Brantford's small airfield is located west of the town and south of the 403 (take the 24 exit south then second left on the 53). A very friendly airfield with access for photo's freely given.

The airfield once housed a large number of ex Millardair aircraft. Just three are left - two DC-4s (C-GFFQ c/n 27298 and C-GFMQ c/n 27265) and a Super DC-3/C-117D (C-GGKE c/n 43366). The DC-4s will probably never fly again and C-GFFQ (which still wears "The Toronto Symphony" titles) is now engineless and minus a significant chunk of its forward fuselage - or is that a new form of air conditioning?!! The Super Dak is in reasonable condition but looks a little drunk with one flat tyre - however I've seen Dak's in worse condition fly again.

The American DC-3 (N54602 c/n 27080/15635) was fully operational on the "transient" ramp parked alongside the Goose. The Beaver on floats was parked in the residents area so may well be based.

Another view of C-GFMQ.

The main international airport serving Toronto is home to three propliners including the star - this Super Constellation L.1049G CF-RNR c/n 4544. It is located on a small piece of land on the northern side of the airfield (off Derry Rd at the exit to the hangar area). Its future is somewhat doubtful however as its former life as a restaurant ended a couple of years ago and its now up for sale with no buyers in sight. Rumours that it might go to the museum at Toronto-Downsview or the Museum of Flight in Seattle are perhaps its only hope. It would be a great shame to see another Constellation scrapped as this one looks to be in quite good condition.

Located outside the Millardair hangar at Toronto-Pearson are two DC-4's (C-GDWZ c/n 10636 and C-GQIA c/n 10464) both complete and still in full Millardair colours. They are sadly parked in a position that makes decent photography almost impossible and as it was pouring with rain by this time the camera didn't venture out!!

A dissapointing visit to this airport, which is home to DHC-8 production, revealed just three aeroplanes - two Cessna's and Sea Prince C-GJIE. The Sea Prince was for the small museum located here but now resides under the tower as its been sold or is up for sale. It also wears its former Royal navy colours and serial WF 133. Heavy rain and an airside location/poor angle prevented a photograph being taken.

This primarily GA airfield is located east of Toronto (take the 401 eastwards out of Toronto and then turn north at Whitby on the 12 until you come to the 4 (Taunton Rd) - turn right and head east - the airfield is on your right). It is home to Enterprise Air Inc (formerly Enterprise Airlines) and houses their main hangar. It was still pouring with rain on arrival here but a request at the hangar gained access to the ramp where the company's two DC-3's (CF-OOW c/n 13342 and Turbo example C-GEAI c/n 33053/16305) and Beech 18 (CF-CLO) were parked.

I was told that the Turbo DC-3 is usually based in the Arctic but had been damaged so it had returned home for repairs. It was due to head back north in a couple of days so I was lucky to catch it. The DC-3 and Beech 18 fly regularly on freight flights supporting the automotive industry.

The AN-2 was a surprise but I was told that Enerprise Air Inc have a franchise to work on all AN-2's that come on to the Canadian register so they all pass through Oshawa on or soon after they are imported. A week earlier the Turbo verion, the AN-3, had visited the airfield.

This small GA airfield is found by taking the 35/115 north from the 401 east of Oshawa. The airfield is signposted off the 115.

The main reason for the visit was to see long term resident DC-3 C-GJDM c/n 20721 which is reportedly an "instructional airframe". It looks a little sad stripped to bare metal and tucked in a corner of the airfield minus engines, rudder and ailerons.

However the DC-3 wasn't the only aircraft of interest here. Not strictly Propliners, but perhaps of interest to readers, were the presence of a company that seems to like second-hand Beech 99's. On a grass area next to a closed hangar were three examples - N38AK in Allegheny Commuter colours, N203BH in Bar Harbour colours and N212BH stripped down to bare metal with the registration sprayed on.

On the "transient" ramp were two gems - Beech 99 TI-AYM and King Air 200 TI-AYN. I assume the Beech 99 was in for work and the King Air 200 was acting as a crew ferry.

Next stop was the RCAF Memorial Museum at CFB Trenton located south off the 401 west of Belleville and well signposted, a place I had visited before. Just one photo taken from over the fence - Argus 10732 - a new arrival since my last visit in September 1995. Still present in the museum was the only other propliner - DC-3 FZ 658.

