After the Nellis airshow the solo display aircraft came into NAF El Centro in clean configuration with only a travel pod attached, a week later I saw this aircraft in a total different configuration flying missions in the Yuma ranges. This year's special colours are celebrating 25 years of Hornet service in Canada, right hand side blue tail colours, left hand side red and orange colours.

On the Monday after the Nellis airshow the special coloured solo display Hornet flew into NAF El Centro to meet its comrades there. A total of ten Hornets were deployed to make good use of the Yuma ranges and the fine weather conditions. The special tail is for the 25th anniversary of Hornet in Canadian service.

410 Cougars

Canada flew two batches of McDonnell CF-101 Voodoos. The first batch of CF-101Bs entered service in 1961-62 and were returned to the USAF in 1971. The second batch of 67 CF-101F's aircraft were delivered in 1970-1971 (and one in 1982) and were retired with the delivery of new CF-18s. CF-101F 101003 was ex-USAF s/n 56-262. It served with 410 Sqn. and 425. Sqn at CFB Bagotville, Quebec and 416 Sqn at CFB Chatham, New Brunswick. It was preserved at CFB Goose Bay by 1994, but probably earlier. For more info on the CAF CF-101F's, see http://www.rwrwalker.ca/caf_voodoos_detailed_list.htm

Canadian Forces Joint Task Force Afghanistan Air Wing was activated at Kandahar in December 2008 and equipped with three CC-130 Hercules, eight CH-146 Griffons, six Mil Mi-8s (from Skylink Aviation of Toronto), and six used Boeing CH-47D Chinooks acquired from the US Army in Afghanistan, including 147205, in 2008. Originally CH-47A, serial 66-00103 (B.236); it was upgraded to a CH-47D in March 1986 and became 86-01650 (M.3155). Damaged on landing in Panjwaii on May 16 2011 it was recovered by a CH-53E. The CH-47Ds were stored at Davis-Monthan AFB by late 2011 and some sent to RCAF Museums.

The Royal Canadian Navy acquired 41 CHSS-2 Sea Kings in 1963-1969 for ASW use. Four were built by Sikorsky and the remaining 37 by United Aircraft of Canada (Pratt & Whitney Canada) in Longueuil, PQ. Most were deployed on destroyers and frigates. The last CH-124s retired at 443 Sqn. at Victoria Airport, BC in Dec. 2018 and replaced by the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone. Several went to RCAF base museums and the rest (about 16) were sold to Rotor Maxx Support Ltd. in Parksville, BC (owned by the VIH Group). 12429 was the last Sea King deployed at sea with HMCS St. John's from Jan. 16-Jul. 23, 2018.

Douglas Aircraft at Oklahoma City built the majority of the C-47s and the plant is still in USAF use at Tinker AFB. This Oklahoma City Dakota served with the RAF in WWII before transferring to the RCAF in 1946, keeping the RAF serial KG623. In 1970, the RCAF's serial system was re-organized and it was assigned 12933. Pictured running up on the Air Force side of the airport, it's was colder than it looks. The aircraft is current with Kenn Borek Air as Basler BT-67 Turbo-67 C-GJKB at the time of uploading.

Delivered to Canadian Armed Forces June 6, 1968, this Iroquois was tasked with base rescue in the mid-70s. It was designated an instructional airframe serialed 918C on February 11, 1997. The "C" denotes incomplete airframes or major components that still have some instructional value.

This Avro Canada CF-100 Mk 4 was retired from operation use in 1964 and used at Canadian Forces Base Borden north of Toronto as a technical training aid (serial 646B) and later stored in a radiation test compound near the south gate of the base. It was restored by volunteers in workshops at the base in the early 2000s and displayed outside the base's aviation museum located in a 1917 RFC (Canada) hangar where it was photographed beside two CF-5s and two CT-133s. It was later moved to a location further north outside the "WO & Sgt Mess, Juno Beach" on Flaise Road.

Arrived to the show as "SKEWER 31"

This CC-130 left Lyneham for the RIAT at Fairford. Considering the distance I wonder whether it flew with its gear up.

operated by 1 Canadian Air Group. mid 80s transferred to Turkey.

442 Squadron CC-115 Buffalo visits Vancouver International Airport from Canadian Forces Base Comox on Vancouver Island in April 1974. The aircraft is parked outside the Canadian Forces' Air Movement Unit (AMU) hangar which was located on the northwest side of runway 26 which was a hangar used by RCAF Sea Island which closed in late 1964 for budgetary reasons. This aircraft was delivered new in May 1970 in camouflage to 429 (Tactical Transport) Squadron. It was converted to SAR configuration and repainted white in the early 1970s and repainted SAR yellow in the early 1980s. Date might be 1975.

An initial two Siskin fighters arrived in Canada in January 1926 for testing at then RCAF Station High River, which is not High River's current CEN4 airfield. According to Bill Walker, J7759 became RCAF serial 10 and then 305 in 1929. Photo from: Canada Aviation Museum

410 Squadron conducting winter training with the USMC