North Atlantic Squadron

It is our policy not to publish web links on our website because we have no control over content but sometimes we have to make an exception. Lisa Daly is in the final stages of publishing her thesis for her PHD in Aviation Archeology and gives us a preview of the subject matter she will be covering. She does this by permitting us to link to her collection of photos, called The North Atlantic Squadron , that she is basing her work on. She will be presenting her thesis in Gander this coming winter/spring if all goes as planned. Copies will be given to the Gander Library and the North Atlantic Aviation Museum. She intends to take chapters from her thesis, adapt them to be separate and a more detailed look at each of the crashes, to be posted on our website. This should be a most interesting addition to the airport’s history.

The Bug

Recently we received a letter from Peter Hanlon in Winnipeg asking for information about a train bus used during the war called ’The Bug’ . He had a bought a post card showing a picture of this vehicle. We did some digging and found a column that Frank Tibbo had written a few years back along with some photos. This gem of Gander Airports history is now available for viewing especially for all you train buffs. Definitely a worth while read.

OK523 Crash: Accident or Terrorism

Life Downhome (a.k.a DownHomer) magazine November’s issue features a story about Alena Zimova’s ordeal on the fatal flight of OK523 at Gander in 1967 . As we have related before, in her interview she insists that there was an explosion aboard the aircraft shortly after lift off  creating a fire storm in the cabin which led to the eventful crash. As for the crew not informing the tower about the explosion could be because it occurred back in the cabin and they were not aware of the fire. Whether  the explosion was from a mechanical malfunction or an act of terrorism we may never know. It would be very interesting if Transport Canada would revisit the cause of the crash  even though it happened some 47 years ago. With the change in government in the previous country of Czechoslovakia some historical data may now be available for release to the public. One must remember in 1967 Czechoslovakia was in political turmoil leading to the invasion by the USSR in 1968.  So an act of terrorism would not be out of the question.