Sources for details of the Forest Protection Limited (FPL) / Department of Natural Resources (DNR) come from both organization’s annual reports. Additional details come from an unpublished draft report to FPL by William Seto, A History of Forest Protection Limited (1952 – 1992): To Protect the Forests (Seto 1995).
Hazel Clare, wife of Harold Hawes, sent me a summary of her husband’s time flying TBMs for FPL from 1962 to 1970, based on his log books [see the comment on the pilots page]. Details are below, although they sometimes disagree with the information presented.
1958
“The budworm control operation for 1958 was concentrated on 1.05 million ha of forests between the Saint John and upper Miramichi region.” It was such a great success that “forest experts believed it would be unnecessary to treat areas the following year as the outbreak had collapsed” (Seto 1995).
The 1958 operations included 850,000 acres of new high hazard forest in New Brunswick. Spraying began out of Fredericton on June 1 with 12 Avengers. They started cautiously, with the weather not very favourable. As soon as Juniper opened up, four Avengers moved north to that field. One Avenger pilot, Thomas Marston, was killed when his aircraft crashed and burned twenty miles southwest of Juniper during evening spraying on June 12.
Operations in Quebec lasted from June 9 until June 30, costing nearly $750,000 – $2.29/ha. A total of 26 aircraft treated 283,000 ha from Rimouski, Gaspe, Pabos, Farm Lake [all Quebec] and Charlo [New Brunswick] airstrips (Seto 1995).
In 1958, Maine began its second budworm program, covering about 122,000 ha in Aroostook County. Instead of supplying airplanes, FPL supplied Maine with 1.14 million litres of DDT and assisted in a consulting capacity. Applications in Maine were made by Simsbury Flying Services of Connecticut with a fleet of eight TBMs and two Stearmans (Seto 1995).
This was the first year that TBMs operated in New Brunswick. A brief report from the FPL files, (Wheeler Air Lines Ltd.: Operation Budworm – 1958: Aircraft and Pilots) lists 12 TBMs, 6 plus a spare (untanked) from Wheeler and 6 from Skyway Air Services. (Seventy-six Stearmans also were part of the operation.) The report has been annotated by former FPL employee Don Henry (his annotations are in square brackets below).
| Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilots* | Company |
| 500 | CF-IMQ | J.T.J. Zys | Wheeler |
| 501 | CF-IMR | Spare, with tank | Wheeler |
| 502 | CF-IMS | A. Boyce | Wheeler |
| 503 | CF-IMT | * R. Craven | Wheeler |
| 504 | CF-IMU | Untanked spare; scavenged for parts | Wheeler |
| 505 | CF-IMV | C.D. Hardwick | Wheeler |
| 506 | CF-IMW | C.I. Mason | Wheeler |
| 507 | CF-IMX | * M. Beleuse | Wheeler |
| 601 | CF-IMI | * J.C. Anderson | Skyway |
| 600 | CF-IMJ | * T. Marston (fatality) | Skyway |
| 602 | CF-IMK | [Rensinck, Crook] | Skyway |
| 603 | CF-IML | [Ellison, White] | Skyway |
| 604 | CF-IMM | — | Skyway |
| 605 | CF-IMN | — | Skyway |
* Pilots with previous experience with budworm projects. [Add Fewell and O’Rourke for Wheeler Air Lines [some pilots did not fly these aircraft.] [TBM pilot’s list does not agree with info from spray history.] [Known TBM teams: Beluse and Hardwick (Wheeler), Marston and White (Skyway), Rensinck and Crook (Skyway)] Pilot Marston was the first casualty of the New Brunswick budworm TBM spray program. A progress report from Wheeler’s Maintenance Division, dated April 28, 1958, and signed by Chief Engineer J. Luty provides a summary of planned maintenance activities for the upcoming spray season:
- The Avengers are being converted by Fairey Aviation of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and will be ready by May 15. The first two will be ready for delivery by this date.
- All aircraft will be in first class condition with valid Certificates of Airworthiness. Each Avenger will be fitted with radio sets comprising a V.H.F. ARC-1 Transceiver and a Pye Transceiver.
- The six Skyway Avengers will be subject to inspection at Fredericton, NB, by the Department of Transportation (federal) and by Wheeler Airlines prior to their acceptance on the project.
- Wheeler Airlines will supply the following personnel: Chief Engineer (Eddy Austin), three licensed Air Engineers, and twenty mechanics, procured on a temporary basis from the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Operations Manager will be George Lovett and the Managing Director is Bob Rychlicki.
- Skyways will provide 2 licensed engineers and six mechanics, overseen by Chief Project Engineer Eddy Austin, who will be responsible for all maintenance activities.
- Wheeler will have a spare Avenger, CF-IMU, which will be used as a flying spare should trouble develop in any of the other Avenger aircraft.
1959
It was such a great success that “forest experts believed it would be unnecessary to treat areas the following year as the outbreak had collapsed” (Seto 1995). Thus FPL did not conduct any operations in 1959.
1960
The 1960 operation began on May 26 and lasted until June 20. Twenty TBMs were flown. FIMS (Wheeler #502) flew in NB in 1960. It crashed in Quebec 21 June 1960 while on the way from Dunphy airstrip to Quebec after finishing the FPL project for the season. [Don Henry] The same Wheeler and Skyway Avengers probably flew in New Brunswick this year.
In Maine, and area of 175,000 acres was covered with a spray fleet of six TBMs and one Stearman.
I used Don Henry’s original (2008) list of pilots who flew TBMs to obtain the names of pilots who flew in 1960:
Ball, Ed [Skyway Air Services]
Beluse, M. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Bowler
Craven, R. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Culver, Bob
Fewell, J. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Foote, Bert
Hardwick, C.D. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Hill, Don [Skyway Air Services]
Holland, Jim [Hillcrest Aircraft]
Jackson C., Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Jones
Korpatniki, Pat [Skyway Air Services]
Laird, Bob
Linkowich, Alex [Skyway Air Services]
Mason, C.I. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Musgrove, Gil [Johnson F.S.?]
Norman, J. [Wheeler Air Lines]
O’Rourke
Osen, Ollie
Owens, Kenny [Reeder Flying Service]
Schas, Dave [Johnson Flying Service; Smith 1988]
Waltermire, Bob [Johnson Flying Service?]
Walker
White [Skyway Air Services]
Wilson, Tommy [Skyway Air Services]
1961
24 TBMs flown. A two-page FPL report titled “1961 Spray Project” and dated March 12, 1962, listed the contractors, with details of gallons sprayed and money paid out. We have reason to suspect that these five companies were the ones that provided Avengers, although Wheeler also provided Stearmans. However, no numbers are given and no aircraft are identified. I speculate below about the number belonging to each contractor.
| Contractor | Gallons Sprayed | Cost ($) | No. of TBMs |
| Wheeler Airlines | 395,283 | 117,390.17 | 7 |
| Airspray Limited | 84,491 | 117,390.17 | 2 |
| Richel Air Limited | 83,322 | 25,658.08 | 2 |
| Simsbury Flying Service | 114,380 | 34,632.02 | 3 |
| Skyway Air Services Ltd. | 661,035 | 199,780.68 | 10 |
Larry Milberry (pers. comm. 2008) tallied 10 Skyway Avengers: FIMK (#602), FIMM (#604), FIMN (#605), FKCH (#606), FKCJ (#607), FKCK (#608), FKCL (#609), FMSX (#610), FMSY (#611) and FMUE (#618), on 21 May 1961, in Cartierville, Quebec, while they were on a refuelling stop. His notes at the time said “En route to Fredericton, NB, for bud worm fighting.” In actual fact, the Skyways TBMs travelled in three groups of four, making it a total of twelve that came to New Brunswick. The daylight flights were about 500 to 600 miles each day, and all within Canada. Of these 12, 10 were for operations and two were spares. Two remained in Langley, BC, for crop and mosquitoe spraying, and also as standby aircraft for the new Brunswick operation. [See the Skyways/Conair page for more details.]
Simsbury had purchased three TBMs from the RCN in 1958 (later sold to Maritime Air Services), so I suspect that there were three Simsbury TBMs in NB in 1961. We know that Richel Air of Quebec purchased the two high-top Avengers from the RCN, so that makes two for them.
However, of Airspray’s two Avengers, FKYA crashed in New Brunswick in 1960 and there is no record of its sister aircraft, FKPJ, ever coming to NB. Perhaps it did? According to an article in Wings (online) [(Position Report: Vintage planes dousing flames. A position report on Air Spray. Wings)], Airspray’s fleet now included “a trio” of Avengers.
I used Don Henry’s original (2008) list of pilots who flew TBMs to obtain the names of pilots who flew in 1961:
Ball, Ed [Skyway Air Services]
Bowler
Cavoli
Cline
Crook [Skyway Air Services]
Davidson
Dyck
Fewell, J. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Folden
Foote, Bert
Hardwick, C.D. [Wheeler Air Lines]
Holland, Jim [Hillcrest Aircraft]
Jones
Korpatniki, Pat [Skyway Air Services]
Laird, Bob
Linkowich, Alex [Skyway Air Services]
Moffat
Musgrove, Gil [Johnson F.S.]
Owens, Kenny [Reeder Flying Service]
Storrs
Syme, Clarence “Clare”, Abbotsford, B.C.
Trunnell
Walker
Wilson, Tommy [Skyway Air Services]
Zahorsky, Z. [Wheeler Air Lines]
A new aerial spray method. In 1961 FPL developed an “aerial flagging” method of guiding its TBM-3E aircraft over spray blocks. Cessna aircraft were positioned ahead of the spray aircraft and acted as a flag post marking each line. The system used teams of four TBMs and 2 Cessnas [Flieger 1964]. This was the first aerial flagging system to be used for the guidance of spray aircraft. To accommodate the larger, faster TBM, spray blocks changed shape from irregular boundaries averaging 18 square km to square boundaries of 56 square km.
1962
No information on pilots and teams except for pilot Harold Hawes [Hazel Clare, pers. comm.]:
He began flying TBM’s in early May 1962 with familiarization and practice drops in Abbotsford on KCL then on May 19 headed for Dunphy with IMM, arriving there on May 22. It seems he sprayed around Dunphy with IMM until the end of June then took the machine back to Abbotsford/Smithers area to do some fire bombing.
