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Canadian Fleet Aircraft
There's some online confusion over Fleet aircraft designations - most through the confluence of the quite separate Fleet and Consolidated type number systems. But the designations applied to Canadian-made Fleet airframes also varied from US designations. I'll focus on the former (and leave sorting out the latter to an American forum member).
As Fleet Aircraft Inc. and the Fleet Aircraft Division of Consolidated, a simple numerical Model number sequence was developed. Canadian Fleet designation numbers shifted with changes to the corporate structure and ownership. There are other differences but I'll deal address the corporate identity stuff first.
Fleet's name and affliations changes several times and its corporate identity becomes ever more convoluted (a summary of corporate name-changes will follow). The last entity to produce an entire airframe was Fleet Manufacturing & Aircraft Ltd. which produced its last Fleet Model 80 Canuck in 1947.
Several attempts were made by Fleet to restart aircraft production.
In 1954, Doman-Fleet Helicopters Inc. was formed to promote and build the Doman LZ-5 at Fort Erie and market that helicopter throughout the Commonwealth. The third prototype LZ-5 was registered as CF-IBG-X and displayed in 'Doman-Fleet' livery. Current-day Fleet claims that CF-IBG-X was assembled in Canada from US components. In fact, CF-IBG-X was almost certainly the third, US-built prototype LZ-5. Perhaps Fleet simply reassembled that prototype on its arrival at Fort Erie? With its hingeless rotor, the LZ-5 probably deserved better a better fate but no production helicopter resulted from this joint venture. Nor did the LZ-5 ever receive a Fleet designation.
https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1956/1956%20-%201549.PDF
At the same time as the LZ-5, Fleet entered into an agreement with Helio Aircraft over the H-391B Courier STOL aircraft. Fleet was to provide components to Helio in the US while building the Courier at Fort Erie for the Commonwealth market. There is debate over whether Fleet ever actually produced Helio parts or that they only assembled a single airframe from US-supplied components. The generally accepted story is that Fleet provided Helio with components for three airframes and part-sets for two more. The sole H-391B assembled in Canada -- from imported or locally-made parts depending upon source -- was CF-IBF (c/n 004) which flew in Feb 1955. No Fleet designation was ever applied to the H-391B.
http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/409L.jpg
In 1960, Fleet Manufacturing, Ltd. arranged a deal with US-based Bay Aviation [1] to build the 'Super V' - a twin-engined conversion of the Beech Bonanza. In late 1962, Fleet bought the Super V program outright and formed Pine Air Ltd. This subsidiary was to complete Super V conversions on Fort Erie factory floor space leased from Fleet Manufacturing using Fleet-built components. However, only four Pine Air Super V conversions were completed. [1] Once again, no Fleet designation was ever applied.
Pine Air was also to produce 'new-build' Super Vs. Pre-production planning for Fort Erie-built Super Vs was begun but, it was realized that, a production run of 50 aircraft would be needed to be profitable. With US competition growing, it was decided to end the Super V program. The last was delivered in Nov 1963 and, in early 1964, the entire Super V project was sold to US interests.
Thereafter, Fleet and its successors focused on making aircraft components. By 2003, business had dropped off to the point that the rebranded Magellan Aerospace was considering closing its Fort Erie plant. After three years of negotiations, that Fort Erie facility was bought by a local business developer (who was also a former Fleet employee) and 14 current employees.
Fleet Canada Ltd. continues with making aircraft components for other firms. Fleet Canada Ltd. had one unbuilt project for a complete airframe ... or, at least, an extensive conversion. This was to be the conversion of an existing MBB Bo 105 airframe into a compound helicopter and, ultimately, a UAV. The design, by Doug Challis of Challis Heliplane was to have an asymmetric wing, nose propeller, and tall skid undercarriage. Funding by a venture capitalist fell through and the project stalled.
_________________________________________
[1] Bay Aviation was a then-recent rebranding of Oakland, CA-based Oakland Airmotive.
[2] Technically, there were 5 x Pine Air Super Vs. However, one was a previous Oakland Airmotive conversion that was simply brought up to Pine Air Super V standards.
_________________________________________
There's some online confusion over Fleet aircraft designations - most through the confluence of the quite separate Fleet and Consolidated type number systems. But the designations applied to Canadian-made Fleet airframes also varied from US designations. I'll focus on the former (and leave sorting out the latter to an American forum member).
As Fleet Aircraft Inc. and the Fleet Aircraft Division of Consolidated, a simple numerical Model number sequence was developed. Canadian Fleet designation numbers shifted with changes to the corporate structure and ownership. There are other differences but I'll deal address the corporate identity stuff first.
Fleet's name and affliations changes several times and its corporate identity becomes ever more convoluted (a summary of corporate name-changes will follow). The last entity to produce an entire airframe was Fleet Manufacturing & Aircraft Ltd. which produced its last Fleet Model 80 Canuck in 1947.
Several attempts were made by Fleet to restart aircraft production.
In 1954, Doman-Fleet Helicopters Inc. was formed to promote and build the Doman LZ-5 at Fort Erie and market that helicopter throughout the Commonwealth. The third prototype LZ-5 was registered as CF-IBG-X and displayed in 'Doman-Fleet' livery. Current-day Fleet claims that CF-IBG-X was assembled in Canada from US components. In fact, CF-IBG-X was almost certainly the third, US-built prototype LZ-5. Perhaps Fleet simply reassembled that prototype on its arrival at Fort Erie? With its hingeless rotor, the LZ-5 probably deserved better a better fate but no production helicopter resulted from this joint venture. Nor did the LZ-5 ever receive a Fleet designation.
https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1956/1956%20-%201549.PDF
At the same time as the LZ-5, Fleet entered into an agreement with Helio Aircraft over the H-391B Courier STOL aircraft. Fleet was to provide components to Helio in the US while building the Courier at Fort Erie for the Commonwealth market. There is debate over whether Fleet ever actually produced Helio parts or that they only assembled a single airframe from US-supplied components. The generally accepted story is that Fleet provided Helio with components for three airframes and part-sets for two more. The sole H-391B assembled in Canada -- from imported or locally-made parts depending upon source -- was CF-IBF (c/n 004) which flew in Feb 1955. No Fleet designation was ever applied to the H-391B.
http://1000aircraftphotos.com/GeneralAv/409L.jpg
In 1960, Fleet Manufacturing, Ltd. arranged a deal with US-based Bay Aviation [1] to build the 'Super V' - a twin-engined conversion of the Beech Bonanza. In late 1962, Fleet bought the Super V program outright and formed Pine Air Ltd. This subsidiary was to complete Super V conversions on Fort Erie factory floor space leased from Fleet Manufacturing using Fleet-built components. However, only four Pine Air Super V conversions were completed. [1] Once again, no Fleet designation was ever applied.
Pine Air was also to produce 'new-build' Super Vs. Pre-production planning for Fort Erie-built Super Vs was begun but, it was realized that, a production run of 50 aircraft would be needed to be profitable. With US competition growing, it was decided to end the Super V program. The last was delivered in Nov 1963 and, in early 1964, the entire Super V project was sold to US interests.
Thereafter, Fleet and its successors focused on making aircraft components. By 2003, business had dropped off to the point that the rebranded Magellan Aerospace was considering closing its Fort Erie plant. After three years of negotiations, that Fort Erie facility was bought by a local business developer (who was also a former Fleet employee) and 14 current employees.
Fleet Canada Ltd. continues with making aircraft components for other firms. Fleet Canada Ltd. had one unbuilt project for a complete airframe ... or, at least, an extensive conversion. This was to be the conversion of an existing MBB Bo 105 airframe into a compound helicopter and, ultimately, a UAV. The design, by Doug Challis of Challis Heliplane was to have an asymmetric wing, nose propeller, and tall skid undercarriage. Funding by a venture capitalist fell through and the project stalled.
_________________________________________
[1] Bay Aviation was a then-recent rebranding of Oakland, CA-based Oakland Airmotive.
[2] Technically, there were 5 x Pine Air Super Vs. However, one was a previous Oakland Airmotive conversion that was simply brought up to Pine Air Super V standards.
_________________________________________
