Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame: Reynolds-Alberta Museum

I have one more exhibit to share from the Reynolds-Alberta Museum that is located in Wetaskin Alberta Canada… 

But first, I'd like to refer back to my previous blog...the last one on automobiles.  I'd written about our visit at the museum with an Albertan who collects Rolls Royce automobiles.  A couple of days ago Laurie found the card that Howard Lengert had given us.  That inspired me to go on the Internet and look him up. I came across a posting about someones visit to Howard's farm...that showed off his own air traffic control tower and part of his collection of 21 Rolls Royces!  Check it out at http://blog.pipistrel.ca/2013/09/howards-place.html.   In addition, I found an article about his first Rolls purchase...at 24 years of age!  Check it out at http://can-amprairieregion.org/content/octobernovember-2010-newsletter.  

Back to this final blog about our Albertan trip.  This time it’s all about aircraft!

This big hangar is the home of the Reynolds-Alberta aviation display as well as Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.  The mission of the Hall of Fame is “to honor those individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to aviation and aerospace in Canada; and to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret artifacts and documents, thereby inspiring and educating Canadians.”

 

There were 79 original members in the Hall of Fame, representing both civilian and military accomplishments.  The original 79 included Alexander Graham Bell and F.W. 'Casey' Baldwin who designed and built the Silver Dart.  From 1891, Bell had begun experiments at Baddeck Nova Scotia and Hammondsport New York to develop motor-powered heavier-than-air aircraft.  Success resulted in a series of ground-breaking designs, culminating in the Silver Dart.  It was flown off the ice of Baddeck Bay, a sub-basin of Bras d'Or Lake on Cape Breton Island, on the 23rd of February 1909, making it the first controlled powered flight in Canada.

This is the Bristol 170 Freighter.  These bulbous looking airplanes were built from 1945 to 1958 by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in Great Britain.  This twin-engine aircraft was designed as a freighter and an airliner.  It's best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances.  The square-sectioned fuselage was designed to be clear of internal obstructions. The flight deck was high in the fuselage nose, accessed via a ladder.

This relatively short range freighter could carry a payload of 12,500 pounds at a top speed of approximately 193 mph.  The Bristol Aeroplance Company eventually merged with other companies to form the British Aircraft Company. (BAC) Only 214 Bristol 170s were built but they served civilian air transport companies in 22 countries as well as the military in 8 countries.

The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, (affectionately known as the "Clunk"), was a Canadian jet interceptor/fighter serving during the Cold War both at NATO bases in Europe and as part of NORAD.  The CF-100 was the only Canadian-designed fighter to enter mass production.  A total of 692 were built including 53 for the Belgian Air Force.  For its time, the 2-seat CF-100 featured a short takeoff run and high climb rate, making it well suited to its role as an interceptor.

This aircraft had a maximum range of about 2,000 miles, an operating ceiling of 45,000 feet and a top speed of 562 mph.  Its builder, Avro Canada, was a very large diversified company.  In 1958 it employed 50,000 employees.

Note: I liked the previous photo better than ours so I ‘borrowed it’ from Wikipedia.

This is a McDonnell F-101 Voodoo supersonic jet fighter.  It served both the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).  It was initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft as a long-range bomber escort for the Strategic Air Command.  Instead the Voodoo was developed as a nuclear-armed fighter-bomber for the Tactical Air Command and as a photo reconnaissance aircraft based on the same airframe.  Extensively modified versions were produced as all-weather interceptor aircraft. 

McDonnell built 807 of these aircraft, introducing the first Voodoo in 1957.  The Canadian Air Force retired the last of theirs in 1984.  This 2-seat aircraft had a range of 1,520 miles and a service ceiling of 58,400 feet.  It could reach speeds of 1,134 mph at an altitude of 35,000 feet.

After checking out the aircraft on static display outside the hangar, we ventured inside.  We were greeted by the sight of one of our favorite airplanes…this beautiful Douglas DC-3…popularly called the Dakota!  These planes are called DC-3’s when equipped for passenger service and C-47’s as a transport aircraft.  The aircraft has a 95 foot wingspan, a maximum range of 1,500 miles, a top speed of 215 mph and it is piloted by a crew of 2, carrying up to 28 passengers.  The only airline in North America I’m aware of that offers scheduled DC-3 service is Buffalo Airlines in Yellowknife, Northern Territories Canada.  Website:  http://www.buffaloairways.com/.

