When I was a kid, I saw an air show every day because our family lived in the flying radius of a military air base.
It was called RCAF No. 4 Flying Training School at the time and they trained in Harvards until 1965 when the last one to fly on an operational mission landed there.
It’s called the Red Deer Regional Airport now, but that Harvard is still there as a testimony to all the RCAF, RAF, RCN and many other military pilots who trained at the airport since 1939.
Jerry Sutherland
The training was risky, so there were many flights in the Penhold, Alberta Canada region that didn’t get home—the last Harvard is definitely a tribute to those pilots.
I haven’t seen a Harvard up close for years, so I forgot how big they are from a foot away. The best part is the Red Deer Regional Airport Car Show had one on display as part of the event—plus I got to watch it take off. That was a trip back in time to when the Red Deer Regional Airport was an active air force base.
The old airbase is a great venue for a car show because old planes and old cars mix like Yankees fans at a home game.
Jim took a story about a vehicle that fit like the proverbial glove at this event.
It was a 1942 Dodge Power Wagon that served as a staff car during World War Two. This is the kind of vehicle you’ll never see at most shows, but the big Power Wagon carried its heritage well while parked at a place with so much military history. Look for the full story later this year on the pages of MyStarCollectorCar.
Jim also found another vehicle with an incredible back story.
It was a 1981 Camaro Z-28 with a deep family connection—plus it also had a pro football connection. The Z-28 shows the wear of its 44 years–but its future appearance isn’t written in stone. You’re going to love the biography behind this 80s classic when it goes live later in 2025.
Tri-five Chevys are relatively common at car shows, but most don’t have the back story to the one Jim spotted at the show yesterday.
It was a 1956 Bel Air two-door hardtop, and it only has 3100 miles on it. The best part is this classic is going to see the real world—so it’s not living in a bubble wrap inside a climate-controlled garage. That’s the kind of story MyStarCollectorCar thrives on, so it will be a feature owner’s story later this summer.
The final story at the Red Deer Regional Airport was a 1979 Ford F-150 4×4 pickup.
This was another solid family connection story, but this truck led a brutal life of hard work before being retired. The current owner saved it because of its family history—you’re going to love learning why and how he turned this truck into better-than-brand-new in a future MyStar feature.
The airport hosted a good show. They had stuff for kids, cool old cars and trucks, cool old planes, cool displays, and a great selection of vendors.
The Harvard was a welcome bonus at the Red Deer Regional Airport because those planes were a huge part of my kid-world.
No cyberworld experience could touch it—then or now.
Jerry Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
- CLICK HERE to Sign Up for the Newsletter
- CLICK HERE to Like us on Facebook
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Twitter
- CLICK HERE to Follow us on Pinterest