News & Stories

On November 9, 2024, we held our second annual Preservation Ball at the museum and raised $450,000 for STEM education! It was a fantastic, ‘70s-themed night filled with live music, dancing, an amazing culinary experience, and more. Our heartfelt thanks …

It’s been an exciting fall so far at the museum, and we’re just getting started! Our first travelling exhibition, Snoopy and the Red Baron opened on October 7 and we’ve put together a series of Peanuts©-themed workshops planned over the …

It’s spooky season! Are you ready for a ghost story? Even in our new museum, staff have reported spooky occurrences from time to time. Loud banging after hours, mysterious voices when no one else is in the building, and lights …

With the opening of our Snoopy and the Red Baron exhibition, we’ve been thinking about who the real flying aces of the First World War are. And who was the Red Baron? Read on to find out what defines a …

Learn more about Dr. D.S. Reimer, a long-standing museum supporter and benefactor of our Aviation Plaza.

This month, we welcomed two World War II aircraft as part of our RCAF 100 celebrations: the PBY-5A Canso and the Avro Lancaster. We also welcomed nearly 9,000 visitors throughout the month! Kudos to our Visitor Experience team and volunteers …

Our RCAF 100 celebrations continue as we welcome a visiting P-51D Mustang from August 9 to 11. Owned by Hannu Halminen of Ontario, this P-51 bears the livery of 424 (City of Hamilton) Squadron. The distinctive tiger emblem is a …

35 years ago, the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, owned and operated by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM), made its first visit to the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC), then called the Western Canada Aviation Museum. During its one-day …

Fun takes flight at the Royal Aviation Museum! We have many hands-on exhibits and interactive areas where kids (and kids at heart!) can learn and be entertained. Here are our top 10. 1. Live out your fighter pilot dreams in …

Who else feels like summer is officially here? The next few months will be busy, busy, busy, and fun, fun, fun! We’ve got some returning events, visiting aircraft, and exciting news about our F-86 Sabre fighter jet restoration. Here are …

Summer is a busy and exciting time at the Royal Aviation Museum and we rely on our volunteers more than ever. We welcome visitors from all over the world who come to Winnipeg to experience our vibrant cultural scene. Over …

Calling all teachers, parents, and caregivers! Have you heard about our 2024 educational summer programming? We have some new and exciting options this year. Read on to find out more! Summer Fun Days For the first time, this summer we’re …

We’re very excited to share our 2024 list of visiting aircraft with you! Mark your calendars—we’ve got some real gems coming your way this summer. Here’s the lineup: May 18 – 20 | de Havilland Canada Chipmunk, C-FOAV We’re kicking …

Did you know that our Junkers Ju 52/1m is a non-flying replica of CF-ARM, owned by Canadian Airways Limited? Or that it was originally built with three engines? On August 16, 1984, the transformation began as this tri-motored aircraft was …

On recent tours of our restoration facility, some of our Sabre Squadron donors got a behind-the-scenes look at the projects underway. The big attraction, of course, was our F-86 Sabre. Built under license from North American, the Canadair Mk. 6 …

Don’t miss our new interactive Ace Academy exhibit and our tribute to the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force. 100 years of the RCAF On March 20, 2024, we welcomed veterans, personnel from 17 Wing Winnipeg, cadets, and special …

March 4-10, 2024, is Women of Aviation Week and March 8 is International Women’s Day. What better way to celebrate than by remembering some of the pioneering women in aviation? The firsts Frenchwoman Raymonde de Laroche is thought to be …

Our first Open Cockpit Day of the year was a ton of fun! Visitors had access to our CL-84 Dynavert and our Mini 500 helicopter, recently donated to the museum by Derek Wrigley of Kleefeld, Manitoba. We were also lucky …

We held our second photo contest last month and received a lot of amazing submissions. It was tough to choose the winners, so we’ve also awarded several Honourable Mentions. WINNER: Category 1 – A Tribute to the RCAF WINNER I: …

2024 is a big year for aviation celebrations. Not only is it our museum’s 50th anniversary, but it’s also the centennial of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Vickers Vedette. The Vedette was …

National Aviation Day takes place on February 23 and we have five ways for you to celebrate.

Our Standard Aero Mechanics’ Workshop is about to get a lot more exciting thanks to a new interactive exhibit. Six students from the University of Manitoba’s Price Faculty of Engineering recently wrapped up the design of a hands-on exhibit representing …

Did you know that 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the Royal Aviation Museum? Here are 10 events to look forward to in the coming year.

