Hours
Advanced Search
Chat
Edmonton - A City Called Home > Interpretations of Edmonton > An Interpretation

An Interpretation


Stories of Wilfrid "Wop" May
 by Denny May


Wilfrid R "Wop" May - List of Accomplishments

May Airplanes Ltd., Alberta's First Airline

"Wop" returned a hero from W.W.I - with few marketable skills - he was a good mechanic, he could build boats, work on cars, fly an aeroplane and shoot a machine gun. He and his brother "Court" rented a Curtiss JN-4 "Canuck" from the City of Edmonton for $25.00 per month, and from the Sproule Farm in Edmonton (3 1/2 miles NW from the Post Office on the St. Albert Trail) they operated Canada's first registered aircraft company "May Airplanes Ltd."

The company did a lot of flying 'round Edmonton & Central Alberta, performing stunts at airshows, taking people for their first ride in an aircraft, and in 1919 Mayor "Fighting" Joe Clark flew with "Wop" over Diamond Park on the flats below the MacDonald Hotel (it's still a baseball field) and dropped the first baseball to open the 1919 season. On the return to the airport "Wop" convinced Joe the only safe way out of the Saskatchewan River valley (almost a mile wide) was to fly under the High Level Bridge. Flying under bridges is not a recommended activity - probably was illegal then as it is now.

Within short order more money was required in the venture and Captain George Gorman joined the company which became "May-Gorman Airplanes Ltd." George delivered the Edmonton "Journal" Newspaper by air to Wetaskiwin 45 miles South of Edmonton, dropping the bundle of papers in the town.

"Wop" flew planes for others too. This Standard J-1 (a Curtiss JN-4 built by the Standard Aircraft Company) owned by Harry Adair of Lake Saskatoon in NW Alberta. On this aircraft he had his name painted on the top wing so people would know who was flying upside down!

In 1924, the flying business was grounded, "Wop" married a noted Edmonton equestrienne Violet "Vi" Bode in November, and he decided to get a "real" job, signing on with National Cash Register Company of Dayton, Ohio where he went for training, and where (when working on a Lathe) he was hit in the eye by a shard of steel - from then till 1938 he was slowly going blind - but that's another story.



Manhunt

2:45 am, CPR Depot, Edmonton, August 30, 1919. Edmonton City Police Constable Hugh Nixon approached a man standing at the side entrance of the Twin City Transfer in Edmonton, He asked the man what he was doing and the man pulled out a gun and shot him.

On September 1 st the police got a break - the had been an attempted murder in a district west of Edmonton - the description matched that of the man given by Constable Nixon before he died. They already had a warrant for the man, John Larsen on a hold-up charge. The fugitive was heading west.

Police Chief Hill hired "Wop" May to take Detective James Campbell to search for the man. They left Edmonton on September 2nd - It was the first airplane chase on record in the Dominion of Canada. They searched the bush west of Edmonton but could not find a place to land, and headed on to the town of Edson - "Wop" managed to set the plane down between the telegraph wires near the train station.

"Wop" took off on the main street of Edson, hitting the town pump with his wing as he turned the Curtiss "Canuck" aircraft around. After landing at Wabamun for fuel he took off again, for Edmonton.

Larsen was arrested by James Campbell and Alberta Provincial Police Constable McElroy near the Cadomin Mine and rather than wait for the train commandeered a railway speeder and headed for Edson. During the ride Larsen threw himself off the speeder and headed into the bush. He was re-captured and after a trial was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Thanks to Keith Davidson, writer for the Edmonton "Examiner" for his research and articles in March of 2002.


Edmonton's Airports

In 1911 the Edmonton Exhibition Grounds were used as Edmonton's first Airport when Hugh Robinson and Bob St. Henry came to Edmonton with their Curtiss "Flyer". The aircraft was shipped in by rail, assembled and flown five times around the exhibition grounds.

In 1916, American aviatrix Katharine Stinson flew into Edmonton with her Partridge-Keller "Looper". Two years later she would fly the first airmail in Alberta from Calgary to Edmonton in her Curtis "Special".

