Reluctant Poster
Tech Sergeant
- 1,637
- Dec 6, 2006
Not quite WWII but still interesting
Canadair Argus
- Thread starter Reluctant Poster
- Start date
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In 1972 NAS Boca Chica hosted the biennial NATO-SEATO ASW Symposium, and were visited by ASW and maritime patrol aircraft from all over the free world. The Canadians, who were well supplied with Neptunes and Orions, elected to show up in one of these and another "odd duck" that looked like a DC4 or DC6 with Merlin engines, a glassed in "bombardier" nose, and blessed with a MAD "stinger" on its tail.
For a week and a half our base was a museum of exotic and strange aircraft from manufacturers such as Dornier, Avro, Fokker, CASA, Fuji, and a Brazilian outfit that eventually grew into Embraer. When that Merlin powered bird cranked up ears perked up and heads turned. "Dude, what's that?"
Cheers,
Wes
For a week and a half our base was a museum of exotic and strange aircraft from manufacturers such as Dornier, Avro, Fokker, CASA, Fuji, and a Brazilian outfit that eventually grew into Embraer. When that Merlin powered bird cranked up ears perked up and heads turned. "Dude, what's that?"
Cheers,
Wes
Michael Hope
Airman 1st Class
- 238
- Jun 28, 2016
A DC-4 with Merlin Engines was Canadair NorthStar, DC-4M.
RW Mk. III
Airman 1st Class
Wikipedia says the cruise speed on the NorthStar was 325mph?!?!
Just an aside to this post: In the late 1950s-early 1960s I made multiple visits to the Sarasota Bradenton airport (SRQ) which many will recognize as the home of the Cavalier Aircraft P-51 Mustang refurbishment and re-purposing establishment. Parked well behind the Cavalier hangers were some very odd looking C-54 type aircraft with inline engines. It wasn't until later that I learned that these were Merlin powered DC-4s (or C-54s??). As to what Cavalier was doing with them or planned to do with them I have no idea.
Crimea_River
Marshal
Love those old NFB films.
When our base hosted a free world ASW symposium in 1972, the Canadians showed up with an Argus and what I later learned was a Northstar (DC4..M, for Merlin) tricked out for maritime patrol/ASW duty. Everything I've read about the Northstar fails to mention an ASW version, yet there it was, with its bombardier nose, chin radome, MAD boom, and bomb bay doors. Wonder if it was a one-off Cavalier conversion?
Cheers,
Wes
Michael Hope
Airman 1st Class
- 238
- Jun 28, 2016
For Reference the RCAF retired their North Stars in the mid 60's. SO in about 1972 it would not have been a Canadian Air Force North Star.
michaelmaltby
Colonel
June 1972 .... high arctic patrol out of Frobisher Bay (Iqualut).
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Crimea_River
Marshal
Restoration of a C-54 is taking place at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa. Canadair C-54GM North Star 1 ST | Ingenium
Well, I don't know the details, the goings-on were all classified secret and conducted by more brass than I'd ever seen in one place in my life, but they sure brought an interesting collection of aircraft. Yeah, I've also read since then that the Northstar was retired in the 60s, but it was 1972, and there it was, big as life, complete with maple leaf logo and ASW gear. At the time I didn't know jack sh _ _ about Brit/Can equipment, but somebody said those sweet sounding mega-Ferraris were "Spitfire engines". A couple of enlisted guys from the ASW Test and Evaluation Squadron next door said they thought the Canadians were marketing their used equipment to third world countries.
Cheers,
Wes
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Interesting!
michaelmaltby
Colonel
... the last ASW aircraft flown by the RCAF that was Packard-RR Merlin powered was the Lancaster. Replaced by Neptunes, replaced by Argus,replaced by the Orion.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Actually the Aurora, CP-140. Basically a P-3 with S-3A avionics
"Mr. Lockheed" checks in with the straight skinny.
