On Saturday 22 March 2014, a new era dawned for warbird operators across the planet when a delicate, lime green Second World War Fleet Finch took to the air in minus 22 degree temperature. Her pilot, George Arborpremo, eased the throttle forward as her tail came up and she clattered down the runway with the sound she always had… not unlike a 1938 Massey Harris tractor. She lifted from the dry runway, climbed up over the snowbanks of the Gatineau–Ottawa Executive Airport, over the bare winter tree line and into the bluest of winter skies. Behind her, in the cold crisp winter air, trailed a pale and delicate plume of whitish blue exhaust that was pushed by the northwest wind gently back towards a cluster of worried Vintage Wings volunteers standing on top of the snowbanks. As the Finch climbed easily to the west, the air around us smelled vaguely of the heavenly scent of french fried potatoes and onion rings. The excited group, Vintage Wings’ Team Future Fuel, hugged each other and slapped high fives to mark a new milestone in green aviation—the world’s first eco-friendly warbird.
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Source / Author: Vintage Wings of Canada
Photo: Vintage Wings of Canada