Known Squadron Assignments: ;Canadian;2

Registered as G-AINN for production test flights in UK. Delivered on 09 Nov 1951 to Canada for winterization trials. First assigned to 412 Sqn. Later assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight in Langar, UK in support of 1 Air Division in Europe. Coded “KC 696” in service with No. 137. Crashed en route from 2(F) Wing, Grostenquin while landing in heavy fog at 1 (F) Wing, Marville on 3 December 1955 with the loss of seven personnel along with four severely injured. All four crew survived but only three of ten passengers survived. The airframe was written-off after this Category “A” accident with 2,518 total airframe hours. source: Kestrel Publications

2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1952-April-25 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20

   1955-December-14 Struck off Strength Category "A" writeoff 2023-05-02
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Flying Officer J G H Campbell 2023-12-13
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Flying Officer J P Hrenyk 2022-10-31
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Corporal P G Knight 2022-10-31
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Flying Officer Gerald Sinclair John Newman CD 2022-10-31
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Corporal Robert Clarence Offerdahl 2022-10-31
1955-December-03 KIFA RCAF Flying Officer Bruce E Patterson 2022-06-09

Known Squadron Assignments: ;30;109;5

Registered as G-AINO for production test flights in UK. Delivered on 22 Nov 1951 to Canada for winterization trials. First assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight in Lachine, QC. Then assigned in support of 1 Air Division in Europe again with No. 137 Transport Flight in Langar, UK. Coded “GC 967”, “KC 697” and “KC B” in service with No. 137 Transport Flight. Transferred to 109 (KU) Flt in Grostenquin, France in August 1963. While parked at Gatwick in icy conditions, a ground crew member grabbed the VHF aerial after slipping on some ice. He broke the aerial off in attempting to prevent his fall. The aerial was refitted and welded back into place but the crew were not informed of the incident. En route from Gatwick, this aircraft crashed while on radar controlled approach in bad weather to 1 (F) Wing Marville on 30 December 1963 about one mile (1.6 km) short of the runway. The weld on the aerial had failed and the aerial had detached causing a loss of radio contact. The crash took the lives of seven service and one civilian personnel. Four crew members and 4 passengers were killed. One crew member and 2 other passengers were injured. The Board of Inquiry noted that the GCA controller had mistakenly tracked a “ghost image” of the aircraft on the radar causing the aircraft to be too low on approach but this was deemed an equipment error and not the operators fault. The airframe was written-off after this Category “A” accident with 4,192 total airframe hours. source: Kestrel Publications

2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1952-August-08 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20

   1964-January-21 Struck off Strength Category "A" write-off 2023-05-02
1963-December-30 KIFA RCAF Sergeant Peter Antoon George Bach CD 2022-11-02
1963-December-30 KIFA RCAF Flight Lieutenant Verner Isadore Clouthier CD 2024-03-05
1963-December-30 KIFA RCAF Flight Lieutenant John Kenneth Hamlen 2022-11-02
1963-December-30 KIFA RCAF Flight Lieutenant Britton Lyall Johnston CD 2022-11-02
1963-December-30 KIFA RCAF Flight Lieutenant Edward John Walshe CD 2022-11-02

Registered as G-AMLR (possibly G-18-120 first) for production test flights in UK. Assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight in Langar, UK in support of 1 Air Division in Europe. During Apr 1953, modifications were made to the heating system and to the radio equipment.. The aircraft returned to Filton, UK for fitment of new-type gearboxes, generators and starters. Redelivered to Langar after further work on 26 Nov 1953. Repainted in camouflage scheme at Filton in July 1955. Returned to Weston Super Mare for fatigue modifications completed by 20 Nov 1961. Transferred to 109 (KU) Flt in Grostenquin, France in August 1963 and then moved with the unit to Marville, France. in Mar 1964. Struck off charge with 4,061 airframe hours and 2,560 landings and sold to Wardair and registered as CF-WAC. Sold to Lambair at Le Pas, MB on 20 Nov 1970. Lasted only 37 hours with Lambair before being lost in a non-fatal landing accident at Trout Lake, MB while in muddy conditions. The aircraft swung off the runway heavily damaging the fuselage and wings. Registration cancelled on 07 Apr 1971 with a total of 11,707 total airframe hours. source: Kestrel Publications

2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1953-March-18 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
   1967-May-16 Struck off Strength to Crown Assets Disposal for sale; later sold to Wardair 2023-05-03

