Snowbirds
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| Snowbird solo aircraft performing the head-on cross manoeuvre at about 1100 km/h combined closing speed. | |
| Country: | Canada |
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| Aircraft Currently Flown: | 11 CT-114 Tutors |
| Sponsor: | Canadian Forces |
| Alias: | Snowbirds |
| Base Airport: | CFB Moose Jaw |
| Colours: | White and Red |
| Date Formed: | 1 April, 1978 |
| Crest/Logo: |  |
Officially known as the Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds are Canada's military aerobatics or airshow flight demonstration team. Unlike The United States' Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, the Snowbirds perform with nine airplanes, which give them more variations in formation and flying patterns.
The 431 Air Demonstration Squadron is under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Forces Air Command. Approximately 80 Canadian Forces personnel work with the squadron full-time; 24 personnel comprise the show team that travels during the show season. The show team currently flies 11 CT-114 Tutors — nine for aerobatic performances, including two solo aircraft and two as spares, flown by the team coordinators. The Snowbirds have flown for over 100 million spectators across North America.
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[edit] History
On 11 November 1942, 431 (Bomber) Squadron was formed at Burn, England. During the Second World War, the squadron flew bombing operations from bases in England using Vickers Wellington, Handley Page Halifax, and Avro Lancaster aircraft. The squadron moved to RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia after the war, disbanding there on 5 September 1945.
[edit] Battle honours
- English Channel and North Sea 1943-1944
- Baltic 1943-1944
- Fortress Europe 1943-1944
- Rhine, France and Germany 1944-1945
- Biscay Ports 1943-1944
- Ruhr 1943-1945, Berlin 1943-1944
- German Ports 1943-1945
- Normandy 1944
- Biscay 1943-1944
Six years later, 431 (Fighter) Squadron re-formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on 18 January 1954, to display the capabilities of the new F-86 Sabre to the public at airshows until it was disbanded on 1 October 1954.
In 1969, Colonel O.B. Philp, former leader of the Golden Centennaires aerobatic team obtained permission to use seven of the leftover CT-114 Tutor aircraft still fitted for aerobatic flying. Philp and three others from 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School began unofficially training for aerobatic flight at CFB Moose Jaw and performing at shows around the country. Known as the 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School Formation Team, or 2CFFTS, the team grew in size and gained recognition but remained unofficial until it was formed into the separate 431 Air Demonstration Squadron on 1 April 1978. A contest at the base elementary school chose the name Snowbirds because of the aircraft's distinctive white paint scheme.
Since then, the Snowbirds have become an icon of Canadian aviation, and were awarded the 1994 "Belt of Orion" by Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. The squadron continues to fly the CT-114 Tutor, and was presented their Squadron Colours on 15 October 1999 for 25 years of service. For a time, the Red Knight, a solo show of a single Canadair (Lockheed) CT-33 Silver Star, also flew with the 431.
On 28 June 2006, Canada Post released two domestic rate (51 cent Canadian) stamps to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the team. The Royal Canadian Mint jointly released a $5.00 silver commemorative coin.
[edit] Accidents
The Snowbirds have had several accidents in the history of the squadron, with five deaths resulting:
- 1972: Captain Lloyd Waterer died during a demonstration at the Trenton Airshow in Trenton, Ontario
- 1978: Captain Gordon de Jong died at an airshow in Grande Prairie, Alberta. The horizontal stabilizer critically failed rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Although ejection was initiated, it was not successful.
- 3 September 1989: Captain Shane Antaya died after a midair collision during a demonstration at the Canadian International Air Show during the CNE in Toronto, Ontario when his plane crashed into Lake Ontario. During the same accident, team commander Major Dan Dempsey safely ejected from his aircraft.
- 1991: A Snowbird jet crashed during a routine training flight near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The two pilots were not seriously injured.
- 1992: A crash near Moose Jaw was blamed on a failed engine bearing. There were no injuries.
- 1994: Two pilots ejected from their aircraft near Moose Jaw, sustaining minor injuries.
- 1997: Two jets touched wingtips in mid-air in Glen Falls, N.Y. There were no injuries.
- 10 December 1998: Captain Michael VandenBos died in a midair collision during training near Moose Jaw.
- 4 September 2000: Aircraft #4 and #1 touched in midair causing minor damage to the wing of one and the tail of another shortly after takeoff before a demonstration for the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto on the Labour Day weekend. Both planes landed safely with no injuries. [1]
- 10 April 2001: The nose and right-wing landing gear of plane #5 collapsed as it landed in Comox, British Columbia in a nine-plane diamond formation. No one was injured. [2]
- 21 June 2001: Major Robert Painchaud and his passenger ejected after a mid-air collision between planes #1 and #5 as they attempted to rejoin the "Concorde" nine-jet formation for a media shoot over Lake Erie near London, Ontario. The passenger sustained major injury, but Major Painchaud suffered only bruising and the other aircraft was safely flown back to base. [3]
- 10 December 2004: Captain Miles Selby died in a training accident near Mossbank, Saskatchewan. The other pilot, Captain Chuck Mallett, was thrown from his destroyed aircraft while still strapped into his seat. While tumbling towards the ground, he was able to unstrap, deploy his parachute and land with only minor injuries.[4]
- 24 August 2005: Capt. Andrew Mackay safely ejected from his aircraft near Thunder Bay, Ontario, during the warm-up for the Thunder in the Air Airshow.
[edit] References
- Dempsey, Daniel V. A Tradition of Excellence: Canada's Airshow Team Heritage. Victoria, BC: High Flight Enterprises, 2002. ISBN 0-9687817-0-5.
- Milberry, Larry. Canada's Air Force At War And Peace, Volume 3. Toronto: CANAV Books, 2000. ISBN 0-921022-12-3.
- Sroka, Mike. Snowbirds: Behind The Scenes With Canada's Air Demonstration Team. Toronto, ON: Fifth House Publishers, 2006. ISBN 1-89485-686-4.
[edit] External links
- Canadian Forces Snowbirds official site
- Squadron history at RCAF.com
- Squadron history, Department of National Defence
- 431 Squadron During the Second World War
[edit] See also
| Modern Aerobatic Teams |
|---|
| AAC Blue Eagles • CF Snowbirds • FACh Halcones • FAF Patrouille de France • IAF Frecce Tricolori • Breitling jet team • Brazilian Air Force Esquadrilha da Fumaça • IAF Surya Kiran • IAF Sarang • IN Sagar Pawan• JASDF Blue Impulse • PAF Team Iskry • PAF Orlik Aerobatic Team • PLAAF August 1st • RAAF Roulettes • RAF Red Arrows • RJ Royal Jordanian Falcons • RMAF Marche Verte • RN Black Cats • RNZAF Red Checkers • SAAF Silver Falcons • SAF Patrulla Aguila • SAF Team 60 • SAF Patrouille Suisse • TUAF Turkish Stars • UAF Ukrainian Falcons • USAF Thunderbirds • USN Blue Angels • VVS Russian Knights • VVS Strizhi |
| Canadian Aerobatic Teams |
|---|
| Siskins • Blue Devils • Easy Aces • Fireballs • Skylancers • The Red Knight • Golden Hawks • Goldilocks • Golden Centennaires • Warlocks • Deadeye Zips • Snowbirds |