In 1919 "Wop" and Court May flew their Curtiss "Canuck" from "May Field" on the Sproule Farm in Edmonton. The Sproule Farm in Edmonton (3 1/2 miles NW from the Post Office on the St. Albert Trail) was where the field was located, and there are many stories. One in particular, told me by my Mother - "Wop" used to fly home late in the evening, and when it was too dark to find the field he would fly over the house where "Vi" lived - she would get in the car and rush out to the airport and shine the lights down the runway - she got there too late one time and found "Wop" and the "Edmonton" all tangled up in the fence at the end of the field. This airport was issued a temporary certificate of license for an Air Harbour Certificate dated May 7, 1920.

In 1921 a flight of American DH4's came through Edmonton and needed a field larger than May Field - the Hagman Farm close to downtown on Portage Ave (now Kingsway Ave) was used for this visit.

In 1926, "Wop" started looking for a new airport that was bigger than "May Field". The Hagman Farm was purchased by the City and Licensed by the Canadian Government in 1927 as Edmonton's first Airport and one of the first in Canada .The airport was named after Kenny Blatchford, Mayor of Edmonton and the man who had the vision to promote the airport in City Council Chambers.

The day the airport opened famous W.W.I pilot/bush pilot C.H. "Punch" Dickins became the first person to officially land at the airport in his Boeing Stearman.

In 1927 Canada's First Flying Club the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Aero Club was established at Blatchford Field. Wop May was the first President and Chief Flying Instructor. The first training aircraft was a De Havilland "Cirrus" Moth which is currently on display at the Alberta Aviation Museum at Blatchford Field.

In 1930 the First Airshow was held in Edmonton at Blatchford Field. In the fall of 2003 a mural was erected on the wall of the Alberta Treasury Bank on the property of the Howard Johnson Hotel (156th St and Stony Plain Road) in west Edmonton. This mural, painted by Devon mural artist Dave Carty depicts Wop May making a low pass over May Field - it also includes a depiction of the Red Baron Chasing Wop May. A large portrait of Wop May is to the left with a brief history below.




1929 Mercy Flight

Bert Logan, a Hudson's Bay employee and his wife were well respected in the communities of Little Red River and Fort Vermilion. They had been transferred from Fort Simpson, North West Territories to Little Red River, Alberta with the Hudson's Bay Company. After returning from a holiday in Quebec, Mr. Logan was unpacking a trunk of clothing to distribute to the settlement when he became very ill. Mrs. Logan was a nursing sister of the Gray Nuns, and recognized the illness as diphtheria.

She asked William Gray and his son Bobby to go up river to Fort Vermilion for Dr. Harold Hamman. The father and son immediately set off on the river highway, But first had to test the ice, as it was the first trip they had made on the river that winter.

The doctor traveled by dog team back to Little Red River with Mr. William Gray, and upon seeing Bert Logan, confirmed that he had diphtheria. Little could be done for Mr. Logan, as he had now been sick for seven days, and was experiencing extreme difficulty breathing; however, Dr. Hamman knew the urgency of getting serum for inoculating the other people at the post. Dr. Hamman requested that William and Bobby Gray return to Fort Vermilion to request that Gus Clark have a message taken to the telegraph office in Peace River where a message could be sent to the Edmonton Department of' Health. Gus selected Joe (Dollar) LaFleur and Joe's son-in-law William Lambert to make the trip, as they were very experienced river men.

LaFleur and Lambert left Fort Vermilion on December 18 for Peace River with Lambert's dog team and sleigh. They also loaded Joe's dog team and toboggan with staple provisions such as Bannock, potatoes, Bacon, tea, sugar, coffee, and Beef. They brought wild duck feather robes and a few bear hides to put under themselves on the ground at night. To keep warm, a long fur parka topped their heavy clothes. Up-river from Fort Vermilion, the river was glare ice, and to the dismay of the two men, Joe LaFleur fell through the ice. They had to return to Fort Vermilion, and weren't able to leave for Peace River until three days later. The trip was very cold and slow as temperatures dipped to 50 degrees Below zero. It took the two men four days to get to the settlement of Carcajou on the river, and another four days traveling by land to Peace River. The trip was about 280 miles, and they arrived in Peace River on New Years Day. The two men delivered their message, and were immediately placed in the hospital in Peace River to recover from the flu.

