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Halifax NS visit - atn John Hughes

Posted by JDK on Wed Jul 23, 2003 10:21:30 AM

Thought I'd add this here, as the original post's long gone. I've just returned from Halifax this week, and picked up on the post. The Atlantic Av Museum is good - don't miss the second hanger (I nearly did!) or the Hudson fuselage tucked in the bushes off the carpark.

The CFB Greenwood Museum is worth a visit, but I spent about 3 1/2 - 4 hours getting there and back in the hire car. The main aircraft are outside, but there's a good small museum inside too.

Shearwater Aviation Museum, at Dartmouth, the other side of the bay is probably best of the lot. It's the Canadian equivalent of the Fleet Air Arm Museum. They've expanded regularly, and have two hangers now. Their Swordfish flew once (to prove that it was an airworthy standard restoration) and they are working on an ex- Ethiopian Firefly 1 to airworthy standard; same 1 flight deal. I saw that last week. It's may not be possible to view, as it's on a secure part of the base, and has no public access; but if you contact them in advance (try the web http://www.shearwateraviationmuseum.ns.ca/) and ask nicely, you might be lucky. You'll need photo ID.

Not aviation, but of interest: Don't miss the Maritime Museum or HMCS Sackville on the waterfront. Both cover the marine side of the Battle of the Atlantic, and Sackville is the last WW.II Corvette in the world. You'd be crazy to miss it at 2 dollars admission, for a load of real WW.II history! Pier 21 - the Canadian immigration museum is very good and very thought provoking. The Citadel - bunch of guys dressed in Scottish regiment uniforms and playing bagpipes, firing a gun at noon and in a star fort overlooking the town. Rather fun.

Finally, the Tourist info folks at Halifax airport are very helpful & good, and the Town's very walkable. All in all a great place.
Cheers
James

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