This particular aircraft was built as a transport plane for the United States Army Air Force.  From 1955 until 1969, Shell Oil used it as a passenger and cargo carrier. Then it was purchased by the Alberta government for general transport services and to fly forest fire fighters and their supplies into remote northern area...

This is a 1931 Laird LC-B-200.  This 3 seat aircraft was built by the E.M. Laird Airplane Company in Chicago Illinois.  It was equipped with a 200 horsepower engine that produced speeds of up to 135 mph.  This plane had a range of about 600 miles.  Only 8 examples of this aircraft were built, with 4 going to Canada…

The E.M. Laird Airplane Company was a manufacturer of both commercial aircraft and custom race planes.  By 1928, Laird's aircraft had reached the level of quality, with corresponding competitive results, that the Stout Metal Airplane Division of the Ford Motor Company offered to hire Laird, purchasing all of the assets of his company.

This particular airplane was acquired by Western Canada Airlines so they could provide regular airmail service between Edmonton, Regina, Lethbridge, Winnipeg and Moose Jaw.  The plane was acquired by the museum in 2005.

This is a 1946 Republic RC-3 Seabee.  It was built by the Republic Aviation Company in Farmington New York…on Long Island.  This 4 seat aircraft had a 215 horsepower motor.  The plane had a range of 560 miles and it could reach speeds of 148 mph.

 

Following WWII, Republic hoped that military pilots would want to continue flying.  So they designed this light sport plane… However, the company’s expected sales of 5,000 units never happened.  Still, they sold 1,600 of these planes.  Production ceased in 1947.

Republic Aviation was responsible for the design and production of many important military aircraft, including its most famous products.  These included: Republic P-43 Lancer (272 built); Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (15,660 built); Republic F-84 Thunderjet (7,524 built); Republic F-84F Thunderstreak (3,428); Republic F-105 Thunderchief (833 built), and the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (716 built).  Note the name change to Fairchild Republic… In 1965  Republic became the Republic Aviation Division of Fairchild Hiller and ceased to exist as an independent company.

Fleet Aircraft, based in Ft. Erie Ontario, was a Canadian manufacturer of aircraft from 1928 to 1957.  This is a 1936 Fleet Fawn 7C.  It was flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1931 - 1947.  Only 71 of this type with Armstrong Siddeley Civit engines were built.

Most of these aircraft were built during WWII using parts from North American sources.  Over 600 were produced.  Their primary use was as a training aircraft.  With the pilot and a student, its 145 horsepower engine could propell the plane for 350 miles at speeds up to 116 mph. 

This is a 1943 Beech 18 “Twin Beech”.  It is powered by 2 450 horsepower engines, has a range of 1,200 miles, a top speed of 230 mph and it can carry a crew of 2 plus 7₊ passengers.  When Walter Beech decided to enter the multi-engine aircraft market, it was already saturated with competitors.  Despite that fact, in the end, his design holds the record for the longest continuous production run for any piston driven aircraft.  About 9,000 were built beginning in 1937 with the last one rolling off the production line in 1970.  Japan Airlines bought the last plane of the line.

The plane had the reputation able to “do anything, anywhere and anytime”.  In addition to its military applications, the aircraft's uses have included passenger service, aerial spraying, sterile insect release, fish seeding, dry ice cloud seeding, aerial firefighting, air mail delivery, ambulance service, numerous movie productions, skydiving, freight, weapon- and drug-smuggling, engine test bed, skywriting and banner towing. Through the years, 32 variations of the basic design had flown and over 200 improvement modification kits were developed.

As an example, as the AT-11 Kansan Bombing and gunnery trainer for USAAF, the plane’s fuselage had small circular cabin windows, a bombardier position in nose, and a bomb bay; Gunnery trainers were also fitted with two or three .30 caliber machine guns.  Early models, (the first 150 built), had a single .30 AN-M2 in a Beechcraft-manufactured top turret.  A bottom tunnel gun was used for tail gunner training. 1,582 ‘Kansans’ were built for USAAF orders.  If you’d like to learn more about the Beech Twin and to view photos of some of its many variations, just go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Model_18. 

This crowded photo truly demonstrates that it’s time for the Museum to expand the space for the display of its collection of aircraft. 

This is a 1942 Hawker Hurricane.  This aircraft was the first modern fighter purchased by the Royal Canadian Air Force.  Of the 14,533 Hurricanes built, 1,450 were built by the Canadian Car and Foundry Ltd. in Fort William Ontario. (Now Thunder Bay) The Hurricane is powered with a Packard/Merlin V-12 engine developing 1,300 horsepower.  It had a range of 300 miles and it had a top speed of 330 mph.  Stan Reynolds acquired this airplane from a Saskatchewan farmer in 1960.

