If you see a bright yellow plane high in the sky this summer it might be the newest restoration project by the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, the 1940 Fleet Finch!

The air museum features artifacts, uniforms, equipment and vehicles from World War II era, the late 1930's and '40's.  But their pride and joy is their collection of historic aircraft, six of which are airworthy.

The beautiful Fleet Finch was fully restored last Fall by a group of dedicated volunteers.  It's a bright yellow two-seater trainer, only one of the 447 that were built by Ontario's Fleet Aircraft.

"It has only gone on its test flight," shares museum Executive Director, Stephen Hayter. "So, throughout our flying season this particular aircraft will join our fleet and will be certainly flying at our site and around the province.  And so, if you see a yellow biplane that doesn't look familiar, that's probably our Fleet Finch and we'll be excited to let the public hear it and see it in the sky!"

The Fleet Finch will join the Harvard Mark II, the de Havilland Tiger Moth and the Fairchild Cornell for public flights over and around the city of Brandon. 

The museum has an extensive collection historical aircraft, and even though not all of them are airworthy, they are an important aspect of Canadian history and her role in WWII, and each one tells its own story!  You could say that each restoration project revives the history of that aircraft.  If only those planes could talk!

"Some of the aircraft that we have flying today were found in a farmer's field with trees growing through them," shares Hayter.  "So, they've gone through quite the transformation. Our Harvard is the oldest flying Harvard in Canada!"

"So, there's a lot of history and a lot of devotion that made it possible for these aircraft to be flying," he adds. "And you know that's not just for the aircraft, that goes for the building on our site, the collection that we have, the vehicles that run on our site, nothing would be as impressive as it is, if it weren't for our volunteers!"

Please listen to more with Stephen Hayter below as he shares the valuable contributions from their volunteers over the past years!

Personal flights can be scheduled with specific vintage planes at the museum located at the Brandon Airport from May to October.

For more information on the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum's flights click HERE!