Browse "Aviators"

Adélard Raymond, pilot, businessman and politician (born 10 July 1889 in Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, QC; died 23 February 1962 in Montreal, QC). Raymond was a French-Canadian pilot who served in the First World War and then in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) from 1934 to 1945. He was the second French Canadian to be appointed air vice-marshal. Raymond was also involved in the hotel industry and in various commercial operations. He was elected mayor of Senneville, on the west island of Montreal, serving from June 1951 to June 1959.

Allan Selwyn Bundy, pilot (born 1920 in Dartmouth, NS; died 9 December 2001 in Toronto, ON). He was one of two known Black Canadian combat pilots during the Second World War. Bundy served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and, according to the operations record book of 404 Squadron, flew 28 combat missions.

Bjarni Valdimar Tryggvason, engineer, pilot, astronaut, scientist, educator (born 21 September 1945 in Reykjavik, Iceland; died 5 April 2022 in London, ON). Bjarni Tryggvason was one of the original six Canadian astronauts selected by the National Research Council in 1983. (See also Canadian Space Agency.) In 1997, he participated in the STS-85 mission and flew aboard NASA’s Discovery space shuttle. He was an associate member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the recipient of numerous awards and honours throughout his career.

David Ernest Hornell, VC, clerk, pilot (born 26 January 1910 in Toronto, Ontario; died 25 June 1944 at sea near the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean). During the Second World War, Hornell was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross (VC) for his heroic actions in sinking a German submarine and encouraging his crewmates after their plane was shot down. He was the first member of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to receive the VC.

Frederick Walker Baldwin, "Casey," aviator, inventor (b at Toronto 2 Jan 1882; d at Beinn Bhreagh, NS 7 Aug 1948). He completed engineering studies at University of Toronto in 1906. In 1907 he became a founding member

Gordon Roy McGregor, engineer, aviator, airline executive (b at Montréal 26 Sept 1901; d there 8 Mar 1971). After attending McGill University, he joined Bell Telephone Co of Canada as an engineer in 1923, where he remained until joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1938.

As a boy growing up on his father's farm just west of Toronto, nine-year-old Chris Hadfield was so spellbound by Neil Armstrong's historic moon walk on July 20, 1969, that he promptly decided to become an astronaut himself.This article was originally published in Maclean's Magazine on November 20, 1995

Herbert Hollick-Kenyon, aviator (b at London, Eng 17 Apr 1897; d at Vancouver 30 July 1975). He immigrated with his family in 1909 to Ewing's Landing, BC, and joined the Canadian Army in 1914. Twice wounded in France, he was invalided home and in 1917 joined the Royal Flying Corps.

John Alexander Douglas McCurdy, aviation pioneer (b at Baddeck, NS 2 Aug 1886; d at Montréal 25 June 1961). With F.W. BALDWIN and A.G. BELL he formed the Aerial Experiment Association to test the feasibility of powered

Marion Alice Orr (née Powell). Pioneer pilot. (b. Jun 25, 1916 [?], Toronto, ON; d. April 4, 1995, Peterborough, ON). Marion Orr's birth date has been given variously as 1916, 1918 and 1920. She obfuscated sometimes on documents related to flying for fear that she would be grounded by her age.

Maxwell William Ward, OC, aviator, businessman (born 22 November 1921 in Edmonton, AB; died 2 November 2020 in Edmonton). Max Ward was a bush pilot and aviation entrepreneur who founded and ran the airline Wardair.

Wallace Rupert Turnbull (Rupert), aeronautical engineer (born 16 October 1870 in Saint John, NB; died 26 November 1954 in Saint John, NB). Turnbull is credited with building Canada’s first wind tunnel in Rothesay, NB. He is also recognized for designing the first successful variable-pitch propeller, which he patented in 1922. (See also Aviation.)