Registered as G-18-195 for production test flights in UK. Assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight at Langar, UK in support of 1 Air Division in Europe. Coded “GC 699” in service with No. 137 Transport Flight. Bristol On 16 May 1958, #9699 and coded GC*699 experienced a loss of control while landing in a strong crosswind at Orly Airport, Paris France. The aircraft drifted off the runway and struck runway and taxi lights damaging both main gear tires. The aircraft was repaired. In Feb 1959, this airframe was equipped with Bendix Ignition Analyser system (as were all other aircraft). In July 1959, the airframe was back at Weston Super Mare for a 4,000 hour inspection and engine change. Transferred to 109 (KU) Flt in Grostenquin, France in August 1963 and then on to Marville, France with the same unit in Mar 1964. On 18 Jun 1965, the aircraft was grounded at Marville with following the failure of no. 12 cylinder on the port engine. This airframe was also noted at Gatwick in Sep 1966 with “1 Air Division” titles. This aircraft also carried the RCAF Air Weapons Unit, Decimomannu, “Archer” crest on the tail in 1966. The aircraft flew the last RCAF Freighter flight from Decimomannu ranges back to Marville on 28 Oct 1966. Struck off charge with and sold to Wardair as CF-WAE to carry freight around northern Canada, mainly to the DEW Line chain of radar stations. It was later sold to Norcanair in Saskatchewan (1976?) where it operated until 1983. Norcanair then flew it to Winnipeg and donated it to the Western Canada Aviation Museum in Winnipeg, MB with 12,626.7 total airframe hrs.
source: Kestrel Publications
2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1955-July-08 Taken on Strength 2023-05-03
   1967-May-16 Struck off Strength to Crown Assets Disposal for sale; later sold to Wardair 2023-05-03

Registered as G-18-196 for production test flights in UK. Assigned to No. 137 Transport Flight in support of 1 Air Division in Europe. Noted with codes “GC 700”. Damaged on 15 Nov 1955 when the starter of the port engine jammed and damaged the mechanism. Transferred to 109 (KU) Flt in Grostenquin, France in August 1963. Struck off charge and sold to Wardair and registered as CF-WAG (1969?). The aircraft crashed at Great Slave Lake on 03 May 1970 after the port main wheel broke through the ice on landing (near Snowdrift-now Lutselk'e NWT). Attempts to recover the airframe were unsuccessful and the aircraft was stripped and abandoned. The airframe later sank to the bottom of the lake. The registration was cancelled on 17 Dec 1971. Total airframe hours were 9,805 hrs. source: Kestrel Publications

2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1955-July-15 Taken on Strength 2023-05-03
   1967-May-16 Struck off Strength to Crown Assets Disposal for sale; later sold to Wardair 2023-05-03

Registered as G-18-200 for production test flights in UK. Purchased to replace RCAF # 9696 after it crashed in 1955. The aircraft was originally due for delivery to RCAF on 18 Feb 1957 after modification. Delivery was delayed due to engine snags, and the aircraft was returned to Filton for comprehensive checks and flight trials. First operated by No. 137 Transport Flight, from RAF Langar, UK, in support of 1 Air Division in Europe, in the 1950s and 1960s. Noted coded as “GC 850” while in service. Transferred to No. 109 (K) Flight at RCAF Stn Grostenquin, France in August 1963. Moved with this unit to RCAF Stn Marville, France in March 1964. Used to prototype VOR/ILS/TACAN and weather radar installation for Freighter fleet. Conversion performed by Western Airways Ltd in the UK, June to August 1965. Withdrawn from use by October 1966. Sold to Wardair, registered as CF-WAD, on 26 September 1967. In use in northern Canada as late as 1974. Later registered as C-FWAD. The aircraft crashed on take-off from Hay River, NWT on 20 Nov 1977. A load of corrugated steel broke loose and shifted aft on take-off causing the aircraft to pitch-up and stall. The crash killed the co-pilot and injured the pilot. The registration was cancelled on 19 Jan 1978 listing the airframe as “destroyed”. source: Kestrel Publications

Note that the company number quoted in Griffin's first book appears to be in error, this number never assigned to a Freighter. 2023-05-03
RCAF Aircraft Record Card
   1957-April-15 Taken on Strength 2023-05-03
   1967-May-16 Struck off Strength to Crown Assets Disposal for sale; later sold to Wardair 2023-05-03