Hey guys, what do you think of this great-historic shot?? What an amazing moment!
We've all heard of Billy Bishop - WWI ace and VC holder but what about William Barker? Wikipedia says the following about Barker and Barker Field in the present day Yorkdale Mall area...
Opened in 1927, it was a civilian and privately owned airfield for the early era of flying in Canada and was named after William George Barker, a First World War fighter ace and Victoria Cross recipient. It remained in use until 1953. The area (northwest corner of Lawrence Avenue West and Dufferin Street) has since been re-developed as a commercial site (auto dealership, gas station and other businesses).
The airfield used a rudimentary grass or dirt surface for aircraft to take off and land. In the late 1930'2 and through World War II barkers field was owned and operated by Cyril (Red) L Murray. He ran Murray Aeronautical Corp Limited from Barkers Field until he sold it in the late 1940s. From 1950 to 1954 it was home to Aero Activities Limited, a flying school operated by Marion Alice Orr.[1]
After Orr sold Barker Field, the property eventually ceased to be an airfield and developed into the current land use for commercial, warehouse and light industrial use in what is now Amesbury.
There are many interesting photos of Barker Field at:
https://www.google.com/search?q=barker+airfield,+Toronto,+ON&client=safari&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CYSiwhECKKw7IjjjkwDpvNBbYpYCzUxAbYD01T6aJEVTkz_1YHBHCNpafnqsejUeHAH_1-Zy_1Rk8FiaXFg0-EaS_1d_1jioSCeOTAOm80FtiEd-uOD17f1jZKhIJlgLNTEBtgPQRY4KT2fSVh_10qEgnVPpokRVOTPxETflsXy6jaAioSCdgcEcI2lp-eESfd9aw3wTvEKhIJqx6NR4cAf_14RfoJQ9YF3gSAqEglnL9GTwWJpcRHfrjg9e39Y2SoSCWDT4RpL93-OEeooto_1lvPT0&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjag8uD3e_dAhVFxoMKHeJkD2IQ9C96BAgBEBg&biw=1822&bih=1305&dpr=2#imgrc=GFeoBM2Y-MWEDM:
Wow!
Roger, what a great photograph!
Thanks for sharing.
Glenn
That's very interesting. I work (where I'm sitting right now) very near the west end of the East/West Baker Airfield runway. I'm at the end of Leswyn road ;D
Thanks for sharing.
Robert
Robert,
It must be 'special' to be sitting at the end of that ghost runway? I'm guessing that as westerly winds are most common, that the photo was taken right where you are now sitting? If you listen hard, I bet you can still hear the phantom roar of Merlins passing overhead on approach or take off?
Interesting to note - the car in that vintage photo, probably had a 'safe' top speed of 65-70 mph? The machine passing in front of it was capable of 400mph. It was the fastest machine on the planet at the time. Puts things in perspective and demonstrates how aviation has progressed in its short history?
Attached are a few more historic images of Mosquito production at Downsview. From what I have read, the eventual payload of the Mossie was an unbelievable 22,000 lbs, the same as the Lancaster! To put that in perspective, I've read that the B17 payload was about 7-8,000lbs!?
Oops - forgot the other two pix...
An addendum to my earlier posting of the Mosquito and car photo...
Three observations:
1) The aircraft is very low and in a horizontal pose about to cross the road
2) The flaps are down
3) It appears to be at the same height as the telephone wires that would be strung on the poles in the background
4) The photo is titled 'Lawrence Ave., west of Durrein'
5) It doesn't appear to be 'rush hour' on Lawrence ave at that time?
Conclusions:
1) & 2) Suggests that the Mosquito is landing, not taking off, otherwise it should be higher and climbing. So the runway is to the left of the road. If my earlier notion holds true, that majority of winds are/were westerly, then this is the northern end of Barker Field runway 18 (?) or similar.
3) Telephone wires must go underground at that point, in order not to create a hazard to low flying aircraft?
4) If we are looking west, then the Mosquito is heading south?
5) Who cares? Just an observation and wishful thinking considering that road today. That is what it was once like - and ne're again shall be :-)