As work progresses on the restoration of our F-86 Sabre, we’ve been digging through our archives to learn more about its history. Recently, we came across an article from the old Western Canada Aviation Museum blog about what it was …

It’s been a busy year at RAMWC thanks to the more than 60,000 visitors and students who have come through our doors. We hosted several visiting aircraft, held lots of fun events, and celebrated a few firsts. Keep reading to …

We’ve just launched a fundraising campaign for the restoration of our Canadair F-86 Sabre fighter jet. We’re on our way to our goal of $50,000 and want YOU to be a part of this historic aircraft’s transformation! Next year marks …

If you’re looking to cross some shopping off your list, entertain your kids, or help out the less fortunate in our community, we’ve got ways for you to accomplish all three.  Plus, we’ve got two new aircraft for you to …

Luke Penner just returned from Las Vegas after competing in the World Advanced Aerobatic Championship with Team Canada. The aircraft he flew, an Extra 330SC, will be on display at the Royal Aviation Museum until April 2024.

When he flew in yesterday to deliver his plane, we asked him about what it was like to compete at that level and what his future plans are.

October was an exciting month for us as we were honoured with awards from two distinguished organizations in our community. We received news in early October that we would be awarded the Outstanding Science Organization of 2023 by the Science …

October is Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to celebrate the women and girls from our past, and our present, who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada. At the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC), we …

This past weekend we had the privilege of hosting aircraft and pilots from the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, Manitoba. We were joined by: Mark Odegard, Chief Pilot at the CATPM: Jeff Bell, Harvard Mark II pilot; Nick …

Here’s a roundup of what’s new and coming up at the Royal Aviation Museum. NEW ARTEFACTS AND DISPLAYS New artefact: Rolls Royce Merlin 620 engine The Rolls-Royce Merlin is one of the most famous aero engines in history. It powered …

If you’ve been to our museum this summer, you’ve probably noticed our pedal and push planes in Aviation Plaza. But did you know that they were built by two of our volunteers? Dave Mork and Shawn Romas are two of …

Learn how Cris Aquino ended up on an exclusive team selected to detail the first presidential jet.

Summer’s winding down and you may be running out of ideas to keep your little ones entertained. Not to worry—we’ve got you covered.

We created five activity sheets that you can download for FREE.

In 1974, Canadian peacekeeping troops were posted to the Golan Heights—an area between Syria and Israel—to aid United Nations troops. Tensions were high in the Middle East. A year prior, during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Syria and Egypt …

Take a look at what projects our volunteers are working on at our restoration facility.

Six amateur radio clubs across Canada are gathering this weekend to celebrate the life and retirement of the CC115 Buffalo through a special Buffalos on the Air (BOTA) event.    On July 22 in Comox, BC, Winnipeg, MB, Trenton, ON, …

Have you actually been somewhere if you don’t have photo proof? Our museum is full of fun spaces to pose for pics with friends and family. Here are our top five!

By Joan Wong Have you ever dreamed of flying through the air in a 1920s Aeromarine-built bi-plane? My grandfather, Charlie Wong, was one of the first Chinese pilots to realize this dream when he was a mere youth. News of …

It’s road trip season! For those of you planning a vacation to—or staycation in—Winnipeg, we’ve put together an aviation-themed list of attractions and adventures that will leave you buzzing with excitement. Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada Our museum is …

The first year in our new museum was a wonderful one, thanks to our many visitors, volunteers, staff, and donors. Here’s a look back at the past year in photos!

RAMWC and Winnipeg School Division partner to create awareness for students of careers and opportunities in the aviation and aerospace sector.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first-ever photography night at the museum for National Aviation Day this past February. View all the entries here!

Pictured above: Stan Michalak with the 1:32 scale model he built of a Curtiss H-16 flying boat The Royal Aviation Museum is set to present its first-ever aviation conference on April 14 and 15, 2023. Spearheaded by a small group …

This past weekend’s Academy Awards got us thinking that a lot of the aircraft in our museum are award-worthy. So we created our own set of award winners based on some of the famous Oscar categories!

Anyone visiting the Royal Aviation Museum will quickly recognize the Froebe Helicopter as a unique piece of engineering. The fact it was designed and built from scrap parts by three farm boys, without formal engineering training, makes the story that much more inspiring.

National Aviation Day was established to commemorate the past, celebrate the present and advance the future of aviation in Canada. It’s recognized every year on February 23, the day in 1909 when J.A.D. McCurdy piloted the first flight in Canada. …

How many of us can say that from a young age, we knew what we wanted to do when we grew up? Aspiring engineer Lauren Maksimovich can. For her, the seed was planted when she visited the Royal Aviation Museum …

Check out what’s happening at our restoration facility!

