The Barkley-Grow company manufactured this airplane to compete with the Beech 18 and the Lockheed 10 Electra. Canadian Car and Foundry of Montreal bought licensing rights and three of the aircraft. Edmonton’s Grant McConachie liked the design because the fixed landing gear allowed the use of skis and floats for his Yukon Southern Air Transport routes.
Specifications
- Wingspan: 15.46 m
- Length: 10.87 m
- Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-985 — Wasp Junior SB 9-cyl. radial engines (300 kW ea.)
- Maximum Speed: 362 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 328 km/h
- Range: 760 – 1,010 km
- Crew: 2
- Passengers: 6
Excerpt from Alberta Aviation Museum – 30 Years of Progress
It was perhaps the slickest deal in Canadian aviation history.
Bush pilot Grant McConachie bought three Barkley-Grows in 1939 through Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F), with a $3 down payment and a promise to pay $1,000 per month for each plane. He never sent the monthly payments, and CC&F seems to have forgotten to ask. McConachie saw the eight-passenger Barkley-Grow as a good fit for the newly formed Yukon Southern Air Transport (YSAT), given that he could quickly convert it from wheels to skis or floats as needed.
You can learn more about this aircraft by purchasing a copy of our 30th Anniversary Souvenir Book or by visiting the museum today!
