Circa 1943 R.C.A.F. “Hoo-Doo” Hotspur Glider Crew – First Transatlantic Military Glider Flight, Montreal to England

This original circa 1943 wartime photograph captures a historic milestone in Canadian aviation—the crew of the Royal Canadian Air Force posed beside the General Aircraft Hotspur military glider “Hoo-Doo” after completing the first transatlantic glider flight from Montreal, Québec to England.

The operation involved towing the 8-ton Hotspur across the Atlantic behind a twin-engined Douglas Dakota, a remarkable feat of wartime airmanship and endurance. This flight represented a significant experimental achievement in military logistics and glider deployment during WWII.

The image shows an oblique front ground view of the “Hoo-Doo,” with six R.C.A.F. officers standing proudly:

• Sqdn.-Ldr. Richard Seys – Co-pilot

• Flt.-Lt. Tommy Thomson

• Sqdn.-Ldr. F.M. Gobeil – French-Canadian veteran, former commander of the first all-Canadian fighter squadron overseas

• Flt.-Lt. W. Longhurst

• W. Cmdr. H. Furno

Historical Significance:

• First transatlantic military glider flight—a logistical and engineering challenge rarely attempted during WWII

• Highlights Canada’s wartime aviation innovation and its key role in Allied air operations

• The General Aircraft Hotspur was a British-built assault glider, primarily used for training but here employed in a groundbreaking long-range demonstration

• The “Hoo-Doo” represents one of the rare documented transoceanic glider operations in the war effort

Key Features:

• Date: Circa 1943

• Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada

• Aircraft: General Aircraft Hotspur military glider, “Hoo-Doo”

• View: Ground, oblique front with crew

• Subjects: Six named R.C.A.F. officers (listed above)

• Medium: Original vintage black-and-white wartime photograph

• Condition: Excellent tonal range; light edge wear consistent with archival storage