Canadian Airways was an airline formed when Western Canadian Airways bought out Commercial. It operated through the 1930s until it was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1941, carrying passengers on mail planes into smaller communities.
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James Armstrong Richardson established WCA in March 1926 to serve the Red Lake gold rush. Operating out of Hudson and Winnipeg's Stevenson airfield.[1] Expanding in 1930 to operate across Canada, the Western part of the name was dropped.[2]
Aircraft operated by Canadian Airways included the Curtiss Jenny, De Havilland Dragon, Junkers Ju 52 (CF-ARM), Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) 71C (CF-ACO and CF-ACT), Junkers W 34, Lockheed Vega (CF-AAL), Lockheed Model 10 Electra (CF-AZY) and four Stearman 4s.[3][4]
In its original configuration, designated the Ju 52/1m, the Ju 52 was a single-engined aircraft, powered by either a BMW or Junkers liquid-cooled engine. in 1936, Canadian Airways received (Werknummer J4006) CF-ARM , the sixth ever-built Ju 52. The aircraft, nicknamed the "Flying Boxcar" in Canada, could lift approximately three tons and had a maximum weight of eight tons. It was used to supply mining and other operations in remote areas with equipment too big and heavy for other aircraft then in use. The Ju 52/1m was able to fly on wheels, skis or floats.[5]
Destinations served included: