The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Ontario has applied civil registration C-GCWG to their TBM-3E Avenger in preparation for its upcoming post-restoration test flight, which is expected to take place this year.
The aircraft (S/N 53858) was constructed in 1945 by General Motors, Eastern Aircraft Division and served with the US Navy until the 1950s. Upon entering civilian service it was converted to a spray plane, operating first in California and then New Brunswick before being retired in 1992.
The Avenger was acquired by the museum in late 2009 and a team of volunteers has since invested thousands of hours to restore it to airworthy condition. Although currently without markings, a post-war RCN Avenger AS.3 livery will be applied sometime after the first flight.
An official first flight display will take place, however, dates for the first engine run up and flights are currently described as “moving targets.”
(via Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Additional Information via Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Photo: JustSomePics via Wikimedia Commons)
