Out and about around Brandon

 Another day here in Brandon, bright sunshine and a little cooler a slight breeze has knocked the temperature back to the mid 20s which is just perfect for wandering around and today we will be wandering around downtown Brandon.  The two photos here taken last Friday morning, the Assiniboine was still rising at this point.  Last year we were here in Brandon for Canada Day, the park in the lower pic. was where they held all the celebrations, Big sound stage, seating, food stalls this year its a lake.

This little wayside chapel, by the turn-in to the RV park.

Walking round the town looking at all the different styles of old houses

Some of them quite striking

This is the house of the first mayor of Brandon, dates from 1882 is now a museum named after him - The Daly House Museum. 

The gardens are new this is only the second summer

 This a recreation of a food shop in the town 1903 to 1975 when it closed all the original fittings were given to the museum, they converted what had been a summer kitchen back into The Mutter Bros. store.

The dining room of the house.

All the emergency work on the banks of the Assiniboine River seam to have done the job and restricted the flooding to the newer pert of town (the part built on a flood plane over the last few years)  Yesterday evening we had a drive into town after the river had peaked, up pic. nothing to do with the weather I just thought this old grain elevator looked good in the evening light

this scene just north of the bridge on 181st Street looking west over the flooded park, can you see the top of the bandstand poking above the water

Wildflowers & Butterflies at The Brandon Hills.

Together with about a trillion mosquitos each  we are off to do a hike around one of the trails in The Brandon Hills Wildlife Management Area.

The beginning of the trail, prairie to begin with and then into the trees and the mozzies, not much of a problem we were well lathered up with deet-stuff, just a nuisance buzzing around you all the time.

Golden dragonfly and a moth (I think) sitting on a leaf.

The Western Red Lily or Tiger Lily.

Beautiful butterfly amongst some blue flowers which we can't identify.

A lone Convolvulus in amongst the grass.

A little bit of wetland amongst the trees.

Such a lot of beauty, a clearing amongst the trees, thick grass at the edges and drying out as you move into more sunlight

Going back into the tree cover.

Prairie Rose

Soloman's Seal and below Aquilegias

These two pics of different butterflies taken in the parking lot

Much to Ruths relief not a single sighting of old farm machinery.

                                                                               

Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Brandon

Our visit today is The Commonwealth Air training Museum in an original wartime hanger at Brandon airport. The Commonwealth Air Training Plan was an amazing achievement.  Spread across Canada at around 230 locations they trained over 130,000 aircrew and 80,000 fitters between 1940 and 1945

Avro Anson Mk.V built in Winnipeg with Pratt & Whitney engines.

Mk.1 Anson, "the original"with its Armstrong Siddeley engines, this plane had hand cranked wheels took 140 turns to lower the wheels.

The instrument panel from a Mk.2 (sorry my lap top doesn't have roman numerals) By this time they had hydraulic operated wheels. They made over 20 versions of this plane until 1952.

Beech 18 Expeditor used By the Air force Top Brass and V.I.Ps and a close up of one of its Pratt & Whitney engines

Re-fuiling truck made here in Brandon on a Ford chassis.

Fleet Fort built in Ontario used for pilot and radio operator training.

The Bristol Bolingbroke, the Canadian version of the Blenheim bomber, the Mk.1V version with Bristol Mercury engines.

1942 Ford Pick Up.

 Interesting continuation of radiator design, 1940s International truck and below a modern International Truck, the radiator looks good on the 40s version, ugly on the modern. 

A few engines, 9 cylinder Pratt & Whitney.

I haven't seen many of these engines on my travels - Jacobs 7 Cylinder Radial.

Armstron Siddeley 7 Cylinder Radial

Rolls-Rolls Merlin, picked up from a crashed Mosquito 

Upside down Gipsy Moth Engine, or to give it its proper name an inverted engine.

As we were leaving the museum I spotted this Maple Leaf truck with grass growing through it - get it in the museum before its to late!