Restoration
FLEET 80 CANUCK CF-DQE
Fleet 80 Canuck CF-DQE at Pitt Meadows Airport
March 6, 2015
CF-DQE was one of four Fleet Canucks on which I learned fly at Pitt Meadows in 1981. In mid-2015, I found her tethered out in the elements at Pitt Meadows, and beginning to show signs of aging... she was 69 years-old after all. An offer was made and with, I’m sure, a heavy heart, Canuck devotee Bob Gilmour presented me with her logbooks.
DQE was one of 225 Fleet Model 80 Canucks manufactured, starting in 1946 in Fort Erie, Ontario, and one of six examples later owned by the Victoria Flying Club. She served with the Aero Club of BC from 1967 to 1969, then passed through a number of private owners until 1980 when she joined Bob's Meadows Aero flight school. I last flew DQE in June 2004 -- she completed her last flight on August 27, 2005, with 10,216.5 hours on the clock.
The Canuck is a high-wing, two-seat side-by-side tail-dragger with a fuselage of welded steel tubing, wood formers and fabric covering. The wings are of more modern aluminum construction but also fabric-covered with aluminum ailerons. It’s an extremely rugged aircraft with tubing that dwarfs that found on more powerful designs and with wings made to British 7g standards. She’s aesthetically pleasing with perfect proportions and a graceful inverse curve on the lower fuselage.
The Canuck is a wonderful trainer and a delight to fly. There are no flaps but full rudder with full opposite aileron produces a sideslip that allows perfect alignment with the runway in a strong crosswind combined with a stone-like sink rate when needed.
What follows are images of the restoration to date.
Please feel free to contact me via email if you would like to share anything related to the Fleet 80 Canuck and CF-DQE in particular.
Updated: April 21, 2024
CF-DQE with Victoria Flying Club sister-ships CF-DQA and CF-DQR at Patricia Bay airport in the 1960s. DQA is airworthy while DQE and DQR are under restoration.
CF-DQA over Victoria Harbour. She is fitted with the original scalloped cowling.
CF-DQE as I first flew her in 1981. The cowling was enlarged to accommodate a Cessna 150-style exhaust system.
Great nephew Taylor with DQE at Chilliwack, August 2002.
The deal is done. Long-time Canuck aficionado Bob Gilmour passes on 'Fleet' CF-DQE, September 2015.
Generous helping-hands prepare to load the fuselage.
In transit from Pitt Meadows to Cowichan Bay courtesy of BC Ferries.
First move to take over the carport.
It takes a couple of hours to remove the old fabric... and many, many more to replace it.
What remained of the forward plywood floor after removing the carpeting.
Disassembly underway as the carport workshop begins to enclose the airframe.
Dean Cramb, one of a number of supporters, helps remove the time-expired Continental C-85 engine.
Helping hand to remove the hundreds of fabric reinforcing tape screws.
Tired-looking port wing-tip position light - overhauled starboard specimen shown a few scrolls below.
Fuselage after sand-blasting.
Back in the workshop after sand-blasting and application of two-part primer.
Two-part 'Gunmetal' finish and woodwork in place.
Lower fuselage woodwork.
Aileron cable pulleys installed.
Control surface push-pulls, bellcranks and cables installed.
Restored upper cockpit with overhead elevator trim lever.
Baltic ply flooring in place.
As-found instrument panel.
New instrument panel with drop-down sub-panels.
Panel test install.
Panel pre-wiring and labelling.
The doors were in rough shape after 76 years and have proved to be the the biggest sub-projects.
After disassembly, the remaining frame -- top, forward and aft edges -- was married to other components.
Preparing to attach the skin to the original frame.
Test-fitting the port door with a side panel.
Horizontal stabilizer/elevator combination covered.
Fin and rudder after hand-applying Poly-Brush and taping.
Forming and test-fitting a belly panel.
Cardboard template for interior decking.
Interior decking in place.
Starboard wing ready for covering.
Laying up the upper surface fabric.
Upper surface tip fabric cemented and ready for trimming.
