Country of origin:

Canada

Description:

General purpose utility transport

Power Plant:

One 448 kw (600 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1340-S3H-1 Wasp nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

History:

The Norseman was developed by Noorduyn Aviation Ltd Ltd, this company being founded by Robert Bernard Cornelius Noorduyn in 1938 after his former company, Noorduyn Aircraft Ltd, was re-organised. A rugged all-purpose transport for use by operators in the Canadian wilderness, the prototype (CF-AYO – c/n 01) was flown for the first time on 14 November 1935 at Cartierville powered by a 313 kw (420 hp) Wright R-975-E2 Whirlwind engine. Later it was fitted with floats at Point Aux Trembles and flew from the St Lawrence River, Canada.

The type entered production as the Norseman II, the first example of this model (CF-AZA) being flown at Cartierville on 2 May 1936 and was similar to the Norseman I but had a higher gross weight and rectangular cabin windows. However, it was found more power was required and the Norseman III was produced with a 336 kw (450 hp) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SC engine. The Norseman IV first flew on 5 November 1936 with a 410 kw (550 hp) S3H1 Wasp engine. Subsequently the type was developed and produced in substantial numbers, with a total of 749 being supplied to the USAAF under the designation C-64. Of these three were transferred to the US Navy as the JA-1; 20 to the RCAF; two to Britain; and 14 to the RAAF in 1943.

During the war, in addition to producing the Norseman, Noorduyn produced some 2,800 Harvards. Following the entry into the war of the United States the USAAF had a requirement for a light transport and the C-64A variant was produced, this model having fuel capacity increased to 914 litres (201 Imp gals) and becoming known as the Norseman VI. In US military service it was operated in all theatres of operation on general transport work and many were fitted with skis and floats. Following the conclusion of the war the Canadian Car & Foundry of Montreal obtained rights to the design and production continued up until 1959.

The wing was built of solid spruce spars with walnut packing pieces under the fittings, with spruce ribs, duralumin covered leading edges and trailing edges, and the rest of the wing was fabric covered. The fuselage and tail unit were constructed of welded chrome molybdenum steel-tube framework and were covered with fabric. It was the first aircraft developed in Canada with wing flaps and an insulated cabin. Accommodation was provided for a crew of two and up to ten passengers, and loads of up to 907 kg (2,000 lb) were sometimes carried in the Canadian bush, where it excelled operating into outback strips.

The Norseman was operated by the RAAF (serials A71-1 to A71-14). They were all UC-64As and saw service in the communications role with No 1 [Laverton], No 3 [Mascot], No 4 [Archerfield], No 5 [Garbutt] and No 7 [Pearce] Communications Units. Of these a couple were lost during operations, these being: A71-1 (c/n 179 – ex 43-5188) which crashed en-route from Horn Island to Merauke on 20 August 1944; A71-4 (c/n 182 – ex 43-5191) which crashed near Iron Range in Queensland on 13 February 1946; and A71-2 (c/n 180 – ex 43-5189) which was converted to components in 1946.

After the war the RAAF survivors were sold to civil operators, particularly Kingsford Smith Aviation Service. Companies which obtained examples included Silver City Airways (Australia) Pty Ltd at Broken Hill, NSW; Pay & Williamson of Narromine and Scone, NSW; Skyservice Aviation Pty Ltd of Camden, NSW; and Carsair Air Service of Port Moresby, NG. They were then on-sold, mainly to the largest operator of the type, Gibbes Sepik Airways, formed in December 1947 at Wewak in New Guinea by ex-RAAF fighter pilot, Robert ”Bobby” Gibbes.

These included VH-BNT (ex A71-3, 43-5190 – c/n 181); VH-ASN/-GSE (ex A71-5, 43-5258 – c/n 249); VH-GSA (ex A71-6, 43-5259 – c/n 250); VH-ASR (ex A71-7, 43-5260 – c/n 251); VH-BLM/-GSC (ex A71-8, 43-5261 – c/n 252); VH-BHG/-GSB/-RHG/-GSG (ex A71-9, 43-5268 – c/n 269); VH-BNL (ex A71-10, 43-5279 – c/n 270); VH-BNE/-GSD (ex A71-13, 43-5280 – c/n 271); VH-BHF (ex A71-14, 43-5281 – c/n 272); VH-ASS (ex A71-11, 43-5282 – c/n 273); and VH-BNL²/-GSF (ex A71-12, 43-5278 – c/n 274).

Due to the difficulties of operating in the mountains of New Guinea a few were lost in accidents and eventually the survivors were sold in Australia where a couple continued in service in the agricultural role and for dropping parachutists. VH-GSG and VH-ASS were sold in Canada in 1973, the former becoming C-FISM with Igace Airways in Canada, crashing at Witchai Lake on 16 June 1978. VH-GSF in 1969 was modified by Skyservice for fire-bombing trials at Camden. Later it was modified for parachute dropping and crashed into the sea off Sydney on 18 January 1970.

VH-GSE crashed at Armidale, NSW on 26 September 1966. VH-BNL (c/n 270) crashed at Goroka, PNG on 11 July 1950 and a Canadian airframe (c/n 274 – ex RCAF 365, 43-5283) was imported in November 1957 to rebuild it using parts from c/n 270, the rebuilt aircraft becoming VH-BNL², later VH-GSF. Other operators included Silver City Airways at Broken Hill (VH-BHF and VH-BHG); and Bourke Airways (VH-BLM).

One problem which plagued the type was a spate of engine failures with the R-1340-AN-1 engines in New Guinea, Gibbes Sepik replacing the engines with R-1340-S1H1-G Wasp engines with three-bladed propellers, the engines coming from ex-RAAF CAC Wirraways, the extra 90 kg (198 lb) weight of this engine being compensated for by a weight reduction programme. After retirement from service in New Guinea the three survivors were obtained by Pay & Williamson of Narromine and Scone, converted for the crop-dusting role (as VH-GSE, VH-GSF, VH-GSG), having a maximum hopper load of 990 kg (2,180 lb).

The remains of one (VH-BHF) survive. On 17 September 1952 this aircraft caught fire whilst refuelling and was badly damaged on Mainoru station, 555 km (345 miles) south east of Darwin, NT. It has remained derelict on the property since, the engine having been removed and placed on display at the Darwin Aviation Museum.