Page 5 - Sept 2020

The period covered by the book will be from Spartan's
formation in August 1946 until Spartan-Aero was taken
over by Kenting Aviation at the beginning of 1973.
I would very much like to make contact with former
Spartan employees and their families to learn of their
Spartan connections and to share information.

A wish list, including some desired Spartan contacts,

appears on the next page.
Spartan Air Services: Book Project
Please contact me via email. Thanks, Robert M Stitt

Mosquito B.35 CF-HML of Spartan Air Services, Uplands Airport, c.1958. The Bomber Command Museum of
Airworthy June 2014 as C-FHMJ. Photo: George Hunter
Canada’s Spitfire gets an engine!
I am writing a detailed history of Canadian aerial
survey company Spartan Air Services Limited of
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Museum’s Spitfire reached a major milestone when
the museum received its “new to us” Merlin 68.
Spartan operated a diverse fleet of aircraft and
helicopters that included Ansons, Venturas, a
Lancaster, a Sea Hornet, P-38 Lightnings, Mosquitos,
Cansos, DC-3s, Bell 47s and Vertols plus a variety of
smaller fixed-wing aircraft.
Operations included aerial photography from low to
high level; magnetometer, scintillometer,
electromagnetic, SHORAN and APR surveys; and a
wide range of helicopter services, mainly in support of While we still have a long road to travel to see our
the mining and petroleum sectors. Spitfire running, this has certainly provided some
“motive power” for the project. For now the engine will
As well as operating throughout Canada, Spartan
sit on its engine stand as a center piece for the Spitfire
aircraft ranged widely around the world with
operations in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, project. This serves to remind all of us what work still lies
ahead
Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Belize,
British Guiana, Trinidad, Grand Bahamas, Liberia, For starters the engine will require a complete tear down
Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and rebuild before we will hear that distinctive Merlin
Togo, the Seychelles, Iran, India, Malaya, the roar.
Philippines, Laos and the Mekong River basin.
If you want to be a part of this historic venture please
Some of these operations were conducted in follow the link to donate to the Museums spitfire project
partnership with Canadian Aero Service, a subsidiary https://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/product/spit
of the US survey company, Aero Service Corp. fire/