Taken on strength by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1956, this Chipmunk remained in service until 1971. By this time the service was known as the Canadian Armed Forces and the aircraft carried an updated serial of 12065. Registered CF-LBT in 1975, it was painted in it's earlier RCAF era colors and remains on the Canadian civil registry at the time of uploading.

One of several Alphajets to carry the F-TERO registration. E172 was involved in a mid-air collision with the opposing solo during a Patrouille de France practice. The aircraft crashed into the sea at Salin-de-Giraud, France on February 13, 1991.

Formerly with 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School at CFB Portage, MB, Tutor 114188 flew with the Snowbirds 1994 - 99. It's pictured with a 70th anniversary of the RCAF badge on the tail the team wore in 1994. In addition, the lead aircraft (only) carried black & white invasion stripes to commemorate WWII's 50th anniversary of D Day. Withdrawn from service after corrosion in the battery compartment was discovered, the aircraft was gradually cannibalized for parts. The forward fuselage was maintained as a recruiting tool.

Previously a passenger airliner in Europe since 1958, this DC-6 was converted to an air tanker by Conair. It was in their fleet from January 1975 - May 2001. Since that last date it's been with Everts Air Fuel as N444CE and is still current at the time of uploading.

Conair Aviation Douglas A-26, C-GHLK was photographed departing the Abbotsford air tanker base on July 6, 1975. Conair was operating a large firefighting fleet of Grumman TBM-3 Avengers, A-26 Invaders and Douglas DC-6Bs at the time, all of which would be parked on the grass at Abbotsford during the off season. For more information of the history of C-GHLK, see Gary Vincent's 1980 photo on this site.

Skyway Air Services of Langley, BC first acquired Grumman TBM-3s in the 1960s for spraying and fire fighting. The fire fighting division was spun off as Conair Aviation in April 1969 with a fleet of ex-RCN and US Navy single-engine Grumman Avengers which were later sold to Forest Protection in New Brunswick. Avenger CF-MUE/618 was photographed being washed at the BC Forest Service tanker base north of the Conair hangars at Abbotsford on July after attacking a receives a wash after a mission on July 6, 1975. It was exported to the USA as N40402 in 2001.

This Douglas A-26, C-GHLX, was imported from the US in 1975 and became by Conair Aviation's air tanker No. 32. The aircraft still wears its former US colour scheme, with the US history documented on this site by other photographers. On the far left of the photo is a gunbutt from there wartime RCAF Abbotsford (No. 5 OTU) base and on the right are the fuel pumps and fire retardant tanks of the old BC Forest Service air tanker base. This aircraft was later repainted in Conair's new red and white colours. It was de-registered by Conair in Dec 1985 and registered to Air Spray 1967 Ltd. in July 1987

The Royal Abanians (in exile) were a comedy aerobatic team flying two Pitts Specials. This Aerotek S-2B was built in 1983.

Baron Aviation Services' DC-3C (C-49K) N486C taking off at Abbotsford , BC., on 7th June 1986. It was taking part in a mass fly-by of DC-3s over the Expo '86 site in downtown Vancouver as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first delivery flight of the type to American Airlines on 7th June 1936. After many years lapsing into dereliction condition at Rolla-Vichy Airport, MO., it has recently been moved by road to Montana where reportedly it will converted into B&B accommodation.

DC-3 (C-47A) N4991E photographed on 7th June 1986 at the Expo 86 DC-3 "Airmada" held at Abbottsford, BC., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first DC-3 delivery flight. Note that the titles of its former operator, Trans-Canada Airlines, can just be discerned on the fuselage top. For many years this aircraft hauled parachutists out of Lodi, CA., but then was withdrawn from use and acted as a billboard for the airport café there. However in October 2020 the aircraft was acquired by Preferred Airparts LLC and trucked back to their Kidron, OH., base.

US Navy J4F-2 bu 37757 from November 1944 until struck off strength in July 1947 after a training accident. Bought and repaired, the amphibian was registered NC63350 in 1949. Spending the majority of civilian life in Alaska, it was converted in May 1958 to a McKinnon Super Widgeon using McKinnon kit and Lycoming GO-480 engines. The current owner bought the aircraft in 1989. After a landing accident on September 7, 1991 where the aircraft nosed over landing with the parking brake engaged, it went through a 13 month rebuild where corrosion found was also repaired.

Swoop's latest acquisition is this Ex. Norwegian Air Sweden 737-8 MAX. Finally got around to getting a shot of it this morning in Abbotsford. Arriving from Edmonton as WO203.

The end of the road for the Conair Convair fleet as this was the last season for the aircraft. After serving the province for over 20 years, Tanker 55 will either end up as scrap or in a museum somewhere.

Taken on strength in 1967, this Skyhawk did two deployments aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard in Vietnam (1969 and 70). Later with Fleet Composite Squadron 7 (VC-7), the aircraft joined the Blue Angels in 1984. It now "flies" the slot position in the four plane Blue Angel display at the Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL. Note, 154217 was a spare aircraft this day and USMC Captain Mark Bircher flew it in his number 2 position without a crew name under the canopy.

This aircraft is now displayed in military markings in the Bay of Pigs Invasion Memorial Park at Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, FL., USA.

RAM16 on arrival from CFB Cold Lake for the 2022 Abbotsford International Airshow.

After flying up the Washington State coastline at 1,700ft, this McChord based C-17 arrived as JAVA97.

CTM1012 on arrival from Paris CDG. An ill timed SD Card error meant that the landing shots did not get saved so you will have to make do with this taxi photo. This marks the first time that the the A330 MRTT has visited Abbotsford.

SWORD69 on arrival from NAS Whidbey Island for the 2022 Abbotsford International Airshow.

Arriving from Boundary Bay (ZBB) for the 2022 Abbotsford International Airshow.