The Hawker Hurricane is a British designed single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force.  Although largely overshadowed by the Supermarine Spitfire, the Hurricane became famous during the Battle of Britain.  It accounted for 60% of the Royal Air Force’s air victories in that battle.

The air forces of at least 25 nations have flown Hurricanes as part of their air fleet.  Ironically, Germany was one of those countries. Only 12 of these aircraft remain in flying condition… To learn more about the Hawker Hurricane, just go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hurricane.

This is a 1939 Waco.  The Waco, (pronounced properly as Wah-co), Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturer located in Troy, Ohio, USA.  It has nothing to do with Waco Texas.  Between 1919 and 1947, this company produced a wide range of civilian biplanes…hundreds of aircraft!

The Museum is conveniently situated on the grounds of the Wetaskiwin Regional Airport.  As an enhancement to one’s visit to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum and its Aviation Display Hangar, an open-cockpit, bi-plane ride is available for the adventurous.  They provide the flight helmet!  A number of flight adventures are possible...  Options range from a 10 minute ‘Barnstormer’s Best’ ($139.00 C) to the 50 minute ‘Pigeon Lake Tour’. ($409.00) For a You Tube ‘flight’ on this plane, go to   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69JXAuHYA5k.

This aircraft was sitting on the tarmac near the Aviation Display Hangar during our visit.  As it turns out, this is the 100^th aircraft to be added to the collection at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.  This firefighting aircraft made the Museum the second largest collection of vintage aircraft in Canada, only topped by the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in nation’s capital in Ottawa.  To learn about that museum and its collection, just go to http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/.

The Conair Firecat is a fire-fighting aircraft developed in Canada in the 1970s by modifying military surplus aircraft. The modifications were developed by the maintenance arm of the Conair Group, now a separate company called Cascade Aerospace.  This plane began life as a Grumman S-2 Tracker, an anti-submarine patrol aircraft.  The S-2’s served in the Canadian Navy from 1956 to 1990.  The US Navy retired their Trackers in 1976 but the Argentine Navy still uses them… 

Conair, located in Abbotsford British Columbia, built 35 of these modified airplanes.  As water bombers, these aircraft could carry 897 gallons of water and 46 gallons of foam concentrate.  The Firecat’s engines each produce 1,220 horsepower.  The plane has a top speed of 253 mph, but its endurance is the key to its success.  It can stay in the air for 5 hours and 6 minutes…

We would highly recommend the Reynolds-Alberta Museum!  It is located at 6426 40^th Avenue in Wetaskiwin Alberta Canada.  Phone: 780-361-1351.  To learn more, just go to the museum’s website at http://www.history.alberta.ca/reynolds/.

Believe it or not, this was my last post regarding our July-August trip to Alberta and the Canadian Rockies.  Thanks for following along with us!

 

Just click on any of the photographs to enlarge them…

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave and Laurie

Reynolds-Alberta Museum – Part IV

This will be the last posting from our summer trip regarding the autos, trucks and motorcycles on display at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin Alberta Canada… However, there will be one additional posting after this one that pertains to a different mode of transportation.

Ahhh…another memory from the past!  This is a 1956 Oldsmobile Super Eighty-Eight.  It’s in original condition…no restoration!  This Olds was built in GM’s Oshawa Ontario plant.  Its original cost was $3,276 (C) and its V8 engine developed 240 horsepower.

I didn’t have a Super Eighty-Eight but I did have a 4-door 1956 Olds Eighty-Eight.  Mine was white over red and I used it to commute back and forth to Michigan State University in East Lansing Michigan to our home in Jackson.  It was 6 years old when I bought it and it served me well.  The only problem was (is) that I’m not handy or mechanical in any way shape or form.  Back then, I knew even less about cars.  I kept adding oil as needed but I never figured out that the oil needed to be changed…until it was too late.  One day the engine just ‘froze’ up!  Lesson learned…

This is a 1954 Kaiser-Darrin fiberglass sports car.  This car has unique doors that don’t open in the traditional manner…they just slide into the fenders of the car.  This car was designed by Howard “Dutch” Darrin who presented the design to Henry J. Kaiser.  Kaiser immediately disliked the design but it was saved due to the old adage…”Happy wife, happy life!”  Kaiser’s wife liked the design and it went into production.

