Spring is in the air — and so are the Harvards, according to the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre.
Aviation and history enthusiasts in Thunder Bay will have a chance to see in-person, four North American Harvard aircraft from around the country this July, during the Wings of Time, A Homecoming of the Harvards event.
The event is co-ordinated by the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre.
Last year, the anticipated Harvard event was cancelled due to poor flying conditions and some mixed organizational details. This year, planning is full throttle with four confirmed Harvard IVs landing at the Wasaya Hangar.
John Hill and Denise Lyzun, with the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre and event co-ordinators, continue to work with their team to bring the 1950s-themed aviation event to Thunder Bay in recognition of the dates the aircraft were manufactured in the area at the former Canada Car Foundry plant (Alstom).
The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this summer, will send two Harvard IVs, which are currently stationed in Tillsonburg, Ontario.
A third Harvard IV, the John MaGee, will be provided by Vintage Wings in Gatineau, Quebec. The three aircraft are expected to provide rides to the public for a fee. A fourth Harvard IV will arrive from the Geoffry Brayne personal collection in Lethbridge, Alberta. The Brayne’s aircraft will be a static display.
“There’s still a great love of that history that we have here in Northwestern Ontario and that’s our mandate to showcase that,” Lyzun said. “The NWO Aviation Heritage Association lets people know that we did great things here in building aircraft, not only for the Second World War, but also the planes were built largely because, all of a sudden, we were in a cold war, and we were in the Korean conflict. The Royal Canadian Air Force needed more aircraft, and we built them here.”
Hill added that the Canadian contract to build the aircraft resulted in 1,400 Harvard IIs being built in Montreal and 555 Harvard IVs being built at the Canada Car Foundry plant in Thunder Bay.
“These aircraft all went to either the U.S. military or the Canadian Military, initially for training our boys and girls for Korea, but it was all boys at that point,” Hill said.
“But as the Korean conflict simmered down in 1953, those planes ended up going out to 28 different countries around the world, including Turkey, India, and South Africa. The Harvards stayed in service as a training aircraft, with South Africa being the last air force using them around 1997.”
Between July 21-27, the AirVenture 2025 air show will take place in Oshkosh, Wis., and Hill suspects there will be many historical aircraft visiting the site, which he said is about an hour and a half away by air.
He said the Northwestern Ontario Aviation Heritage Centre has issued an invitation welcoming all historical aircraft pilots flying near Thunder Bay during that event to land at the Thunder Bay International Airport and join in the centre’s historical event with their aircraft.
Wings of Time, A Homecoming of the Harvards is a free event and will take place at the Wasaya Air Terminal/Hangar on July 19-20, with a rain date on July 26-27.
Proceeds from any donations will go to the heritage centre.
The event will feature 1950s music, and displays by the Transportation Museum of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Historical Society, 1950s vintage cars from local car clubs, a Canadian military reserve squad bivouac display — a temporary camp without tents or cover used by soldiers — and live performances by the Roy Coran Tribute Band on Saturday from 12-1 p.m., and combined performances from the Macgillivray Pipe Band and the Thunder Bay Police Pipes and Drums.
The Military Museum of Paipoonge will be on hand with its 1943 Willys military jeep and its 1954 Deuce and a Half military truck.
Sponsorships for the event are welcome by calling 807-252-3433.
