Cline, Willis: my Air Force recollections (March 13, 2013)
An interview/narrative of Willis Cline's experiences whilst serving with the Air Force. Interview took place on March 13, 2013.
ABSTRACT: Willis grew up in Zelma, Saskatchewan and enlisted in the air force on April 6, 1951 in Hamilton, Ontario. He began as a flight cadet and finished as a flight officer. Part of his time in the air force he trained navigation students from the base in Winnipeg. He performed service flights from Montreal to Vancouver and Montreal to Resolute Bay. He retired from the air force in July 1956. He was twenty four years old when he left the air force and joined a civilian career with Trans-Canada Airlines. He explains the differences between flying in the air force and flying commercially and that some could not adapt to the idea of not being in command in the airlines. Willis was a co-pilot for TCA for thirteen years before he became captain and flew many different planes throughout his civilian career with the airline. He mainly flew passengers but had experience flying cargo to France and the Caribbean. In 1988, Willis was grounded because of heart problems but did not retire from TCA until 1991. He moved to Victoria after he retired from the airlines and joined the Victoria Flying Club for a few years. 00:23-01:33 - Biographical information, family life, life before enlistment 01:34-02:46 - Motivations to join the air force 02:47-06:56 - Enlisting with the air force, starting rank and responsibilities, flying experience 06:57-09:06 - Discussion of cadets, previous skills, how many people on the base 09:06-13:28 - The treatment of cadets, making friends in the air force, how enlistment affected his family life, relationship with superiors, transition from cadet to officer 13:29-17:00 - Types of planes flown, first missions, working with navigation students 17:01-20:52 - Communications, technical difficulties 20:53-29:22 - Service flights, flying to Hanoi, description of plane becoming stuck in snow bank at Resolute Bay 29:23-38:00 - Retirement from the air force, employment with TCA, difference between air force and civilian flying, types of planes flown at TCA 38:01-47:54 - Flying horse meat to France, flying cargo to Caribbean, grounded because of heart problems 47:55-1:00:30 - Similarities and differences between air force and civilian flying, bomb threat, retirement flying
Interviewee: Cline, Willis, 1932-
Interviewer: Hayward, Madi
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 43.25011, -79.84963
- 45.50884, -73.58781
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- CW_781
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- April 7, 2013
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SC141_MilitaryOralHistory_GenericThumbnail |
|
|
|
Cline_W_0781_01.mp3 |
|