This was the first production fiberglass sports car in the USA, beating the Corvette to market by one month.  Only 435 of these cars were built.  Laurie and I have now seen 3 of them… They are striking automobiles!  The “Darrins” were built in Toledo Ohio.  They originally cost $3,652 (US).  They were built on a Henry I chassis, had a manual transmission and the 6-cylinder engine only delivered 90 horsepower.  To view photos of the Henry J automobile and to learn more about that car, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_J.  To learn more about the “Darrin” itself, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Darrin.

This behemoth of an automobile is a 1959 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight 2-door convertible.  It was the longest GM car produced in 1959, measuring over 18 feet in length.  This 4,300 pound auto was powered by a 394 cubic inch V8 engine that produced 315 horsepower.  Back in the day, it cost $5,598 (C). 

In the late 1950s, size equaled ‘class’ in North American automobiles.  Note: This model came with an optional portable transistor radio in the glove compartment!

I have memories of this automobile or a variant thereof… At one time my mother owned a Hillman!  This is a 1950 Hillman Minx Mark IV.  At just over 2,000 pounds, it weighed less than half of the Olds 98 convertible.  It was equipped with a 4-speed transmission at a time when most North American cars had a 3-speed.  This Hillman was powered by a 4-cylinder 42 horsepower engine and it cost $1,666 (C).

In 1950, to help with Britain’s economic recovery following WWII, 3,279 Hillman’s were imported into North America.  In 1964, Hillman (the Rootes Group), was acquired by Chrysler Motors.  That company used the Hillman name on autos until 1976.  For more about Hillman autos, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman.

As we returned to the main building from the aircraft exhibit facility, (posting to come), we noticed a number of motorcycles on display in the foyer on 2 small balconies.

 

From left to right:

• 1978 Honda CBX1000.  This motorcycle was introduced as a high-performance racing ‘superbike’.  Despite its power it never caught on as it wasn’t as fast or as cost effective as other superbikes at the time.  It weighs 561 pounds and its 103 horsepower engine could power the motorcycle at speeds up to 135 mph.
• 1978 Honda CT90.  The “C” stands for ‘cub’ to indicate size and the “T” stands for ‘trail’ indicating the intended use of this motorcycle.  This line was introduced in 1959 and it was finally discontinued in 2000.  It may well have been the best-selling motorcycle every produced.  It sold for $899 (C), it weighs 179 pounds and its 7 horsepower engine allows for speeds up to 56 mph.
• 1965 Suzuki K10.  Suzuki was founded as a manufacturer of silk weaving looms.  The company switched to manufacturing automobiles in 1937.  Following WWII Suzuki found renewed success manufacturing a ‘clip-on’ gasoline motor that would power a standard bicycle.  In 1963, the company entered the North American market offering reliable small motorcycles with greater power.  This model has a 6.5 horsepower engine that provides speeds of up to 56 mph.   

These motorcycles were mounted on another balcony on the opposite side of the foyer…

From left to right:

• 1969 Harley-Davidson M65 Sport.  In the early 1960s, Harley-Davidson didn’t have a product line that could compete with the Japanese motorcycles flooding the North American Market.  The company turned to its Italian affiliate Aermacchi to meet the demand.  1,750 of these were built, badged and sold in North America as Harley-Davidson products.  They weighed 119 pounds, had a 1.2 horsepower engine and they sold for $275 (US).
• 1975 Triumph Flat Track Racing Motorcycle.  It was built for a very successful Canadian racer who won 13 Alberta championships in the heavyweight division…750 cc expert class.  It is displayed as is following its last race.
• 1956 Triumph TRW Motorcycle.  These were built in Great Britain for the Canadian Army to replace their WWII era motorcycles.  It was a modified version of Triumph’s commercial motorcycle.  Its 2-cylinder 16.8 horsepower engine could propel this bike at speeds of 70 mph.

This nice convertible is a 1954 Dodge Mayfair.  It was built in Hamtramck Michigan. (I taught school in Hamtramck in 1965 – 1966) In 1954 Chrysler began offering this sold-in-Canada-only convertible.  It was the first convertible built by Chrysler in over 15 years.  This model had a 6-cylinder motor that produced 108 horsepower.  Back in 1954, you could purchase this car for $3,084 (C).

Back in time… This is a 1911 Overland Touring Car.  It’s the first car collected by Stan Reynolds.  He took it in trade back in 1951 as part of the purchase price of a used car.  The headlamps are run on acetylene gas from a carbide generator mounted on the running board.  The side and tail lights are run on coal oil.  This automobile was built by the Willys-Overland Company in Toledo Ohio.  It has a 4-cylinder motor and it would have cost $1,250 new.

