NEWS & STORIES
Friday, February 6, 2026
Wings on the Map: Aviation and Canada’s Place Names
They served in the air and are remembered with Manitoba’s lakes. Behind every name is a story—some widely known, and others in danger of being slowly forgotten over time. Across Canada, place names reveal layers of history, culture, and memory. …
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Power on Display: Three Engines That Changed the Course of Aviation
The sight of aircraft travelling through the sky captures the imagination, but it is their engines that make flight possible. Recently, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada added three standalone aircraft engines to the Museum floor—each representing a pivotal
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Look to the Skies: A Year of Celestial Highlights in 2026
As Canada prepares for the next chapter in human space exploration — with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen set to fly on an upcoming Artemis mission — interest in the night sky feels newly rekindled. For many Canadians, most of us
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Learning from the Sky: What the Pigeon Teaches About Innovation
Before radios and satellites, before radar dishes and GPS receivers, there were pigeons. These unassuming birds once carried the hopes of aviators, soldiers, and explorers — soaring through storms and gunfire to deliver vital messages when no other form of
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Pilot Officer Morris Allan McKenzie: A Manitoba Airman Remembered
Each November 11th, Canadians pause to reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the line of duty. Preserving and sharing the stories of those who served in the air—many of whom never returned—is one
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Museum Announces Summer 2025 Visiting Aircraft Lineup
We’re thrilled to present an exciting lineup of visiting aircraft that brings history, innovation, and real-world aviation operations right to our doorstep. From iconic warbirds to modern-day aerial workhorses, there’s something for every aviation fan to discover—only at the Royal
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The RCAF and the Mustang Era
On July 25–27, 2025, Hannu Halminen will return to Winnipeg to display his North American P-51 Mustang IV at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. The P-51 played an important role in the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force
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F-86 Sabre Unveiled
#1815 Now on Display The project began with an idea—one that would lead to 6,000 volunteer hours in a major restoration effort and a fundraising campaign unlike anything the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada had undertaken before. “2024 marked the 100th anniversary of
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Lights, Camera, Aviation
The Royal Aviation Museum’s Connection to Hollywood History There’s an old song that goes, “You Oughta Be in Pictures.” As it turns out, two of our museum’s aircraft are the same type as those featured in the classic Hollywood film Captains of the
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F-86 Sabre vs. MiG-15: The Manitoban Who Downed the Last MiG of the Korean War
Text by Lt Col (ret) Robert Nash for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. During the Korean War, United Nations pilots flying the F-86 Sabre were involved in some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history. Their primary opponent
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The History of the Canadian Sabre
Text by Lt Col (ret) Robert Nash for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. The F-86 Sabre is the most-produced Western jet-powered day fighter, with a total production of 9,860, including all variants. Between 1949 and 1956, North American
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50 photos commemorating our 50th year
2024 marked the 50th anniversary of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada and it sure was a memorable one! We had over 60,000 visitors, more than 9,000 students, and hosted 68 private events. And our 180 volunteers logged 21,000
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Highlights from the 2024 Preservation Ball
On November 9, 2024, we held our second annual Preservation Ball at the museum and raised $450,000 for STEM education! It was a fantastic, ‘70s-themed night filled with live music, dancing, an amazing culinary experience, and more. Our heartfelt thanks
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Your ultimate guide to fall events at the Royal Aviation Museum
It’s been an exciting fall so far at the museum, and we’re just getting started! Our first travelling exhibition, Snoopy and the Red Baron opened on October 7 and we’ve put together a series of Peanuts©-themed workshops planned over the
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The incredible flying aces of World War I
With the opening of our Snoopy and the Red Baron exhibition, we’ve been thinking about who the real flying aces of the First World War are. And who was the Red Baron? Read on to find out what defines a
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What is the Dr. D.S. Reimer Aviation Plaza?
Learn more about Dr. D.S. Reimer, a long-standing museum supporter and benefactor of our Aviation Plaza.
