Canso overturned by thunderstorm

During a major thunderstorm over Phoenix (AZ), USA, on 8 August 2022, Canadian Vickers Canso N413PB (c/n CV-343) was flipped on its back.

The amphibian is part of the inventory of the local Lauridsen Aviation Museum in Buckeye. It was under restoration to be brought back to airworthy condition.

However the damage caused by the thunderstorm is so dramatic that it is very unlikely (to say the least) that it will ever fly again.

According to local warbird restorer Matt Gunsch in a comment on Warbird Information Exchange (WIX): “it would even take a lot to get it to a static display, the wing spars are broken in several places, both nacelles have been pulled from the wing, the vertical fin is flattened and the fuselage has had its back broken, the only thing holding the fuselage up is the control cables”.

N413PB was a WWII veteran, delivered to the RCAF as RCAF11047 in 1944 and flown until 1962. It was then converted into a firebomber and flown as CF-OFI, later C-FOFI in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador until 1976.

From then on until June 1996, the Canso flew for Buffalo Airways as Tanker # 703. The machine was then stored until being sold to Hans O. Lauridsen as N343CV in 2005.

Photo: Matt Gunsch on Warbird Information Exchange