A collection
of over fourty aircraft has grown through the friendship of Dennis
J. Bradley and Alan Ness. Their love of aviation and their desire
to maintain and preserve Canada's aviation history saw restoration
projects that were not only great pieces of workmanship but airworthy
examples.
Bradley and Ness approached friends Peter Matthews and John Weir to become partners with them to
acquire the first aircraft, a Fairey Firefly. This aircraft was to become the masthead of the museum's advertising and stationery and continues to this day to be incorporated into logos, crests and memorabilia. A tribute to the four flying founders is located in the museum's main entrance.
In 1972, the group moved into part of a hangar at Hamilton Airport and started to seriously seek out other restoration projects or flying aircraft. A Harvard Mark IV was to be the next acquisition, followed over the years by Supermarine
Spitfire, Corsair, Chipmunk and Tiger Moth.
Hangar 4, followed years later by Hangar #3 for restoration, was purchased and the aircraft collection and the volunteers finally had a home. The group applied for foundation status, to be governed by its own volunteers, operating as the Canadian Warplane Heritage. Meanwhile, sufficient interest was being shown by those watching the aircraft being restored. More enthusiasts wanted to become part of the growing activities and the membership program began.
1975 saw the collection move into another area in Hangar 4 and the acquisition and restoration began on the B-25 Mitchell. The story of the arrival of this aircraft suggests a strafing of the airfield and the bombing of the runway with watermelons. In the same year, the Westland Lysander and Cessna Crane joined the collection.