Of the 14 TBMs flown, probably all belonged to Wheeler and Skyway. By 1962, Wheeler had five TBMs remaining:
| 501 | CF-IMR |
| 503 | CF-IMT |
| 505 | CF-IMV |
| 506 | CF-IMW |
| 507 | CF-IMX |
Skyway probably had 16 TBMs flying in 1962. If all five Wheeler TBMs joined the spray team this year, then nine of the 16 Skyway TBMs would have flown in from British Columbia for the project, but which ones they were is not known to this author.
![A line of five Avengers about to take off, 1962. [From “Can Science Save the Spruce”, The Star Weekly, Toronto, 18 August 1962]](https://forestprotectiontbmavengers.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/star-weekly-18aug1962-7.jpg)
1963
Six TBMs flown, probably a combination of Skyway and Wheeler aircraft. At the start of the spray season, Wheeler had 4 TBMs remaining and Skyway had 16. Wheeler’s CF-IMT (#503) had crashed on May 2, 1963, so was not available for the spray season. Possibly J.D. Irving’s CF-IMO (#508) was used this year, making five TBMs. Only one TBM from Skyway was thus needed, but I do not have any confirmation of this speculation.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
In 1963 he was back spraying again in Dunphy this time with IMV. In early July ’63 however he flew KCL out to Prince George for fire bombing and used both KCL and MUD for that purpose.
Maine Project – June 1963
Norm Ralston of Oregon sent me several images and files from when his dad, “Swede” Ralston and partner Ed Ball were pilot/owners of TBMs that sprayed spruce budworm in the 1950s and 1960s. From this I found evidence of a spruce budworm spray project in Maine that took place from 4 to 9 June of 1963. The project was based out of Presque Isle, which is just a few miles from the New Brunswick border west of Perth-Andover.
From the personnel list we can glean that the following pilots and companies flew TBMs (Stearmans were also present) from this project, and that perhaps also worked in New Brunswick. Mechanics for each company were also present.
Hillcrest Aviation – Ed Ball, Clayt Curtis, Wayne Hughes, Kenny Owen
Johnson Flying Service – Frank Borgeson, Ray Green, Gil Musgrove
Simsbury Flying Service – George Bailey (Chief Pilot), Jim Holland, Bob Laird, and Zeke Zahorsky
1964
No information on pilots and teams. Of the 28 TBMs flown, 5 were from Wheeler Airlines, 9 were from the U.S. company Johnson Flying Service and 14 were from Skyway Air Services (their entire remaining fleet). Wheeler was the contractor for their own aircraft and for the Johnson aircraft while Skyway dealt directly with FPL. The J.D. Irving TBM, #508 CF-IMO, is often lumped in with the Wheeler aircraft.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
In the 1964 season he went to Dunphy spraying again, this time on KCH then on June 27 flew KCH with Pete Deck as passenger to Kapuskasing. The months of July & Aug. of ’64 he was fire bombing and practicing same in Smithers again with KCH.
“Ray Green also flew out of Juniper for Johnson as chief pilot under Reindeer #1 team in 1964. I was a radio operator there and got to fly with him as a stowaway and flew from Juniper to Fredericton at the end of the project with Ray and the rest of the team.” – Rhys W. Reynolds [comment below]
| Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Company |
| 501 | CF-IMR | Wheeler |
| 505 | CF-IMV | Wheeler |
| 506 | CF-IMW | Wheeler |
| 507 | CF-IMX | Wheeler |
| 508 | CF-IMO | J.D. Irving |
| 601 | CF-IMI | Skyway |
| 602 | CF-IMK | Skyway |
| 604 | CF-IMM | Skyway |
| 605 | CF-IMN | Skyway |
| 606 | CF-KCH | Skyway |
| 607 | CF-KCJ | Skyway |
| 608 | CF-KCK | Skyway |
| 609 | CF-KCL | Skyway |
| 612 | CF-MUD | Skyway |
| 614 | CF-KCF | Skyway |
| 615 | CF-KCG | Skyway |
| 616 | CF-KCM | Skyway |
| 617 | CF-KCN | Skyway |
| 618 | CF-MUE | Skyway |
| A14 | N3249G | Johnson |
| D6 | N3251G | Johnson |
| A21 | N3969A | Johnson |
| A12 | N6824C | Johnson |
| A11 | N7014C | Johnson |
| A7 | N7015C | Johnson |
| ? | N7016C | Johnson |
| ? | N9010C | Johnson |
| A6 | N9597C | Johnson |
1965
No information on pilots and teams, although there is an FPL report titled “Aerial Forest Spraying Operations 1965” by B.W. Flieger dated November 1965. A total of 19 TBMs flew out of Fredericton Airport and Juniper and Dunphy airstrips. Probably the same 14 Skyway Avengers and others from 1964 flew again in 1965. There were special preparations for the spraying of Phosphamidon in experimental areas, but this was done from Dunphy airstrip from the side opposite from the DDT storage to keep the work separated from the spraying of DDT. Four TBMs were brought in early so they could be calibrated for this experimental spray.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
The summer of 1965 he sprayed in Juniper with IMM then in July went fire bombing in Kamloops with KCF until the end of that season.
1966
A report from the FPL files, “Forest Protection Limited 1966 Project Report on Aircraft Calibration” by R.E. (Rudy) Hanusiak, lists the following 22 TBMs and pilots from the following: Wheeler Airlines (5), JD Irving (1), Johnson Flying Service (2), Skyway Air Services (14).
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
On May 22, 1966 he flew KCH back from Abbotsford to Juniper and used it for spraying around Dunphy/Juniper area. He ended that season with a short flight from Dunphy to Fredericton in MUD on June 19.
| Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilots | Company |
| A11 | N7014C | Green | Johnson |
| A13 | N7922A | Westmorland | Skyway (with US registration) |
| A15 | N3251G | Shaughnessy | Johnson |
| 501 | CF-IMR | Fewell | Wheeler |
| 505 | CF-IMV | Norman | Wheeler |
| 506 | CF-IMW | Knudson | Wheeler |
| 507 | CF-IMX | Zahorsky | Wheeler |
| 508 | CF-IMO | B. Green | J.D. Irving |
| 601 | CF-IMI | Knights | Skyway |
| 602 | CF-IMK | Lebans | Skyway |
| 604 | CF-IMM | Linkewich | Skyway |
| 605 | CF-IMN | Cooper | Skyway |
| 606 | CF-KCH | Hawes | Skyway |
| 607 | CF-KCJ | Bezik | Skyway |
| 608 | CF-KCK | Hill | Skyway |
| 609 | CF-KCL | Langemann | Skyway |
| 612 | CF-MUD | Plawski | Skyway |
| 614 | CF-KCF | Sendra | Skyway |
| 615 | CF-KCG | Owen | Skyway |
| 616 | CF-KCM | Hodson | Skyway |
| 617 | CF-KCN | Ball | Skyway |
| 618 | CF-MUE | McGarrigle | Skyway |
1967
A report from the FPL files, Forest Protection Limited “1967 Project Report on Aircraft Calibration” by R.E. (Rudy) Hanusiak, lists the following 13 TBMs and pilots: Wheeler Airlines (3 plus the JD Irving TBM), Skyway Air Services (9).
| Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilots | Company |
| 501 | CF-IMR | Knudson | Wheeler |
| 505 | CF-IMV | Zahorsky | Wheeler |
| 507 | CF-IMX | Zahorsky | Wheeler |
| 508 | CF-IMO | Green | J.D. Irving |
| 602 | CF-IMK | Lebans | Skyway |
| 604 | CF-IMM | Linkewich | Skyway |
| 605 | CF-IMN | Cooper | Skyway |
| 606 | CF-KCH | Knights | Skyway |
| 607 | CF-KCJ | Hodson | Skyway |
| 608 | CF-KCK | Hill | Skyway |
| 612 | CF-MUD | Plawski | Skyway |
| 615 | CF-KCG | Langemann | Skyway |
| 618 | CF-MUE | Lumsden | Skyway |
1968
Six TBMs flew in two teams (no info on pilots) in New Brunswick in 1968 (Source: FPL files). FPL also agreed to act as an agent for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for a forest spraying project in July against the Hemlock Looper. FPL files say that 7 TBM flew this year. Possibly an additional aircraft helped out in the Newfoundland project, although it is not mentioned in the 1968 report.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
He did not fly TBM’s in 1967 but started again in 1968. On May 22, ‘68 he set out with IMM again from Abbotsford to Dunphy and sprayed with it around Dunphy [NB], [and] St. John[‘s?] [and] Stephenville [NF] until the end of July of that year.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Nylon | 501 | CF-IMR | ? | Wheeler-Northland |
| 505 | CF-IMV | ? | Wheeler-Northland | |
| 508 | CF-IMO | ? | J.D. Irving | |
| Whiskey | 601 | CF-IMI | ? | Skyway |
| 602 | CF-IMK | ? | Skyway | |
| 604 | CF-IMM | Hawes | Skyway |
1969
Table VII from the 1969 FPL report “1969 Spray Operations” lists 26 TBMs used in the 1969 New Brunswick spray season. A photocopied handwritten table from the FPL files supplied by Don Henry lists 8 teams of TBMs and their pilots, including those from Conair Aviation (13), Wheeler-Northland (5), Maritime Air Service (3), Central (1), Richardson Aviation (1), Johnson Flying Service (3). The entire fleet operated out of three airfields in New Brunswick: Chipman, Dunphy and Juniper.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
In the 1969 season he went spraying again in Dunphy with IMO then flew IMX from Dunphy to Deer Lake NFLD on June 27th and continued to spray there until July 27 at which time he flew IMX to St. Jean Que,
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Jughead – Lead | 616 NB | CF-KCM | Poole | Conair |
| 2 | 615 NB | CF-KCG | Peters | Conair |
| 3 | 614 NB | CF-KCF | Kydd | Conair |
| Donkey – Lead | 602* NB | CF-IMK | Langemann | Conair |
| 2 | 609 NB | CF-KCL | Archer | Conair |
| 3 | 601 NB | CF-IMI | Owen | Conair |
| Whiskey – Lead | 619 NB | CF-MXN | Melhaeff | Conair |
| 2 | 604 NB | CF-IMM | Froese | Conair |
| 3 | 606 NB | CF-KCH | Almond | Conair |
| Playboy – Lead | 617 NB | CF-KCN | Cooper | Conair |
| 2 | 602* NB | CF-IMK | Syme | Conair |
| 3 | 605 NB | CF-IMN | Grunniger | Conair |
| Woodchuck – Lead | 112 (N2C) NB | N7032C | R. Richardson | Richardson |
| 2 | 61 NB 8 | CF-MUE | Truran | Conair |
| 3 | 111 (N1C) NB | N7031C | A.B. Roberts | Central |
| Billy Goat – Lead | A11 NB + NF | N7014C | Ray Green | Johnson |
| 2 | A15 NB + NF | N3251G | Bob Graves | Johnson |
| 3 | D6 NB + NF | N9597C | Bill Deming | Johnson |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 507 NB | CF-IMX | J. Fewell | Wheeler-Northland |
| 2 | 506 NB | CF-IMW | C. Marcoux | Wheeler-Northland |
| 3 | 505 NB | CF-IMV | A. Skidmore | Wheeler-Northland |
| Nylon – Lead | 501 NB | CF-IMR | J. Holland | Wheeler-Northland |
| 2 | 900 NB + NF | CF-XOM | S. Tomecek | Maritime |
| 3 | 508 NB | CF-IMO | H. Hawes | J.D. Irving |
| Spare | 612 NB | CF-MUD | — | Conair |
| Spare | 911 NB + NF | CF-XON | — | Maritime |
| Spare | 922 NB + NF | CF-XOO | White | Maritime |
| NEWFOUNDLAND | 55 NF | N7075C | — | Reeder |
| 56 NF | N7076C | — | Reeder | |
| D8 (possibly) NF | N4168A | — | Reeder | |
| D6 NF | N9010C | — | Hillcrest | |
| D7 (possibly) NF | N7028C | — | Hillcrest |
The Deer Lake, Newfoundland, Image
A fleet of 19 TBM’s operated from Gander and Deer Lake Airports in Newfoundland to spray for Hemlock Looper. Sometimes all we have to go on for evidence of an aircraft’s presence in a certain location at a certain time is photographic evidence or a list of teams. This photograph, taken by Steve Holmes, shows 12 of 19 Avengers parked at Deer Lake Airport on the west coast of Newfoundland in 1969. This was undoubtedly taken from the airport control tower. I have positive ids for most of these aircraft:
- Rear: The two yellow and black aircraft, one in the last row and one way at the back, are N7031C (Airway #111) and N7032C (Richardson #112), but which one is which cannot be determined.
