I don’t have much context for this story even though parts of it are very vivid memories. In honour of some special occasion (I have no idea what) there was to be a parachute demonstration at some square in Mackenzie. The well publicized event drew a large crowd of spectators who watched as Tom (the pilot) climbed the company float plane (single engine 12 seat Otter) to about 10,000 feet and three or four parachutists (probably 216 Parachute Signal Squadron from England) jumped out and started sky diving. They were not individually visible until they started trailing coloured smoke. Each parachutist trailed a different colour and it definitely captured everyone’s full attention. Eventually they opened their chutes and landed quite close to the designated landing zone much to the crowd’s delight. Everyone was clamouring around the parachutists, trying to get a closer look when out of nowhere there was a huge roar as the Otter came screaming down in a full banshee power dive directly at the crowd. There was instant pandemonium as terror set in and everyone started screaming and running to avoid getting smucked in the impending plane crash. I just stood at ground zero while everyone else scattered, outwardly calm, but actually pretty tense, determined to get the perfect photograph you see here, taken just as the Otter pulled out of its dive about 75 feet overhead.
It was of course, just Tom’s idea of a joke to glide silently down with the sun directly at his back while attention was focused on the parachutes, then hit full throttle in a power dive to scare the crap out of the crowd. If I had my current high zoom camera back then, I probably would have been able to catch Tom’s maniacal grin as he came screaming down.
Of course I wasn’t being insanely brave standing at ground zero, I had inside knowledge of Tom’s plan because he had pulled the same stunt at the parachute practice on the golf course a couple of days earlier. I had attended the practice jump and been terrorized just like everyone else present. Needless to say, such antics would be politically incorrect these days, but they provided pretty exciting memories that you might not find today.
Diving Otter
Typical Tom! What fun is was to see him again at the Orangeville reunion.
During my last summer holiday in Mackenzie in 1967, I worked for Tom Wilson, or should I say, he put up with me, at the hangar at the airfield. Basically I cleaned the Otter and the hangar and kept the spare parts room in order. I was planning on a career in flying and just to hang around Tom and the aircraft , hoping for the odd chance of going up with him now and then was payment in itself. To attest to Tom’s flying skills, he took me on a river guaging trip deep into the bush one day. We made an impossibly steep approach and landed on a sliver of river. Getting in was one thing, but getting out of there was like something out of an “Indiana Jones” movie! How he threaded that plane just feet above the water, banking from left to right and back as we followed the river around, with branches almost touching the wingtips, until suddenly, a small opening appeared in the jungle canopy and up through it he pulled us!! Absolutely amazing! Wherever you are Tom, thanks for the memories.
Does anyone remember the other pilot Barry? I have been trying to think of his last name…Greenwood keeps popping into my mind.
Something else to ask Mum.
Evan says, “Barry Marsden.”
Thanks Evan.
I am fairly sure that the picture of a Dad, Mum and Debbie at a christening is Barry’s wife and baby.
Yes it is Barry’s wife and baby. I had a major crush on Barry when I was little. Where did they end up?
Hi everyone – here’s a letter I received from Steve Connolly yesterday. I’m sure he won’t mind if I post it on the site.
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30 October ‘08
Dear Pat & Bernie:
Greetings … and congratulations on your marriage! I am greatly pleased for you both & may you enjoy good health. (Amen to that! – Pat)
We had a great summer again in B.C. – I swam 33 times more than the 93 days I was there (figure that out!) and I’m in good shape. (I guess that means he swam 3, 069 times? – Pat)
I’ve been in touch with many of our old playmates, Pat: Gail Sinke, Ginnie, Jennifer May, Claudia/Frances Ward, Bob Wong, Margot Roza, Barbara Parsons, etc. Will start writing after Xmas. Also I have spent some time talking to Archie McAllister – our navy’s Harbormaster in Halifax. His father George, used to pilot the bauxite ships up/down the Demerara river and, in the 1950’s, was captain of the R.H. Carr! Your input, Pat, has been greatly appreciated. We’re off to Florida in a week. Will write at Xmas. Cheers! Steve.
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I found Rod Grimes-Graeme on Antigua via Facebook and he told me that he had received “stuff” from Steve as well.
Rod said he was retired now and hoped to be able to become more computer savvy. As for me, I didn’t stay on Facebook.
Hugs all round,
Pat Hunte/Cusack
Is he in Halifax, Nova Scotia or Halifax, England?
Steve lives in Low, Quebec, not far from Ottawa. The Halifax referred to is Nova Scotia.