Bitter Reality - MacLean & MacLean

I recall that Master Corporal "Shorty Bone" use to recite the following toast when I worked with him in the Air Force at CFB Toronto in the late 1970's - early 1980's:
"Here's to the hole that never heals, the more you rub it the better it feels
And all the soap this side of hell, won't wash away that fishy smell. Wine, women, song, and vice, syphilus, blue balls, crabs, & lice, we have had them all by Jesus Christ,
Gentlemen the queen!"

I'd forgotten that until I came across this album.
This cut is titled The Gross Manual.
MacLean & MacLean has this on their Bitter Reality album. They were Maritimers that were popular at the Toronto clubs The Chimney & El Mocambo during the late 1970's & early 1980's, when I was with the Air Reserve at Downsview. Photos are from family day at Downsview, working with the 2RSU at the hangars there, a couple from Terry Hill, and the last ones are from the 400 squadron reunion in 2002 at CFB Borden. "Per Ardu Ad Astra".

The North Atlantic Squadron Maclean & Maclean

This is perhaps the best known old Canadian military tune. There is a "clean" version by Stompin Tom Connors but this is the only version that most closely matches the lyrics we sang when I was in the Air Force. MacLean & MacLean has this on their Toilet Rock album. They were Maritimers that were popular at the Toronto clubs The Chimney & El Mocambo during the late 1970's & early 1980's, when I was with the Air Reserve at Downsview. Photos are courtesy of Paul Lamar & Russ Brown, two other alumni. "Per Ardu Ad Astra".

I Don't Want No More of Air Force Life song

This is an old Canadian military tune. There are versions for army and navy as well. I have a version of the tune for the Fire Department posted under the title "Gee Maw I Wanna Go Home". The Chorus in the navy version says: "Gee Maw I wanna go, west of Ontario", the feeling being that you're far from any ocean in the prairies, I guess! The lyrics from this version were created by squadron buddy Ken Moores, as we sang them at the annual 400 squadron Christmas Dinner in 1981. The names mentioned were fellow squadron members. This song is dedicated to Ken & all the buds from that time in the early 1980's. "Per Ardu Ad Astra".

There Never Was An Arrow part 1

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

There Never Was An Arrow part 2

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

There Never Was An Arrow part 3

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

There Never Was An Arrow part 4

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

There Never Was An Arrow part 5

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

There Never Was An Arrow part 6

This documentary was aired in 1979, 20 years after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow jet intercepter. I was doing a college paper on the plane around this time & moreso than all the articles, books, etc at the time - this film had the most profound effect on me as to what might have been if Arrow 206 had flown & the jet went into squadron service with the Canadian Air Force. Cancellation of the project killed the company, which had created 692 of the CF-100 subsonic jet fighters, the first commercial jetliner in North America & the Avrocar "flying saucer". They had ambitious plans for a Toronto monorail system among other ideas. When the doors closed, many engineers went to the US & some helped NASA with the Mercury, Gemini, & Appolo programs. Thirty years later, the interviews here with people who are now gone is priceless.

RCAF clips from 1942 movie Captains of the Clouds

Hollywood came north to Canada in 1941 (prior to America's entry in the war) to shoot a war movie about the Royal Canadian Air Force in technicolor. The plot of the movie was about a group of bush pilots who decide to join the RCAF as pilots. The film had some great historic scenes at places like RCAF stations Uplands, Trenton, and Jarvis as well as what looks like the CNE grounds in Toronto. The film, Captains of the Clouds, starred James Cagney, Alan Hale, and George Tobias (Abner Kravitz on TV's Bewitched. The film is a tribute to the men of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan pilots and had a wing ceremony conducted by Air Marshall Billy Bishop (The WW1 Ace). I first saw this film many years ago on Elwy Yost's Saturday Night at the Movies on TV Ontario, with interviews & background info. I'm pleased that it is available on DVD, if you'd also like to see the entire movie. "Per Ardu Ad Astra".

CF-100 at North Bay, late 1970's

This segment shows a CF-100 Canadian jet fighter in flight, from the late 1970's at CFB North Bay. It is from a TV series of the period called "In Search Of". Narrated by Star Trek's "Mr Spock" - Leonard Nimoy. The episode dealt with disappearances of ships & aircraft accounted for in a book titled The Great Lakes Triangle. Great to see the last Canucks fly, as I was there in North Bay around the time this was filmed.