1

A steady flow of the famous and the lesser knowns passed through the de Havilland Canada plant at Downsview during the Second World War. Many of them were promoting the sale of Victory Bonds, but all wanted to do something for the war effort, even if it was just to tell the workers how much they were appreciated.

The Duke of Kent was an early visitor, and so was Vincent Massey, at the time the Canadian High Commissioner in London. The Governor General the Earl of Athlone; C.D. Howe, Canada's powerful Minister of Munitions and Supply; and Fred Conboy, Mayor of Toronto were all there at various times. Canada's great air ace of WW I, Air Marshall W.A. "Billy" Bishop, showed up, and so did George "Buzz" Beurling, Canada's highest scoring ace of WW II.

The event that most stirred the hearts especially of women workers was the visit by the glamorous movie star Joan Fontaine on May 14, 1944. Miss Fontaine was actually a cousin of the company founder, Geoffrey de Havilland. At a packed ceremony she unveiled a Mosquito bomber, KB 273, that was named "Joan" after her.