The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) in Mount Hope (next to the Hamilton Airport), Ontario, isn’t one of North America’s biggest–but the museum tops lists of exclusive experiences. In fact, it’s the only place in the world where you can fly in a Lancaster Bomber!
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My pick was easy this time. After all, who wouldn’t be blown away by the story of a WWII bomber that you can still fly in? Not that flying was one of my experiences at the museum, but the airplane is still fascinating.
I visited the museum on Father’s Day, which had some flight demonstrations and scheduled flight experiences. Dads got in free, too, of course!
The Avro Lancaster airplane was a converted Manchester airframe with enlarged wing centre section, and four 1145 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin X engines. Why four? The earlier Manchester’s two 1760 hp Rolls-Royce Vulture engines had been unreliable, so the modifications were part of the upgrade to the Lancaster. It first flew the prototype in January, 1941.
Fast Fact: The Avro Lancaster is 69 feet, 6 inches long, with a wingspan of 102 feet. Its maximum speed is 275 mph with a cruising speed of 210 mph. The fuel range is 2530 miles.
So what makes the Lancaster stand out in WWII history? It was the Royal Air Force’s only heavy bomber that could carry the 12,000 lb “Tallboy” and 22,000 lb “Grand Slam” bombs.
Its most significant contributions to the war effort were precise bombing raids on the Ruhr Dams (May, 1943), and sinking the German battleship Tirpitz (November, 1944).
Fast Fact: The CWHM's Lancaster is dedicated to the memory of P/O Andrew Mynarski and is referred to as the "Mynarski Memorial Lancaster." Mynarski received the Victoria Cross for his heroic attempt to save his rear gunner on June 12, 1944, after the plane was hit. Mynarski eventually had to parachute out and died from burns. His gunner, however, had a miraculous escape when the airplane crashed.
The Museum’s Lancaster was built in 1945 and later converted to an RCAF 10 MR configuration. Its biggest adventure with the museum has been flying across the Atlantic to join the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Lancaster for a two-month tour in 2014.
Today, only 17 Lancasters remain in complete form, and only two are airworthy. Flights on the Lancaster (and other planes) can be booked up to a year in advance, but they carry a hefty price tag of $5000 per person.
What’s at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum?
The CWHM is a 108,000 sq. ft. delta-wing shaped building that opened in 1996 after a devastating 1993 fire. It currently houses 40+ aircraft, making it one of the largest collections of Canadian military aircraft.
Planes come from WWII and the Cold war. The museum focuses on aircraft flown by Canadians and the Canadian military from the beginning of World War II up to the present day.
The museum is like being inside a hangar. Planes are arranged roughly by era, so you move through time during a visit. Of course, there are also many additional artifacts from uniforms to photos to personal stories.
Known as Canada’s Flying Museum, CWHM painstakingly restores their machines and gets vintage planes airborne whenever possible. That’s how they’re able to offer tickets for the public to experience them!
However, flying a real war plane is just one of the experiences offered to visitors. The museum’s main digital exhibit is called Making Freedom Fly. It includes:
- Three digital displays that project a life-sized avatar you talk to and ask questions
- An HD interactive cinema showing Canadian military films along with an augmented reality experience that lets you tour the Avro Lancaster
- An immersive dome interactive experience built around the Making Freedom Fly theme
- Flight simulators with replica flight controls and a giant view of the world outside your cockpit
- A Fly Zone VR where visitors control the action of a fighter aircraft
CWPM also provides online information about all of its planes for those unable to get to Hamilton.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
This was my first visit to Hamilton, so everything was new to me. I flew into Toronto and took the GO train to Hamilton from the airport.
Since it was a Friday, I was able to take advantage of a weekend pricing special, so it was extremely cheap (just $10 per day)!
I only had 24 hours, so picked my two key stops: Dundurn Castle (I can’t resist castles!) and Hamilton Military Museum for Day 1, and the CWHM for Day 2.
Both were well worth the visit!
Since I had to get back to the GO station for my noon return to Toronto, I checked out the Runway Cafe inside the museum for breakfast.
It offered a tasty, fully home-cooked breakfast as well as lunch options.
The 447 Wing is a nearby dining alternative, but it didn’t open as early as I needed.
Who Should Visit the CWHM?
When it comes to Canadian military aircraft with impressive restoration, the CWHM’s collection is great. So, aviation and military history fans are the top attendees.
That said, it’s a great multigenerational attraction. Indeed, I saw many family groups on my Father’s Day visit!
Seniors enjoyed the planes and information, while teens headed for the hands-on and digital content.
Smaller children were thrilled with airplanes so big they could easily walk under them.
The Museum provides accessibility while keeping the historic aircraft, their elevated platforms and cockpits still available.
However, those unable to climb platform stairs won’t be able to see some aspects of the airplanes.
They provide information about accessible entrances, parking, washrooms, seating and areas only reachable by stairs.
If you’re like me and enjoy taking photos, you’ll find some great opportunities here.
How Do You Visit the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum?
The CWHM is on Airport Road in Mount Hope, Ontario, roughly 20 km (12 miles) from downtown Hamilton. I didn’t have a car, so took an Uber from my hotel. Bus transit on the A-Line may be available from the GO station on some days.
Parking: The museum provides lots of free parking.
Street Address: 9280 Airport Road, Mount Hope, Ontario
The museum is open year-round, but check days and hours, as well as admission costs on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum website.
Keep up to date with what’s happening on the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Facebook page.
Get a bird’s eye view of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum with their YouTube video drone tour.
Plan your visit with Google maps.
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