Warbird Information Exchange

Hopefully the weather will cooperate for the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's FLYFEST event this weekend. As of Tuesday, here is the latest list of participating aircraft (of course as long as there are no maintenance issues or weather doesn't prevent them from flying to Hamilton):

The Russell Air Group will be bringing both their Hurricane and Spitfire. Unfortunately, no Me 109 this year. Vintage Wings of Canada have confirmed their Mustang. Their Hurricane and Corsair are also still hopeful. Jerry Yagen from the Fighter Factory returns again with his Mustang "Double Trouble Two". The Hamilton based Sea Fury and Fouga Magister from Sandy Thomson will also be participating. CWH also welcomes the Dakota from the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum. Several jets including Jeff Lewis' Mig 15UTI and Martin Mattes' L-29 plus a few T-28s are expected. The Canadian Armed Forces are confirmed in with a CF-18, CT-155 Hawk and Harvard II.

The star of the weekend should be the first public flights of the Westland Lysander. She has been flown several times now by both VWoC pilot Rob Erdos and CWH pilot Rick Rickards. The Lysander will also participate in a very unique "Heritage Flight" formation at Flyfest consisting of CWH Lancaster, B-25 Mitchell, Firefly & Lysander. You won't see that anywhere else! The rest of the CWH fleet of flying aircraft will be participating including Lancaster, Firefly, Stearman, Harvard, B-25 Mitchell, etc. The Canso is still in maintenance but we are hopeful for this weekend.

For times, ticket information, etc. plus the latest updated FLYFEST Aircraft Participation Listing:
http://www.warplane.com/pages/Flyfest2009.html

Hope to see you there!

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Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
http://www.warplane.com

Thanks for the update, looks like another excellent program from the CWH.

Cheers Dave C

Dang! I knew we should have gone ahead and gotten passports. We could probably make it to the show, but don't have the documentation to cross the border.

SN

Next year we have to get better Internationally Organized. There are two CAF T-33's here at KUES in the Waukesha Warbirds that need to be in this show.

T33driver and his partner have two beautiful "all Canada" original CT-33's in original trim that need to fly a demo.

Hope Homeland Security and International relations don't get in the way.

P.S. You'd better post a lot of pictures or I'll hunt you down...

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"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Will most visiting aircraft be arriving on this Friday if the weather co-operates?

I agree a Canadian built T-bird will be a great addition to the line up and with the Jet Air Museum just located a short flight away I am sure we will see one at a future event.

Flyfest UPDATE: We have just received confirmation from DND that the Jet Heritage Flight will be performing a formation flypast at Flyfest. The Jet Heritage Flight consists of the Centennial CF-18, Hawk One and the Centennaire Tutor. Vintage Wings of Canada unfortunately have had to cancel the participation of their Corsair and Hurricane.

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Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
http://www.warplane.com

Are you saying that the issue grounding the Sabre has been resolved?
The Sabre is scheduled to make an appearance at the At Thomas Show this w/end.
Their website currently says the Sabre is grounded and may not make the show.

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...it was a plane adrift beneath the moon moving serenely thru beams like an angel of the night .....fair as a song ........aloof from mortal dreams

Yeah, Hawk One, the Golden Centennaire Tutor and the Snowbirds are still grounded. They were supposed to arrive in St Thomas today but it didn't happen. I doubt they will be making it to either of the shows, but hopefully they do. The CF-18 will be coming up from St Thomas and doing some flybys for you guys still.

_________________
Ryan Orshinsky
Windsor, ON
CH2A - Engineering
rorshinsky@ch2a.ca
http://www.ch2a.ca

Good question, I have talked to no one at CWH for confirmation but did notice this article that said Hawk One was a go, so it with the CF-18 is possible, and it sounds like just a flyby, not far for a hop from St. Thomas.

Local air show waiting for word from Snowbirds

By CHIP MARTIN


It's enough to make an air show organizer fret.

And yesterday afternoon, Peter Garland, executive director of this weekend's Wings and Wheels in St. Thomas -- Southwestern Ontario's largest air show -- was fretting.

The Star attractions, the Snowbirds, were on "operational pause," grounded at a Canadian Forces base in Quebec where a problem with the ejection system tied to pilot lap belts was found during a routine pre-flight inspection a few days ago.

And then there was the weather forecast calling for showers right into Saturday.

Garland, a retired London radio announcer and flight enthusiast, was looking skyward from his perch at St. Thomas Municipal Airport, site of the airshow.

"I'm hoping," he said yesterday afternoon. "I'm hoping."

He was awaiting definitive word from the Snowbirds, the Canadian Armed Forces' acrobatic flight team.

Garland said he remains optimistic the Snowbirds will arrive in the skies above London and St. Thomas as planned this afternoon. A sister aircraft, an F86 jet, was released to perform in St. Thomas after it was inspected for a similar problem, he noted.

He said plenty of other aerial and static displays are planned for the event so a no-show by the Snowbirds would not prove a disaster, simply a disappointment.

Snowbirds spokesperson Capt. Jennifer Jones said the problem with the lap belts is being worked on and she's hopeful the aircraft would appear as scheduled. The team had to cancel an appearance yesterday at Baddeck, N.S.

"We hope to have this matter resolved," Jones said. "We're optimistic, provided there are no surprises."

Chip Martin is a Free Press reporter. chip.martin@sunmedia.ca

That's great news about Hawk One! I didn't know it had been cleared yet. I really hope the SB's can still make it to St Thomas.

_________________
Ryan Orshinsky
Windsor, ON
CH2A - Engineering
rorshinsky@ch2a.ca
http://www.ch2a.ca

I also heard Hawk One is a go. Lets hope the weather cooperates so it can make the trip to St.Thomas.

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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!

Just back from the CWH museum for those that want an update for what may or may not be there tomorrow.
There are currently 2 P-51 Mustangs in the hangar, (Vintage Wings and The fighter Factories). Also The Russell Groups Spitfire. Two Cornells have arrived from Ft. Erie Welland area, 2 T-28's are expected tomorrow. Hurricane from Russells may come tomorrow I heard or possibly be at St. Thomas (TBD). The Canadian Forces had a Hawk Trainer arrive as well a a Harvard II trainer tonight for static display.
Looks like most of the CWH aircraft are ready except possibly the PBY (TBD). Mig-15 , L-29 from toronto for Saturday and an additional L-29 from Brantford on Sunday and the Mig -15.
I am sure we will see more in the morning weather permitting and Sunday promises to be a great day!