World’s Largest Wind Vane – a DC-3 in Whitehorse, Yukon

This decommissioned DC-3 now forever points into the oncoming wind.

CF-CPY, originally built in August 1942 as a Douglas C-47 (Serial No. 4665), started its journey as a military transport aircraft for the U.S. Army Air Forces. Painted in wartime camouflage, it flew vital missions in India and China during World War II.

After the war, it was sold by the War Assets Corporation to Grant McConachie’s newly established Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA). In 1946, the aircraft was converted to a civilian DC-3, given the Canadian registration CF-CPY, and joined CPA’s fleet. For 15 years, it operated on CPA’s scheduled routes across Canada, flying passengers on tickets they could buy from the airline.

By the mid-1950s, as CPA upgraded its fleet to newer aircraft like Convairs and DC-6Bs, CF-CPY shifted to less glamorous domestic routes. One such route included the Whitehorse-Mayo-Dawson run, serving remote northern communities.

In 1960, the plane was sold to Connely Dawson Airways in Dawson City. For six years, it worked as a bush plane, flying on wheels or skis to deliver supplies to isolated places like Old Crow and oil exploration camps in Eagle Plains.

From 1966 until its last flight in November 1970, CF-CPY operated out of Whitehorse, handling charter and scheduled routes for Great Northern Airways. Despite logging a total of 31,581 flight hours—average for a DC-3—the majority of its flights were in the Yukon or connecting the region with the rest of Canada.

In 1977, the Yukon Flying Club took on the mission of restoring this iconic aircraft to its original Canadian Pacific Airlines colors. Today, it stands proudly on display at the Whitehorse Airport, mounted to pivot and always point into the wind. This restoration project was made possible with support from local businesses and various government departments, ensuring this northern aviation veteran remains a symbol of Yukon’s rich history.

If you traveled the Alaska Highway in 1999, you might have noticed something missing at Whitehorse Airport—CF-CPY. The iconic plane was temporarily removed from its pedestal for a much-needed paint job. It was moved to the Transportation Museum’s hangar, just a few hundred yards away, where a dedicated team of volunteers, including myself, got to work restoring it.

By the time I joined the project, the old paint had already been stripped away. On my first night, I was assigned to work on the rear wings. My task was to apply an acid solution to the surface, scrub it with a 3M Scotch-Brite pad, and rinse it off—all within about five minutes per section.

This project is a true labor of love, carried out by volunteers passionate about preserving this piece of aviation history. As progress continues, I’ll share more updates, including details about funding and other restoration efforts.

As of March 23rd, volunteers have dedicated around 275 hours to the restoration of CF-CPY. This effort has included taking the aircraft down from its pedestal, removing the wings, transporting it to the Yukon Transportation Museum hangar, stripping off the old paint, and preparing the aluminum skin for a fresh coat of paint.

So far, approximately $16,000 has been spent on fabric to cover the flying surfaces and other necessary supplies. Canadian Airlines International has generously donated the paint for the project, making this restoration a true community effort.

Since January 2000, a team of about 15 volunteers has been hard at work removing the last of the old paint, prepping the surfaces for painting, and polishing the aluminum. With steady progress, we aim to begin painting by early April.

Once the painting is complete, the final polishing will be done, bringing us into the home stretch. While there’s still plenty of work to do before CF-CPY can return to its pedestal, we’re optimistic about finishing the project by early summer.

Additional photos by D. Davidge and Jim McFadyen.

The iconic DC-3 weather vane, a landmark that has captivated onlookers for decades, is back in place. After three years of restoration work, hundreds of volunteer hours, and thousands of dollars, the world’s largest weather vane was hoisted onto its pedestal at the Whitehorse International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

Originally restored in 1977 and mounted in 1981, the aircraft was taken down in July 1998 by the Yukon Transportation Museum to address damage from years of exposure to the elements.

“We used the best kind of paint for this type of operation,” said volunteer Doug Davidge, who has been with the project from the start. “It should last at least a couple of decades.”

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A core group of 10 volunteers, joined by several more in the final months, worked tirelessly to complete the restoration. The decision to reassemble the plane this weekend was finalized on Friday, thanks to a favorable weather forecast with little wind.

On Saturday, the fuselage and wings were moved from the museum’s restoration shed to the pedestal site in front of the airport. By Sunday morning, two cranes arrived to complete the reassembly. Over three hours, the volunteers worked carefully to secure the DC-3 back on its mount.

Watching the aircraft return to its pedestal was an emotional moment for Davidge. “It was a long, long process,” he said. “I don’t think anybody expected it to take this long.”

The DC-3 now gleams with a vibrant white, black, and red CP Air color scheme from the 1950s, complete with a hand-polished finish. This is a stark contrast to the faded, peeling paint it wore in recent years.

The aircraft, which began its life in camouflage during World War II, was later sold to Canadian Pacific Airlines and then passed through various Yukon-based airlines before being donated to the Yukon Flying Club in the 1970s.

The restoration, estimated to cost $15,000 to $20,000, included approximately 1,500 hours of volunteer work. Final costs and statistics are being compiled to provide a roadmap for future maintenance efforts.

When asked if he would take part in the next restoration, Davidge noted that it’s the kind of project you tackle once before passing the torch. A ceremony is being planned to celebrate the completion of this restoration milestone.

After three years of restoration, the iconic DC-3 CF-CPY is back on display in the Yukon. On September 16, 2001, work crews carefully mounted the aircraft onto its original pedestal at the Whitehorse International Airport.

Restored to its 1960s Canadian Pacific Airlines colors, the DC-3 is once again “turning in the wind” atop its pivoting pedestal. The project required approximately 1,500 hours of volunteer work to bring the historic plane back to life.

Here are a few photos from the day of its return, courtesy of D. Davidge.

Built in August 1942, the Douglas aircraft, Serial No. 4665, began its life serving in World War II. Painted in the camouflage colors of the U.S. Army Air Forces, it flew critical transport missions across India and China for three years.

After the war, it was sold by the War Assets Corporation to Grant McConachie’s newly formed Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA). In 1946, the plane was converted into a civilian DC-3 and registered as CF-CPY. For the next 15 years, it flew scheduled routes across Canada, making air travel accessible to many.

By the mid-1950s, as CPA introduced newer aircraft like the Convairs and DC-6Bs, CF-CPY transitioned to less prominent domestic routes, including the Whitehorse-Mayo-Dawson run.

In 1960, the aircraft was sold to Connely Dawson Airways in Dawson City. It served as a rugged bush plane for six years, hauling supplies to remote locations like Old Crow and early oil exploration camps in Eagle Plains.

From 1966 until its retirement in November 1970, CF-CPY operated out of Whitehorse, flying charter and scheduled routes for Great Northern Airways. Over its career, it logged a respectable 31,581 hours of flight time, much of it connecting the Yukon to the rest of the world.

Preserving a Yukon Icon

In 1977, the Yukon Flying Club restored CF-CPY to its original Canadian Pacific Airlines colors and placed it on display at Whitehorse Airport. Mounted on a unique pivoting pedestal, the plane could always face into the wind. This restoration was made possible thanks to contributions from local businesses and government departments.

By 1998, after 18 years exposed to the elements, CF-CPY was removed for a second restoration. Over the next three years, volunteers dedicated nearly 1,500 hours to bringing the historic aircraft back to life.

On September 16, 2001, CF-CPY was reinstalled on its original pedestal. Once again, this iconic aircraft “turns in the wind,” proudly preserving its place in Yukon’s history.

— Doug Davidge