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All Canada British Columbia Tofino Canso Bomber Crash Site

Canso Bomber Crash Site

The wreckage still sits at the exact spot the plane crash-landed in 1945, carrying 1,000 pounds of explosives.

Tofino, British Columbia

Added By
Rachel Rummel
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Canso Bomber Plane Crash   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
Canso Bomber Plane Crash   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
At about 10 minutes in, you’ll come across this abandoned building   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
Make art, not war   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
Looking backwards   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
Engine and Wing   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
Tail section   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
Wing and a tree   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
Front view   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
Interior of the Canso Bomber   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
  davidk435 / Atlas Obscura User
  davidk435 / Atlas Obscura User
  davidk435 / Atlas Obscura User
The official trail marker   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
  davidk435 / Atlas Obscura User
When a flying boat ends up in the side of a hill…   rachelrummel / Atlas Obscura User
Looking through the Canso Bomber   WayneOnTheRoad / Atlas Obscura User
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About

At the tail end of World War II, a flying boat deployed by the Royal Canadian Air Force crashed deep in the coastal rainforest.

Shortly after taking off from Tofino, the Canso 11007 experienced port engine failure and descended at 300 meters per minute into the side of a hill. It carried 12 passengers—all of whom survived—despite crash-landing with 880 pounds (400 kilograms) of bombs onboard. The explosives didn't detonate, and were removed from the crash site later. The date was February 10, 1945.

Housed in what is now the Pacific Rim National Park, the Canso Bomber still sits exactly where it crashed all those years ago. This formally registered archaeological site has otherwise been abandoned by Parks Canada due to the dangers of romping down a highway, hiking through muddy bogs, and the potential for getting lost along the way.

Those willing to brave the trail can discover the wreck for themselves at the termination of a slightly treacherous and absolutely stunning hour-long jaunt. The site itself is a free-for-all: take photographs, climb aboard, or have a picnic. Anything one might risk doing atop a remote, secluded heap of torn metal edges is fair game.

To reach the site of the crash, park at Radar Hill and walk to the 15th telephone pole headed away from Tofino. The trailhead is slyly marked by a Sharpie doodle of an airplane. At about 10 minutes in, you'll come across an abandoned building that's also well worth exploring. The rest of the hike is filled with exotic flora, fauna, and tons of mud. Look out for the pink flags, they're there to guide you.

Related Tags

Airplanes Crash Site World War Ii Military

Know Before You Go

Bring heavy-duty rain boots, rain or shine. The trail is well marked. There are boardwalks over the muddy sections. 

Community Contributors

Added By

rachelrummel

Edited By

flyhooj, njse1shelby, davidk435, WayneOnTheRoad

  • flyhooj
  • njse1shelby
  • davidk435
  • WayneOnTheRoad

Published

December 12, 2016

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Sources
  • http://www.tourismtofino.com/tofino-today/2013/11/12/how-wwii-bomber-crashed-tofino-%E2%80%94-and-how-its-canadian-crew-lived-tell-about
  • https://tofinoresortandmarina.com/5-interesting-things-to-see-in-tofino/
Canso Bomber Crash Site
36109 Pacific Rim Hwy
Tofino, British Columbia
Canada
49.081075, -125.821113
Visit Website
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