CF-BEG / Miramichi AS-Hicks & Lawrence #1 / Bu# 85983

Warbird Registry
Aerial Visuals

Early History

United States Navy. General Motors TBM-3E. Construction #: 2802
Royal Canadian Navy. BOC: May 29, 1952. SOC: Mar. 26, 1958. Flew as #374 for VC 920.
Simsbury Flying Service, Simsbury, CT, 1964-1972, registered as N4039A.

Simsbury N4039A_70795 Aerial Visuals
Simsbury N4039A still in RCN colours, 1963. [San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive via Aerial Visuals]

Miramichi Air Services, Douglastown, NB
#01 CF-BEG 1972-1979

Aerial spray program – NB
1972 – According to a letter to FPL dated 7 December, 1971, Paul Daigle, general manager of Miramichi Air Service Ltd., asked FPL if it was possible to temporarily import N4039A under Miramichi Air Service Ltd., in order to work the coming season with FPL. This aircraft and one other (#A25, later FBEF) were still registered in the United States and he did not think that it would pass the inspection date of 15 February set by the CTC (Canadian Transport Commission). Only N68683 worked in NB that year.

1973 – According to a handwritten and annotated list from FPL, FBEG did not fly in NB in 1973. However, the crash images below, dated 27 May 1973 from the accident card, indicate that it was present for the spray season. Perhaps it crashed before the spray season began and was thus not included on the list.

1974 – Pilots Bisson and Gallagher. 1975 – Pilot Bisson. 1976 – Spare. Pilot Bisson.

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Miramichi Air Services #1 FBEG in (possibly) 1972. Part of the US registration N4039A can still be seen under the newly painted Canadian registration. [Merrill McBride]
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FBEG crash, 1973. [Merrill McBride]
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FBEG crash, 1973. Note the number 384 on the nose. [Merrill McBride]
Department of Transport accident card describing the FBEG crash.

Hicks & Lawrence, St. Thomas, Ontario
#1“Yogi Bear” CF-BEG 1978-1985

Aerial spray program – NB
1977, 1978, 1979 – Pilot Kelly. 1980 – Pilot Brechin. 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 – Pilot McKinnon. 1985 – Sold to buyer in USA.

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Hicks and Lawrence TBM #1 FBEG at Dunphy, 1979.
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Hicks and Lawrence TBM #1 FBEG, with sister TBM #18 FXOM in background, Dunphy, 1979.
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FBEG in the pits at Brockway, June 1981. The “Yogi Bear” logo is visible below the cockpit.
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FBEG in the pits at Brockway, 1984. New colour scheme.
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Hicks and Lawrence TBM #1 FBEG and #18 FXOM in pits at Brockway, 1984.
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Hicks and Lawrence TBM #1 FBEG parked between sister TBM #18 FXOM and FPL #11 GLEP, Dunphy, 1984.

Post-spray History

Syracuse Flying Service, Syracuse, KS, Oct. 1985-1986. Registered as N28SF.
Chuck Wentworth/CC Air Corp, Rialto, CA, Dec. 1986-1995.
Charles G. Wentworth, Paso Robles, CA, 1995-2015. Flown as USN/85983/X2.
Aerial Visuals has several recent images of N28SF in military colours.

2 thoughts on “CF-BEG / Miramichi AS-Hicks & Lawrence #1 / Bu# 85983”

  1. This plane crashed in 1958 and I saw it happen. Thought it was going to crash into our house! I have pictures my father took of it after it crashed.

    Reply

    1. Mary Jane, I recently purchased this aircraft – now restored to WWII configuration.
      I would love it if you could send me any pictures and other information on what you know about this specific aircraft.
      I will cover any costs involved
      Steven Sorge
      ssorge@wi.rr.com

      Reply

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