Skip to main content

Special Announcement

The museum is closed September 11 to October 6 with special programming in place. Learn more.
Ingenium Logo

You are leaving IngeniumCanada.org

✖


This link leads to an external website that Ingenium does not control. Please read the third-party’s privacy policies before entering personal information or conducting a transaction on their site.

Have questions? Review our Privacy Statement

Vous quittez IngeniumCanada.org

✖


Ce lien mène à un site Web externe qu'Ingenium ne contrôle pas. Veuillez lire les politiques de confidentialité des tiers avant de partager des renseignements personnels ou d'effectuer une transaction sur leur site.

Questions? Consultez notre Énoncé de confidentialité

Ingenium Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Langue

  • Français
Search Toggle

Menu des liens rapides

  • Tickets
  • Ingenium Locations
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Join
Menu

Main Navigation

  • Plan Your Visit
    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Admission
    • Hours
    • Location and Directions
    • Accessibility
    • Health and Safety
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Flights and Simulations
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
    • Birthday Parties
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Try This Out
  • Collection and Research
    • Research Institute
    • Research Projects
    • Collection Resources
      • Ingenium Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Conservation and Collection Services
    • Library and Archives
      • Library and Archives Services
      • Library Catalogue
      • Digital Archives
    • Open Access
      • Ingenium APIs
      • Open Data
      • Open Documents
  • Projects and Initiatives
    • Ingenium Channel
    • The Legacy Series
    • Let's Talk Energy

Czerwinski/Shenstone Harbinger

Hours and Location

Closed September 11 to October 6
Address
11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa, ON
Admission
Browse all Visitor Information for Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Browse All Visitor Information

Czerwinski/Shenstone Harbinger

Czerwinski/Shenstone Harbinger

Highlights:

  • A sailplane designed in Canada in 1947 by Waclaw Czerwinski and Beverley Shenstone
  • Designed for a British Gliding Association competition for a high-performance, two-seater sailplane: it was not successful
  • Both designers were engineers associated with Avro Canada Limited: Czerwinski worked in Avro's Aircraft Division and Shenstone was a government representative at the factory
  • Two were built: one in Canada (begun in 1948), the other in the U.K. (begun in 1949)
  • British Harbinger was completed and flown in 1958 by Fred Coleman
  • Canadian Harbinger was completed only in 1975 and first flown by retired RCAF Wing Commander Arthur N. Le Cheminant
  • First flight was in 1958

Image Gallery:

CASM-32985

CASM-32985

CASM-13260

CASM-13260

History:

The Harbinger is a sailplane (glider) developed in Toronto in response to a 1947 design competition for a two-seat sailplane. Of the many designs submitted, the Harbinger was one of the few built. The first Harbinger was built and flown in England in 1958, which resulted in minor design changes. Construction of a Harbinger in Canada started in 1949 but this aircraft did not fly until 1975. Although well ahead of its time in 1947, by 1975 the Harbinger required further modification and development was discontinued.

The final assembly of the Harbinger began at Pendleton, Ontario in 1975. Altogether, over 30 flights were made, the longest being over three hours. The aircraft flew a total of 25 hours and 45 minutes.

Current Location:

Reserve Hangar, Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Provenance:

Donation from A.N. LeCheminant and R. Noonan

Two gliding enthusiasts John Ames and Henry Dow began building this Harbinger in 1948, using Czerwinski and Shenstone's 1947 plans. Some of the wing structure, fuselage and tail had been completed by 1951, when Ames left Toronto and their work stopped. The components were moved to Albie Pow's woodworking shop in London, Ontario. Pow continued to work on the aircraft for another two years.

The existing components were purchased by Richard Noonan and Wing Commander Arthur N. Le Cheminant and moved to Gimli, Manitoba in 1957. The two men all but finished the fuselage and the wing spars that year. In 1958 Le Cheminant moved to Ottawa with the incomplete aircraft. He completed and flew the sailplane in 1975. By the time it was retired in 1977, the Harbinger had flown more than thirty times. Le Cheminant and Noonan donated the aircraft to the Museum on July 31, 1978.

Technical Information:

Wing Span 18.3 m (60 ft)
Length 7.2 m (23 ft 9 in)
Height 1.85 m (6 ft)
Weight, Empty 304 kg (670 lb)
Weight, Gross 467 kg (1,030 lb)
Cruising Speed: 64 km/h (40 mph)
Max Speed 209 km/h (130 mph)
Rate of Climb N/A
Service Ceiling 1,646 m (5,400 ft)
Range N/A
Power Plant None

Czerwinski/Shenstone Harbinger plan

AVIATION
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Artifact No.
1978.1048
Manufacturer
Home-built
Manufacturer Location
Canada
Manufacture Date
1975
Acquisition Date
1977
Registration Number
C-FZCS
  • View all the collection highlights at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum
  • View other collection highlights related to Aviation

Footer

About Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Located on a former military air base just five kilometers from the Prime Minister’s residence at 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum focuses on aviation in Canada within an international context – from its beginnings in 1909 to today.
Read more about the museum

Contact Us

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
11 Aviation Parkway
Ottawa ON K1K 2X5
Canada

613-991-3044
1-866-442-4416
contact@IngeniumCanada.org
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Museum

    • About the Museum
    • Visitor Information
    • Accessibility
    • Careers
  • Visit

    • Online Resources for Science at Home
    • Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
    • Canada Aviation and Space Museum
    • Canada Science and Technology Museum
    • Ingenium Centre
  • Support

    • The Foundation
    • Ways to Donate
    • Membership
    • Corporate Memberships
    • Volunteering
    • Partnerships
    • Online Boutique
    • Venue Rentals
    • Book a Travelling Exhibition
  • For Media

    • Newsroom
    • Awards
    • The Channel

Connect with us

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest Ingenium news straight to your inbox!

Sign Up

Legal Bits

Ingenium Privacy Statement

© 2023 Ingenium

Symbol of the Government of Canada
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Browse All Visitor Information
    • Buy Tickets
    • Admission
    • Hours
    • Location and Directions
    • Accessibility
    • Health and Safety
    • About the Museum
  • What's On at the Museum
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Flights and Simulations
    • Spaces and Studios
  • Bookings and Rentals
    • School Programs
    • Summer Camps
    • Venue Rentals
    • Travelling Exhibitions
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Group Visits
    • Birthday Parties
  • Educational Programs
    • School Programs
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Program Location
      • At the Museum
      • At your School
      • Online
      • Browse all Educational Programs
    • Popular Links
      • 3D Educational Resources
      • Digital Learning Kits
      • Games and Apps
      • Online Resources for Science at Home
      • Try This Out
  • Collection and Research
    • Research Institute
    • Research Projects
    • Collection Resources
      • Ingenium Collection
      • Collection Highlights
      • Conservation and Collection Services
    • Library and Archives
      • Library and Archives Services
      • Library Catalogue
      • Digital Archives
    • Open Access
      • Ingenium APIs
      • Open Data
      • Open Documents
  • Projects and Initiatives
    • Ingenium Channel
    • The Legacy Series
    • Let's Talk Energy