- Back row (l to r): 2 Reeder Avengers: #56 N7076C and #55 N7075C
- Middle row (l to r): 3 Johnson Avengers: #A15 N3251G, #D6 (large) N9597C and #A11 N7014C (with bat on tail)
- Front row (l to r): Hillcrest #D6 (small) N9010C (rooster on nose), possibly Hillcrest #D7 N7028C and possibly Reeder #D8 N4168A
- Runway: very likely Maritime Air Service #900 FXOM (right) and #911 FXON.
1970
Appendix V from the 1970 FPL report “Forest Spraying Operations – 1970” lists the TBMs used in the 1970 spray season by aircraft project number; it is in fact the same list as used in 1969 with a note at the bottom saying “this prescription is for 1970”. The 1970 hand-written calibration list and two photocopied handwritten tables from the FPL files supplied by Don Henry (which lists 9 teams of TBMs and their pilots) include three additional TBMs (#110, #A14, #56) for a total of 27. JD Irving’s TBM #508 FIMO was also present.
Hazel Clare writes about her husband, Harold Hawes:
In 1970 (May 23rd) he flew IMX from St. Jean to Dunphy to start the spraying season. There is a short flight noted in his log from Dunphy to Chipman on May 23, then on what looks like May 28th he lost control while taking off from a muddy strip and bent up the prop on IMX. That apparently ended the spraying season for him and for that matter he never flew TBM’s again after that.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Zebra – Lead | 112 (N2C) | N7032C | Richardson | Richardson |
| 2 | 110 | N68683 | Poteet | Hillcrest |
| 3 | 111 (N1C) | N7031C | Gunns (fatality) | Central |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 505 | CF-IMV | Skidmore | Wheeler-Northland |
| 2 | 507 | CF-IMX | Graves | Wheeler-Northland |
| 3 | 501 | CF-IMR | Rowe | Wheeler-Northland |
| Donkey – Lead | 605 | CF-IMN | Langemann | Conair |
| 2 | 604 | CF-IMM | Weslowsky | Conair |
| 3 | 614 | CF-KCF | Smith | Conair |
| Jughead – Lead | 615 | CF-KCM | Poole | Conair |
| 2 | 616 | CF-KCG | Grosenick | Conair |
| 3 | 606 | CF-KCH | Almond | Conair |
| Playboy – Lead | 612 | CF-MUD | Truran | Conair |
| 2 | 618 | CF-MUE | Syme | Conair |
| 3 | 619 | CF-MXN | Zimmer | Conair |
| Rabbit – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Marcoux | Wheeler-Northland |
| 2 | 911 | CF-XON | Paton | Maritime |
| 3 | 900 | CF-XOM | Lavigne | Maritime |
| Billy Goat – Lead | A11 | N7014C | Green | Johnson |
| 2 | A14 | N3249G | Page | Johnson |
| 3 | D6 | N9597C | Demming | Johnson |
| Whiskey – Lead | 601 | CF-IMI | Grunigar | Conair |
| 2 | 602 | CF-IMK | Boston | Conair |
| 3 | 609 | CF-KCL | Smeed | Conair |
| Nylon – Lead | 617 | CF-KCN | Owen | Conair |
| 2 | 56 | N7076C | Archer | Reeder |
| 3 | — | CF-AYL | Retfalvy | Norfolk |
| Spare | 508 | N4168A | — | Reeder |
| Crashed Dunphy airstrip | A15 | N3251G | Graves | Johnson |
| Maine contract | A23 | N7028C | ? | Hillcrest |
| Maine contract | A18 | N4173A | ? | Hillcrest |
| Maine contract | A9 | N9586Z | ? | Hillcrest |
1971
Sources were two handwritten team and pilot lists provided from the FPL files by Don Henry; one dated 12 June 1971 (one page) and the other (two pages) undated. Some of the teams differed between the two lists, indicating that conditions and personnel were certainly changeable. Another source was a table entitled “N.B. & Quebec Spruce Budworm Projects: United States Registered Grumman TBM-3 Aircraft – 1971”, compiled by Evergreen Air Service Ltd.
A total of 20 Canadian and 25 US TBMs were contracted to fly in NB and Quebec. Air Tankers’ TBM #B14 N9599C was contracted to spray in NB but crashed in Iowa on 20 May 1971 before arriving; a BC TBM also crashed on the outward ferry and returned to BC.
In 1971 mixing plants and aircraft were based at Maniwaki, Lacs-des-Loups, and a bush airstrip built near Lac Nilgaut, in Western Quebec, specifically the extensive Gatineau area north of Ottawa, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec. Forest Protection Limited conducted the operation. Nine TBMs were divided into three teams and assigned to each airport/airstrip, and were to spray 2 million acres. To speed up the operation, a fourth team was added from New Brunswick during the last five days.
TBMs were used exclusively in 1971 (June 11-12) in the Temiscouata region, which is located near the northwest border of New Brunswick. The program was conducted by Forest Protection Limited using TBMs based in Edmundston, NB.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Raccoon – Lead | A18 | N4173A | Holland | Hillcrest |
| 2 | A23 | N7028C | Fagan | Hillcrest |
| 3 | A25 | N68683 | Poteet | Hillcrest |
| Ping Pong – Lead X | 505 | CF-IMV | Skidmore | Evergreen |
| 2 X | 507 | CF-IMX | Archer | Evergreen |
| 3 X | 501 | CF-IMR | Beckon | Evergreen |
| Whisky – Lead | 501 | CF-IMR | Tomecek | Evergreen |
| 2 | 71 | N7229C | Chase | Hemet Valley |
| 3 | 112 | N7032C | Watson | Richardson |
| Ringtail – Lead | 52 | N9434Z | Knudson | Hemet Valley |
| 2 | 72 | N3357G | Norman | Hemet Valley |
| 3 | 37 | N6825C | Payton | Hemet Valley |
| Playboy – Lead X | 612 | CF-MUD | Truran | Conair |
| 2 X | 609 | CF-KCL | Tweed | Conair |
| 3 X | 605 | CF-IMN | Boulton | Conair |
| Zebra – Lead 3 X | 58 (Firefly – Lead X) | N4168A | Owen | Reeder |
| 2 | — | CF-AYL | Sytsma | Norfolk |
| 3 | 911 | CF-XON | Harrington | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Gourmet – Lead | E28 | N68663 | Plawski | Sis-Q |
| 2 | E27 | N1369N | Sward | Sis-Q |
| 3 | E26 | N9078Z (salvaged) | Carr | Sis-Q |
| Jughead – Lead X | 615 | CF-KCG | Froese | Conair |
| 2 X | 606 | CF-KCH | Robb | Conair |
| 3 X | 604 | CF-IMM | Grosenick | Conair |
| Firefly – Lead | 56 | N7076C | Duncan | Reeder |
| 2 | 25 | N9590Z | Adami | Hillcrest |
| 3 | 716 | CF-ZTA | Retfalvy | Miramichi |
| Nylon – Lead | 618 | CF-MUE | Fewell | Conair |
| 2 | 619 | CF-MXN | MacLagan | Conair |
| 3 | 601 | CF-IMI | Kelly | Conair |
| Donkey – Lead | 614 | CF-KCF | Smith | Conair |
| 2 | 602 | CF-IMK | Raun | Conair |
| 3 | 617 | CF-KCN | Rowe | Conair |
| Panther – Lead | 57 (Firefly 3 X) | N9429Z | Graves | Reeder |
| 2 | 11 | N4171A | Lawrence | Reeder |
| Hobnail – Lead | A14 | N3249G | M. Owen | Johnson |
| 2 | A12 | N6824C | Porter | Johnson |
| 3 | A13 | N9010C | Page | Johnson |
| Billy Goat – Lead | A11 | N7014C | Green | Johnson |
| 2 | D7 | N7015C | Komberec | Johnson |
| 3 | D6 | N9597C | Demming | Johnson |
| Reindeer – Lead | A9 | N9586Z | Reid | Hillcrest |
| 2 | B15 | N7002C | Otis | Air Tankers |
| 3 | 55 | N7075C | Laudert | Reeder |
| Crashed in Iowa en route to NB | B14 | N9599C | B. Bauer (fatality) | Air Tankers |
1972
Sources for TBM teams and pilots are five handwritten and typed lists provided by Don Henry from the FPL files. Most are working copies and have deletions and amendments showing changes in teams, pointers and pilots. I have attempted to combine them into one table that shows the distribution of TBM teams across projects in NB, Quebec and Maine. Some aircraft show up more than once because of their assignments to different teams and projects.