Fabric tightened, taped and ready for spraying with Poly-Brush.
Overhauled starboard position light installed.
Poly-Spray UV protection coats applied.
Poly-Tone 'J3 OEM Yellow' finish coats complete. The yellow required a white base coat to bring out its brightness.
First sizeable application of flattened AeroThane 'Bahama Blue', to the side panels ahead of the cockpit doors.
Selection of re-painted port wing fittings including pitot-static head (left) and aileron bellcrank bracket (right).
Pitot-static line penetrations in the lower surface of the port wing.
Some of the one hundred and ninety-nine fabric-retaining rivets on the upper surface of the port wing.
Big day as the registration is applied to the underside of the port wing.
Ta-da! Canadian regulations allow aircraft manufactured prior to January 1, 1957, to carry the period nationality mark 'CF'. CF-DQE first flew on August 1, 1946.
Finishing up the starboard elevator, including addition of seaplane drainage grommets along the underside of the trailing edge. Cutout is for the elevator trim tab.
Mapping out the registration on the fin and rudder after applying three cross-coats of Poly-Spray UV protection.
Tail feathers with Poly-Spray and 'J3 OEM Yellow' complete, L-R: elevators, rudder, fin and horizontal stabilizers.
Laying out the tail registration and fleet identification letter.
Completed fin and rudder.
Doors undergoing test fitting.
Original upholstery re-installed for measurement checking.
More of the same.
Cardboard template for starboard wing root cabin liner.
Test-fitting of tailwheel spring retaining hardware.
Test-fitting cabin liner sheet-metal backing sheets.
Finished starboard lower cabin liners with seat bracket cutout at image centre.
Laying up the fuselage belly fabric.
Fuselage fabric after tightening.
First brushed coat of Poly-Brush complete.
Taping underway.
Interior view with taping almost complete.
Then, two sprayed coats of Poly-Brush... followed by...
... three cross-coats of Poly-Spray U/V blocker... then...
...one base coat of white plus two coats of J3 OEM Yellow...
... masked for the final Bahama Blue colour...
... and the masking tape removed to reveal...
... the finished scheme! Bob Gilmour adapted the original Fleet scheme to accentuate the graceful fuselage lines.
More helpful hands assist with transfer to the Nanaimo Airport.
Wings transported in specially-made stands.
And finally... safely in its new home.
Restored bench seat.
Main undercarriage legs after painting.
Temporary belly panel installation prior to running brake lines.
Undercarriage legs covered and sprayed with Poly-Brush.
Three cross-cut coats of Poly-Spray completed.
Rear face of finished main gear with leather brake line exit fairings and brake unit installed.
Port main undercarriage bungees installed.
Port main undercarriage in place.
Back on her wheels - May 7, 2023.
Firewall test-fitting, back...
... and front.
Fuel tank installed.
Instrument panel and inner decking test-fitting ...
... with outer decking and some firewall fittings.
Port-side Perspex windshield during initial fitting...
...and both panels after final trimming.
Instrument panel assembly after spraying matte black...
... and with addition of labeling transfers. Engine controls sub panel at centre.
Firewall penetrations nearing completion with engine mount and various fittings in place.
Lower cowls in place for final adjustment prior to finish painting.
Underside of rear deck with interior of attached instrument panel (top left).
Instrument and engine control panels installed. Removable panels provide easy access to systems and wiring.
Ken Vike's jewel of a Continental C85-12J restoration ready for installation.
Engine in place with rear baffle.
Test-fitting of nose bowl and engine cowling blanks.
Side cowling in position with nose bowl centering jig.
All cowlings in position with latches nearing completion.
Cold-forming skylight leading edges with the help of a warm therapeutic bag.
Perfect winter project: Forming a side window cap strip.
Finished product, ready for etching, alodining and painting.
Nose bowl openings completed.
Engine underside view - carburetor, heat box and exhausts to be added.
Roughing in rear and side engine baffles.
Same for the front baffles.
Adding rear baffle bracket.
Reinforcing frame for carburetor air intake opening.
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