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THE KEITH
PART 1: LAYING THE FOUNDATION
36 BEEDIE STORY
CHAPTER 2: LEARNING THE HARD WAY
37
A Catalina patrol fl oat
plane, circa 1944.
THE CATALINA
After working on the wings of so many Catalinas, Keith developed a lifelong love of the plane. In a small but
signifi cant way, he helped construct one of the most widely used aircraft in World War II. Often considered
awkward or clumsy, the “fl ying boat” proved to be an extraordinarily dependable machine. It had an exceptional
operational range, and it could land on water anywhere in the open ocean, making it a very versatile aircraft. A
construction cost of only $90,000 added to its popularity. The Catalina had a wide range of uses, from antisubmarine
warfare, to marine patrol and search and rescue, to night-att ack capabilities. It even served as a
commercial passenger plane for two years during the war, fl ying for Quantas in Australia.
The Catalina was so successful that, unlike many other war planes, it was commonly found in commercial use
in peacetime. Many were converted for aerial fi refi ghting, and others were used for mail service to remote
areas. The last active military Catalina wasn’t retired until the 1980s. An estimated 4,051 were built.
Despite a deep aff ection for the Catalina – and despite a couple of close calls – Keith has never been up in his
favourite plane. Ironically, Bett y has fl own in one. She went up with her sister’s husband, Frank, who was an
aircraft mechanic going north for a repair job, before she met Keith. For Bett y it was fun, but no big deal; for
Keith, such a chance would have been a dream come true.
Years later, George Hayhoe noticed a Catalina parked outside the Nanaimo airport. It looked as though it had
been there for years, slowly falling apart. Knowing how much Keith loved the plane, George told him what he’d
seen. Keith immediately contacted the Comox Air Museum to fi nd out if they would be interested in displaying
the Catalina if he could purchase it. “I spoke to Captain Day, who was very excited at the idea,” says Keith.
Keith managed to track down the owner of the plane, a captain in the Miramar military. After a number of
emails back and forth, the two agreed on a purchase price of $80,000 for the Catalina. “I knew I needed to
get an agreement from the museum before I went through with it, though,” says Keith. While Captain Day
was keen, the fi nal decision had to go to a committ ee. The problem was that most of the committ ee was on
summer vacation and they wouldn’t be able to hand down a decision for at least two months. Keith explained
that he couldn’t wait that long. Instead, he contacted Stocky Edwards, a renowned RCAF fi ghter pilot of his
acquaintance who sat on the same committ ee. Stocky said he would expedite the committ ee’s decision. “A
few days later, I got a lett er from Comox. They said ‘no,’ because they had no way to transport the plane, no
place to store it and not enough volunteers to refurbish it. I was extremely disappointed after all the time I
had spent on it.” The plane still sits exposed to the elements in the Nanaimo Airport.
Photo: City of Vancouver Archives, P1.4.
EXCERPT FROM “THE WAR WORKER,” BY DAVID TAYLOR
David Taylor, an amateur poet, worked at the Boeing plant in Vancouver. He wrote this poem about his
experiences during the war. Taylor gifted the poem to the Sea Island Historical Society. The poem gives a
taste of what life at Boeing would have felt like for workers like Keith.
Out on Sea Island at Boeing’s big plant
the War Workers labor away.
They’re building Catalina and Canso, aircraft
to hasten the dawn of V-day.
The big planes are starting to take on their shape
as they move out of Shop ninety nine.
Each day they keep growing like some living thing
as they move down the assembly line.
Some planes now completed are out on the tarmac
the Airforce inspection is through.
This scene brings a thrill that would never be told,
by old War Workers like me and like you.
Then it’s on with the routine of building more
aircraft, for the boys overseas are still dying.
We must “Carry On” as the War Posters say “Buy
Bonds” just to help “Keep ‘Em Flying.”