Harvard Aircraft Anniversary

Sunday, 15 June 2014 at 06:20

Tillsonburg will be buzzing with the distinct sound of historic Harvard airplanes during a three day event that starts Friday.

TILLSONBURG - It's being hailed as a once in a lifetime opportunity for aviation and history enthusiasts alike.

The Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association is getting set to host a three day event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Harvard in Canada as well as honour our veterans.

Public Relations Chair, Terry Scott says the aircraft will be arriving Friday evening for the "Gathering of Harvards and Heroes" event.

"We've got at least a dozen Harvards, two of them all the way from British Columbia, as well as a number of other aircraft. We will have about 30 aircraft in total at the airport over the 3 day event. They will obviously see these planes flying at various times and have a chance to maybe speak to the pilots and as well, and more importantly, is speak to the veterans."

Scott says this is a piece of history.

"This is probably a once in a life time opportunity to see these 75, 80 year old aircraft in the air and the stories that surround them. You will hear people who flew in them during the war, they trained in them or they were an instructor, unfortunately we are losing a lot of those individuals but then you will hear men and women who flew the aircraft in the RCAF right up until the early 60s."

"On Saturday morning at 11 o'clock we will have a ceremony to honour the veterans as well as a fly past of most of the aircraft that we have in attendance especially the Harvards. On Sunday, we plan a mass formation of Harvards. We are hoping to get a dozen Harvards themselves along with other aircraft but we will put the Harvards up in the air and have a very remarkable display."

While the event is free and open to the public, invitations were went too all 144 owners and operators of the surviving Harvards in Canada and the United States.

The three day event runs June 20-22 at the Tillsonburg Regional Airport.