A plane used in World War II will be on display at the Grande Prairie Airport Tuesday. The Fairview Aircraft Restoration Society will have its historic patrol bomber known as the Canso PBY at the Happy Gas hangar.
FARS says the plane was first used to fly over the north Atlantic Ocean in 1944. It was looking for enemy submarines that were attacking convoy ships carrying troops and supplies between North America and Europe.
After the war, it was repurposed to haul freight, passengers, and fish in and out of northern Canada. It was later used as a wildfire water bomber in the late 1970s but was heavily damaged by fire in 2001.
A small group of volunteers spent 10 years salvaging the Canso PBY, and it’s now able to fly again. The public can come see it from 4 to 7 p.m. Donations are being accepted.