A bit of searching around the buildings close to the museum found DHC.5 Buffalo 115464 (needs confirmation) which is presumably destined for the museum at some future date.

Next stop was Gananoque, home to Catalina CF-NJL c/n CV-435 according to various books, and a hard airfield to find as its off the beaten track - from Kingston take the 401 east then turn NE on the 15 - there is an "Ontario Visitors" info sign saying Skydiving. After about 10 miles there is a turning off to the right, again signed Skydiving, take this. There are Skydiving signs all the way to the airfield. The final stretch is a dirt track to the hangar which you can see in the distance. Alternatively go further east on the 401 then head north on the 32. After about 10-15 miles there is a signpost saying Skydiving where you turn left to the airfield.

I eventually found the field and all I could see was one old Cessna 150 with no door obviously used by the skydivers. There is a rather derelict looking hangar which I assumed was just used for laying out parachutes - how wrong I was. I drove round the perimeter of the field but found no sign of a Catalina so continued on to Ottawa.

After returning home I have found out that the Catalina WAS in that hangar - it looked too small to house such a big aeroplane - so I will have to return at some future date to see it. A costly lesson to be being more thorough when visiting airfields abroad!!!

Just one propliner noted - CV.580 C-GRSC c/n 72 which was located outside its hangar in a tail on position making it unworthy of a photograph, especially as I have some nice shots of this at East Midlands when it visited many moons ago.

Located about 1/2 an hours drive south of the city of Montreal (signed off the 15) this GA airfield had been reported as being home to a stored DC-4 C-GDCH c/n 10614, a derelict/dumped CV.580 wreck C-GGWJ c/n 129 and a derelict/dumped Catalina C-FIGJ c/n 1791. There are two large old hangars here and one contains non-aviation related activities. The other was firmly closed and no views inside could be had but I doubt three large propliners were inside. As the report from here dates back to the early 1990's (1992 & 1994) it is highly likely that these three machines have long gone or been scrapped.

Does anyone have any more information? recent sightings?

Located east of the city on the inside of the 20/30 "ring road" and well signposted, this large field houses the Pratt and Whitney Canada B720 testbed C-FETB and three complete propliners - Viscount N6225C c/n 384, DC-3 C-FDTD c/n 12253 and Catalina C-FPQK/712 c/n CV-264. All three are held for a proposed museum and are currently parked in an area unaccessible to the public. They can however be seen from the perimeter roads and photographed (with a 400mm lens) from across the runway however heat haze from the tarmac runway itself rather spoils the photographs.

Also noted on the field next to a hangar was the nose of an ex Sierra Pacific CV.580 - anyone know its identity?

Montreal has two major airports - Dorval located close to the city in its south-western suburbs and Mirabel located to the north west and a considerable distance from the city. Mirable is a modern airport with only one hangar (Air Transat) and few viewing opportunities. Dorval is the home to Canadair Challenger and Regional Jet production and houses a number of hangars and FBO's.

Nolinor are registered as having their "base" in Mississauga which is actually a suburb of Toronto and I wondered if I had missed an airfield where their CV.580's were based. They are however located at Montreal-Dorval which was a great relief to me. In fact there were no less than five CV.580's at Dorval - located on one ramp were C-FTAP c/n 334 and and C-GRLQ c/n 347 in the smart new Nolinor colour scheme, C-GQHB c/n 376 in the old Nolinor colour scheme and C-FAWV c/n 154 with an all green tail and large green "cargo" titles on the fuselage. Finally, N583P which was painted all white was parked on another ramp.

Finally, no propliner trip to the north east would be complete without a visit to Auburn-Lewiston to see how work is progressing on the Maine Coast Airways L.1649A Starliner's. Maurice Roundy's long term restoration project continues and both aircraft - N7316C c/n 1018 N8083H c/n 1038 are looking in great condition. Work seems to be oncentrated on the engines at the moment.

My only other visit a few years ago was in the pouring rain so it was with great delight that this time I was fortunate enough to have glorious blue skies for my early morning visit to photograph Brian's Star and Jason's Star which rest next to each other in one corner of the airfield. Let's hope we see these magnificent aircraft in the air again soon.