Early History
United States Navy. Eastern TBM-3S Avenger. Construction number 3759.
Royal Canadian Navy. Delivered to RCN as 53697. AS 3M Avenger, flew as #908 for Squadron VC 920. BOC: July 25, 1952. SOC: July 5, 1960.
Sierra Aviation, Porterville, CA, 1962-1963. Registered as N9711Z. Flew as tanker #E46.
Wen Inc, Porterville, CA, 1963. Flew as tanker #E46.
P&B Aviation, Red Bluff, CA, 1966. Struck trees during fire bombing run but managed to land safely at Coalinga, CA, July 17, 1967.
Sis-Q Flying Service, Montague, CA
#E33 N9711Z 1969-1974?
1974 – Did not fly in NB as a Sis-Q aircraft. Sis-Q sold #E33 to FPL in 1974, one of 5 in total.
TBM #E46, possibly P&B Aviation but stated as Sis-Q, September 1967, Hollister, CA. [The National Archive of Transport Travel and Trade]
“One of my favorite TBM photos. I had this one developed from an old slide that I borrowed from the Rohnerville Air Attack Base many years ago. I have no idea who the photographer was or the location.” [Posted by Mike Walsh, TBM’s – Mil & Civil, 21 Nov 2014]
The Jay Sherlock photo at Scalefirebombers.
Martin Kyburz image of #E33 in 1974, just before it was sold to FPL.
Forest Protection Limited, Fredericton, NB
#E33 / #20 C-GLEH 1975-1987
Aerial Spray Program – NB
1974 – FPL purchased GLEH in late 1974 from Sis-Q Flying Service Inc., Santa Rosa, California, then dry leased it from Evergreen Air Services. It did not fly in NB in 1974. 1975 – Dry leased from Evergreen Air Services. Pilot Stuart. 1976 – Dry leased from Evergreen Air Services. Pilot Garon. 1977 – Pilot Maike. 1978 – Flew as #33. Pilot Vallee. Repainted and renumbered (#E33 to #20) to fleet standard after 4 July, 1978. 1979, 1980, 1981 – Pilot Wilson. 1982 – Pilot Guindon. 1983, 1984 – Pilot Martindale. Crashed 18 May 1984 15:30 h. TBM GLEH owned and operated by FPL and piloted by Tom Martindale of Tillsonburg, Ontario, experienced an undercarriage failure on landing at Brockway airstrip. The pilot was not injured but the aircraft was extensively damaged. [See the images below.] It was later repaired. 1985 – Pilot Provenzano. 1986 – Pilot Provenzano. 1987 – Pilot Garon.
Crashed 6 June 1987, 0615 h. TBM GLEH owned and operated by FPL and piloted by Paul Garon of Truro, NS, crashed at Boston Brook airstrip, some 20 miles north of St. Leonard, NB. Pilot Garon died in the accident. The aircraft was completely destroyed. There is a detailed account of the crash, complete with a map, on The Sevogle Times site (The Garon Dossier).
“Tanker 20 after being extracted from the brush behind the trailer. The photo shows the old Stearman strip looking to the northeast toward the camp. Note the Micronair spray boom.”
FPL TBMs #E25 GLEG, #E26 GLEI and #E33 GLEH in storage at FPL, either Fall 1975 or Spring 1976. GLEG and GLEI both crashed and were destroyed during the 1976 spray program.
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TBM #20 undercarriage failure, 18 May 1984, Brockway airstrip
Attaching the crane.
Raising the aircraft.
Towing the aircraft.
In storage at Brockway.
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TBMs #20 GLEH and #21 GFPM parked at Boston Brook, 1985.
TBM #20 equipped with Micronairs, Fredericton, March 1987.
Raccoon Team flying, 1987, taken from lead TBM #12 FMUD by John (J.J.) Lavigne; the others are #20 GLEH (Paul Garon) and #18 FMUE (Dale Wilkie).
