Story and photos by John Chalmers
Two special events held at the Alberta Aviation Museum in September commemorated milestone events in aviation history. On Saturday, September 12, a catered gala dinner for 280 guests in the exhibit hall filled the space to capacity in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Cooking Lake Airport.
With operations beginning in 1926, the Cooking Lake Airport is Canada’s oldest continuously operating public airport. In its early days, it accommodated aircraft with floats landing on the lake, or aircraft with wheels using a grass airstrip.
The first aircraft to land on the water of Cooking Lake was a Vickers Viking biplane, the type of aircraft first seen upon entry to the Alberta Aviation Museum. Our museum’s Viking is a 7/8 replica that appeared in a 1992 movie called Map of the Human Heart, on extended loan from the Bomber Command Museum of Canada at Nanton, Alberta.
Following celebrations at an open house event at the airport, the celebratory dinner at the museum included a silent auction with dozens of donated items. Mikey McBryan of Buffalo Airways was the featured speaker. In keeping with the spirt of the day, attendees were encouraged to wear fashions of the 1920s. Many of the women did so with stylish dresses from another era and some gentlemen in black suits were appropriately attired from spats to hats.
Today, with the water level having dropped in Cooking Lake for many years, aircraft with pontoons have not landed on land on the lake for two years. Nevertheless, the 3000-foot runway and the taxi strip have never looked better, having been repaved for the first time in 40 years, just before the 100th anniversary.
With 1500 people in attendance, events at the airport included speeches, a free barbeque and the launch of a new book, Wind Beneath their Wings. Written by anniversary chairperson Kimberly Fraser, shown here, the book is centered on history of the lake and integrated with aviation history in Edmonton when Blatchford Field, last known as our City Centre Airport, had a close association with the Cooking Lake airport.
On Sunday, September 20, our museum’s parking lot was again the location for the annual Battle of Britain Parade, presented by 700 (City of Edmonton) Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association (RCAFA). A main effort of RCAFA Wings is support of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. As well, 700 Wing provides financial support to various organizations including the Kipnes Centre home for military veterans.
Some 250 Air Cadets were major participants in the September 20 parade, with members from 10 squadrons marching in precision along with regular force members of RCAF 408 Squadron based at the Edmonton Garrison.
A cadet band was comprised of young musicians from 669, 755 and 810 Squadrons provided music for the event. Contributing to the spectacle of the day was the Flag Party with members of the 10 participating cadet squadrons proudly carrying their banners. A flypast was a CH-146 Griffon helicopter from 417 Domestic Response Squadron from the Cold Lake base. Completing the parade personnel were members of RCAF 408 Squadron based at Edmonton Garrison.
The inspection party led by Capt Deb Smart, commanding officer of 395 Air Cadet Squadron, included Mayor Andrew Knack as reviewing officer, and Alberta Aviation Museum executive director Jean Lauzon in her capacity as an Honorary Colonel of RCAF 42 Radar Squadron. Also in the inspection party were LCol (Retired) Tom Sand, chairman of 700 Wing board, and Ronda Barraclough representing the Air Cadet League of Canada. Completing the inspection party was Maj Marlon Mongeon in his capacity of Deputy Commanding Officer of Edmonton-based RCAF 408 Squadron. Major Mongeon was once an air cadet in Edmonton’s 395 squadron, one of the Air Cadet squadrons in the parade.
In his remarks from the podium, Mayor Knack praised the air cadets for their involvement, for their interest in aviation, for their ambitions, and for their leadership potential.
“The Battle of Britain was more than an air campaign fought over eighty years ago. It was a defining moment when young Canadians joined others in defending freedom while its future was uncertain,” says Tom Sand. From July to October 1940 while the battle raged in the air, of 117 Canadian fighter pilots who participated in defending Britain in aerial combat, 23 lost their lives. Lest we forget.
