Flightpath AugustSeptemberOctober 2017

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News

Vale John Hopton

Anson takes

its place

Aftermorethanadecadeofwork,theNa-

tional Air Force Museum of Canada

(NAFMC) has unveiled its Avro Anson

Mk.II. It continues Canada’s proud asso-

ciation with the ubiquitous trainer.

LiketheRAAF,theRCAFreceivedlarge

numbersofBritish-builtAnsonstosupport

the Empire Air Training Scheme (locally

knownastheBritishCommonwealthAir

Training Plan). Due to supply concerns, al-

most 2900 additional Ansons were built in

Canada.TheMk.II,asthefirstnewaircraft

were designated, were easily identifiable as

they lacked the ‘greenhouse’ windows

along the length of the fuselage and had

smooth cowlings around the American-

built330hp(246kW)JacobsL-6MBseven-

cylinder radials.

The museum’s aircraft was donated by

ByronReynoldsofWetaskiwin,Alberta,

in2005.Aswithmanysurplusaircraft,it

wassoldtoafarmerasaspareparts

sourcepost-war.Itwaslittlemorethana

steel frame with two Jacobs engines

when received by the museum as the

On 30 June 2017, aviation historian ex-
traordinaire John Hopton passed away at
theageof77.Johnwasafoundationmem-
ber, and life member, of the Aviation His-
toricalSocietyofAustraliaanditsoff-
shoot, the Moorabbin Air Museum. His
collection of data and images pertaining
to Australian aviation history was accu-
mulatedoveralifetimeofphotography
and diligent archival research that made
him an expert second to none. He devel-
oped his own method of storing and re-
trieving this data well before electronic
record keeping became the norm, al-

ABOVE LEFT: Aviation historian John Hopton and

Flightpath Editor Rob Fox (right) at the RAAF Point Cook

pageant in February 2008.[Roland Jahne]

ABOVE:How Mustangs are tamed, a younger John

Hopton in full flight in 1965.[Roland Jahne]

wooden wing had long since rotted away.

Therewerenomarkingsorfittingstoindi-

cate its identity, so the museum decided to

memorialise a part of local history. Anson

Mk.II‘7207’crashedintoLakeOntariodur-

ing the morning of 28 June 1942. The two

RAF sergeants on board were killed.

The restoration was completed by a team

ofvolunteers.“Thiswastrulyalabourof

loveforallofourtalentedvolunteersandI

am highly appreciative of their outstand-

ingeffortsanddedication”,saidMikeJoly,

NAFMC Restoration Manager. The Anson

is an important new exhibit, but also a so-

bering reminder of the aircrew who died

while training for war.Andy Wright

though he realised the benefits of the new

technology early on. John maintained a

vast network of fellow historians globally,

exchanging information and images.

He joined the editorial team atFlight-

pathin 1997 as Rob Fox took over as edi-

tor. John was a valued and enthusiastic

contributor to the magazine and remained

so until ill health forced him to slow down.

Hewasalwaysavailabletoassistandmen-

torthosewantinghelpinanyaviationre-

search or writing. Those privileged to

have him as a friend and work closely with

him found he was scathing of less than

perfect work, but always ready to teach.

Wehavelostagreathistorian,tutorand

friend, yet John will certainly live on

through the very tangible legacy he has

left the aviation community.

Roland Jahne

The project required a new wooden wing to be built, new fuselage woodwork and repairs to the steel fuselage tubing.[NAFMC]