The total number of TBMs in the sprayer fleet was 44, and all were calibrated in New Brunswick at Dunphy Airstrip. Twenty-four TBMs began work from five fields in NB, concentrated in the early days from from Sussex and Blissville and gradually moving to Juniper and Sevogle where most were working during the last week. Dunphy had a small number working throughout the season.
Experimental B.t. trials concerning spruce budworm were conducted in western Quebec by a fleet of 18 TBMs with boom-and-nozzle and associated guidance aircraft. Western Quebec comprises the extensive Gatineau area north of Ottawa, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec. TBMs were also used to spray jack-pine budworm based at Lacs-des-Loups airport, Quebec. Anticosti Island, a large Quebec island situated in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between the Gaspe Peninsula and Newfoundland, suffered a hemlock looper infestation and was sprayed in 1972 and 1973. Spraying operations were conducted by FPL using 15 TBMs in 1972 and other aircraft in 1973; these were based at Port Menier airport.
Spraying in Maine was conducted by a fleet of three TBMs and 10 PV2s.
![Parked TBMs at Sevogle, NB, 1972: #11 N4171A, #22 N7032C (will become GFPS), Reeder #58 N4168A, Miramichi Air Service #A23 FZTS, and Miramichi Air Service #A18 FZTR. Pilot Kenny Owen is walking at right. [Merrill McBride collection]](https://forestprotectiontbmavengers.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/tbms-n4171a-n7032c-n4168a-a23-a18-parked_mmcbride_sevoglenb_1972_mm-43_crop.jpg)
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company | NB | Quebec | |
| Jughead – Lead | 615 | CF-KCG | Rowe | Conair | √ | ||
| 2 | 601 | CF-IMI | Langemann | Conair | √ | ||
| 3 | 505 | CF-IMV | Skidmore | Evergreen | √ | ||
| Jughead – Lead | 604 | CF-IMM | Wood | Conair | √ A | ||
| 2 | 601 | CF-IMI | Langemann | Conair | √ A | ||
| 3 | 617 | CF-KCN | Yuill | Conair | √ A | ||
| Playboy – Lead (NB) | 612 | CF-MUD | Truran | Conair | √ | ||
| 2 | 602 | CF-IMK | Robb | Conair | √ | ||
| 3 | 606 | CF-KCH | Paul | Conair | √ | ||
| Ping Pong – Lead | 618 | CF-MUE | Fewell | Conair | √ | ||
| 2 | 604 | CF-IMM | Wood | Conair | √ | ||
| 3 | 617 | CF-KCN | Yuill | Conair | √ | ||
| Ping Pong – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen | √ | ||
| 2 | 507 | CF-IMX | Gilland | Evergreen | √ | ||
| 3 | 501 | CF-IMR | Archer | Evergreen | √ | ||
| Ping Pong – Lead | 618 | CF-MUE | Cooper | Conair | √ A | ||
| 2 | 606 | CF-KCH | Paul | Conair | √ A | ||
| 3 | 505 | CF-IMV | Skidmore | Evergreen | √ A | ||
| Firefly – Lead | A23 | CF-ZTS | Grunniger | Miramichi | √ | ||
| 2 | A18 | CF-ZTR | McBride | Miramichi | √ | ||
| 3 | 716 | CF-ZTA | Retfalvy | Miramichi | √ | ||
| Donkey – Lead | A23 | CF-ZTS | Grunniger | Miramichi | √ | ||
| 2 | A25 | N68683 | Retfalvy | Miramichi | √ | ||
| 3 | 716 | CF-ZTA | McBride | Miramichi | √ | ||
| Billy Goat – Lead | A11 | N7014C | Green | Johnson | √ | ||
| 2 | D7 | N7015C | Komberec | Johnson | √ | ||
| 3 | D6 | N9597C | Demming | Johnson | √ | ||
| Raccoon – Lead | 55 | N7075C | Laudert | Reeder | √ | ||
| 2 | 56 | N7076C | O’Brien | Reeder (salvaged) | √ | ||
| 3 | 52 | N9434Z | Knudson | Hemet Valley | √ | ||
| Reindeer – Lead | 58 | N4168A | K. Owen | Reeder | √ | ||
| 2 | 22 | N7032C | Graves | Richardson | √ | ||
| 3 | 11 | N4171A | Gossett | Reeder | √ | ||
| Hobnail – Lead | A12 | N6824C | M. Owen | Johnson | √ | ||
| 2 | A14 | N3249G | Denton | Johnson | √ | ||
| 3 | A13 | N9010C | Porter | Johnson | √ | ||
| Nylon – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen | √ | √ A | |
| 2 | 507 | CF-IMX | Gilland | Evergreen | √ | √ A | |
| 3 | 501 | CF-IMR | Archer | Evergreen | √ | √ A | |
| Nylon – Lead | 605 | CF-IMN | Boulton | Conair | √ | ||
| 2 | 603 | CF-AGL | Smeed (fatality) | Conair | √ | ||
| 3 | 607 | CF-AGN | Buchanan | Conair | √ | ||
| Gourmet – Lead | 25 | N68663 | Fagan | Sis-Q | √ | ||
| 2 | 26 | N9078Z | Cranford | Sis-Q | √ | ||
| 3 | 27 | N1369N | Payton | Sis-Q | √ | ||
| Ringtail – Lead | 17 | CF-XON | Harrington | Hicks & Lawrence | √ | ||
| 2 | 74 | N7833C | Johnson | Hemet Valley | √ | ||
| 3 | 68 | N5168N | Woodmansee | Hemet Valley | √ | ||
| Whisky – Lead (Quebec) | 609 | CF-KCL | Smith | Conair | √ | ||
| 2 | 619 | CF-MXN | Grosenick | Conair | √ | ||
| 3 | 607 | CF-AGN | Pearson | Conair | √ | ||
| Zebra – Lead | 001 | CF-AYL | Systma | Norfolk | √ | ||
| 2 | 2 | CF-AXS | Losee | Norfolk | √ | ||
| 3 | 5 | CF-AYG | Falkowski | Norfolk | √ | ||
| Turkey – Lead (Maine – not an FPL contract) | A25 | N68683 | Reid | Miramichi | — | — | |
| 2 | 57 | N9429Z | Adami | Reeder | — | — | |
| 3 | 19 | N9586Z | Craig | Hillcrest | — | — | |
| Lost on ferry to Quebec | – | CF-BQS | Woytaz | Hicks & Lawrence | √ |
Concerning Merrill McBride
Louis Sytsma (2011) Reply to a comment posted to the FAYL page: Boy this brings back some old memories. I was the pilot who flew AYL in 71-72. After that I flew for Irving Oil. I was in the area when Merrill McBride went down. That was a very sad day. I knew Merrill since he looked after AYL maintenance in 71. He was a real fine person.
Posted by Glen McBride [Merrill’s son] to TBMs – Mil & Civ, 21 Nov 2014: I thought you guys might like a glimpse of what it was like flying in New Brunswick so I have taken a few excerpts from my father’s log book. Some days he logged 6 or 7 flights averaging a little over an hour each. As he was also a mechanic he probably flew more ‘sick’ aircraft than many and that might explain some of the entries:
Apr 27, 1972 CF-ZTS – Hamilton – Gross weight take off – Inadvertent overload, marginal take-off
Jun 16, 1972 CF-ZTR – Runway accident – Aircraft damaged in bush off runway (I remember hearing something about a locked tailwheel but I’m not sure about the cause)
Jul 3, 1972 CF-ZTA – Dunphy NB to Chatham NB– Emergency landing, engine cutting
Dec 2, 1972 CF-BEG – Test flight – Simsbury – No gen, flap or U/C indicators. Fuel will not feed from C. main, lost part of canopy in flight, aileron trim broke loose causing severe vibration. Nice trip.
Jul 5, 1972 CF-ZTA – Spray block 31 – Returned losing oil badly
Jul 5, 1972 CF-ZTA – Spray block 31 – Aborted, returned losing oil badly, full load landing
Jul 6, 1972 CF-ZTA – Spray block 18 – Blew tank on block, fuel gauges unserviceable
Jul 6, 1972 CF-ZTA – Aborted – spray system unserviceable, full load landing
Jul 5, 1972 CF-ZTA – Aborted – Engine cutting out on block
Jul 12, 1972 CF-ZTA – Havre St. Pierre [on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, R., Quebec, due north of Anticosti Is. – ed.] to Dunphy – Blew exhaust stack, no tach
May 27, 1973 CF-ZTA – Aborted trip, spray unserviceable (landed with full load)
Andy Retfalvy flew spare A/C to Blissville, right U/C leg hung up, forced to belly in [This was probably CF-BEG – ed.]
June 6, 1973 – CF-ZTA – Spray block #1 – Came home with rough engine.
Donkey 3, John Prast, lost engine on T.O., stalled into trees, complete write-off [CF-ZTS]. Cracked vertebrae and ankle.
1973
Sources for the list of pilots and teams include a typewritten list from Conair dated May 1973 showing their planned teams and a handwritten and annotated list from FPL. Adult budworm moths were sprayed in 1973 in the St. Leonard and St. Quentin areas of northern NB by TBMs equipped with boom-and-flat-fan nozzles.