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Highlights from a historic month filled with visiting aircraft
This month, we welcomed two World War II aircraft as part of our RCAF 100 celebrations: the PBY-5A Canso and the Avro Lancaster. We also welcomed nearly 9,000 visitors throughout the month! Kudos to our Visitor Experience team and volunteers
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World War II P-51D Mustang set to visit RAMWC
Our RCAF 100 celebrations continue as we welcome a visiting P-51D Mustang from August 9 to 11. Owned by Hannu Halminen of Ontario, this P-51 bears the livery of 424 (City of Hamilton) Squadron. The distinctive tiger emblem is a
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Don’t miss the Avro Lancaster make its return to the Royal Aviation Museum
35 years ago, the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, owned and operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM), made its first visit to the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC), then called the Western Canada Aviation Museum. During its one-day
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Top 10 kid-friendly activities at the Royal Aviation Museum
Fun takes flight at the Royal Aviation Museum! We have many hands-on exhibits and interactive areas where kids (and kids at heart!) can learn and be entertained. Here are our top 10. 1. Live out your fighter pilot dreams in
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5 things to look forward to at RAM this summer
Who else feels like summer is officially here? The next few months will be busy, busy, busy, and fun, fun, fun! We’ve got some returning events, visiting aircraft, and exciting news about our F-86 Sabre fighter jet restoration. Here are
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Rev up your summer—volunteer as an Aviation Ambassador
Summer is a busy and exciting time at the Royal Aviation Museum and we rely on our volunteers more than ever. We welcome visitors from all over the world who come to Winnipeg to experience our vibrant cultural scene. Over
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2024 summer children’s programming at RAMWC
Calling all teachers, parents, and caregivers! Have you heard about our 2024 educational summer programming? We have some new and exciting options this year. Read on to find out more! Summer Fun Days For the first time, this summer we’re
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Check out our jaw-dropping list of visiting aircraft
We’re very excited to share our 2024 list of visiting aircraft with you! Mark your calendars—we’ve got some real gems coming your way this summer. Here’s the lineup: May 18 – 20 | de Havilland Canada Chipmunk, C-FOAV We’re kicking
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The story of our flying boxcar, the Junkers Ju-52
Did you know that our Junkers Ju 52/1m is a non-flying replica of CF-ARM, owned by Canadian Airways Limited? Or that it was originally built with three engines? On August 16, 1984, the transformation began as this tri-motored aircraft was
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Catch a behind-the-scenes look at our restoration facility
On recent tours of our restoration facility, some of our Sabre Squadron donors got a behind-the-scenes look at the projects underway. The big attraction, of course, was our F-86 Sabre. Built under license from North American, the Canadair Mk. 6
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Two new exhibits land at RAMWC
Don’t miss our new interactive Ace Academy exhibit and our tribute to the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force. 100 years of the RCAF On March 20, 2024, we welcomed veterans, personnel from 17 Wing Winnipeg, cadets, and special
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Flying high: pioneering women of aviation
March 4-10, 2024, is Women of Aviation Week and March 8 is International Women’s Day. What better way to celebrate than by remembering some of the pioneering women in aviation? The firsts Frenchwoman Raymonde de Laroche is thought to be
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Highlights from our first Open Cockpit Day of 2024
Our first Open Cockpit Day of the year was a ton of fun! Visitors had access to our CL-84 Dynavert and our Mini 500 helicopter, recently donated to the museum by Derek Wrigley of Kleefeld, Manitoba. We were also lucky
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Check out the winners of our photo contest!
We held our second photo contest last month and received a lot of amazing submissions. It was tough to choose the winners, so we’ve also awarded several Honourable Mentions. WINNER: Category 1 – A Tribute to the RCAF WINNER I:
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Happy 100th birthday to the Vickers Vedette
2024 is a big year for aviation celebrations. Not only is it our museum’s 50th anniversary, but it’s also the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Vickers Vedette. The Vedette was
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5 fun ways to celebrate National Aviation Day
National Aviation Day takes place on February 23 and we have five ways for you to celebrate.
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UM ENGINEERING STUDENTS DESIGN NEW INTERACTIVE PROPULSION EXHIBIT FOR AVIATION MUSEUM
Our Standard Aero Mechanics’ Workshop is about to get a lot more exciting thanks to a new interactive exhibit. Six students from the University of Manitoba’s Price Faculty of Engineering recently wrapped up the design of a hands-on exhibit representing
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10 things to look forward to at RAMWC in 2024
Did you know that 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the Royal Aviation Museum? Here are 10 events to look forward to in the coming year.
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The F-86 Sabre: a fighter jet made for aerobatics
As work progresses on the restoration of our F-86 Sabre, we’ve been digging through our archives to learn more about its history. Recently, we came across an article from the old Western Canada Aviation Museum blog about what it was
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A look back at 2023
It’s been a busy year at RAMWC thanks to the more than 60,000 visitors and students who have come through our doors. We hosted several visiting aircraft, held lots of fun events, and celebrated a few firsts. Keep reading to
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This Giving Tuesday, join the Sabre Squadron
We’ve just launched a fundraising campaign for the restoration of our Canadair F-86 Sabre fighter jet. We’re on our way to our goal of $50,000 and want YOU to be a part of this historic aircraft’s transformation! Next year marks
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What’s new and on the horizon at RAMWC?
If you’re looking to cross some shopping off your list, entertain your kids, or help out the less fortunate in our community, we’ve got ways for you to accomplish all three. Plus, we’ve got two new aircraft for you to
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An interview with Canada’s top-ranked aerobatic pilot
Luke Penner just returned from Las Vegas after competing in the World Advanced Aerobatic Championship with Team Canada. The aircraft he flew, an Extra 330SC, will be on display at the Royal Aviation Museum until April 2024. When he flew in yesterday to deliver his plane, we asked him about what it was like to…
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A winning month for RAMWC
October was an exciting month for us as we were honoured with awards from two distinguished organizations in our community. We received news in early October that we would be awarded the Outstanding Science Organization of 2023 by the Science
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5 trailblazers we’re celebrating this Women’s History Month
October is Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to celebrate the women and girls from our past, and our present, who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada. At the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC), we
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Photo highlights from Open Cockpit Day: Visiting Aircraft Edition
This past weekend we had the privilege of hosting aircraft and pilots from the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, Manitoba. We were joined by: Mark Odegard, Chief Pilot at the CATPM: Jeff Bell, Harvard Mark II pilot; Nick
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What’s new and upcoming at RAMWC?
Here’s a roundup of what’s new and coming up at the Royal Aviation Museum. NEW ARTEFACTS AND DISPLAYS New artefact: Rolls Royce Merlin 620 engine The Rolls-Royce Merlin is one of the most famous aero engines in history. It powered
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Meet the craftsmen behind our popular pedal planes
If you’ve been to our museum this summer, you’ve probably noticed our pedal and push planes in Aviation Plaza. But did you know that they were built by two of our volunteers? Dave Mork and Shawn Romas are two of
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5 free activity sheets to keep your young aviators entertained
Summer’s winding down and you may be running out of ideas to keep your little ones entertained. Not to worry—we’ve got you covered. We created five activity sheets that you can download for FREE.
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Behind the scenes: restoration projects update, July 2023
Take a look at what projects our volunteers are working on at our restoration facility.
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Cross-Canada ham radio event to be held at RAMWC
Six amateur radio clubs across Canada are gathering this weekend to celebrate the life and retirement of the CC115 Buffalo through a special Buffalos on the Air (BOTA) event. On July 22 in Comox, BC, Winnipeg, MB, Trenton, ON,
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Top 5 photo ops at the Royal Aviation Museum
Have you actually been somewhere if you don’t have photo proof? Our museum is full of fun spaces to pose for pics with friends and family. Here are our top five!
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A wonderful day of wings and wheels: highlights from the RAMWC Father’s Day event
This past weekend we held our 2nd Wings & Wheels event for Father’s Day and it was a fantastic day! We had beautiful weather for our car show in Aviation Plaza and King Cole Catering served up a delicious lunch.
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Your guide to an aviation-themed vacation in (and around) Winnipeg
It’s road trip season! For those of you planning a vacation to—or staycation in—Winnipeg, we’ve put together an aviation-themed list of attractions and adventures that will leave you buzzing with excitement. Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Our museum is
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A look back at our first year
The first year in our new museum was a wonderful one, thanks to our many visitors, volunteers, staff, and donors. Here’s a look back at the past year in photos!
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Aviation and Aerospace Discovery Days at RAMWC
RAMWC and Winnipeg School Division partner to create awareness for students of careers and opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sector.
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Check out the winning photo from our first-ever photo contest!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first-ever photography night at the museum for National Aviation Day this past February. View all the entries here!
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RAMWC welcomes its newest artefact ahead of aviation conference
Pictured above: Stan Michalak with the 1:32 scale model he built of a Curtiss H-16 flying boat The Royal Aviation Museum is set to present its first-ever aviation conference on April 14 and 15, 2023. Spearheaded by a small group
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Meet the winners of the RAMWC Aviation Awards!
This past weekend’s Academy Awards got us thinking that a lot of the aircraft in our museum are award-worthy. So we created our own set of award winners based on some of the famous Oscar categories!
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Discover Canada’s first helicopter at the Royal Aviation Museum
Anyone visiting the Royal Aviation Museum will quickly recognize the Froebe Helicopter as a unique piece of engineering. The fact it was designed and built from scrap parts by three farm boys, without formal engineering training, makes the story that much more inspiring.
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What’s special about February 23? It’s National Aviation Day!
National Aviation Day was established to commemorate the past, celebrate the present and advance the future of aviation in Canada. It’s recognized every year on February 23, the day in 1909 when J.A.D. McCurdy piloted the first flight in Canada.
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Aviation museum memories fuel aspiring engineer
How many of us can say that from a young age, we knew what we wanted to do when we grew up? Aspiring engineer Lauren Maksimovich can. For her, the seed was planted when she visited the Royal Aviation Museum
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Behind the scenes at our new restoration facility
Check out what’s happening at our restoration facility!
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10 events to look forward to in 2023
We’ve already got a lot of events planned for 2023, and there’s sure to be more that come up. Check out the 10 we’re most excited about right now.
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Through fresh eyes: RAMWC as seen by one of our visitors
Photography is a wonderful medium for showing us familiar things in new ways. For Mohamed Suliman, it also “allows us to see the beauty in front of our eyes.” Mohamed is a grade 12 student in Winnipeg who moved here
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Top 22 photos of 2022
It’s been an amazing year for us, especially the past seven months since we opened our new museum. We’ve welcomed more than 60,000 visitors, including 4,500 students for educational programming, and have added three aircraft to our collection. Our staff
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The aerobatic champion that almost wasn’t
Luke Penner is one of the top-ranked aerobatic pilots in North America, but there was a time when self-doubt and anxiety kept him grounded. Luke grew up in a family of pilots. His father, Harvey Penner, founded a flight school
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My 5 favourite features of the new Royal Aviation Museum
This review was graciously submitted to us by Ed Unrau, former editor of the Royal Aviation Museum’s Altitude magazine. The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is easily one of the best museums in Manitoba, if not in Canada. It
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This GivingTuesday, give the gift of education
Since its inception in 2013, hundreds of millions have participated in GivingTuesday, a global day for good, meant to inspire people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. In 2021, $43.6m was donated online in Canada on GivingTuesday! We had a
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The road to becoming an honorary Snowbird
On July 6, 2022 I received a very special telephone call. It was Dan Dempsey, a former Solo Pilot and Commanding Officer/Team Lead of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. He wanted to advise me that I had been selected as Honorary Snowbird!
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An insider look at how we moved our collection of 70,000 artefacts
How we moved 70,000 artefacts into our new museum.
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How to weatherproof a beloved vintage aircraft, the CF-101 Voodoo
Back in 2019, exhibit planning was well underway for the new museum and the team had some tough choices to make about what aircraft to highlight and what stories to tell. They ultimately decided the historic McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo would
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A new museum, a new approach
This past summer, our President and CEO—and interim Curator—Terry Slobodian, was asked to present at annual conference of the International Association of Transport and Communication Museums (IATM) in Prague. The proposed topics were audience diversification and making the museum relevant
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Royal Aviation Museum excited to welcome the A-26B Invader on October 22, 2022
Arriving October 22 at 11 am and bringing our on-site aircraft total to 25, we’re excited to welcome the eye-catching Douglas A-26B Invader. Purchased by Ross Robinson in 2007, this aircraft, C-GWLT, has a storied history dating back to 1944.
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Celebrating women in aviation for Women’s History Month
It’s Women’s History Month in Canada! Women have made great strides to achieve representation in the aviation and aerospace industries. It’s important to recognize these trailblazers and heroes for the inspiration they’ve sparked in others. In a statement from the
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Advancing Reconciliation at RAMWC
In the 1920s, bush pilots began flying into northern Canada in search of natural resources like lumber and minerals. The arrival of aviation in the North would have long-lasting impacts—both good and bad—on the Indigenous peoples of the region. The
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New STEM programs launch at RAMWC
It’s a new school year and for us that means the resumption of our popular ‘Take Flight!’ curriculum-based programs. Education programming has been a priority for the Royal Aviation Museum since 2005 and since then, we’ve delivered programming to more
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Our Royal memories
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month was a surprise to many and we have great sympathy for her family and those around the world who revered her and feel the loss. The Queen showed remarkable commitment during
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Meet our newest arrival: The Lockheed L-10A Electra
Our museum got a little bit shinier when earlier this month we welcomed the Lockheed L-10A Electra, CF-TCC, donated to us by Air Canada in celebration of its 85th anniversary. Its all-metal body, polished to a high shine courtesy of
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RAMWC mourns the loss of Whit Petch, museum’s lead architect
We were deeply saddened this week to hear of the sudden passing of Whit Petch, Principle of Reich & Petch Architects Inc., and the Lead Museum Architect for our new Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada facility. Whit was a
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Is the de Havilland Canada Beaver the best bush plane ever built?
Anyone successful will tell you that one of the keys to success is understanding your audience. De Havilland Canada understood this and subsequently developed “the best bush plane ever built,” as it’s so often been called. In 1946, de Havilland
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Our new home, one year later
For nearly 15 years, the founders and key stakeholders of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada dreamt of a brand-new space to call home. A modern museum in which to tell stories of Canada’s aviation and aerospace heritage while
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A fun family day at the museum
Nik Rave of Rave Photo recently visited the museum with his children and shared these lovely photos with us. Enjoy!
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A heroic rescue in the wilderness of northwestern Ontario
Felixstowe F.3 was a WWI-era British military flying boat, one in a series designed by Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte at Royal Naval Air Station, Felixstowe, Suffolk for long-range maritime patrols[1]. Following the First World War, in 1920 Britain presented
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2,300 STUDENTS, 50 SCHOOLS, 26 DAYS
Our ‘Take Flight!’ curriculum-based education programs were incredibly popular when our museum was on Ferry Road, so offering them at our new location was a high priority. On May 25, just four days after our grand opening, we welcomed our
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RAMWC receives funding through PrairiesCan for exhibit development
(Above image: Honourable Jim Carr, RAMWC President & CEO Terry Slobodian, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Terry Duguid) Thanks to funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC)
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RAMWC welcomes three new board members
We’re very pleased to announce the appointment of three new board members as of May 25, 2022: Patricia Gair, Peggy May, and Martha Ford. Peggy May is a strategic leader with expertise in piloting organizations and delivering on the mission,
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Fun-filled grand opening weekend
After a long, three-year closure, we finally opened the doors of our new museum on May 21, 2022. It was wonderful to welcome visitors into our new facility and to see the joy and awe on their faces. Thank you
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A new chapter for an iconic Winnipeg museum
Even before its establishment as a city, Winnipeg was the epicentre of trade and commerce for Indigenous nations and travelers headed for all points north, south, east, and west. When air travel landed in Western Canada in the 1920s, Winnipeg
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Meet our mascot, Hobbs!
We’re very excited to introduce you to our brand-new mascot, Hobbs the Bear. Why ‘Hobbs’? The name was inspired by a decorated Canadian pilot named Basil Deacon Hobbs who lived from 1894 to 1963 and is a favourite of our
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Celebrated Canadian artist Jim Bruce donates three original aircraft paintings to RAMWC
It’s an exciting week at the Royal Aviation Museum! We received three beautiful paintings to add to our collection, generously donated by Jim Bruce, a wonderful Canadian artist known for his aircraft paintings. Jim originally trained to be a draftsperson
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Bellanca Aircruiser Restoration Nearly Complete Thanks to Historic Photographs
With the re-opening of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada set for spring 2022, a lot of prep work is taking place. While the museum was being constructed, the archives were put into temporary storage in Magellan Aerospace and
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New Era for Beloved Manitoba Museum Arrives May Long Weekend
As temperatures rise this spring, Manitobans will have an exciting new attraction to explore. Slated to open over the May long weekend of 2022, the newly rebuilt Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) is excited to welcome visitors to its state-of-the-art facility.
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If you get a chance to visit the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada, jump on it
Winnipeg Free Press article by Scott Fielding, November 30, 2021 I was fortunate to get a sneak peak at this world-class facility prior to its March 2022 opening thanks to a tour organized by Kristi Meek and the Assiniboia Chamber
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One of Canada’s largest collections of aviation history coming to life at YWG
Winnipeg Airports Authority article, November 3, 2021
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