Rambler (Total: 16, Canadian: 9, Group 7)

Curtiss-Reid Rambler

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3204718)
Curtiss-Reid Rambler Mk. I, CF-ABT, Cartierville, PQ, 1931

The Reid Rambler, later known under the Curtiss-Reid brand after Reid was purchased by Curtiss, was a biplane trainer/sport aircraft built in Canada in the early 1930s and used in small numbers as a trainer aircraft by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The Reid Rambler was primarily intended to be a training aircraft. The Rambler was a largely conventional sesquiplane design with wings braced with Warren trusses and which could be folded backwards for transport or storage. The fuselage was of fabric-covered steel tube construction and the pilot and a single passenger sat in tandem, open cockpits.

Although it was intended principally for civilian use, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) evaluated the aircraft as a basic training aircraft. Although the RCAF employed many other ab-initio aircraft including the ubiquitous de Havilland Moth, senior military staff elected to purchase a small number of the Ramblers. Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Curtiss-Reid Rambler

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Rambler 145, Mk. I

s/n 145

c/n 1021

145

Taken on strength on 2 April 1930. Transferred to flying clubs, exact date unknown. Became CF-CDZ, operated by Border Cities Flying Club. Crashed 7 July 1934.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1930-April-02 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
   1933 to Civil Register Canadian sold, to civil register 2019-08-20
   1933-October-17 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 616

Rambler 146, Mk. I

s/n 146

c/n 1022

146

Noted with 230:00 logged time on 17 March 1930. Category A crash at Camp Borden on 7 July 1930. Flown by Provisional Pilot Officer Gilbert Douglas "Douglas" Pooler who was injured and died in 1988. This aircraft collided with Moth 83, flown by Provisional Pilot Officer E.W. Sorensen who was killed. Application to write off dated 14 September 1930. Had 319:20 logged time when struck off. last update: 2024-December-25

   1930-March-30 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1930-November-03 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to produce 2020-09-21
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205

Rambler 147, Mk. I

s/n 147

c/n 1023

147


last update: 2025-March-10
   1930-March-30 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1930-August-07 Accident Category A Category A crash at Camp Borden. 2019-08-20
   1930-August-07 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205

Rambler 148, Mk. I

s/n 148

c/n 1024

148

Transferred to flying clubs. Became CF-CDS, with Border Cities Flying Club.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1930-April-02 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1933-January-19 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
   1933-February-17 to Civil Register Canadian Transferred to civil register, still owned by DND 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 616

Rambler 149, Mk. I

s/n 149

c/n 1025

149


last update: 2025-March-10
   1930-April-02 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1931-August-07 Accident Category A Category A crash at Camp Borden, Ontario. 2019-08-20
   1932-January-27 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205

Rambler 150, Mk. I

s/n 150

c/n 1026

150

Purchase price was $4,275.00 for airframe, plus $1,500.00 for engine, paid on 30 March 1930. Delivered by air to Camp Borden. Noted on 1 April 1932 with 64:05 logged time. Noted on 28 November 1932 with 69:40 logged time, still at Camp Borden. Civil marks applied at Borden, order dated 27 September 1933. Inspection of work dated 25 October 1933. Transferred to St. Catharines Flying Club on 31 October 1933, having been registered as CF-CEA on 25 October 1933. Purchased by this Club on 9 October 1936. To J.R. Crapp of Hamilton on 3 May 1938. To C.W. Millard (better known as Carl Millard, post war owner of Millardair) of Ingersoll, Ontario on 18 September 1939. To W.R. Stewart of North Bay, Ontario on 7 February 1941. Damaged in open field landing near Thistletown, Ontario on 8 May 1941, no record of being repaired.
last update: 2024-December-25
   1930-April-02 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1933-October-31 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 205 | 1968 616

Rambler A62, I

s/n A62

c/n 1016

A 62

No previous RCAF history. First registered as CF-ABV to Skyways, Ltd. of Toronto on 13 May 1930. Several subsequent owners in Ontario. Damaged in hanger fire at St. Catharines, Ontario on 9 March 1937. Registered to A. Lanquette and R. Roy of Ville Marie, Quebec on 17 June 1939. Donated to the RCAF by A. Lanquette.
last update: 2025-February-05
   1940-May-11 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1940-May-11 Classified Instructional CA A 62 From Mr. A. Lanquette, Ville Marie QC 2020-06-16
   1954-April-27 Struck off Strength 2019-08-20
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 481 | 1968 611

Rambler GCYXC, Mk. II / I

s/n GCYXC

c/n 1003

G-CYXC

Registration issued on 6 May 1929. Only RCAF Rambler fitted with factory optional Handley Page slats. Delivered as Mk. II (Cirrus II engine), converted to Mk. I when it was re-engined with ADC Cirrus Hermes in October 1930. To civil register as CF-CDY on 7 March 1932, still owned by Department of National Defense. Loaned to Brandon Flying Club on 26 March 1934. Crashed and destroyed at Napinka, Manitoba on 12 July 1934, when it stalled on takeoff from a farmer's field.
Ex RCAF G-CYXC . Delivered in 1929 with Cirrus III engine, re-engined with Hermes engine in 1930. With Brandon Flying Club by 26 March 1933.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1929-October-17 Taken on Strength Delivered same day 2019-08-20
   1932-March-07 to Civil Register Canadian To civil register, registered to DND 2020-08-17
   1934-July-12 Accident Crash Stalled taking off from farm near Napinka, Manitoba; not repaired 2020-08-17
   1936-September-18 Application for Write-Off Approval Application to write off. 2019-08-20
   1936-September-18 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 199 | 1968 616

Rambler GCYXD, Mk. II / I

s/n GCYXD

c/n 1006

G-CYXD

delivered as Mk. II, converted to Mk. I.
last update: 2025-February-06
   1929-October-17 Taken on Strength Delivered same day 2019-08-20
   1930-October-31 Struck off Strength Struck off, after Category A crash on 27 May 1930. 2024-07-22
1930-May-27 KIFA RCAF Acting Sergeant R W Pike 2024-07-22
📙 JA Griffin (2005: Smith, Castle): 1968 199