YVR
.photo kindly donated by Richard Cook of Richmond, B.C. July 14, 2005
Foreground shows the curvature of Cowley Cres. And the "Rocket"

Middle ground shows the words "Vancouver International Airport" and just behind that wall are some TCA Aircraft, a Connie among them. On either side of the words are a partial of the "West Terminal Building" (now called the South Terminal Building) and the North Terminal building.

The control tower as it was in the late 50's early 60's

Back ground shows Okanagan helicopters hangar.


Retired Airport firefighter Dusty Brown said in a July 21, 2005 email, "Former co-worker, Al Sharp thinks that the hanger in the background is the old RCAF hanger but in my time was called the Harrison Airways hanger. At that time it was used by CPA."

Note the Sheet Metal Workers Union 280 Rocket that was installed at the airport 1938-1972.  A replica was established in a small park near the south entrance to the Cambie Street Bridge in 1986.

Who can tell the Sea Island Heritage Society what that small concrete or brick-looking building with the large windows behind the Rocket Platform is?  The picture on the history of the Airport, the one that shows the Rocket, there is a question of what the brick building behind the rocket was. I worked in that building in the very early 50s and at that time there was a huge diesel engine that turned a large generator that supplied electricity to the runway lighting on Runway 08/26 and kicked in automatically when there was a power failure. The building that was under the Rocket was similar in nature. It was a smaller gas engine and generator that powered the Met building and control tower that was on top of the Met building.
( Met being short for "meteorological" or weather building) They took the first 2 floors and Air Traffic Controllers and Tower crew took the top floor and roof. It also started automatically when the power went out. These engines were both test started and ran once a month. -GRANT THOMPSON
--Who has some stories or other photos of Vancouver Airport, some work stories about the airport; or some flying stories related to VIA.

">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
North Star engine start
Dusty Brown said in a July 21, 2005 email, "Al Sharp, retired D.O.T. emp. thinks that picture of the North Star had to be taken about 1949 to 1953. They had just received the Land Rover from a company in Vancouver, Logan Mayhew Ltd . The picture may have been taken by them to be used for publicity."

">
">
">
">
DC-3 from Victoria at VIA 1947.  Kindly provided by Bill (Dusty) Brown of Langley, B.C in 2003.  Photo believed submitted by Bart Wickert.
Sheet Metal Workers Union 280 Rocket at Sea Island, B.C.

Vancouver - Canada' Pacific Airport July 17, 1940 via Harvey Stewart, Logan Lake, BC Sept_05

">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
http://www.seaislandhome.org
">
">
">
">
circa 1947
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
circa 1947
Sea Island Heritage Society.
From the Jack Phillips Collection
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">