Public input sought on new Mount Hope Gateway as City lands historic aircraft donation from Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Hamilton, ON - July 14, 2017 - Thanks to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, the new Mount Hope Gateway is landing a new permanent fixture. The City of Hamilton announced Friday it will be receiving an historic training aircraft, a Beechcraft CT-134 Musketeer. The Beechcraft will become part of the gateway design on the outcrop of land at Homestead Drive and Upper James Street. 

“This is amazing news for the Mount Hope Village. Through public consultation and working with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, we have created the perfect gateway feature; it’s long overdue.” - Brenda Johnson, Councillor, Ward 11, City of Hamilton

The public is invited to an open house

You can review and vote on three design concepts for the new Mount Hope Gateway that will include the unique addition of this historic plane.

• Date: Wednesday, July 26, 2017
• Time: 4 to 7pm
• Location: 447 Wing, 3210 Homestead Drive

“The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is pleased to contribute a RCAF CT-134 Musketeer basic training aircraft that was in service from 1971 to 1992 and part of a fleet in which over 5,000 RCAF pilots were trained to fly in to this Gateway Project. We are pleased that this aircraft will be displayed in honour of RCAF Station Hamilton located at the Mount Hope Airport and home of the British Commonwealth Air Training Program No. 10 Elementary Flying School, and No. 33 Air Navigation School, and the City of Hamilton 424 “Tiger” Squadron based in Mount Hope until 1964.” - David G. Rohrer, President & CEO, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum 

Quick Facts

• During their 21 years of service, Musketeers trained approximately 5,000 Canadian military pilots. They served with three Canadian Forces Flying Training Schools, and the Canadian Forces Flying Instructor School.
• The Beechcraft RCAF CT-134 Musketeer was a military training derivative of the Sundowner built by Beechcraft for the Canadian Forces. The CT-134 was a single engine, low-wing, four-seat light aircraft. It had fixed landing gear and a limited aerobatic capability.
•  Reflective of the City of Hamilton’s history, the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport was used as a training facility during World War II.

Additional Resources

Beechcraft CT-134 Musketeer