Meanwhile, the Gray's rested for a few days at Fort Vermilion, and gathered some supplies and mail for the their trip back home to Little Red River on December 24. 1928. They spent the first night at Clement Paul's sawmill, and to their horror the next morning a Chinook had blown up, melting all the snow on the river, turning it into a gigantic sheet of ice. Their horses were not shod and could not manage at all. William Gray went back to Fort Vermilion to get some horse-shoes, and on the evening of Christmas Day the horses were shod at Clements. Early in the morning of the 26th, William and Bobby Gray once again headed for home. On the trail, they met Francis Bourassa and his team struggling on the ice, as his horses were not shod either. With Mr. Bourassa were Dr. Hamman, Mrs. Logan, and her now deceased husband Bert Logan who had passed away on December 22, 1928.

Bourassa had tied gunny sacks to the feet of his horses, but it was still a poor substitute to shoes for the horses, for they were having extreme difficulty standing on the glare ice. Dr. Hamman, Mrs. Logan and the body were transferred to the Gray's sleigh, and they headed back to Fort Vermilion with the load. Someone traveling by dog team ahead of the Gray's alerted Fort Vermilion of the arrival of the party, and approximately ten miles from Fort Vermilion they were met by the R.C.M.P. and told not to enter the village with the body. Bobby Gray stated, "This was the only time I ever saw Dr. Hamman lose his cool. They then proceeded to the Anglican Cemetery, just east of the settlement, where they left the body.

When Dr. Malcolm Bow, Deputy Minister of Health, received the telegraph he immediately contacted "Wop May" a pilot (who was visiting family in Calgary) - Dr. Bow said "Wop replied - we'll go tomorrow". Wop called Vic Homer in Edmonton and asked him to get their aircraft ready. The aeroplane was an Avro "Avian" biplane, on wheels - hardly appropriate for flying into Northern Alberta in mid winter.

On the morning of January 2, 1929 they were ready to go. It was -20 E F with a wind, low ceiling and ice fog. The aircraft was moved into position, the pilots dressed in heavy coats, pants and felt boots received the serum from Dr. Bow and Mayor Bury, boarded the plane and at 12:45 pm headed north.

They followed the Edmonton, Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway tracks North to Smith, then along the South shore of Lesser Slave Lake to the village of McLennan - flying at less then 500 feet due to the snow and headwinds. Along the way they had to stop somewhere as the package of serum in the baggage compartment (wrapped with a charcoal heater in a blanket) caught fire - they had to land the aircraft, throw away the blanket and charcoal heater and put the serum in their pockets, armpits and groin area to keep it warm. At 3:55 pm they landed on Kimiwan Lake at McLennan for the night as it was getting dark. The flight time was just over 3 hours - a distance of 267 miles. They stayed the night.

At 9:40 am on the morning of January 3, 1929 they departed McLennan and following the railway line arrived in Peace River just after 10:30 am - a distance of 50 miles.

They landed on the ice of the Peace River and taxied to the area along the river where the paddlewheel steamers were docked. They refueled the aircraft here.

At 11:45 am they left they flew under the railway bridge before heading north on the last leg of the flight to Fort Vermilion arriving about 3:00 pm - a flight of 250 miles. The weather cleared as they left Peace River. The citizens of Fort Vermilion had cleared a landing place on the Peace River and plane was met by the R.C.M.P. - about 30 minutes later Dr. Harold Hamman arrived from Little Red River and photos were taken. A dance happened to be scheduled for that evening, so as everyone entered the dance hall, they were required by the R.C.M.P. to receive an injection of the serum.

Dr. Hamman ensured that everybody in both communities received the inoculations. Mrs. William Lambert said some years later "There wasn't much Christmas spirit that Christmas for we had our families scattered up and down the river. We were thankful that our families could help others, and happy to have them home later in the month of January." Thankfully, Mr. Bert Logan's case was the only one in the terrible scare and the community was, and will be forever, grateful to all those who had a part in the drama.

Wop and Vic left Fort Vermilion the next day (January 4 th ) - the photo to the right, taken by Vic Horner, shows Wop standing by the plane which is warming up prior to the flight back to Peace River - a gasoline drum sits to the left and the local people watch the preparations.

Again it was another cold, snowy day and on this leg they would have troubles with the engine which was cutting off from time to time as a result of the automobile gasoline they had used to refill the fuel tank. The flight would take over 3 hours.

