Canadian Forces Base
Borden
Armed Forces Day & Air Show
21-22 June 2008
CFB Borden, near Barrie, Ontario, once again opened its doors to the public for a weekend of military displays and aerial activities. The base, opened in 1917, is home to many Canadian Forces technical, administrative, trade and leadership schools including the CF School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering and the Air Command Academy. The only flying unit is 400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, an Air Reserve unit, that operates the Bell Helicopter Textron CH-146 Griffon helicopter.
A note of thanks goes out to Captain Cheryl Swarbrick, Public Affairs Officer, CFB Borden.
Note: All photos on this page © Philip A. Tachauer
There can be no confusion as to who this is as Gene Soucy, who has been in the air show business since 1968, gets airborne in his Showcat, NX7699, for the second performance of the day. Having flown an aerobatic demonstration earlier, this show features wing-walker Teresa Stokes who can just be seen standing between the starboard wings. The couple has been entertaining audiences since 1988 with an air show routine that harkens back to the days of the 'barnstormers' and aerial demonstrations in towns large and small across America between the two world wars.
A type well known mainly to those in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations is De Havilland's famous D.H.82 Tiger Moth. First flying in 1931, the family of Tiger Moth trainers included the D.H.82C used by British Commonwealth Air Training Plan flying schools in Canada during the Second World War. Immediately distinguishable by the canopy and tail wheel, over 1,500 were built by De Havilland Canada during the war. This example, CF-DHQ is part of the excellent and growing Vintage Wings of Canada collection at Gatineau, Quebec and is seen taxiing out before a demonstration by Dave Hadfield.
The raucous roar of the famous Harvard once again echoes around CFB Borden. Those in the vicinity of then-RCAF Station Camp Borden and its satellite airfields were no strangers to the sound as Harvards were flown by No. 1 Service Flying Training School there during the Second World War. This example, CF-ROA, is a post-war Mk. IV built by Canadian Car & Foundry in Fort William, Ontario (now part of Thunder Bay) and is also from Vintage Wings of Canada. At the controls is Kent Beckham, surely one of the most experienced T-6 / SNJ / Harvard pilots anywhere, who also flies a Mk.II Harvard with the Canadian Harvard Aerobatic Team.
As storm clouds gather behind the photographer, Captain William 'Billy' Mitchell in the 2008 CF-18 Demonstration Team aircraft, CF-18A 188703 (left), runs through the pre-taxi checks. His spouse is also a CF-18 pilot with 425 Squadron at 3 Wing CFB Bagotville, Quebec and she is seen here ready to go in CF-18B 188924 from that unit. This year's special paint scheme celebrates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of North American Air Defense Command (or 'Defence' depending upon which side of the border one lives), a joint American / Canadian organization to initially defend the continent against bomber attacks by the Soviet Union. At least as important in today's uncertain times as it was in 1958, North American Aerospace Defense Command now maintains surveillance of the air and space above and around the United States and Canada.
With the weather once again threatening, Canadair CT-114 Tutors of the renowned 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds, form up behind Commanding Officer / Team Lead Major Robert Mitchell to taxi back to the ramp in their traditional formation. The team got its 'unofficial' start at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1971 and has remained headquartered there since then. Apart from a couple of Canadair CT-133 T-Bird support aircraft in the early days, the Snowbirds have been equipped exclusively with the Tutor.