Frank Walter Russell

Frank Walter Russell was born in Toronto, Ontario, on October 19, 1909. He began his career in aviation with de Havilland of Canada in 1929. While there, his team assembled the first Tiger Moth to be built in Canada. Later, this aircraft joined the Austin Airways fleet.

In 1934 Russell accepted a position with Capreol and Austin Airways as their first employee. Initially, he was responsible for the maintenance and servicing of two Waco aircraft at the company's waterfront location in Toronto. During the first winter, 1934-35, Austin Airways established a maintenance base at the airport in North Toronto. He received his Air Engineer's Licence in 1936.

He set up a new base for Austin Airways at Sudbury, Ontario, on the shore of Ramsey Lake. This enabled the company to serve the prospectors, mine operators, lumber camps, and people of northern Ontario more efficiently. In 1940 Russell was issued his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer's Licence, with Category A, B, & D endorsements, and became Superintendent of Maintenance for Austin Airways, a position he held for 35 years. The demand to transport goods and people by air in Canada's north prompted the growth of Austin Airways fleet, with the addition of seven Noorduyn Norseman aircraft, five de Havilland Beavers, three Cessna 180's, one Fairchild Husky, three Avro Ansons, two amphibious Cansos and two Douglas DC-3's. By the mid-1950's, Russell had 23 aircraft to keep airworthy.

Maintaining the company's aircraft in good repair was a dawn-to-dusk business for Russell. In good weather, pilots would be off at daybreak, and would fly back and forth between the base and wherever they were serving - a camp site, forest fire fighting, a mine, or chartering passengers. Each time a plane returned, Russell would help with loading and check any mechanical needs of the aircraft.

Russell's work in the winter of 1945 on a Fleet Freighter, CF-BJW, was recorded by a Canadian Aviation Historical researcher in the following manner:

"The original engines with grease-lubricated rockers were replaced with later model L-6MB engines with pressure-lubricated rockers and constant speed props were installed. The oil rods and engine control system from a Cessna were installed. The original Fleet system of wire sliding in a fibre-lined tube had a tendency to pick up moisture that could freeze, so these were all replaced. The old slow-acting tail plane trim system was redesigned to eliminate the need for excessive trim wheel spinning. The floats had been damaged and replaced the previous summer. BJW was re-covered and finished with the Austin Airways colours of black fuselage with silver trim and red wings. The Austin Airways crest was applied to sides of the forward fuselage."

BJW was but one of the dozens of aircrafts ingeniously modified by Frank Russell.

On one occasion, when an aircraft failed to arrive on schedule, a search was planned for the following morning. While the pilots slept, Russell and his crew worked and had the Fleet serviced and ready for take-off before daybreak. The downed plane was found before ten o'clock the next morning.

At one point he purchased a Norseman Mk V fuselage in order to facilitate the replacement of one on a Mk VI. The Mk VI was too busy to be taken out of service, so Russell took the Mk V fuselage and some spare parts and built a Mk V Norseman, CF-IGG. Austin Airways Chief Pilot, Rusty Blakey declared CF-IGG to be the best performing Norseman in the fleet.

In 1955 a Canso ran aground on the Winisk River, which empties into Hudson Bay. Russell was among those called to plan the salvage. The Canso was partially submerged, and it appeared to be a total loss. The river current was swift, approximately 25 mph (40 kph) and the plane was grounded just upstream from rapids. Russell's crew used quick-drying cement to plug the holes, and pumps to re-float it. The salvage operation was a success.

The tasks of the aviators serving the Arctic were made easier through Russell's efforts. Much of the credit given to Austin Airways for helping the native population and in the control and elimination of tuberculosis was due to the work of Frank Russell. After more than 41 years with Austin Airways, Russell retired in 1975. He died on December 15, 1994.

He continued in aviation after retirement by doing Certificate of Airworthiness inspections on aircraft. He also spent ten years with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, supervising the work on the aircraft there until 1982.

Frank Walter Russell was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame in 1994 at a ceremony held in Edmonton, Alberta.