In Peace River major repairs to the engine were necessary as a result of the bad fuel - Wop is shown here working on the engine. They remained in Peace River for two nights and on the morning of January 6 th headed out for Edmonton - a trip of 317 miles and a flying time of just under 4 hours. On this leg of the flight it was snowing hard, -33 E F - anything but friendly weather! W.W.II fighter Pilot Doug Matheson of Edmonton who was at the Edmonton Airport when they returned described the scene - "The old Steam Engine was puffing in from Calder, and suddenly out of the steam came the little airplane."

During the 5 days of the flight a media frenzy was taking place - "Race against death" - "What Price Human Life?" - "The Government should not gamble everything on the audacious courage of two Edmonton fliers". When the telegraph from Peace River arrived saying they were on the way the word got out, and a crowd of 10,000 people rushed to Blatchford Field to greet the returning heroes. Vi May said "Wop had to taxi the plane to the end of the field because the crowd was rushing the plane and he was afraid somebody would be hurt by the propellor. The total flight was 1,240 Miles (2,000 Km) and a flying time of over 14 hours.

On arrival Wop and Vic were greeted by family and friends, presentations were made and Wop looked very uncomfortable - biting his lips.

Someone had told him that if he covered his face with a silk scarf it would not freeze - he tried that and when he landed he pulled off the scarf, and all the skin came off his lips.

At a civic ceremony both Vic Horner and Wop May were presented with engraved watches. The engraving reads: "Presented to Wop May as an Appreciation to Wop May for the Epoch Flight with Vic Horner to Fort Vermilion - January 2, 1929 - From the Boys"




1979 - 50th Anniversary Re-Enactment of the Mercy Flight

Thanks to the efforts of the Staff of the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots - in 1979, pilots Denny May, Bob Horner (sons of the original pilots) along with Rev. Les Stahlke (Executive Director of L.A.M.P. - the Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots) and Russ Janzen (Manager of the Edmonton Flying Club) re-enacted the flight on June 21 st - the date of "Wop" May's death in 1952. Also involved in the re-enactment were Dr. Harold Hamman who waited in Fort Vermilion, and Dr. Malcolm Bow who gave the pilots a vial of anti-toxin to deliver to Dr. Hamman. The aircraft used was the Edmonton Flying Club Fleet "Finch" open cockpit biplane - taking turns along the way.

Stops were made at McLennan (where schoolchildren had made posters and prizes were given to the winners), at Peace River (where a civic reception was held) and at Fort Vermilion where the Serum was delivered to Dr. Harold Hamman.

The re-enactment was the brainchild of Rev. Les Stahlke to raise funds for L.A.M.P. 1,500 souvenir covers for the event which sold for $50.00 each - mostly to people who regularly support L.A.M.P. - many in the U.S.A. $55,000.00 was raised and L.A.M.P. used the money to purchase a Cessna 185 for use in their missionary work in Northern Canada. The covers were signed by the 4 pilots and were carried with on the flight and hand cancelled at Fort Vermilion.

2004 - 75th Anniversary Re-Enactment of the Mercy Flight

On January 2, 2004 we had the pleasure and privilege of re-enacting an amazing historical event. Seventy Five years earlier, on January 2, 1929, two brave aviators Wilfrid "Wop" May and Vic Horner took off from Blatchford Field in Edmonton, in a small open cockpit Avro "Avian" biplane, on wheels, with a precious cargo of diphtheria anti-toxin serum wrapped in a blanket, around a charcoal heater, to ensure that the serum would not freeze.

On another cold winter day, a large group gathered at the Edmonton Flying Club to witness the re-enactment of that event. With greetings and best wishes from such key people as Mayor Bill Smith (who presented a plaque from the City of Edmonton), Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole and surrounded by a keen crowd of friends and members the Aviation community and the Edmonton Press, TV and Radio Stations.

The travelers included Marg and Denny May, Gloria and Bob Horner, Gary Friedel (MLA), Teresa Williams of Canada Post and Nick Lees of the Edmonton Journal. The friendly pilot of the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft was Staff Sergeant Jerry Klammer of the R.C.M.P. After the ceremonies were over, we took off at 11:00 AM on a frosty -25 E morning, complete with a brisk wind. We warmed up inside the aircraft.