The Overland Automobile "runabout" was founded in 1903.  In 1908, Overland Motors was purchased by John North Willys.  In 1912, the company was renamed Willys-Overland.  Overlands continued to be produced until 1926 when the marque was succeeded by the Willys Whippet.  The Willys-Overland Company had a long and interesting history.  To learn more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willys.

Now this is one very serious auto maintenance, repair and restoration shop!  As you can see, work was ongoing on a variety of vehicles.  All automobile collecting requires is money, mechanical and creative talent plus lots of time!

This is an example of the transformations that take place in the auto shop!  The unrestored half of this 1928 Dodge Brothers Coupe 130 Victory Six has been left exactly as it was when it came to the museum…and the other half demonstrates just what can be accomplished by dedicated and skilled mechanics and craftsmen.

This car had a Budd all steel body from Detroit but it was assembled at the Dodge Brothers plant in Toronto Ontario.  About 81,000 of these cars were built in 1928.  Still, it was the company’s last year as an independent manufacturer. The company had been losing sales to Oakland, Hudson, Nash and Durant. Chrysler bought the company late that year.  This auto cost $1,455 new and it had a 6-cylinder motor that developed 58 horsepower.

The company was founded by Horace and John Dodge in 1900.  Tragically, both brothers died in 1920.  To learn more about the history of this company and the Dodge brand, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Brothers_Company.

This great looking 1950s Chevrolet station wagon was sitting outside the main entrance to the museum.  A volunteer will drive visitors out to the aircraft exhibit.  We thought that this was just another example of the quality and style of this museum.

While visiting the Reynolds-Alberta Museum we took a break and had a sandwich in the cafeteria.  We were joined by an Albertan farmer who happened to collect Rolls-Royce automobiles.  He was at the museum for an owner’s rally. (http://www.can-amprairieregion.org/) He told us that he had 19 Rolls-Royces at his farm and he asked us if we had time to drive over and take a look at them.  Sadly, it was our last day and we couldn’t take him up on the offer.  He’d flown in on his own plane but his farm wasn’t too far away… We had a great time visiting with him.  He was very informative indeed!

There is only one more segment to report on for the Reynolds-Alberta Museum… It will be focused on aircraft.  The Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame is located on the museum grounds.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Reynolds-Alberta Museum – Part III

This posting is part III of Laurie and my visit to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin Alberta Canada.  There was just so much to see!

As it states on the side of the tractor in the photo above, this huge piece of farm equipment was manufactured by the Gas Traction Company of Winnipeg Manitoba Canada.  The O’Grady Anderson Company in Winnipeg was licensed to build these massive tractors by the Gas Traction Company of Minneapolis Minnesota.

 

This is a 1910 Model B 25hp.  Its original cost was $3,000.  By 1920, the demand for giant tractors like this one had greatly diminished as much of the prairie sod was broken up and under cultivation, allowing more maneuverable lighter weight tractors to do the job.  This is the only surviving Canadian built Gas Traction Tractor…

Part of the charm which added to our interest as we toured the museum was the attention to detail and all of the transportation related ephemera on display.  Full scale vignettes like this one with a farm supply storefront helped provide an appropriate setting for the collection.

Note the distinctive eagle on the globe at the front of the farm store.  J. I. Case introduced the eagle symbol and logo for the first time in 1865.  It was based on ‘Old Abe’, a Wisconsin Civil War Regiment's mascot.  The J.I. Case Company was founded in 1843 in Racine Wisconsin.  It continues today after merging with New Holland N.V. and it’s now known as CNH Global.  The company also owns the International Harvester brand for farm equipment.  For more information, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_Corporation.

This unwieldy looking machine is a Boggona “Pony” Snowmobile.  This 7 horsepower, single-cylinder 4-cycle snowmobile was built ca. 1960 by General Machine and Welding in St. Boniface Minnesota.  It cost $1,000 (C).  This unit was first introduced in 1958 as a lightweight alternative to the heavy, large snow machines that were being built at the time.  A total of 85 were built before mass production by larger producers forced the company to abandon the business. 

This North Star Gas Station is yet another display inside the Reynolds-Alberta Museum that helps take you back to an earlier era!  I love the contrast in gas pumps from different decades…

The auto ‘being serviced’ in front of the North Star Gas Station is a 1934 Oldsmobile Special Sedan Model F-34 Six.  This 6-cylinder, 84 horsepower vehicle could reach speeds up to 77 mph.  At $1,065 (C), it was the most expensive 6-cylinder Olds built in 1934. 