We’ve already got a lot of events planned for 2023, and there’s sure to be more that come up. Check out the 10 we’re most excited about right now.

Photography is a wonderful medium for showing us familiar things in new ways. For Mohamed Suliman, it also “allows us to see the beauty in front of our eyes.” Mohamed is a grade 12 student in Winnipeg who moved here …

It’s been an amazing year for us, especially the past seven months since we opened our new museum. We’ve welcomed more than 60,000 visitors, including 4,500 students for educational programming, and have added three aircraft to our collection. Our staff …

Luke Penner is one of the top-ranked aerobatic pilots in North America, but there was a time when self-doubt and anxiety kept him grounded.  Luke grew up in a family of pilots. His father, Harvey Penner, founded a flight school …

This review was graciously submitted to us by Ed Unrau, former editor of the Royal Aviation Museum’s Altitude magazine. The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is easily one of the best museums in Manitoba, if not in Canada. It …

Since its inception in 2013, hundreds of millions have participated in GivingTuesday, a global day for good, meant to inspire people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. In 2021, $43.6m was donated online in Canada on GivingTuesday! We had a …

On July 6, 2022 I received a very special telephone call. It was Dan Dempsey, a former Solo Pilot and Commanding Officer/Team Lead of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. He wanted to advise me that I had been selected as Honorary Snowbird!

How we moved 70,000 artefacts into our new museum.

Back in 2019, exhibit planning was well underway for the new museum and the team had some tough choices to make about what aircraft to highlight and what stories to tell. They ultimately decided the historic McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo would …

This past summer, our President and CEO—and interim Curator—Terry Slobodian, was asked to present at annual conference of the International Association of Transport and Communication Museums (IATM) in Prague. The proposed topics were audience diversification and making the museum relevant …

Arriving October 22 at 11 am and bringing our on-site aircraft total to 25, we’re excited to welcome the eye-catching Douglas A-26B Invader. Purchased by Ross Robinson in 2007, this aircraft, C-GWLT, has a storied history dating back to 1944. …

It’s Women’s History Month in Canada! Women have made great strides to achieve representation in the aviation and aerospace industries. It’s important to recognize these trailblazers and heroes for the inspiration they’ve sparked in others. In a statement from the …

In the 1920s, bush pilots began flying into northern Canada in search of natural resources like lumber and minerals. The arrival of aviation in the North would have long-lasting impacts—both good and bad—on the Indigenous peoples of the region. The …

It’s a new school year and for us that means the resumption of our popular ‘Take Flight!’ curriculum-based programs. Education programming has been a priority for the Royal Aviation Museum since 2005 and since then, we’ve delivered programming to more …

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month was a surprise to many and we have great sympathy for her family and those around the world who revered her and feel the loss. The Queen showed remarkable commitment during …

Our museum got a little bit shinier when earlier this month we welcomed the Lockheed L-10A Electra, CF-TCC, donated to us by Air Canada in celebration of its 85th anniversary. Its all-metal body, polished to a high shine courtesy of …

We were deeply saddened this week to hear of the sudden passing of Whit Petch, Principle of Reich & Petch Architects Inc., and the Lead Museum Architect for our new Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada facility. Whit was a …

Anyone successful will tell you that one of the keys to success is understanding your audience. De Havilland Canada understood this and subsequently developed “the best bush plane ever built,” as it’s so often been called. In 1946, de Havilland …

For nearly 15 years, the founders and key stakeholders of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada dreamt of a brand-new space to call home. A modern museum in which to tell stories of Canada’s aviation and aerospace heritage while …

Nik Rave of Rave Photo recently visited the museum with his children and shared these lovely photos with us. Enjoy!

Felixstowe F.3 was a WWI-era British military flying boat, one in a series designed by Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte at Royal Naval Air Station, Felixstowe, Suffolk for long-range maritime patrols[1]. Following the First World War, in 1920 Britain presented …

Our ‘Take Flight!’ curriculum-based education programs were incredibly popular when our museum was on Ferry Road, so offering them at our new location was a high priority. On May 25, just four days after our grand opening, we welcomed our …

(Above image: Honourable Jim Carr, RAMWC President & CEO Terry Slobodian, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Terry Duguid) Thanks to funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) …

(WINNIPEG, MB – June 24, 2022) – 50 years after a plane carrying residential school children crashed on Linwood Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) is erecting a monument in their honour. On June …

We’re very pleased to announce the appointment of three new board members as of May 25, 2022: Patricia Gair, Peggy May, and Martha Ford. Peggy May is a strategic leader with expertise in piloting organizations and delivering on the mission, …

