Lands and Forest GMC Half Ton
YEAR AND NUMBER MADE
1953 GMC Half Ton Truck. During the mid-1950’s the Department or Lands and Forest would have had approximately 1,000 trucks in service.
ACQUIRED FROM:
Donated by John Narraway. Though John had had offers for the truck, he had turned them down, fearing that it would be “chopped”; however, he agreed to donate it to the Bushplane, knowing that it would be restored and placed on display.
PRIMARY USE:
The Department of Lands and Forests used half-ton pick-up trucks in place of passenger cars to transport staff, equipment, and food supplies for day-to-day activities as well as for servicing fires.
HISTORY:
The vehicles purchased were basic models, possessing a minimum of chrome, standard transmissions and no commercial radios. Automatic transmissions were later acceptable as they became more readily available.
Provincial vehicles were colour coded by Department. For example, Lands and Forests vehicles were blue while those of the Department of Highways were painted yellow.
This vehicle was owned by the Department of Lands and Forests in the White River District and used by the Provincial Air Service to service the air base located at Tookney Lake, north of White River. The purpose of the white triangle on its roof was to advise aircraft overhead that it was equipped with a two-way radio and the frequency of that radio. Vehicles in another area used a circle to indicate the frequency of their radios.
STORY:
This truck was sold by auction when it reached 60,000 miles; purchased by Spadoni Bros. of Schreiber, Ontario, it was in turn sold to John Narraway. It was used by John as his personal vehicle in White River and after his transfer, in southern Ontario.
In the spring of 1995, Centre volunteers Jim Wishman, Al Wallenius and Bill Johnstone drove to Coldwater, Ontario to pick up the vehicle and tow it to the centre. Shortly after its arrival, a team of volunteers led by Bill Ledyit, Tony Paquette and Joe Campbell undertook the ambitious project of restoring the truck to a “like new” condition, a project that took three years to complete.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
| # | Bid | Status | By | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $200.00 | Anonymous |
This auction closed on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:00:00 PM.
Shortly after winning your bid on any number of the planes included in the auction, you will be contacted by the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. Detailed instructions regarding how to claim your winnings, along with each of the included perks will be included in this email.
For any auction related questions, please email [email protected]
Closed on Wednesday, June 17, 2020 9:00:00 PM
Adventure takes off at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. This one-of-a-kind and interactive museum is located in the historic waterfront hangar of the Ontario Provincial Air Service, which was instrumental in the development of bush flying and forest fire management in Northern Ontario. Explore 24 aircraft exhibits (some you can enter!) including the original De Havilland Beaver aircraft and the CL-215 waterbomber. Learn about flight in the Children’s Flight Centre with hands-on activities the whole family will enjoy. See a viewing of Wildfires!, our award-wining film about forest fire fighting in the North! Find unique gifts and STEM-themed toys in our gift shop. Get inspired with a guided tour about the development of bushplanes and forest fire management – available daily 10am and 2pm. Get “buggy” with Entomica Insectarium when you select the Adventure Pass admission option. Our Event Centre is perfect for weddings, birthdays, and corporate and social functions. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre makes an excellent day trip for school field trips and recreational bus tours.