Our first stop was Donnelly Crossing airstrip. It was a cold landing strip but a warm welcome. We were quickly whisked away in warm vehicles for the 5 km drive to McLennan. After a visit to the large Mercy Flight wall mural - which included an excerpt from Sheila's book "Wings of a Hero" - 25 gathered and enjoyed a fine buffet lunch at a nearby cafe and the presentation of 2 McLennan History Books by Mayor John Kachuk.

These folk were proud of their part in the historical event and pleased that it was being re-created.

In mid afternoon we were ferried back to the airstrip for the short 20 minute flight to Peace River and another enthusiastic, warm welcome. We boarded a coach and Adele Boucher was our guide for a special tour of the area. We had a glorious view of the whole area from the grave of Twelve Foot Davis overlooking the junction of the Peace and Smoky Rivers. Then it was down to the riverfront where Wop and Vic landed on the ice those 75 years ago. The railway bridge is still there but the paddle wheelers are a thing of the past.

We checked in at the Travellers Hotel then joined an informal reception in a private room. The Museum had put together a fitting display to honour the occasion. There was an excellent buffet supper for 50 of us and after supper more joined us to listen to the talks, heard the stories and again presentations were made by M.L.A. Gary Friedel ( a plaque from the Alberta Government) to us and Mayor Lorne Mann ( book of wonderful photos from the "Peace"). There was a lot of history in that crowded room - a descendent of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Stan Lawrence (son of Sheridan Lawrence - "Emperor of the Peace"), son of bush pilot Barney Cooper, and the grandson of Frank and Mary Percy Jackson. As stories were told it was so apparent that they were proud of their history and the part they and their families have played in that history. It was also apparent that the Edmonton City Center Airport has played and continues to play an important role in the lives of Northerners.

After a good rest and a relaxed morning we met our plane and Jerry at the airport and took off at 11:30. I had the pleasure to join Jerry in the cockpit as we flew over bush and then the broad plateau of farms in the La Crete area. When we landed at 12:15 we were greeted by a large flotilla of vehicles ready to whisk us into town. The original plan had included traveling the 5Km into town by horse and wagon, but in the -35 E temperature we were delighted to see warm vehicles awaiting us.

Our first stop was at the hospital to deliver the parcels of serum to Dr. Carson Breen and Reeve Bill Neufeld. The hospital is fairly new, built in 1984 and serves a large area. While there we talked to Nellie Sokoloski (age 92) and her daughter Fran Forest.

Nellie was there in 1929 and remembers serving the Bush Pilots in the Cafe where she worked. We also met Stan Smith (age 86), who as a young lad of 11 watched the original flight land on the Peace River near the old hospital. Stan had a strong grip and while he told Denny "it was just speck in the sky" he was griping his hand and would not let go.

We were next driven to the legion Hall where we were met by 250 people and a wonderfully tender Roast Beef buffet served by the Fort Vermilion Seniors. Considering the population of the town is 900 that was a remarkable turnout. After dinner there were more stories and presentations. We discovered more details about the roles that people played in 1929 in getting the message out. There was more than pride and nostalgia in this large group.

There was also a real sense of gratitude to the two brave pilots who faced overwhelming odds to bring the gift of life to the community. As they reminded us, if they had not come and if an epidemic had broken out it could have wiped out most of the community, particularly the aboriginal people who had no immunity to white mans diseases. We felt proud to be there as a reminder of their past and their role in the history of Alberta. We were presented with another plaque and a box containing an inscribed pocket watch - the inscription on the box reads, in part, "thank you for keeping the memory alive".

At 4pm it was time to leave the scene of happy memories and we flew due south to Edmonton - Denny rode with Jerry in the cockpit.

What a memorable experience for all of us on that aircraft. It was a vivid reminder that our northern neighbours are truly our neighbours and deserve our friendship and consideration.

British Commonwealth Training Plan & Para Rescue Service

During W.W.II Canada operated #2 Air Observer School as part of the British Commonwealth Training Plan. The General Manager was former bush pilot W.R. "Wop" May.

A great team of instructors were on hand to train pilots, observers, navigators and bomb aimers and visits by V.I.P.'s were a regular occurrence.