This car was built at the General Motors plant in Oshawa Ontario.  It had dual side mounts/running boards and a rear mounted trunk.  1934 was the first year that General Motors introduced independent suspension and that helped drive Oldsmobile sales to 84,000 units that year.  Interestingly enough, in 1934 GM was still building their cars with a wood frame sheathed in steel.  It wasn’t until 1937 that the company switched over to all steel frames…

In addition to all of the ‘big stuff’ in the collection, the Reynolds-Alberta museum has hundreds and hundreds of old signs, oil cans, etc.  A real gearhead could lose track of time looking at all of the miscellaneous items on display throughout the facility.  This room inside the North Star Gas Station is used for educational purposes…

This pink ‘boat’ of a car…with Laurie behind the wheel…is a 1958 Buick Limited 2-door convertible.  It weighed almost 4,700 lbs. and, unlike today’s autos, it could comfortably carry six adults.  Leather upholstery was standard and it had a V8 engine that delivered 300 horsepower. 

At $6,619 (C) this was the most expensive Buick built in 1958.  Only 839 of them were built.  When this car was produced a recession was underway and that year only autos like Volkswagen and Rambler showed any significant sales gains.

The ‘blue bomber’ in the foreground brings back a ton of memories!  This brand of automobile was my stepfather’s car of choice… This is a 1951 Hudson Pacemaker Six Model 11A.  This was Hudson’s economy class vehicle, with a price tag of $$3,072 (C).  The Pacemaker seated 6 comfortably and its 6-cylinder engine developed 112 horsepower.  The car’s signature low profile was the result of a step down frame… The passenger compartment sat inside the vehicle’s frame…

The Hudson Motor Car Company based in Detroit Michigan, made Hudson and other brand automobiles, such as Essex and Terraplane, from 1909 to 1954.  Hudson scored a number of automotive firsts, including dual brakes, the use of dashboard oil-pressure and generator warning lights, and the first balanced crankshaft.  The latter innovation, which allowed the Hudson straight-six engine, dubbed the "Super Six", to work at a higher rotational speed while remaining smooth…developing more power for its size than lower-speed engines.

The company also hired Elizabeth Ann Thatcher in 1939.  A graduate of the Cleveland School of Arts, now the Cleveland Institute of Art, and a major in Industrial Design, she became America's first female automotive designer.  Her contributions to the 1941 Hudson included exterior trim with side lighting, the interior instrument panel, interiors and interior trim fabrics.  To learn more about the Hudson Motor Company, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Motor_Car_Company.

FYI...The car in the background of the above photo is a 1953 Willys Aero Ace.  The Willys Overland and its successor, the Kaiser-Willys Corporation, produced Willys from 1952 – 1955.  The Willys was a compact fuel-efficient car…built when the public wanted big and flashy cars.  To learn more about this stick shift 90 horsepower automobile and Willys, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willys.

As it’s partially black and it’s against a black backdrop, this auto is a little hard to see…but it’s a 1956 Monarch Richelieu Phaeton Hardtop.  This was the top of the line Monarch…with extensive chrome trim and power options like power windows, seats and antennae.  This 6-passenger automobile with its V8 engine producing 225 horsepower, s0ld for $3,509.

Monarchs were built by the Ford-Monarch Division of Ford Motor Company of Canada in Oakville Ontario.  Only 700 of this particular model were ever built.  The Monarch line was introduced in Canada in 1946 and its name survived until 1961.

 

You may have noticed a theme as you looked over the last few automobiles that I’ve posted… While we were at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, the feature exhibit was entitled “The Fabulous Fifties”.  More than 25 vehicles were included in this special showing which ran from mid-May to mid-October. 

This is just another automobile from the 1950s!  It’s a 1955 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn 4-door saloon.  Between 1949 and 1955 this was the smallest post-war Rolls produced.  Only 760 were built, mainly for sale in North America.  It’s pressed steel body was also unique as the company usually only sold the chassis with the body being added by a coach maker.

This car had a top speed of 94 mph and it could go from 0 to 60 mph in what is today a sluggish 15.2 seconds.  There is a 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn for sale in Maryland for only $59,900!  Check it out at http://autos.aol.com/used-detail-7366092394665340235-Rolls-Royce-Silver+Dawn-1954/.

The original Rolls-Royce Company was founded in 1906 and it operated until 1973.  The current company, Rolls-Royce Motors was created in 1973 during the de-merger of the Rolls-Royce car business from the nationalized Rolls-Royce Limited, a builder of jet engines and other products.  Vickers acquired the company in 1980 and then sold it to Volkswagen in 1998.  In 2002, Volkswagen sold Rolls-Royce to BMW.  For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Limited and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_Motor_Cars.

