Charles Chow-Leong Rank: Flying Officer Status: Killed in Flying Accident 1952-02-04

Just before 11:30 Expeditor 1478 took off from No. 2 Air Navigation School at RCAF Stn Winnipeg. At the controls was 29-year-old Flight Officer Charles Chow-Leong, a decorated veteran or World War II with 6,000 flying hours. Also aboard were two RAF student pilots from England, Acting Pilot Officer Peter Harvey and Acting Pilot Officer Edward Scanlan.

The 540 foot high radio mast at Carman, Manitoba was a regular landmark for anyone flying in the area. During the flight the winds picked up and fog rolled in such that the cloud ceiling was as little as 50 feet.

In these conditions Chow-Leong struck one of the tower guy wires at about the 400 foot level, and crashed to the ground, killing all aboard the aircraft. Subsequently, the tower later collapsed.

Expeditor 1478

Beechcraft Expeditor

(RCAF Photo) (Source Harold A Skaarup web page)
Beechcraft CT-128 Expeditor Mk. 3TM (Serial No. A-734), (Serial No. CA-134), RCAF (Serial No. 1534), coded AO-N, Air Transport Command.

The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were built, making it one of the world's most widely used light aircraft. Sold worldwide as a civilian executive, utility, cargo aircraft, and passenger airliner on tailwheels, nosewheels, skis, or floats, it was also used as a military aircraft.

During and after World War II, over 4,500 Beech 18s were used in military service – as light transport, light bomber (for China), aircrew trainer (for bombing, navigation, and gunnery), photo-reconnaissance, and "mother ship" for target drones – including Royal Canadian Airforce (RCAF), United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) C-45 Expeditor, AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 Kansan; and United States Navy (USN) UC-45J Navigator, SNB-1 Kansan, and others. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators and pilots trained in these aircraft.

In the early postwar era, the Beech 18 was the pre-eminent "business aircraft" and "feeder airliner". Besides carrying passengers, its civilian uses have included aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish stocking, dry-ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air-mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine testbed, skywriting, banner towing, and stunt aircraft. Wikipedia

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General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

RCAF Owned (414) RCAF 400 Squadrons (4) Canadian Crewed (22) RCN (1) Canadian Museum (2)

last update: 2021-10-16 20:08:00

Expeditor Mk. 3N 1478

With No. 2 Air Navigation School at Winnipeg when it crashed near Carman, Manitoba on 4 February 1952. Flying Officer C. Chow-Leong and Corp. A.C. Descorps killed.

1951-12-18 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1952-03-11 Struck off Strength Struck off, after Category A crash at Carman, Manitoba on 4 February 1952. 2019-08-20

2 ANS (2 Air Navigation School)

Nos. 1 & 2 Air Navigation Schools offered four-week courses in astronavigation and were the last step for Air Observers.

The RAF schools, Nos. 31, 32, and 33, provided the same training as Air Observer Schools.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Pennfield Ridge NB

General History of 2 ANS Pennfield Ridge NB

2 Air Navigation School was disbanded at Pennfield Ridge April 1942.

Unit was reformed in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island February 1944.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Charlottetown PEI

The unit was again disbanded on 7 July 1945. The Unit was reformed in Winnipeg, Manitoba on 1 August 1951.

RCAF Roundel RCAF.info - RCAF Station Winnipeg Manitoba

The unit was redesignated No 2 Air Observer School 15 November 1955.

Marshal
Air Chief Marshal	A/C/M
Air Marshal	A/M
Air Vice Marshal	A/V/M
Air Commodore	A/C
Group Captain	G/C
Wing Commander	W/C
Squadron Leader	S/L
Flight Lieutenant	F/L
Flying Officer	F/O
Pilot Officer	P/O
Warrant Officer 1st Class	WO1
Warrant Officer 2nd Class	WO2
Flight Sergeant	FS
Sergeant	SGT
Corporal	CPL
Senior Aircraftman	SAC
Leading Aircraftman	LAC
Aircraftman 1st Class	AC1
Aircraftman 2nd Class	AC2

Chow-Leong, Charles (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1952-February-04

Expeditor 1478

Beechcraft Expeditor

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Expeditor Mk. 3N 1478

2 ANS (2 Air Navigation School)

Griffin Library, 17 Wing Winnipeg

Lancaster FM213

Andrew Mynarski, VC

Chow-Leong, Charles (Flying Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1952-February-04

Expeditor 1478

Beechcraft Expeditor

CASPIR Aircraft Groups:

Expeditor Mk. 3N 1478

2 ANS (2 Air Navigation School)

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