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Snowbirds
Officially known as the Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds are Canada's aerobatics 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 Snowbirds have flown for over 100 million spectators across North America. The 431 Air Demonstration Squadron consists of approximately 80 Canadian Forces personnel, 24 of whom comprise the show team that travels during the show season. The show team currently flies 11 Canadair CT-114 Tutors — nine for aerobatic performances, including two solo aircraft, and two as spares, flown by the team coordinators. History On November 11, 1942, the 431 Bomber Squadron was formed at Burn, England. Flying Vickers Wellingtons, Handley Page Halifaxs, and Avro Lancasters out of England for the duration of the war, they moved to RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, after V-E Day, disbanding there on September 5, 1945. Six years later, the 431 Fighter Squadron re-formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on January 18, 1954, to display the capabilities of the new F-86 Sabre to the public at airshows until it was disbanded on October 1, 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 the 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 April 1, 1978. A contest at the base elementary school chose the name Snowbirds from the aircraft's distinctive white paint scheme. The squadron continues to fly the CT-114 Tutor, and was presented their Squadron Colours on October 15, 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. 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.
- 1989: Captain Shane Antaya died during a demonstration for the CNE in Toronto, Ontario when his plane crashed into Lake Ontario.
- 1991: A Snowbird jet crashes during a routine training flight near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The two pilots are not seriously injured.
- 1992: A crash near Moose Jaw is blamed on a failed engine bearing. There are no injuries.
- 1992: Two pilots eject safely from their jets near Bagotville, Quebec.
- 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 are no injuries.
- December 10, 1998: Captain Michael VandenBos died in a midair collision during training near Moose Jaw.
- September 4, 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. http://www.forceaerienne.forces.gc.ca/dfs/pdf/REPORTS/FSIR/CT114172/CT114172_e.pdf
- June 21, 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. http://www.forceaerienne.forces.gc.ca/dfs/pdf/REPORTS/FSIR/CT114006/CT114006_e.pdf
- January 29, 2002: The nose and right-wing landing gear of plane #5 collapsed as it landed in Comox, British Columbia in a 9-plane diamond formation. No one was injured. http://www.forceaerienne.forces.gc.ca/dfs/pdf/REPORTS/FSIR/CT114142/CT114142_e.pdf
- December 10, 2004: Captain Miles Selby died in a training accident near Mossbank, Saskatchewan.
External link See also
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