Warbird Information Exchange

I was out for a walk yesterday in Ottawa at about 3 PM. I am accustomed to hearing the passenger jets depart for the west, but when I heard the jet yesterday I knew it wasn't Westjet or Air Canada.

What I saw was a fast mover. In the seconds that I had I took a good look at the silhouette, and tried to see if it was a F-18. It definitely was not, but rather the wing and tail shapes looked like a Hawker Hunter.

The jet was at about 5,000+ ft AGL and headed west around 3 PM.

Does anyone know if any of the Hunters in Quebec were operating yesterday?

Mike

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Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
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Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
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Could it have been C-GJMQ, C-GJMT, or C-GJMK from the Northern Light Aerobatic Team Hunters?

I think a few hunters are flying over here now...maybe replacing the role once provided by our CF-118

Could have been, but the altitute was low enough to tell it was a Hunter, but high enough to see no visible markings.



Do you mean the CF-116, alias the CF-5 Freedom Fighters?

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Actually I was thinking that the Hunter might be a suitable replacement from our aging Hornets...

Still lot's of life in those old Hunters!!

Oh... I get it. Sorry about that. A joke just isn't as good when you need to explain it.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

Wow, I've never actually seen a Hunter before. If it was indeed a Hunter, I wonder if it will be in the area again? Interesting!

I haven't seen one flying either. I am fairly sure it was a Hunter has it had the that wing and tail sweep.



As a resident of Quebec (if my memory serves correctly) I would think you are closer to the Northern Light Hunters than most.

Does anyone know where the Northern Light Hunters are based? Didn't someone say Montreal?

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

They have operated out of Victoria against the Canadian Navy but I believe that their main base is Quebec City. Also they have been involved in some of the Maple Flag operations out of Cold Lake last year , and have also been spotted in the western US.

When I was in Quebec City two years ago the NL were based there.

Eric

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The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

Mike,

I am in Quebec, but actually just across the river in Aylmer. In a Hunter, I would be about 5 minutes closer to them than you are!

In my brief excussions from the concrete prison (i.e. my office!) I will certainly be keeping my eyes (and ears) peeled in case it is in the neighbourhood again.

On the plus side, a Hunter is pretty distinctive from most angles, so my guess would be that you are right in your ID. Anything it could be confused with would be equally exotic if not more so anyways (Sabre?)

Charles

Oh right. I forgot you were located in Aylmer. We could almost wave to each other! Well, not really.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

They are in Québec City.

I was there all week and saw none.

They may be over at Cold Lake for Maple Flag.

I saw 3 Hornets land and taxy yesterday though!!

_________________
Olivier Lacombe -- Harvard Mk.4 C-GBQB

COOL.

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T-6F N81854

Now that was REALLY worth reviving a 3 1/2-year old thread for!

Although it brings up the question of what the Hunters are up to these days? Our museum leased our Hunter to the Northern Lights, iirc it was a 5 year lease, and that was about 5 years ago, so it'd be interesting to see what we get back. Last pictures I saw of J-4006 (I think that was it's Swiss tail number) it was being used for parts. I think the deal was rumoured to be that we would get a flying Hunter back! Though our museum doesn't really have the money or resources to keep her flying.