Flight Manifest believed to be from the next-to-last Revenue Flight - 24 Jul 1965
from Alain
St-PierreThis Gen Dec was provided to me by Alain St-Pierre, who also provided much of the following information. It is from the next-to-last revenue flight performed by CF-TGE (CF-RNR at the time.) The airplane had arrived in Amsterdam as Flight 177, from Toronto, with stops at Gander and London-Gatwick. The date was on or about 24 July 1965. The Captain was Don McIntyre, who later flew with Nordair. Of the 104 passengers, 52 got off in London, and the rest in Amsterdam.
The airplane returned to Toronto, again under the command of Capt. McIntyre on 26/27 July, landing in YYZ on three engines. Maintenance checks revealed the failed engine had suffered a catastrophic failure. The next day, 28 Jul 1965, McIntyre ferried the airplane back to Montreal-Dorval on 3 engines for an engine change. World Wide mechanics had to remove the tip tanks so the airplane would fit in the hangar for the engine change. This was likely the airplane's last flight.
This event, coupled with numerous previous problems World Wide was experiencing with their North Atlantic charter flights, likely led directly to the MOT pulling their Air Carrier Certificate on 15 Aug 1965 (12 August is also reported as the date.) Note the J. McVicar who signed the Manifest was the same J. McVicar who signed the CF-RNR Application for Airworthiness Certificate. J. McVicar was James Thomas (Jimmy) McVicar, the eldest son of .Donald McVicar - the owner of World Wide Airways. He was an RCAF navigator and his dad convinced him to quit the Air Force and become WWA's station manager in Toronto.
Alain came upon this document while he was helping Bertrand Camirand clean the inside of the aircraft, after Camirand had acquired it from. Mr. Ferrand in the summer of 1987. Mr. St-Pierre is obviously a pack rat of my own inclinations, and for whatever reason, held on to this piece of paper for the next 21 years, until he sent it to me on 28 Aug 2008. A blessing upon all those who save, for their efforts shall some day be rewarded!
According to Bertrand Camirand's 1987 article in Propliner Magazine, CF-RNR was grounded at Dorval at the time of World Wide's demise, undergoing structural repairs for a cracked wing spar. This is not a confirmed fact at this time. The loss of serviceability from this aircraft, one of a three aircraft fleet, at the height of the summer charter season, was perhaps the nail in World Wide's coffin.
Donald McVicar, owner of World Wide, wrote several books on his aviation experiences. One, Through Cuba to Oblivion, describes some of the above events. World Wide had three Super Connies. CF-PXX was nick-named Pixie. CF-WWH had no name, but had the latest model EA engines and apparently was the most reliable of the three. CF-RNR was nick-named Rock'n'Roll. McVicar wrote " I thought bitterly that this one aircraft which Rankin had said had been a bit of a 'hangar queen' at TCA, had done her best to Rock'n'Roll us right out of business."
That TGE was "a bit of a hangar queen with TCA" can be confirmed by the following picture.
Capt. Tom ThususkaThis picture was almost surely taken at TCA's Dorval Base, prior to TCA's sale of the aircraft. That would mean the date was prior to October 1963 - perhaps, from the snow piles, early Spring of 1963. The props are gone, the Number 1 engine is gone, the rudders all appear gone - even the outboard main wheels are gone. The airplane looked like it would never fly again - but it did!