Local aviation buff has wartime planes in Manitoba Air Show

On a cold and rainy afternoon at St. Andrews airport, Ross Robinson pumps up the fuel pressure to fire up his 1952 Harvard.

It's one of two wartime planes the local aviation buff will be bringing to the Manitoba Air Show on Saturday at Southport Airport in Portage La Prairie, Man.

The Harvard was an advanced training aircraft used by the Royal Canadian Air Force, to train pilots in complex aircraft operations, navigation, instrument flying and even dog fighting.

From 1940 to1950 the Harvard was used to train almost 50,000 combat pilots. Robinson will be bringing his advanced trainer plane along with his 1944 Douglas A-26 Bomber. Robinsonsays his bomber is quite rare in the region and may be the only one in the prairie provinces.

"It's great at the airshows, the kids are so excited to see these airplanes," said Robinson.

Robinson admits that while some kids might not know about the role that some of the older planes played in the wars that shaped our nation, he thinks it's great opportunity for them to have a chance to see them up close and personal, learn about the planes and get interested in aviation.

"Aviation is a pretty cool thing and really aviation is what Winnipeg is all about. We started in the 20s with Stevenson field and we opened up the north with aviation," said Robinson.

Robinson's particular A-26 Bomber was built in 1944 and just missed going into action during the Second World War.It had a few lives in private industry and was even converted into a water bomber for a company in Alberta, spending much of its life fighting fires in the Yukon.

Robinson says that a lot of the old A-26's were converted into passenger planes for business executives because in the late 1940s there wasn't a quick way to get around and the A-26's flew at fairly high altitudes and were fast. He says they were the precursor to the executive jets of today.

Ed Ulrich with the Manitoba Air Show says from the Commonwealth Air Training Museum to internationally renowned aerospace companies, Manitoba has a rich aviation heritage.

"It's important to inspire our youth with the knowledge that a young passion for aviation can flourish in our province," said Ulrich.

Along with the vintage military planes, the Manitoba Air Show will feature the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, a CF18 Hornet, a parachute demonstration from the Skyhawks, an aerobatic show from Sky Dancer Anna Serbinenko along with many static exhibits on the ground including a car show and artisan market.

General admission is $25, kids 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. The Air Show starts at noon on Saturday but the gates open to the public at 9:30 a.m. and aircraft start arriving as early as 9:00 a.m.