The United States Army Air Force were supplying fighters and bombers to the Soviet Union - these would all pass through Edmonton and it was a spectacular sight to see the aircraft lined up at Blatchford Field in Edmonton. 1,000 aircraft were being delivered via the Northwest Staging Route - Edmonton to Snag, Alaska.

Many of these aircraft were being ferried by American and Russian Pilots and many aircraft crashed en route due to mechanical difficulties, unpredictable weather, lack of navigational aids and inept flying. Too many pilots were suffering needlessly as help could not be provided fast enough. Something had to be done. Planes from #2 A.O.S. were involved in searches - pilots were dying from exposure.

"Wop" May decided to organize his own air rescue team - able to parachute into a crash site - it was composed entirely of civilians from Canadian Airways Training Ltd., working at # 2 A.O.S. Larry Poulsom, Owen Hargreaves, Wilf Rivet and Scotty Thompson volunteered to help organize and be part of the team.

As "Wop" May told the story........ ".....it was hard to get at them and they could not land, that was what gave us the idea for the rescue squad. A fellow said he had done all kinds of parachute jumps - I wanted to see him put on a demonstration. He and four besides himself jumped - not one of them had jumped before. We kicked them out over the airport. One guy landed on the wing of an aeroplane and went right through, the other guy landed on the American Officers' Mess and another guy landed flat-footed on the runway. That was not very good. We tried it again. The next guy came down wrong, one landed on his fanny on a pile of rock - he bounced about 6 feet. I got nervous and thought I would not like to see these fellows jump in the bush."

"We talked to the Americans. There was a very fine fellow by the name of Colonel Nightingale. He arranged that we sent some people to Missoula, Montana where they trained smoke jumpers. We got these people started and we then got them organized and trained more people and used them until the end of the war. The Air Force thought so much of them that they took over our complete unit and operated it as the Search and Rescue unit."

"Wop" May presented the plan to Air Force HQ in Ottawa and an inspection team saw a demonstration of their work - they were impressed and plans moved ahead. Larry Poulsom, Owen Hargreaves, Wilf Rivet were enlisted at Sergeants - Scotty Thompson had lost his life in an accident.

The first para-rescue unit was formed with 12 volunteer students (picked from 20,000 applicants). Student requirements were age 22-30 years old, 135-165 lbs, sound physical condition, temperamentally stable and previous bush experience. Training on the first course was held near Cooking Lake, then Jasper. The 15 week course consisted of lectures and practical work including 3 weeks medical training, Jump training (including timber jumps); bush lore, survival training and mountain climbing. At the first course a first-aid exercise takes place near Cooking Lake, Alberta - LAC Cecil McLeod prepared his casualty LAC Emil Scarnati for evacuation.

3 Graduates of the first course were posted to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and 5 went to Sea Island, 3 stayed in Edmonton to instruct on the next course.

In 1945 the Sea Island section conducted their first search for a B-24 Liberator with 11 on board - during the search 4 other aircraft were found. In 1947 Search and Rescue was set up in Halifax, Rockcliffe, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver

In 1947, Brigadier General Dale Gaffney of the United States Army Air Force presented "Wop" May with the Medal of Freedom, with Bronze Palm. The citation read:

Mr. Wilfrid Reid May, Canadian Civilian, performed meritorious services for the United States Army Air Forces from January 1942 to January 1946. Mr. May, serving in the capacity of Superintendent of the Air Observer's School at Edmonton Municipal Airport and later as District Manager of Canadian Pacific Airlines, voluntarily loaned the personnel and the facilities of his school to assure the delivery of aircraft to the Aleutians and Alaska without delay. He conceived the idea of aerial rescue crews for rescue of flyers in the bush area, and after developing a trained parachute squad he furnished a rescue service indiscriminately to Americans and Canadians thus saving the lives of many of our fliers. In do doing he fulfilled the highest traditions of the Dominion of Canada.

In 2002, Denny May, son of W.R. "Wop" May was made an Honorary Life Member of the Para-Rescue Association of Canada.

Canada's First Flying Club, by Denny May

Canada's first flying club was the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Flying Club, established in 1927. The club operated from Blatchford Field - then on the NW outskirts of the city - now downtown. The first President and Chief Flying Instructor was W.R. "Wop" May.

One of the first aircraft was a "Cirrus" Moth which still exists and can be found in the Alberta Aviation Museum at Blatchford Field in Edmonton.