This is a 1958 Edsel Pacer.  It featured the iconic or perhaps ‘infamous’ ‘horse collar’ grill and a push button transmission.  This model had a V8 engine that developed 302 horsepower and it sold for $3,465 (C).  Edsels were only built from 1958 to 1960.  The goal was to provide an extra option to the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury lines and to take market share away from General Motors and Chrysler. However, weak management support for the vehicle combined with a recession and the car’s design made ‘Edsel’ a word that became synonymous with commercial failure.

The Ford Motor Company lost millions of dollars on the Edsels development, manufacturing and marketing.  Total Edsel sales were less than half the company's projected break-even point. The company lost $350 million, (the equivalent of $2,802,796,804 in 2014 dollars) on this venture.  Only 118,287 Edsels were built, including 7,440 produced in Ontario Canada.  For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel.

That’s about it for the 3^rd installment of our tour of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum… There was so much to see that 2 more posts will be forthcoming.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Reynolds-Alberta Museum – Part II

Continuing with our tour of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin Alberta… As you will see, this is a very eclectic collection!

This is a 1918 Winton Six Victoria Phaeton.  The Winton Company, founded by a Scotsman, was based in Cleveland Ohio and the company sold its first automobile in 1898.  In 1899, the company became the largest producer of gasoline powered autos in the world.  By 1906 Winton had become well known as the manufacturer of large expensive 6-cylinder cars.  With its Victoria top, this was a very stylish auto…but it wasn’t too practical on the cold Canadian prairies!

Factoids:

• In 1898 the Winton Motor Carriage Company sold twenty-one vehicles, including one to James Ward Packard, whom later founded the Packard Automobile Company after Winton challenged a very dissatisfied James Packard to do better!
• Winton’s success led to the opening of the first ever automobile dealership by Mr. H.W. Koler in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 1899, in order to deliver the vehicles, Winton built the first auto hauler in America.
• In 1903, using a Winton automobile, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson made the first successful automobile drive across the United States.  The trip took 64 days! 

This is a 2-cylinder 1912 International Commercial Car.  International Harvester ventured into the ‘high wheeler” market beginning in 1907 and built different versions until 1916.  The Commercial ‘Car’ was intended for hauling product and equipment on farms but rear seats were available by special order.  In effect, this was a half-ton pick-up truck!

International Harvester built light trucks from 1907 to 1975.  This version was also referred to as a Model A Auto Wagon or Auto Buggy.  Did you notice that it is a right hand drive model?  It was popular in rural areas for high ground clearance on the poor roads typical of the era. It featured a rear seat convertible to a carrier bed.  For more about International Harvester, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester.

This is a 1919 4-cylinder 19.6 horsepower Gray-Dort 1 1D “Ace” 5-Passenger Touring Car.  The company was based in Chatham Ontario.  W. Gray and Sons, a major wagon builder, had acquired the rights from the Dort Motor Car Company of Flint Michigan to build Dort automobiles for the Canadian market.

The “Ace” designation was given to this car in honor of Canadian flying aces from WWI.  This automobile had a ‘fat man’ adjustable steering wheel and retractable cigarette lighter.  The original cost was $1,350 (C).  This is one of only 3 known surviving Gray-Dort automobiles. 

As a side note, the Dort Motor Car Company traced its history back to its founding as the Flint Road Cart Company in 1884 by William Crapo Durant and Josiah Dallas Dort.  They originally sold wagons built by local suppliers for $8.00 each.  In 1900, the company, which by now was making 50,000 wagons, carts, and carriages per year, changed its name to Durant-Dort Carriage Company.  By 1915, Dort and Durant cut their business ties.  Dort was out of business by 1924 and Durant went on to help found General Motors…

This is a 1920 Indian “Scout” Motorcycle.  It was built by the Hardee Manufacturing Company in Springfield Massachusetts.  This motorcycle had a 37 cubic inch engine which developed 11 horsepower.  It cost $295. The Scout was an instant success because it was reliable.  It was very popular with companies that needed economical vehicles for in-town deliveries.  This particular motorcycle sports a Great Northern Railway decal.  It’s likely that it was used to deliver telegraph messages. 

The Hardee Manufacturing Company was renamed the Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company in 1928.  The company closed in 1953.  The brand is now owned by Polaris Industries. To learn more about Indian Motorcycles, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_(motorcycle).

