Hidden Gems of London, Ontario: Hume Cronyn Observatory, Jet Aircraft Museum, Royal Canadian Regiment Museum

One of the very first telescopes built by Perkin Elmer Corporation of New York. Glass for the objective lens (a crown and flint achromatic lens) was poured by Chance Brothers, England; Halley Mogey, the first employee of Perkin Elmer, likely ground and polished it. The dome was made by the Clark facility in Massachusetts. The telescope was officially opened to the public on October 25th, 1940. Brass tube on a German equatorial mount, with 4386mm focal length (f/17.2). Perkin Elmer Corporation is noted for having later built the optics for the Hubble Space telescope.

Cannon dial which fires at noon, sometimes known as a time gun. The circular marble base (166 mm in diameter) is inscribed with “Cam à Paris”, a maker's mark. In the 1867 catalogue for the Universal Exposition, "Cam, à Paris" is cited as a maker of optical instruments at rue de la Paix, 24. Because of the prestige of Paris instrument-makers in the 19th Century, it was common for them to sign their work "à Paris". When correctly oriented, the sun shining through the burning lens (36 mm diameter) onto the cannon’s touch hole, caused the cannon to fire at noon. The bottom of the marble base has the handwritten inscription “From the collection of John Davis Barnett”. John Davis Barnett (1848–1926) donated 40,000 books to the Western University library in 1919 and was one of the earliest proponents for the National Library for Canada.

These heliochronometers were manufactured between 1907 and 1914. This instrument (No. 953 of 1000) was installed outside University College at Western University, London, Canada, on May 28, 1925 by the Arts class of 1925. In 1952 it was moved to its current location on the sidewalk north of Cronyn Observatory. The original patent was applied for by George James Gibbs in 1906, and awarded on 14th February 1907. Gibbs manufactured the device in Preston, England in partnership with Pilkington Brothers Limited. The Negretti and Zambra company of London, England, whose name is inscribed on the instrument, was one of several resellers for the device, and not its manufacturer.

A polycarbonate 3D printed full-size replica of the Dresden Meteorite -- an H6 ordinary Chondrite. The original Dresden Meteorite fell in Dresden, Ontario Canada, on July 11, 1939 on Dan Solomon's sugar-beet farm. It was recovered by Dan Solomon on July 12, 1939. At that time, it was the largest meteorite ever recovered in Canada, weighing approximately 40 kg. It was classified as an ordinary chondrite from the H group that is petrologic type 6. The object on display is a full-size 3D printed replica of the Dresden meteorite. A plaster cast of the meteorite was 3D scanned and subsequently 3D printed by the Department of Physics & Astronomy's machine shop, and painted by Henry Leparskas to resemble the freshly fallen Dresden meteorite.

Mechanical classroom model of sun-earth-moon system used for demonstrating the reason for seasons, phases of the Moon, lunar and solar eclipses, and eclipse seasons. The first large brass-geared version was built with the help of F. W. Pye of the Western University Machine Shop, although this is likely a later mode

The Red Knight was the first jet demonstration aircraft of the RCAF. Several aircraft served as the Red Knight during its performance program history from 1958 to 1969 and they were flown over this time by 17 pilots. The Jet Aircraft Museum restored CT133573 to airworthiness and painted her as a Red Knight to honour this history. She returned to the air in August, 2018 and first flew a public performance at the London International Air Show in September, 2018.

The Jet Aircraft Museum acquired 6 T-33s from the RCAF in 2008 and has been working on restoring them to airworthiness. This particular T-Bird (500) was once a support aircraft for the RCAF Golden Hawks aerobatic flying team (1959-1964). Part of the restoration plan is to return 500 to flight in her former Golden Hawks colours.

After the cancellation of the CF-105 Avro Arrow by the Canadian government in 1959, it was recognized that interceptor aircraft were still required to counter the Russian bomber threat. The RCAF acquired 132 Voodoos to fulfill this role. They were subsequently armed with nuclear tipped AIR-2A Genie rockets. This particular aircraft (006) was the last Voodoo to fly operationally in the world: 9 April 1987.

Developed to support the Jet Aircraft Museum Education Program, students learn to apply the science of flight and aircraft control on a flight simulator in an authentic setting. Students coming to JAM Education Day and Week Programs will learn fundamentals of flight on our simulators from our trained volunteers. A simulator experience is also available to the general public visiting the museum as well as to groups who rent our facilities for special events or tours.