TBMs were used exclusively in 1973 (June 6) in the Temiscouata region, which is located near the northwest border of New Brunswick. The program was conducted by Forest Protection Limited using TBMs based in Edmundston, NB. In 1973, spraying was conducted by three Conair Aviation TBMs and two Canadair CL-215 water bombers owned by the Quebec Department of Transport. The Avenger’s capacity was increased slightly and the boom-and-nozzle assembly was moved above the wings, resulting in a wider spray swath (½ vs. ¼ mile). Further, an experimental B.t. spray was conducted by TBM and CL-215 aircraft equipped with boom-and-nozzle.
There was no spraying by FPL in Quebec as that province undertook its spray program without FPL assistance.
| Operator | 1972 | 1973 |
| Conair, Abbotsford, BC | 13 (1 lost, not replaced) | 7 |
| Norfolk Aerial Sprayers, Simcoe, Ont. | 3 | 3 |
| Evergreen Air Service, Pierrefonds, Que. | 4 | 4 |
| Hicks & Lawrence, Tilsonburg, Ont. | 2 (1 lost, not replaced) | 1 |
| Miramichi Air Service, Douglastown, NB | 3 (1 lost, replaced by import) | 3 |
This was the first year that the number of TBMs available in Canada exceeded the New Brunswick spruce budworm requirement, and thus was the last year that US TBMs flew in NB, until 1981 and 1982.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Playboy – Lead | 606 | CF-KCH | Paul + Marsden | Conair |
| 2 | 601 | CF-IMI | Robb | Conair |
| 3 | 618 | CF-MUE | Westwood | Conair |
| Jughead – Lead | 612 | CF-MUD | Wood | Conair |
| 2 | 615 | CF-KCG | Richards | Conair |
| 3 | 602 | CF-IMK | Gossett | Conair |
| Brandy – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen |
| 2 | 501 | CF-IMR | Archer | Evergreen |
| 3 | 609 | CF-KCL | Yuill | Conair |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 505 | CF-IMV | Gilland | Evergreen |
| 2 | 17 | CF-XON | Haradon | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 507 | CF-IMX | Yaworsky | Evergreen |
| Donkey – Lead | A25 | CF-BEF | Tomecek | Miramichi |
| 2 | A23 | CF-ZTS | Prast | Miramichi |
| 3 | 716 | CF-ZTA | McBride | Miramichi |
| Zebra – Lead | 5 | CF-AYG | Falkowski | Norfolk |
| 2 | 2 | CF-AXS | Losee | Norfolk |
| 3 | — | CF-AYL | Gallagher | Norfolk |
| Spare | 18 | CF-XOM | Martindale | Hicks & Lawrence |
1974
Sources for the list of pilots and teams include two handwritten and annotated lists from FPL, referred to below as 1 and 2 after the team name. The first listed 6 teams that were planned for the season. The second list dropped the Jughead and Ping Pong teams after crashes resulted in the loss of 4 Avengers and the redistribution of pilots and aircraft but listed one (#716) that crashed later.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Jughead – Lead | 606 | CF-KCH | Richards | Conair |
| 2 | 609 | CF-KCL | Brown | Conair |
| 3 | 612 | CF-MUD | Blyth | Conair |
| Whisky1 – Lead | 607 | CF-AGN | Losee | Conair |
| 2 | 618 | CF-MUE | Holmes | Conair |
| 3 | 616 | CF-KCM | Duch | Conair |
| Whisky2 – Lead | 607 | CF-AGN | Losee | Conair |
| 2 | 616 | CF-KCM | Davis | Conair |
| 3 | 21 | CF-BQT | Godby | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Tiger1 – Lead | A25 | CF-BEF | Tomecek (salvaged) | Miramichi |
| 2 | 01 | CF-BEG | Bisson | Miramichi |
| 3 | 716 | CF-ZTA | McBride | Miramichi |
| Tiger2 – Lead | 716 | CF-ZTA | McBride (fatality) | Miramichi |
| 2 | 01 | CF-BEG | Gallagher | Miramichi |
| 3 | 18 | CF-XOM | Mereien | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Zebra1 – Lead | B15 | C-GOBJ | Falkowski | Norfolk |
| 2 | B19 | C-GOBK | Angus | Norfolk |
| 3 | 2 | CF-AXS | Inman | Norfolk |
| Zebra2 – Lead | 2 | CF-AXS | Angus | Norfolk |
| 2 | 5 | CF-AYG | Inman | Norfolk |
| 3 | B19 | C-GOBK | Falkowski | Norfolk |
| Brandy1 – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen |
| 2 | 17 | CF-XON | Godby | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 18 | CF-XOM | Mereien | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Brandy2 – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen |
| 2 | 505 | CF-IMV | Gilland | Evergreen |
| 3 | 501 | CF-IMR | Marcoux | Evergreen |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 505 | CF-IMV | Gilland | Evergreen |
| 1 | 501 | CF-IMR | Martindale + Archer | Evergreen |
| 2 | 507 | CF-IMX | Becon | Evergreen |
1975
Sources for this list of pilots and teams are the 1975 FPL Annual Report and a handwritten and annotated list from FPL. FPL “dry leased” its aircraft to Evergreen Air Services, which operated them under contract, as FPL was not yet a licensed aircraft operator. A total of 32 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program. The 1975 annual report was the first of a series of much more detailed reports that described every aspect of FPL and its operations, spearheaded by new General Manager H.J. “Bud” Irving.
![TBMs at Fredericton, 11 August, 1975. [Barrie MacLeod]](https://forestprotectiontbmavengers.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/tbm-a14-others_frederictonnb_11aug1975_bmacleod.jpg)
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Tiger – Lead | 18 | CF-XOM | Mereien | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | E27 | C-GLEF | Popham + Lippott | FPL |
| 3 | 21 | CF-BQT | Craven | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Billygoat – Lead | A7 | C-GLEQ | Green + Gummer | FPL |
| 2 | A11 | C-GLEP | Gummer + Green | FPL |
| 3 | A13 | C-GLEL | Glass | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 607 | CF-AGN | Losee | Conair |
| 2 | 615 | CF-KCG | Maike | Conair |
| 3 | 616 | CF-KCM | Hyland | Conair |
| Brandy – Lead | 612 | CF-MUD | Inman + Truran | Conair |
| 2 | 609 | CF-KCL | Smith + Wood | Conair |
| 3 | 618 | CF-MUE | McMaster | Conair |
| Raccoon – Lead | 605 | CF-IMN | Holmes | Conair |
| 2 | 602 | CF-IMK | Beecroft | Conair |
| 3 | 601 | CF-IMI | White | Conair |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 506 | CF-IMW | Kelly | Evergreen |
| 2 | 505 | CF-IMV | Gilland | Evergreen |
| 3 | 501 | CF-IMR | Marcoux | Evergreen |
| Playboy – Lead | A14 | C-GLEN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | E33 | C-GLEH | Stuart | FPL |
| 3 | E25 | C-GLEG | Darran + Archer | FPL |
| Jughead – Lead | A6 | C-GLEM | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | E24 | C-GLEJ | Kirschke | FPL |
| 3 | A12 | C-GLEK | Foote + Davis | FPL |
| Donkey – Lead | 01 | CF-BEG | Bisson | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | B19 | C-GOBK | Vallée | Norfolk |
| 3 | B16 | C-GOEG | Ragany | Norfolk |
| Zebra – Lead | B18 | C-GLDX | Angus | Norfolk |
| 2 | 5 | CF-AYG | McIlwaine | Norfolk |
| Listed in Annual Report – 3? | B2 | C-FAXS | Shalala | Norfolk |
| Crashed before season began, not listed in Annual Report | E26 | C-GLEI | Inman | FPL |
| Crashed, listed in Annual Report | 20 | C-FZYC | Koerfgren | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Crashed, listed in Annual Report | A25 | C-FBEF | Biro | Miramichi |
1976
This was FPL’s biggest project ever. For more details, see the discussion in the Introduction.
Sources for this list of pilots and aircraft were the 1976 FPL Annual Report, a preliminary handwritten list, and a typed list dated 19 July 1976, compiled after the completion of the spray season by Don Henry, Operations Coordinator for FPL. The table below is based on the final typed list. FPL again “dry leased” its aircraft from Evergreen Air Services. A total of 38 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Brandy – Lead | 615 | C-FKCG | Maike + Stuart | Conair |
| 2 | 618 | C-FMUE | McMaster | Conair |
| 3 | 609 | C-FKCL | Hutcheon | Conair |
| Zebra – Lead | B20 | C-FAYG | Losee | Norfolk |
| 2 | B18 | C-GLDX | Hartwanger | Norfolk |
| 3 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Vermeulen | Norfolk |
| Billygoat – Lead | A13 | C-GLEL | Deming | FPL |
| 2 | A6 | C-GLEM | Oswald | FPL |
| 3 | A11 | C-GLEP | Greene | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 97 | C-GFPO | Creasey | FPL |
| 2 | 68 | C-GFPQ | Peck | FPL |
| 3 | 74 | C-GFPN | Tall | FPL |
| Kahuna – Lead | A14 | C-GLEN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | A7 | C-GLEQ | Potter | FPL |
| 3 | A12 | C-GLEK | Kirschke | FPL |
| Tango – Lead | 612 | C-FMUD | Wood | Conair |
| 2 | 607 | C-FAGN | White | Conair |
| 3 | 616 | C-FKCM | Tyerman | Conair |
| Tiger – Lead | B16 | C-GOEG | Ragany | Norfolk |
| 2 | B17 | C-FAXS | Koerfgen | Norfolk |
| 3 | B19 | C-GOBK | Vallee | Norfolk |
| Baseball – Lead | 72 | C-GFPR | Gossett | FPL |
| 2 | 52 | C-GFPP | Lapham | FPL |
| 3 | E30 | C-GFPT | Mcknight | FPL |
| Jughead – Lead | 605 | C-FIMN | Smith | Conair |
| 2 | 601 | C-FIMI | Beecroft | Conair |
| 3 | 602 | C-FIMK | Atkins | Conair |
| Panther – Lead | 18 | C-FXOM | Merein | Hicks & Lawrence |
| FBQT was also a spare – 2 | 21 | C-FBQT | Craven | Hicks & Lawrence |
| No third TBM in this team |
— | — | — | — |
| Ping Pong – Lead | E26 | C-FIMV | Gilland | FPL |
| 2 | E25 | C-FIMR | Kelly | FPL |
| 3 | E33 | C-GLEH | Garon | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | E32 | C-GFPS | Crocker | FPL |
| 2 | E27 | C-GLEF | Payton | FPL |
| 3 | E21 | C-GFPM | Watson | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | E22 | C-GFPL | Stuart + Bisson | FPL |
| 2 | E24 | C-GLEJ | McIllwaine | FPL |
| No third TBM in this team |
— | — | — | — |
| Spare | 01 | C-FBEG | Bisson | Miramichi |
- FPL’s fleet of 24 TBMs on display at the Fredericton Airport, 22 June, 1976. The FPL hangar and offices are in the blue building at top left.