After a long, three-year closure, we finally opened the doors of our new museum on May 21, 2022. It was wonderful to welcome visitors into our new facility and to see the joy and awe on their faces. Thank you …

Even before its establishment as a city, Winnipeg was the epicentre of trade and commerce for Indigenous nations and travelers headed for all points north, south, east, and west. When air travel landed in Western Canada in the 1920s, Winnipeg …

We’re very excited to introduce you to our brand-new mascot, Hobbs the Bear. Why ‘Hobbs’? The name was inspired by a decorated Canadian pilot named Basil Deacon Hobbs who lived from 1894 to 1963 and is a favourite of our …

It’s an exciting week at the Royal Aviation Museum! We received three beautiful paintings to add to our collection, generously donated by Jim Bruce, a wonderful Canadian artist known for his aircraft paintings. Jim originally trained to be a draftsperson …

With the re-opening of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada set for spring 2022, a lot of prep work is taking place. While the museum was being constructed, the archives were put into temporary storage in Magellan Aerospace and …

As temperatures rise this spring, Manitobans will have an exciting new attraction to explore.

Slated to open over the May long weekend of 2022, the newly rebuilt Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) is excited to welcome visitors to its state-of-the-art facility.

Winnipeg Free Press article by Scott Fielding, November 30, 2021 I was fortunate to get a sneak peak at this world-class facility prior to its March 2022 opening thanks to a tour organized by Kristi Meek and the Assiniboia Chamber …

Winnipeg Airports Authority article, November 3, 2021

Marking 1921 Opening of Victoria Beach Air Station Victoria Beach Herald article by Hedley Auld

Marking 100 years since the opening of Victoria Beach Air Station Manitoba Free Press Article from July 16, 1921

CF-104 Starfighter finds new home Winnipeg Free Press article by Staff Report Katlyn Streilein

Check out this interview that Terry Slobodian, President & CEO RAMWC had on CJNU July 12th, 2021.

By Alan Small, Winnipeg Free Press The Royal Aviation Museum of Wester Canada will take “straighten up and fly right,” to a whole new level when it reopens early in 2022. The museum, which was founded in 1974, unveiled a …

 (WINNIPEG, MB – March 22, 2021) – With the grand opening of its beautiful new facility slated for early 2022, the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) has unveiled sleek new branding and an equally impressive new website.  Designed …

Winnipeg, Manitoba (November 26, 2020)  – The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is very pleased to share that the construction of its new building is more than 50% complete, and despite pandemic restrictions the project is currently on time …

Volunteers have always been an integral part of the Royal Aviation Museum community. During the Museum’s closure to the public, while the funds were being raised for the new facility, there have been fewer ways for volunteers to engage with …

  The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada was thrilled to learn that the Province of Manitoba would be providing a new endowment fund that will help make the Royal Aviation Museum financially sustainable into the future. On Friday, July …

Members of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada will be attending a virtual Special Meeting and AGM on Wednesday, May 27 at 7:00pm and 7:15pm respectively. The Annual Report can be seen by downloading a pdf of the document …

Winnipeg, Manitoba (May 1, 2020) – The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is very pleased to share that the construction of its new home is commencing on the campus of the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, at 2088 Wellington …

The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada is pleased to announce that PCL was the winning construction firm that will build its new 86,000 square foot home in time for a late 2021 opening. With this milestone met, the Museum …

As we head into spring and Manitobans looking forward to summer vacation, we’ll be looking forward to seeing construction of our new museum begin! The first shovel will hit the ground on May 1, signifying the official start of seeing …

Winnipeg, Manitoba, July 23, 2019—Investing in cultural and historical infrastructure plays an important role in developing dynamic communities, promoting tourism and preserving Canada’s heritage. Today, the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of International Trade Diversification, on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe …

By Aine Dolin Ann Weetaltuk became Canada’s first Indigenous flight attendant when she was hired by Manitoba-based TransAir in 1958. Ann made a habit of breaking boundaries, both as a woman and as a person of indigenous ancestry, throughout her …

By Helen Halliday, President and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada “The new facilities will be more than a building. The museum will represent repayment of a debt that this community owes pioneers of air travel and …

The airplanes, artifacts, and archives of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada are all packed up and safely in storage. It was a major undertaking (to say the least) and could not have been completed without the museum’s employees, …

Wheels Up! Gala Dinner Committee It was fitting that the last special event in Hangar T-2, the museum’s home for the past 34 years, was the 2018 Wheel’s Up! Gala on Saturday, October 20.