A safe way to teach new pilots how to fly by instruments, the Link Trainer would respond to the pilot’s controls and give an accurate reading on the included instruments. More than 500,000 US plots as well as pilots from Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, and the USSR were trained on Link simulators. Link Trainers were found in most if not all of the training facilities in Canada.

The building known today as “A” Block at Wolseley Barracks was erected between 1886 and 1888 to host “D” Company of the Infantry School Corps. Three other companies existed since 1883 in Fredericton, NB, St-Jean, QC, and Toronto, ON. Together with the fourth company established in London, ON, in 1885, they formed the first infantry unit in the Canadian Army, mandated to train the local militias spread across the country. The “U” shaped building was designed by the Engineer Branch of the Department of Militia and Defence, under Chief Architect Henry James (1838 – 1893). With an estimated budget of $81,000 approved by the Canadian Parliament in spring 1886, the construction was assigned to the local architect George F. Durand (1850 – 1889). In 1894, the “Infantry School” building in London, ON, was re-designated Wolseley Barracks to honour Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, Commander-in-Chief of British Forces between 1894 and 1901. For many years to come, Wolseley Barracks was home to The Royal Canadian Regiment that continues to maintain its presence through its 4th Battalion, a formation in the Canadian Reserve Force. Today, The Royal Canadian Regiment Museum, located in the west wing, shares the building with the above-mentioned reserve unit and other services supporting the Department of National Defence. The parade square shown in this panoramic view saw troops training and/or preparing for ceremonial services for more than a hundred years. On the north side, a small outdoors display including equipment and vehicles used by the unit over time, as well as the regimental cenotaph, a tribute to those who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting for Canada since 1885 under The Royal Canadian Regiment’s Colours.

This drawing served to produce the regimental cap badge. The design has not changed until present day, and The Royal Canadian Regiment members continue to wear the same insignia. Queen Victoria’s royal cypher is surmounted by the St Edward’s Crown in the center of the eight-pointed star. A special dispensation was obtained in 1919 to use this royal cypher on the regimental cap badge, in perpetuity; the dispensation was necessary because protocol requires that all military units in the British Commonwealth display the royal cypher of the living monarch. The acronym VRI comes from the Latin “Victoria Regina et Imperatrix”, which means Victoria Queen and Empress.

This type of tunic was part of the earlier uniforms in use by members of the regiment. It consisted of scarlet tunic, dark blue pants, and colonial pattern helmet. The accoutrements and insignia could vary depending on the rank and qualifications. This one was worn by a skill-at-arms instructor, at the level of staff sergeant. It is also to be noted that the insignia is specific to king Edward VII reign (1901 – 1910), which precedes the adoption of the VRI (Queen Victoria’s Royal Cypher) as the regimental badge.

The Lee Enfield Rifle was the longest-lived bolt-action weapon in use by Canadian Army, between 1896 and 2018. It used as various models and marks in major conflicts of the 20th century and for training up to 2018. The rifle shown here is an earlier .303 calibre, but mostly a unique example for a soldier’s life while in the theatre of operations. It was used by Lance-Corporal Peter Twedell while serving with “E” Company, 2nd Special Service Battalion during the South-African war (1898-1900). He carved the wooden components of his weapon with the name of battle places he was in. Also, Twedell left important testimonies of his experiences in the Boer War by writing an extensive diary of the trip from Québec City, QC, to Cape Town in South Africa, the life at the front and the trip back to Halifax, NS, passing through England, where the troops were greeted by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle.

Charles Foulkes is a British-born Canadian General, with an extraordinary military career from 1926, when he joined the ranks of The Royal Canadian Regiment to 1960, when he retired from service; his last appointment was Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff. After commanding the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division in 1944, on 5 – 6 May 1945, as officer commanding the First Canadian Corps, he accepted unconditional surrender from the Third Reich 25th Army, which was bringing to an end the liberation of Holland at the end of the Second World War. His medal set includes nine foreign orders and decorations awarded by grateful nations liberated with help from the Allies, but also Companion, Order of Canada (1968), Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (1944) and Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (1945); in addition, he is recipient of the Distinguish Service Order (1944), and 13 campaign/service decorations, some foreign.