1977
Sources for this list of pilots and aircraft were the 1977 FPL Annual Report, a preliminary handwritten list and a typed list. A total of 36 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program. In early August, an agreement was reached with J.D. Irving Limited’s Woodlands Division whereby FPL would supply one TBM for about 20 hours of flying time to spray herbicide in the Juniper – Boston Brook area. Actual flying time was 15.3 hours.
On March 24, Barney W. Flieger died in hospital after a short illness. Mr. Flieger was manager of FPL from its formation in 1952 to his retirement in 1975.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Billygoat – Lead | A13 | C-GLEL | Deming | FPL |
| 2 | A7 | C-GLEQ | Potter (fatality) | FPL |
| 3 | A11 | C-GLEP | Greene | FPL |
| Donkey – Lead | A14 | C-GLEN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | E21 | C-GFPM | Komberec | FPL |
| 3 | A12 | C-GLEK | Kirschke | FPL |
| Playboy – Lead | E33 | C-GLEH | Maike | FPL |
| 2 | E32 | C-GFPS | McIlwaine | FPL |
| 3 | E22 | C-GFPL | Gomany | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | E24 | C-GLEJ | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | A6 | C-GLEM | Houghton | FPL |
| 3 | E27 | C-GLEF | Payton | FPL |
| BLISSVILLE | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 74 | C-GFPN | Tall | FPL |
| 2 | 68 | C-GFPQ | Westinghouse | FPL |
| 3 | E26 | C-FIMV | Richards | FPL |
| Tango – Lead | 618 | C-FMUE | Marcoux | Conair |
| 2 | E25 | C-FIMR | Gummer | FPL |
| 3 | E52 | C-GFPP | Jorgenson | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 612 | C-FMUD | Wood | Conair |
| 2 | 616 | C-FKCM | Tyerman | Conair |
| 3 | 607 | C-FAGN | Nelson | Conair |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Zebra – Lead | B20 | C-FAYG | Losee | Norfolk |
| 2 | B18 | C-GLDX | Hartwanger | Norfolk |
| 3 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Vermeulen | Norfolk |
| Tiger – Lead | B16 | C-GOEG | Ragany | Norfolk |
| 2 | B17 | C-FAXS | Wilkie | Norfolk |
| 3 | B19 | C-GOBK | Vallee | Norfolk |
| Jughead – Lead | 602 | C-FIMK | Tomecek | Conair |
| 2 | 605 | C-FIMN | Stad | Conair |
| 3 | 609 | C-FKCL | Atkins | Conair |
| Brandy – Lead | 601 | C-FIMI | Beecroft | Conair |
| 2 | 1 | C-FBEG | Kelly | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 18 | C-FXOM | Mereien | Hicks & Lawrence |
| CHARLO | ||||
| Whiskey-Lead | E30 | C-GFPT | McKnight | FPL |
| 2 | 97 | C-GFPO | Koerfgen | FPL |
| 3 | 72 | C-GFPR | Jewers | FPL |
1978
Sources for this list of pilots and aircraft were the 1978 FPL Annual Report and a typed and annotated list.
A total of 33 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program. FPL also purchased a Harvard Mark IIA (C-FTSV) to train TBM pilots. One TBM was supplied to Dr. Jules Picot of the University of New Brunswick’s Engineering Department for experimental spray trials out of Blissville airstrip (May 7-13 and July 2-13). One TBM was contracted to J.D. Irving Ltd. to spray herbicide at Boston Brook (July 29 – August 12).
In September 1977 preparations for the repainting of aircraft to a fleet standard began. This process started in December and five TBMs were completed before the start of the 1978 spray season. These were:
| Registration | Old No. | New No. |
| GFPM | #21 | #21 |
| GFPT | #30 | #10 |
| GFPS | #32 | #3 |
| GLEF | #27 | #8 |
| GFPR | #72 | #4 |
On July 4, the painting program was continued and all remaining TBMs plus the Harvard were completed. The numbers changed as follows:
| Registration | Old No. | New No. | Registration | Old No. | New No. |
| FIMI | #601 | #1 | GFPQ | #68 | #15 |
| FIMK | #602 | #2 | FKCM | #616 | #16 |
| FIMN | #606 | #5 | GFPN | #74 | #17 |
| GLEM | #A6 | #6 | FMUE | #618 | #18 |
| FAGN | #607 | #7 | GFPO | #97 | #19 |
| FKCL | #609 | #9 | GLEH | #33 | #20 |
| GLEP | #A11 | #11 | GFPL | #22 | #22 |
| FMUD | #612 | #12 | FIMR | #25 | #23 |
| GLEL | #A13 | #13 | GLEJ | #24 | #24 |
| GLEK | #A12 | #14 |
GLEN #A14 was not renumbered as it crashed on June 21. FPL was now the proud owner of TBMs numbered 1 to 24.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BLISSVILLE | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 25 | C-FIMR | Tall | FPL |
| 2 | 33 | C-GLEH | Vallee | FPL |
| 3 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Jausseran + Wood | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 10 | C-GFPT | McKnight | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Gomany | FPL |
| 3 | 8 | C-GLEF | Furry | FPL |
| Playboy – Lead | 1 | C-FIMK | Koerfgen | FPL |
| 2 | 5 | C-FIMN | Westinghouse | FPL |
| 3 | 2 | C-FIMI | Hopping | FPL |
| Jughead – Lead | 9 | C-FKCL | Atkins | FPL |
| 2 | 12 | C-FMUD | Houghton + Bisson | FPL |
| 3 | 3 | C-GFPS | Wells | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | 7 | C-FAGN | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 16 | C-FKCM | Jewers | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-FMUE | Guindon | FPL |
| JUNIPER | ||||
| Brandy – Lead | 22 | C-GFPL | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 1 | C-FBEG | Kelly | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 18 | C-FXOM | Germaine | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Tiger – Lead | B16 | C-GOEG | Ragany | Norfolk |
| 2 | B19 | C-GOBK | Zwarts (fatality) | Norfolk |
| 3 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Harrison | Norfolk |
| Zebra – Lead | B20 | C-FAYG | Woods | Norfolk |
| 2 | B17 | C-FAXS | Farrell | Norfolk |
| 3 | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Donkey – Lead | A14 | C-GLEN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | A12 | C-GLEK | Kirschke | FPL |
| 3 | 17 | C-GFPN | Payton (Lapham) | FPL |
| Billygoat – Lead | A13 | C-GLEL | Demming | FPL |
| 2 | A11 | C-GLEP | Greene | FPL |
| 3 | A6 | C-GLEM | Porter + Garon | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 97 | C-GFPO | Laird | FPL |
| 2 | 21 | C-GFPM | Lapham (Payton) | FPL |
| 3 | 68 | C-GFPQ | Wall | FPL |
1979
Sources for this list of pilots and aircraft were the 1979 FPL Annual Report and a typed and annotated list (several versions). A total of 30 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program. GLEL #13 was contracted to J.D. Irving for herbiciding in the Juniper – Boston Brook area during the week of August 20.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BLISSVILLE | ||||
| Whiskey – Lead | 16 | CF-KCM | Wells | FPL |
| 2 | 21 (later used as spare) | C-GFPM | Hyland | FPL |
| 3 | 19 (later used as spare) | C-GFPO | Abbott | FPL |
| Playboy – Lead | 1 | CF-IMI | Koerfgen | FPL |
| 2 | 12 | CF-MUD | Bisson / Wood | FPL |
| 3 | 20 | C-GLEH | Wilson | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | 7 | CF-AGN | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 5 | CF-IMN | Jewers | FPL |
| 3 | 2 | CF-IMK | Gomany | FPL |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 23 | C-FIMR | Tall | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Vallee | FPL |
| 3 | 3 | C-GFPS | Guidon | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 4 | C-GFPR | Laird | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | CF-MUE | Willett | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Verreault | FPL |
| Jughead – Lead | GFPQ moved to Billygoat Team after crash of GLEM | |||
| 2 | 10 | C-GFPT | Garon | FPL |
| 3 | 8 | C-GLEF | Clayton | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Billygoat – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Demming | FPL |
| 2 | 11 | C-GLEP | Greene | FPL |
| 3 | 6 | C-GLEM | McLean | FPL |
| 3 | 15 (moved from Jughead Team after crash) | C-GFPQ | Wall + McLean | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 17 | C-GFPN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Harrison | Norfolk |
| 3 | B17 | C-GOEG | Provenzano | Norfolk |
| Brandy – Lead | 22 | C-GFPL | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 1 | CF-BEG | Kelly | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 18 | C-FXOM | Germaine + Martindale | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Zebra – Lead | B20 | C-FAYG | Wood | Norfolk |
| 2 | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| 3 | B17 | C-FAXS | Farrell | Norfolk |
1980
A list titled “Team List – 1980”, dated 19 May, is the source for this 1980 assignment list of pilots and teams. A total of 28 TBMs were operated in NB during the spray program. The teams worked out of 4 airstrips: Brockway, Chipman, Boston Brook and Sevogle.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BROCKWAY | ||||
| Brandy – Lead | 2 | CF-IMK | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 5 | CF-IMN | Jewers | FPL |
| 3 | 1 | CF-IMI | Hyland | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | 7 | CF-AGN | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 6 | CF-KCM | Farrell | FPL |
| 3 | 2 | CF-MUD | Fenwick | FPL |
| Jughead – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 19 | C-GFPO | Hyslop | FPL |
| 3 | 20 | C-GLEH | Wilson | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 15 | C-GFPQ | McKnight | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | CF-MUE | Gamble | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | McLean | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Tiger – Lead | B16 | C-GOEG | Provenzano | Norfolk |
| 2 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Dunn | Norfolk |
| No third TBM in this team | — | — | — | — |
| Zebra – Lead | B20 | C-FAYG | Wood | Norfolk |
| 2 | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| No third TBM in this team | — | — | — | — |
| CHIPMAN | ||||
| Donkey – Lead | 7 | C-GFPN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | 14 | C-GLEK | Kirschke | FPL |
| 3 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Kelly | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 23 | C-FIMR | Tall | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 3 | C-GFPS | Foote | FPL |
| Billy Goat – Lead | 11 | C-GLEP | Greene | FPL |
| 2 | 13 | C-GLEL | Roth | FPL |
| 3 | 8 | C-GLEF | Hutchings | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 18 | C-FXOM | Martindale | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Gossett | FPL |
| 3 | 1 | C-FBEG | Brechin | Hicks & Lawrence |
1981
A six-page typed list dated 13 June 1981 is the source for the 1981 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 32 TBMs were used in the 1981 spray program, including 4 from the USA, the first US TBMs used in New Brunswick since 1972. These US TBMs were called in this year because of a shortage of Canadian aircraft. The teams worked out of airstrips Brockway, Juniper, Boston Brook, Charlo and Dunphy.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| JUNIPER | ||||
| Zebra – Lead | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| 2 | B16 | C-GOEG | Cliff | Norfolk |
| 3 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Leblanc | Norfolk |
| Donkey – Lead | 17 | C-GFPN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Kelly | FPL |
| 3 | 22 | C-GFPL | Annis | FPL |
| CHARLO | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 19 | C-GFPO | Hyslop | FPL |
| 3 | 20 | C-GLEH | Wilson | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 23 | C-FIMR | Marcoux | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 3 | C-GFPS | Guindon | FPL |
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 11 | C-GLEP | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 16 | C-FKCM | Farrell | FPL |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Jughead – Lead | 33Z | N9433Z | Bumgarner + Cusic | Stewart |
| 2 | 47C | N6447C | Harbison | Stewart |
| No third TBM in this team | — | — | — | — |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 18 | C-FMUE | Gamble | FPL |
| 2 | 27C | N6827C | Muszala | Stewart |
| 3 | 97H | N8397H | Kirschke | Stewart |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Brandy – Lead | 2 | C-FIMK | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 10 | C-GFPT | McLean | FPL |
| 3 | 5 | C-FIMN | Casselman | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 18 | C-FXOM | Brechin | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | 1 | C-FBEG | McKinnon | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | B20 | C-FAYG | Harrison | Norfolk |
| Fire Fly – Lead | 1 | C-FIMI | Hutchings | FPL |
| 2 | 8 | C-GLEF | Hiebert | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Hyland | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Fenwick | FPL |
| 2 | 7 | C-FAGN | Hopping | FPL |
| 3 | 15 | C-GFPQ | Fair | FPL |
1982
A five-page typed list dated 14 June 1982 is the source for the 1982 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 33 TBMs were used in the 1982 spray program, including 5 from the USA, the first US TBMs used in New Brunswick since 1972. These US TBMs were called in this year because of a shortage of Canadian aircraft. The teams worked out of 6 airstrips: Brockway, Juniper, Boston Brook, Charlo, Sevogle and Dunphy.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| CHARLO | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 19 | C-GFPO | Hyslop | FPL |
| 3 | 20 | C-GLEH | Guindon | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 7 | C-FAGN | Hopping | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Fair | FPL |
| 3 | 12 | C-FMUD | Fenwick | FPL |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Donkey- Lead | 33Z | N9433Z | Cusic | Stewart |
| 2 | 97H | N8397H | Kirschke | Stewart |
| 27C was 3rd for part of year | 27C | N6827C | Potter | Stewart |
| Jughead – Lead | 47C | N6447C | Craig | Stewart |
| 2 | 67A | N3967A | Watson | Stewart |
| No third TBM in this team | — | — | — | — |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Brandy – Lead | 16 | C-FKCM | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Annis | FPL |
| 3 | 5 | C-FIMN | Kelly | FPL |
| Firefly – Lead | 1 | C-FIMI | Hutchings | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Hiebert | FPL |
| 3 | 2 | C-FIMK | Garon | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 10 | C-GFPT | Gamble | FPL |
| 2 | 8 | C-GLEF | Harrison | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-GFPN | Inman | FPL |
| 3 | 15 | C-GFPQ | McLean (fatality) | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 11 | C-GLEP | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Hyland | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 23 | C-FIMR | Marcoux | FPL |
| 2 | 3 | C-GFPS | Tall | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Haden | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 18 | C-FXOM | Brechin | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Leblanc | Norfolk |
| 3 | 1 | C-FBEG | McKinnon | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Zebra – Lead | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| 2 | B16 | C-GOEG | Cliff | Norfolk |
| 3 | B20 | C-FAYG | Farrell | Norfolk |
1983
A six-page typed list dated 6 June 1983 is the source for the 1983 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 27 TBMs were used in the 1983 spray program. The teams worked out of 6 airstrips: Brockway, Boston Brook, Charlo, Chipman, Sevogle and Dunphy. This was the last year that Norfolk flew TBMs for the spray program in New Brunswick.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Firefly – Lead | 1 | C-FIMI | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Hiebert | FPL |
| 3 | 2 | C-FIMK | McIlwaine | FPL |
| Ping Pong – Lead | 17 | C-GFPN | Inman | FPL |
| 2 | 8 | C-GLEF | Harrison | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | Gamble | FPL |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Tiger – Lead | 18 | C-FXOM | Brechin | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 2 | 1 | C-FBEG | McKinnon | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | B15 | C-GOBJ | Leblanc | Norfolk |
| Zebra – Lead | B18 | C-GLDX | Gilland | Norfolk |
| 2 | B16 | C-GOEG | Maike | Norfolk |
| 3 | B20 (later replaced by B15) | C-FAYG | Farrell | Norfolk |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 3 | C-GFPS | Lavigne | FPL |
| 3 | 19 | C-GFPO | Hyslop | FPL |
| Whiskey – Lead | 18 | C-FMUE | Fair | FPL |
| 2 | 7 | C-FAGN | Hopping | FPL |
| 3 | 12 | C-FMUD | Fenwick | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 23 | C-FIMR | Marcoux | FPL |
| 2 | 20 | C-GLEH | Martindale | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | White | FPL |
| CHIPMAN | ||||
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 11 | C-GLEP | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Hyland | FPL |
| CHARLO | ||||
| Brandy – Lead | 16 | C-FKCM | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Annis | FPL |
| 3 | 5 | C-FIMN | Kelly | FPL |
1984
A four-page typed list dated 25 May 1984 is the source for the 1984 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 21 TBMs were used in the 1984 spray program, including two from Hicks and Lawrence of Ontario. This was the last year that FPL contracted TBMs from other companies, and no U.S. TBM’s were needed. The teams worked out of 4 airstrips: Brockway, Boston Brook, Sevogle and Dunphy.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Tiger – Lead | 16 | C-FKCM | Harrington | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FXOM | Brechin | Hicks & Lawrence |
| 3 | 1 | C-FBEG | McKinnon | Hicks & Lawrence |
| Brandy – Lead | 22 | C-GFPL | Annis | FPL |
| 2 | 11 | C-GLEP | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Hyland | FPL |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Whiskey – Lead | 18 | C-FMUE | Fair | FPL |
| 2 | 20 | C-GLEH | Martindale | FPL |
| 3 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Westinghouse | FPL |
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 23 | C-FIMR | Furey | FPL |
| 3 | 8 | C-GLEF | Popert | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Firefly – Lead | 1 | C-FIMI | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 2 | C-FIMK | Koerfgen | FPL |
| 3 | 5 | C-FIMN | Hutchings | FPL |
| BROCKWAY | ||||
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 17 | C-GFPN | Soden | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | Wilkie | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 12 | C-FMUD | Pugh | FPL |
1985
A three-page typed list dated 11 June 1985 is the source for the 1985 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 12 FPL TBMs were used in the 1985 spray program. The teams worked out of 3 airstrips: Brockway, Boston Brook and Sevogle. This year Forest Protection Limited moved its office across the street to the Evergreen hangar.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Firefly – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Archer | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Garon | FPL |
| 3 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Westinghouse | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-FMUE | Fair | FPL |
| Brandy – Lead | 22 | C-GFPL | Annis | FPL |
| 2 | 23 | C-FIMR | Furey | FPL |
| 3 | 16 | C-FKCM | Popert | FPL |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 20 | C-GLEH | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Hyland | FPL |
1986
A three-page typed list dated 30 May 1986 is the source for the 1986 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 9 FPL TBMs were used in the 1986 spray program. The teams worked out of 3 airstrips: Brockway, Boston Brook and Sevogle.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Furey | FPL |
| 3 | 22 | C-GFPL | Wilkie | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 20 | C-GLEH | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Popert | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 4 | C-GFPR | Garon | FPL |
| 3 | 12 | C-FMUD | Archer | FPL |
1987
A three-page typed list dated 28 May 1987 is the source for the 1987 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 9 FPL TBMs were used in the 1988 spray program. The teams worked out of 2 airstrips: Dunphy and Boston Brook.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 20 | C-GLEH | Garon (fatality) | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-FMUE | Wilkie | FPL |
| DUNPHY | ||||
| Zebra – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 14 | C-GLEK | Popert | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Archer | FPL |
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 3 | C-GFPS | McKinnon | FPL |
1988
A typed list dated 27 May 1988 is the source for the 1988 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 12 FPL TBMs were used in the 1988 spray program. The teams worked out of 2 airstrips: Sevogle and Boston Brook.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| BOSTON BROOK | ||||
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | Ragany | FPL |
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | McIlwaine | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Wilkie | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Archer | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | McKinnon | FPL |
| 2 | 23 | C-FIMR | Hyland | FPL |
| 3 | 17 | C-GFPN | Koerfgen | FPL |
1989
A typed list dated 25 May 1989 is the source for the 1989 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 12 FPL TBMs were used in the 1989 spray program. The teams worked out of 2 airstrips: Sevogle and Boston Brook.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Raccoon – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Wilkie | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | Archer | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | McKinnon | FPL |
| 2 | 23 | C-FIMR | Hyland | FPL |
| 3 | 17 | C-GFPN | Soden | FPL |
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 22 | C-GFPL | Provenzano | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | McIlwaine | FPL |
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Ragany | FPL |
1990
A typed list dated 31 May 1990 is the source for the 1990 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 12 FPL TBMs were used in the 1990 spray program. The teams worked out of 2 airstrips: Sevogle and Charlo.
| AIRSTRIP Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| CHARLO | ||||
| Poker – Lead | 21 | C-GFPM | Gomany | FPL |
| 2 | 14 | C-GLEK | McIlwaine | FPL |
| 3 | 10 | C-GFPT | Fotheringham | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 3 | C-GFPS | McKinnon | FPL |
| 2 | 23 | C-FIMR | Hyland | FPL |
| 3 | 17 | C-GFPN | Soden | FPL |
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wood | FPL |
| 2 | 24 | C-GLEJ | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Wilkie | FPL |
| SEVOGLE | ||||
| Raccoon – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Lavigne | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Archer | FPL |
| Spare | 22 | GFPL | — | FPL |
1991
A typed list dated 7 June 1991 is the source for the 1991 list of TBM pilots and teams. A total of 9 FPL TBMs were used in the 1991 spray program, and worked out of several airstrips.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Mustang – Lead | 13 | C-GLEL | Wilkie | FPL |
| 2 | 3 | C-GFPS | Haden | FPL |
| 3 | 4 | C-GFPR | Popert | FPL |
| Tiger – Lead | 10 | C-GFPT | Soden | FPL |
| 2 | 14 | C-GLEK | McIlwaine | FPL |
| 3 | 21 | C-GFPM | Fotheringham | FPL |
| Raccoon – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Ragany | FPL |
| 2 | 18 | C-FMUE | Archer | FPL |
| Spare | 17 | C-GFPN | — | FPL |
Comment from a spotter/pointer
“I worked as a spotter/pointer out of Sevogle in ’90, and ‘91, it was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. My father was an aviation nut growing up as a kid at several RCAF bases which meant my brother and I were raised reading about aviation and especially WWII aircraft, so I was lucky enough to realize it at the time I worked at Sevogle that I was watching something very unique and special and I’d likely never see anything like it again. One of my lasting memories, there are many, but this one sticks out: I had the night off or maybe we had finished early but in any event I was on the ground when the TBM teams were starting to come in, it was getting to be dusk and the exhaust stacks were making a really nice blue flame when the pilots pulled the throttle back upon flaring; the last team to come in was flying cross-field which was normally around 1000ft AGL, but occasionally they didn’t do this and this team came in cross-field tree top over the [trees], full throttle in a nice tight formation…..it was beautiful. It was a fun time despite the early mornings and late nights in the map room, I’m glad I was lucky enough to see it all in action.” Pete Russell, Golden, BC, October 26, 2011
1992
A typed list is the source for the 1992 list of TBM pilots and teams; the team names were not shown on this list. A total of 7 FPL TBMs were used in the 1992 spray program and worked out of several airstrips.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Lead | 17 | C-GFPN | Soden | FPL |
| 2 | 13 | C-GLEL | McIlwaine | FPL |
| 3 | 14 | C-GLEK | Fotheringham | FPL |
| Lead | 4 | C-GFPR | Popert | FPL |
| 2 | 12 | C-FMUD | Hutchings | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-FMUE | Archer | FPL |
1993
A typed list dated 13 May 1993 is the source for the 1993 list of TBM pilots and teams. Three FPL TBMs were used in the 1993 spray program (based at Sevogle airstrip). This was the last year that TBMs were used for aerial insect control in NB.
| Team/Position | Project (TBM) No. | Registration | Pilot | Company |
| Tiger – Lead | 12 | C-FMUD | Soden | FPL |
| 2 | 13 | C-GLEL | Popert | FPL |
| 3 | 18 | C-FMUE | McIlwaine | FPL |
| Spare | 10 | C-GFPT | — | FPL |
This website certainly brings back the sounds and smells of this extraordinary flying circus which was the budworm project.
Congratulations to whoever has had the time to spend compiling this record.
However, before anyone else comes up bristling with indignation about an error in your records, may I humbly submit a slight correction for the year 1971.
I was leading Gourmet flight that year, a particularly apt title, I might add, however, that my steed was 1369N, number 27
My great friend Orrin Carr was no. 2 in N68663, which was no. 28.
It was, in fact, ex USN pilot, Jerry Sward who crashed into the swamp in No. 26, 90787.
For anyone interested, enclosed is my description of this incident extracted from my upcoming book, as yet untitled, which includes 3 seasons of my participation in this hair-raising adventure.
“On the eighteenth of June, we were assigned to spray a considerable stretch of woods terminating at the edge of the army property which promised at least five hours of work.
We flew to the starting point where I took up station under the lead planes with Orrin formating in echelon on my right as number two, and Jerry outside of him as number three. The end of our swath was clearly defined by a swamp, where I made a forty-five degree flat turn to the right followed by a hard left turn to the reciprocal of the previous heading to line up on the lead planes which had made the turn above us, while my wingmen each stepped up a hundred feet to stay out of the slipstreams, then elegantly descended back into formation, turning the booms on as each crossed the tree line.
At the end of the swath, we swapped ends again and once more headed for the familiar swamp. On reaching it, just after I had completed my jog to the right and started my turn to the reciprocal, our earphones registered a cryptic call:
“Lost my engine, going in!”
As I looked over my left shoulder I saw Jerry, his airplane spewing smoke, making a bee-line for the swamp.
I pulled up in a hard left turn in time to watch the airplane disappear almost to the wingtips in a spume of flying mud and grass which, subsiding as the machine slowed, revealed the pilot in the process of exiting the cockpit, timing his egress on to the wing to coincide perfectly with the stoppage of forward motion.
The only gesture needed to cap this performance was for Jerry, after a dramatic pause, to take a deliberately slow and exaggerated bow.
After broadcasting Mayday on the guard channel and requesting a helicopter, the pointer planes remained in orbit over the crash site while Orrin and I returned to Blissville, picked up Mac, and drove to the base hospital where we knew Jerry would be delivered by the chopper. It wasn’t long before he was released. He was unscathed, and my picture of him in the parking lot shows him standing bespattered with drying mud from head to foot as he lifts his gaze gratefully to the sky in acknowledgment of Providence’s benign participation.
Though some credit for the masterful handling of the emergency must be attributed to the excellence of Jerry’s US Navy training, the fact that the incident occurred at the centre of the envelope which permitted his flawless heroics leaves ample room for Divine intervention. Seconds earlier he would have crashed into the trees, and an instant later would have had the same result as he wouldn’t have been able to turn back to the swamp.”
Orrin Carr reported that for two hours before being rescued by the chopper, Jerry paced the wing scared witless that “one of those damn mooses would come splashing through the swamp and eat me.”
George Plawski.
Wow, what a story, George. I will make the correction in due time.
I was a pointer with Ringtail Team in Manawaki and Lac des Loup in 1972, and clearly remember Bob Smeed. If I remember correctly, we had about a week to go to the end of the project and his retirement from spraying when he went down. I also remember being part of the ground crew that rushed to the scene, and of watching the recovery helicopter descend into a clearing just a little wider than the rotors – it was impressive flying. My pilot was Mike Nolan, and I often wondered what became of him. Ross Seeley and I delivered a C-172 to Cedars at the end of the project – he was killed not long after at a rail crossing accident near his home in New Brunswick. I also remember the night we met a man who was reported to be the first man to climb Mt Everest – Sir Edmund Hillary – at the remote resort a few miles from the airstrip. Still not sure if it was the real guy. I do know we saw and heard a lot of things that didn’t really exist as we walked in the dark back to the airfield. There was a DC-6 at Lac des Loup for a while. We could see the start-up smoke from miles away. Sorry for the disjointed rambling – one memory triggered another …………
Rambling is good, Dale. Thanks for posting.
My dad was Ray Greene, pilot (A11) of the Billy Goat group during the 60’s and 70’s. Thank you for maintaining this page so I can read the history of the TBM’s in Canada.
You are very welcome, James.
What is the history of Lac des Loups airstrip in Parc la Verendrye in Quebec?
The photo of Racoon team in 1983 was indeed taken at Brockway during May of that year
Bert Archer lives in Port McNicol last I heard saw him at a funeral in Parry Sound 5 or more years
This brings back memories from budworm season 1972 at Lac des Loups where Bob Smeed had his accident. John Hansen was strip boss at that time,and John and to the best of my knowledge a doctor from Maniwaki who came in with the chopper loaded Bob’s remains on the chopper. Joe Mermuys
Hello Chris,
Having posted something on the “Spruce Budworm Pilots and Aircraft ————-” section, early this month. I suggested that anyone who flew – or was otherwise involved – on the ’65 Stearman operation, in NB and QB, might like to respond. I can’t imagine why my entry hasn’t generated an answer, as my fond memories of the places and people just don’t seem that old. Maybe fifty years is a long time.
Regards
Hello I am trying to locate a pilot by the name of Bert Archer. He once worked with my father and I on a mission to try to reconnect them….any information would be appreciated….anything that would help me with my search. Thank you!
Hi Tanya, I posted your comment on the FB site FPL Alumni, https://www.facebook.com/groups/18207657968/. Maybe someone will respond.
Hello Tanya, I am a bit skeptical that this information will help you in any way, however, my husband (Harold Hawes) and I were at a fairground in Central Ontario (Elmvale, I believe) around the year 1992. As we were strolling around, Harold recognized Bert who was also there and stopped to chat. I believe they had not seen each other since the spray program in the late 60’s so they had a lot to catch up on. It was the one and only time I had ever met Bert myself and we never connected with him again. I believe he said he was living somewhere in that area at that time… A lot of changes can occur in 22 years of course so as mentioned, this info may be of no use to you since it was so long ago. Good luck with your search.
I am Bert Archers granddaughter. I am sad to inform you he passed away June 18th, 2016. I am looking for photos of him in his younger years. If you have any, if you could please email them to me at guardianemily@gmail.com it would greatly be appreciated. Thank you.