FYI…The Great Northern Railroad operated from Duluth Minnesota to Washington State.  It has an interesting history and the company experienced the deadliest avalanche in US history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern_Railway_(U.S.).

OK…time for a little diversity!  This is a 1915 Model-T Ford Runabout mounted on a 1929 Snow Flyer Conversion Kit.  The kit was manufactured by the Snow Flyer Corporation in New Holstein Wisconsin.  As you can see, the kit contained a pair of skis, an axle and 2 all-steel traction belts or treads.

 

Back when roads were less well built and even less well maintained, several manufacturers made these kits that were designed to turn automobiles into vehicles that were better suited for winter travel.  Mankind can be quite ingenious! 

This is a 1935 Maple Leaf 2-ton Truck.  This line of trucks was built by General Motors Canada and the name continued until after WWII.  This model has a 6-cylinder 26.3 horsepower motor.  The Maple Leaf quickly established itself as a major threat to its Canadian arch-rival Ford.

 

Hooray!  Here’s an automobile that was built in my hometown!  This is a 1912 Jackson Touring Car (Model 32).  This 4-cylinder car was built by the Jackson Automobile Company in Jackson Michigan.  The torpedo type body was so-named for the streamlined sloping cowl that transitions the design between the engine hood and the passenger compartment.

The company also built the Jaxon Steam Car back in 1903.  The company’s slogan was “No Hill Too Steep, No Sand Too Deep”.  The Jackson Automobile Company was in business from 1903 until 1923.  To learn more, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Automobile_Company. 

This is the dashboard of the Jackson Touring Car.  It’s so simple that it is the perfect dashboard for someone who is technically challenged like me!  Note the steering wheel on the right side.  When I got into this car, (it was one that visitors could climb into), that steering wheel and my body-type came into conflict!

Actually, Jackson Michigan was an early hotspot in the manufacturing of automobiles.  There is a long list of cars and car companies that operated in the city.  One of my favorite cars, the Kaiser Darrin, was built in Jackson.  Since the auto business faded in town, it’s been an uphill recovery process.  For a list of cars and auto manufacturers from Jackson, just go to http://www.yeolecarriageshop.com/id15.html.

Enough with cars and trucks for now… This is a 1911 Reeves Canadian Special Steam Traction Engine.  It was built by the Emerson-Brantingham Implement Company of Columbus Indiana.  This 13-ton behemoth had a 2 cylinder 90 brake horsepower steam engine and it could pull 12 fourteen inch plow bottoms.  Power steering and a winch were available options…

With its compound steam engine, heavy-duty rear wheels and axle, this tractor was designed for plowing the western prairies with their thick sod.  Reeves and Co. built farm tractors for 30 years.  It built some of the largest steam traction engines used in North America.  Marshal Reeves was the driving force behind this venture having first invented in a tongueless corn plow in 1869.   Reeves and Company was sold to Emerson-Brantingham.  In turn, after making several acquisitions itself, Emerson-Brantingham was purchased by the J.I. Case Company, now the Case Corporation.

I had to include this photo from Wikipedia… At the same time as Marshall Reeves started building steam tractors, his brother Milton began making automobiles.  This is the 1911 Reeves Octo-Auto.  Time Magazine named this car as one of the most ugly ever produced!  The Octo-Auto was notable or notorious enough for Hemmings to feature it in 2011 as an April Fools' Day article on its website titled “World celebrates the centennial of the Octo-Auto”.  

Do I need to mention that Milton wasn’t anywhere as successful as his brother was…?!

Back to the basics… Featured in this photo (sorry for it not being in focus) is the 1946 Farmall Model M Tractor.  It was built by International Harvester in Chicago Illinois.  This 2 ½ ton 4-cylinder model became one of the world’s best known tractors.  It came with a standard package that included an electric starter, lights and, perhaps most importantly, a hydraulic shock absorbing seat for the farmer!  By the time that production of this tractor ceased in 1952, over 280,000 units had been built.

This is a 1917 Waterloo Thresher.  It was built by the Waterloo Manufacturing Company, Ltd. in Waterloo Ontario.  Jacob Bricker was born in 1818 in Waterloo, Ontario, and learned the trade of blacksmith. He went into the farm machinery business in 1850 and for a while the Company he created built and sold threshing machines.  It cost $1,365 (US) back in the day…

The ad campaign for Waterloo Threshers trumpeted “A triumph of modern engineering.  Ask the man who has one.”  Waterloo Manufacturing continues today, selling and servicing industrial boilers.

That’s about it for Part II of our visit to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.  Just click on any of the photo to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by and joining us for part of our tour!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave