What was the North West Staging Route and...

Thomas Hinderks · 27-08-2012, 03:07 PM

Sometimes it is forgotten or assumed that everyone has some knowledge of history, I wanted to be sure to not make that mistake so thought it important to give a relevant explanation of why the anniversary of the North West Staging Route is important to Edmonton.

What was the North West Staging Route and how did it effect Edmonton?

(Part One of a short summary)

The North West Staging Route grew from the bush pilots' survey flights and route maps created in the 1930s as air travel and cargo boomed from Edmonton into the North of Alberta, British Columbia and into the Yukon. These routes pioneered by famous Edmontonians like Brintnell, Dickens, May, McMillian and McConachie built the air travel and transport business that made Edmonton “Gateway to the North”.

In 1939/40 Grant McConachie seeing the war looming lobbied for and built a series of airports and radio aids that became the North West Staging Route in 1941 and supported the building of the Alaska Highway and the Canol pipeline. In September of 1942 the NWSR route took on a new and more vital military role, sending aircraft and supplies to Alaska for the “Aleutian Campaign” against the Japanese Imperial Army and sending American built aircraft to Russia against the Nazi forces attacking the Russians.

The world was aflame…the war in Europe had yet to turn and the Russians were pulling back with massive losses on the Eastern front, their industry in disarray as it moved behind the Ural mountains. The Russians needed combat aircraft to hold back the Nazi enemy, but their factories were either destroyed or moving.

The war in the Pacific was still dominated by the Japanese and their navy so shipping by sea was not possible…but with the North West Staging Route they could fly from Edmonton to Alaska and into Russia through Siberia, which was still safe, and into combat.

Edmonton played a key role as the headquarters of the North West Staging Route and Edmonton’s North West Industries was needed to convert the aircraft for cold weather use as well as maintenance and repair.

In addition to the two RCAF training bases on the field and other Canadian operations a major United States Army Air Force base was quickly added and as aircraft from the United states began to pass through.

Edmonton became the busiest airport in the world.

Depending on source between 6500 and 8000 aircraft transferred through Edmonton on the way to the Soviet Union and combat. This was in addition to the training schools operations, RCAF operations, USAAF and RCAF aircraft heading to Alaska and the Aleutians campaign as well as the civilian air cargo and transport operations supporting the Alaska Highway and other projects.

Photograph from Alberta Aviation Museum Photo Library

Thomas Hinderks · 28-08-2012, 07:41 AM

(Part Two of a short summary)

Changing the culture…women in industry.

With many of the men having been recruited for military duty in Canada and overseas and the burgeoning pressures of the aircraft industry, the RCAF flight Schools and many other areas the demand for personnel far exceeded the people available.

Edmonton relied on women in the work force to meet the high technology demands of supporting the aircraft of the North West Staging Route and the RCAF and BCATP training schools.

North West Industries on what is now the Edmonton City Centre Airport modified and serviced aircraft on the way to Russia on the North West Staging Route as well as aircraft of the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). This involved everything from refuelling and servicing to modifying the aircraft for cold weather use and heavy repairs.

Edmonton City Centre Airport was also home to two extremely busy BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) training schools, #16 EFTS and #2AOS that carried on their own servicing and repairs to keep the program on schedule.

The demand for people to fill the trades needed led to (depending on source) 40% of the service and repair personnel being women. This at a time when women in the work force was almost unknown.

Edmonton’s women became a huge part of making everything work on this the busiest airport in the world. NWI had women performing heavy airframe repairs, engine work, machining welding and other high tech duties. The schools needed women to refuel, service, repair and yes even fly (using women from the Air Transport Auxiliary).

We often become engrossed in the romance of the pilots and their aerial adventures, but that would not have happened if it had not been for the support personnel, many of them women, of Edmonton and Canada that provided the maintenance, support and service that kept them in the air.

Today women hold aerospace positions at all levels, in part because of what started here in Edmonton.

All photographs from the Alberta Aviation Museum photo library

edTel · 28-08-2012, 08:31 AM

I seem to recall the North West Staging Route playing a later part in the shipping of supplies up north for the building of the DEW Line in th 1950's? That was before my time but I did work on the North Warning System which replaced the DEW Line in the late 80's. The builidings were still original to the 50's and remain to this day on sites that have not been replaced by unmanned automated stations.

Thomas Hinderks · 29-08-2012, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edTel

I seem to recall the North West Staging Route playing a later part in the shipping of supplies up north for the building of the DEW Line in th 1950's? That was before my time but I did work on the North Warning System which replaced the DEW Line in the late 80's. The builidings were still original to the 50's and remain to this day on sites that have not been replaced by unmanned automated stations.

You recall correctly.

But the name passed from use quite quickly after the Second World War.

The route continues in us today servicing the communities along the way to Whitehorse and into Alaska.

As a major transport route though the advent of long range Turbo Props and Jets has pretty much by passed the hop to hop use of the route.

Not too many P-39s making their way to Fairbanks anymore.

Thomas Hinderks · 29-08-2012, 06:28 AM

How did the North West Staging Route affect Edmonton after the war?

(Part 4 of a quick summary)

Where many cities and regions slowed down after the Second World War, Edmonton did not. The air routes and cargo operations established to support the NWSR and the Alaska Highway continued and even expanded to serve more communities.

By the time of the late 40s/early 50s Grant McConachie’s efforts to make Edmonton the

“Crossroads of the World” had begun to take effect and flights to the Orient and Europe were making Edmonton their refuelling stop on the great circle route to their destinations.

By the time of the mid to late 1950s the establishment of the Distant Early Warning Radar lines fuelled the Edmonton’s air cargo and supply machine to reach even higher levels and reaching even more communities across all of the North.

This helped drive the expansion of airlines like Pacific Western and the creation or Ward Air and other Northern operators.

North West Industries reputation established Internationally during WW2 drew clients from around the world and their business increased rather than dropped after the War. With the conversion of surplus military aircraft to commercial use, the continuing overhaul and heavy repair for the Armed Forces business boomed.

By the 1950s and 1960s NWI was overhauling aircraft for NATO countries, the RCAF, commercial operators and had returned to building aircraft (the North West Ranger was produced in Edmonton as well as a series of Bellanca Bush Planes both pre and post War). NWI employed thousands and it’s legacy continued as CAE, SPAR Aerospace and finally L-3.

Many of the effects are seen today with the growth of the resource industry being heavily reliant on air transportation and Edmonton continuing as a hub of passenger service.

All of this effects allowed Edmonton to continue to boom and grow post war and with the resource rush started by Leduc #1 and carrying forward gave Edmonton a powerful economy that carried forward for many decades.

24karat · 29-08-2012, 11:15 AM

Thomas, with your knowledge and writing ability, coupled with your access to a vast photo collection, have you thought about writing and publishing a book on Edmonton's aviation history? If not, you should.

Thomas Hinderks · 29-08-2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24karat

Thomas, with your knowledge and writing ability, coupled with your access to a vast photo collection, have you thought about writing and publishing a book on Edmonton's aviation history? If not, you should.

Thanks 24karat

But I just don't have the time...at least for now.

That said...I am a published author on the conversion of automotive based engines for aircraft use and a couple of short stories.

But the next one will have to wait till I have time.

Thanks again

29-08-2012, 11:15 AM	#6
24karat Addicted to C2E Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Edmonton - Blue Quill	Thomas, with your knowledge and writing ability, coupled with your access to a vast photo collection, have you thought about writing and publishing a book on Edmonton's aviation history? If not, you should. __________________ Fly Edmonton first. Support YEG

27-08-2012, 03:07 PM	#1
Thomas Hinderks Flying Encyclopedia Join Date: May 2008	What was the North West Staging Route and... Sometimes it is forgotten or assumed that everyone has some knowledge of history, I wanted to be sure to not make that mistake so thought it important to give a relevant explanation of why the anniversary of the North West Staging Route is important to Edmonton. What was the North West Staging Route and how did it effect Edmonton? (Part One of a short summary) The North West Staging Route grew from the bush pilots' survey flights and route maps created in the 1930s as air travel and cargo boomed from Edmonton into the North of Alberta, British Columbia and into the Yukon. These routes pioneered by famous Edmontonians like Brintnell, Dickens, May, McMillian and McConachie built the air travel and transport business that made Edmonton “Gateway to the North”. In 1939/40 Grant McConachie seeing the war looming lobbied for and built a series of airports and radio aids that became the North West Staging Route in 1941 and supported the building of the Alaska Highway and the Canol pipeline. In September of 1942 the NWSR route took on a new and more vital military role, sending aircraft and supplies to Alaska for the “Aleutian Campaign” against the Japanese Imperial Army and sending American built aircraft to Russia against the Nazi forces attacking the Russians. The world was aflame…the war in Europe had yet to turn and the Russians were pulling back with massive losses on the Eastern front, their industry in disarray as it moved behind the Ural mountains. The Russians needed combat aircraft to hold back the Nazi enemy, but their factories were either destroyed or moving. The war in the Pacific was still dominated by the Japanese and their navy so shipping by sea was not possible…but with the North West Staging Route they could fly from Edmonton to Alaska and into Russia through Siberia, which was still safe, and into combat. Edmonton played a key role as the headquarters of the North West Staging Route and Edmonton’s North West Industries was needed to convert the aircraft for cold weather use as well as maintenance and repair. In addition to the two RCAF training bases on the field and other Canadian operations a major United States Army Air Force base was quickly added and as aircraft from the United states began to pass through. Edmonton became the busiest airport in the world. Depending on source between 6500 and 8000 aircraft transferred through Edmonton on the way to the Soviet Union and combat. This was in addition to the training schools operations, RCAF operations, USAAF and RCAF aircraft heading to Alaska and the Aleutians campaign as well as the civilian air cargo and transport operations supporting the Alaska Highway and other projects. Photograph from Alberta Aviation Museum Photo Library

28-08-2012, 07:41 AM	#2
Thomas Hinderks Flying Encyclopedia Join Date: May 2008	(Part Two of a short summary) Changing the culture…women in industry. With many of the men having been recruited for military duty in Canada and overseas and the burgeoning pressures of the aircraft industry, the RCAF flight Schools and many other areas the demand for personnel far exceeded the people available. Edmonton relied on women in the work force to meet the high technology demands of supporting the aircraft of the North West Staging Route and the RCAF and BCATP training schools. North West Industries on what is now the Edmonton City Centre Airport modified and serviced aircraft on the way to Russia on the North West Staging Route as well as aircraft of the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). This involved everything from refuelling and servicing to modifying the aircraft for cold weather use and heavy repairs. Edmonton City Centre Airport was also home to two extremely busy BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan) training schools, #16 EFTS and #2AOS that carried on their own servicing and repairs to keep the program on schedule. The demand for people to fill the trades needed led to (depending on source) 40% of the service and repair personnel being women. This at a time when women in the work force was almost unknown. Edmonton’s women became a huge part of making everything work on this the busiest airport in the world. NWI had women performing heavy airframe repairs, engine work, machining welding and other high tech duties. The schools needed women to refuel, service, repair and yes even fly (using women from the Air Transport Auxiliary). We often become engrossed in the romance of the pilots and their aerial adventures, but that would not have happened if it had not been for the support personnel, many of them women, of Edmonton and Canada that provided the maintenance, support and service that kept them in the air. Today women hold aerospace positions at all levels, in part because of what started here in Edmonton. All photographs from the Alberta Aviation Museum photo library Last edited by Thomas Hinderks; 28-08-2012 at 07:43 AM..

28-08-2012, 08:31 AM	#3
edTel First One is Always Free Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta	I seem to recall the North West Staging Route playing a later part in the shipping of supplies up north for the building of the DEW Line in th 1950's? That was before my time but I did work on the North Warning System which replaced the DEW Line in the late 80's. The builidings were still original to the 50's and remain to this day on sites that have not been replaced by unmanned automated stations.

29-08-2012, 06:28 AM	#5
Thomas Hinderks Flying Encyclopedia Join Date: May 2008	How did the North West Staging Route affect Edmonton after the war? (Part 4 of a quick summary) Where many cities and regions slowed down after the Second World War, Edmonton did not. The air routes and cargo operations established to support the NWSR and the Alaska Highway continued and even expanded to serve more communities. By the time of the late 40s/early 50s Grant McConachie’s efforts to make Edmonton the “Crossroads of the World” had begun to take effect and flights to the Orient and Europe were making Edmonton their refuelling stop on the great circle route to their destinations. By the time of the mid to late 1950s the establishment of the Distant Early Warning Radar lines fuelled the Edmonton’s air cargo and supply machine to reach even higher levels and reaching even more communities across all of the North. This helped drive the expansion of airlines like Pacific Western and the creation or Ward Air and other Northern operators. North West Industries reputation established Internationally during WW2 drew clients from around the world and their business increased rather than dropped after the War. With the conversion of surplus military aircraft to commercial use, the continuing overhaul and heavy repair for the Armed Forces business boomed. By the 1950s and 1960s NWI was overhauling aircraft for NATO countries, the RCAF, commercial operators and had returned to building aircraft (the North West Ranger was produced in Edmonton as well as a series of Bellanca Bush Planes both pre and post War). NWI employed thousands and it’s legacy continued as CAE, SPAR Aerospace and finally L-3. Many of the effects are seen today with the growth of the resource industry being heavily reliant on air transportation and Edmonton continuing as a hub of passenger service. All of this effects allowed Edmonton to continue to boom and grow post war and with the resource rush started by Leduc #1 and carrying forward gave Edmonton a powerful economy that carried forward for many decades.