 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Historic crime flight to be recreated
Edson was right in the middle of the first pursuit by airplane of a suspect wanted for murder and armed robbery, and that historic event will be re-created on Aug. 29.
On Sept. 2, 1919, First World War flying ace Wilfred WOP May assisted police officials in the pursuit of John Gundard Larsen, an armed robbery suspect, and a suspect in the shooting death of Edmonton City Police Const. William Nixon, who was fatally shot on Aug. 30. Nixon died the next day.
When it was realized that Larsen had taken the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway passenger train to Edson, May took off in his 1918* (see below) Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” biplane, along with city detective James Campbell in pursuit of the fugitive. The plane landed on 50 Street in Edson but the wing tip was damaged when it crashed into the water pump located at Third Avenue and 50 Street.
The police didn’t catch the suspect in Edson but apprehended him on Sept. 3, said Tom Hinderks, executive director of the Alberta Aviation Museum.
“It was an Alberta Provincial Police constable that actually brought the guy down in the coal mining area [The Coal Branch] to the southwest. They caught him in a coal mining area.”
Larsen was not convicted of Nixon’s murder due to lack of witnesses but was later committed to a sentence of life in prison for armed robbery.
On Aug. 29 Hinderks and officials at the aviation museum hope to recreate that historic moment by flying a vintage Kelly-D biplane, the Spirit of Edmonton, into the Edson Airport. Hinderks, who piloted the 1920s biplane from Winnipeg to Edmonton earlier this year, expects to have a lot of company on the trip.
“The Edmonton Street Rod organization is going to be with us — basically chasing the airplane and at the speed we fly may beat us.”
The plane’s top speed is about 90 km/h.
“It is anticipated that at least one antique police car from the Edmonton Police Service and up to approximately fifty antique, vintage and custom cars will be following on the ground,” Hinderks said.
The flight will commemorate the 90th anniversary of May’s flight and is the fourth event in the Centennial of Flight in Canada series.
The plane May flew to Edson is currently on display at the entrance of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin.
Hinderks is also hoping that the Edmonton Police Service Air One helicopter will also make the trip.
The aviation museum executive director will be presenting a commemorate painting to a town representative following the airport landing.
Airport Road will be closed for construction during the reenactment so the lot/airport strip section just off Fourth Avenue where the old forestry office was located will be used as a staging area.
The biplane is expected to leave the Edmonton Municipal Airport at 8 a.m. and arrive in Edson around 10 a.m.
Town Director of Operations Gerry Pellerin has invited members of the vintage car club and the Edson Flying Club to take part. Members of the public are invited to view the biplane and the antique vehicles. For more information call Pellerin at (780) 723-6461.
Article ID# 1718791
