecat T-564 from Abbostford Tanker Base at Kamloops BC to the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, BC. The video is a little over 17 minutes.
As I understand it, the first of Conair's Firecats saw service as a tanker flying fires in 1978. Conair retired the last two Firecats in August 2012. Shortly thereafter, T-564 flew to her new nome at the Canadian Museum of Flight,
I know that T-564 will be loved by many at her new home. Perhaps one day I'll visit British Columbia and get to meet her in person.
In celebration of their 100th anniversary, Gord Bell (spent 35 years with the BC Forest Service, 25 years in aviation programs) wrote a 3 part History of Aviation in the BC Forest Service, Links to this three part series may be found here. You can read more about Mr. Bell in the appendix of any the three documents. Part 2 of the History of Aviation in the BC Forest Service covers Air Tanker Operations and may be found here, you can read about Conair's Firecats on pp. 16 to 19 of that document.
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