Dates

Event

Constructed as a PBV-1A by Canadian Vickers.

22 June 1944

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Canadian Air Force with s/n 11094 as a Canso A.

25 May 1961

Struck off Strength/Charge from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

1961

Transferred to Crown Assets Disposal Corporation, Ottawa, ON.

1961

Assigned to Vulcan AB, AB for storage.
Stored here awaiting disposal.

To Frontier Air Transport Co, Calgary, AB with new c/r CF-NJE.

April 1961

To Canspec Air Transport Ltd, Calgary, AB keeping c/r CF-NJE.

1961

Ferry flight.
Moved from Vulcan AB to Field Aviation in Calgary, AB.

To Field Aviation, Calgary, AB keeping c/r CF-NJE.

From 1961 to 1963

Converted to a sprayer and operated as such by Field Aviation in pest control spraying.

From 1964 to 1966

To Fred Chiupka/Chiupka Airways Ltd, Lynn Lake, MN keeping c/r CF-NJE.

1968

To Northland Airlines, Winnipeg, MB keeping c/r CF-NJE.

From 1969 to 1971

To Midwest Airlines, Winnipeg, MN keeping c/r CF-NJE.

From 2 September 1971 to 1972

To Nordair Airways, Winnipeg, MN keeping c/r CF-NJE.

Circa 1971

Photographer: Unknown

1973

To Ilford Riverton Airways, Winnipeg, MB keeping c/r CF-NJE.

From 1973 to 1976

To Saint Felicien Air Service, Saint Felicien, QC keeping c/r CF-NJE.

From 1977 to 1978

To Survair Ltd, Ottawa, ON keeping c/r CF-NJE.

9 September 1977

Involved in an incident.
Struck rocks during water landing, Fort Chimo, QC.

From 4 May 1978 to 1996

To Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Saint Johns, NF with new c/r C-FNJE.

Operated as fire service #7.

29 July 1991

Photographer: Tim Martin
Notes: 1991 photo at St.Johns NL

23 April 1996

To Hicks and Lawrence Ltd, Saint Thomas, ON keeping c/r C-FNJE.

Operated as fire service #702.

From 4 June 1996 to 2002

To Buffalo Airways, Yellowknife, NT keeping c/r C-FNJE.

Operated as fire service #702.

4 June 1996

To Buffalo Airways Ltd, Hay River, NT keeping c/r C-FNJE.

Operated as fire service #702.

June 2000

Photographer: Eric Bannwarth
Notes: C-FNJE - PBY-5A Canso - Buffalo Air

24 July 2001

Crashed.
Summary: The damage to the airframe was substantial. This was a fire fighting flight. The accident occurred at Sitidgi Lake, NWT (Canada) while maneuvering. The airframe was repaired. Narrative: The crew of the PBY-5A (Tanker 702) was conducting a water pick up from Sitidgi Lake during fire suppression activities when they lost control. The right wing tip dug into the water and the aircraft came to rest nose down in the lake. Another PBY-5 which was in the area landed on the lake near the downed machine and picked up the crew before it sank in about 100 feet of water...
For a complete description of the event read the Aviation Safety Network Report.

Stripped hulk on lake edge, Inuvik NWT 01/04.

Recovered.
Retrieved from the lakebed and brought ashore for repairs.

On behalf of the owner stored with/at Sitidgi Lake, NT.
View the Location Dossier

Planned to barge/truck to Hay River NWT for rebuild but abandoned at site.

Unknown source reports: The Alberta Aviation Museum in Edmonton is trying to recover it as Buffalo Airways donated NJE to the museum about one year ago. But the local native people in the area of Inuvik have been giving Buffalo (and now the museum) a hard time about the aircraft being on their land and about crossing their land to bring CF-NJE to Inuvik for further transportation south. There are no heavy lift helecopters in the NWT, so the only way to get NJE to Inuvik is to tow her in the winter on skis across the native land. In March 2008 I was informed NJE had been sold by Buffalo A/W to a private party.

Offered to museum but unable to retrieve hulk due costs.

From 2008 to 2017

To Fairview Aircraft Restoration Society, Fairview, AB.

Recovered.
Retrieved from the edge of the lake.

21 April 2008

Transported by ground.
Moved to a dock at Inuvik with wings attached.

Transported by ground.
Moved by road to Fairview, AB.

23 September 2011

To Fairview Airspray Ltd, Fairview, AB keeping c/r C-FNJE.

Restoration started.
Restoration to flying condition commenced.

23 March 2012

To Savethecanso Ltd, Fairview, AB keeping c/r C-FNJE.

November 2016

13 November 2016

Both engines run Fairview.

22 November 2016

Civil registration, C-FNJE, cancelled.

21 March 2017

To Fairview Aircraft Restoration Society, Fairview, AB with new c/r C-FNJE.

18 June 2017

First flight.

27 June 2024

Photographer: Nigel Roling
Notes: C-FNJE T-702 (RCAF 11094) PBV-1A Canso A flying over Trenton waterfront 27-6-24