First Flight -- Vintage Wings of Canada Kittyhawk

[Jack Cook]

Didn't the RCAF getted smoked a few years back flying a bunch of Zero and Val hulks from the Pacific for BD oh say 30+ years ago.

[davem]

If I recall, the circumstances were not quite the same as BD donated the completed Val to the Canadian National Aeronautical Collection in return for the transport.

Those were politically more docile times, I think the Canadian Forces / RCAF also transported BD's Hurricane to England by Hercules for the making of the 'Battle of Britain' film and flew that same Hurricane back to CWH from England when they purchased it in the 80's.

[Oscar Duck]

The Canadian Gumment blew hundereds of millions on the failed Cormorant helicopter project [plus I'm sure like all gumments billions on other bad deals] but I guess that's OK. Preserving a bit of flying history for the masses to see - not OK..

Good on the CAF Chief of Air Force for making a decision...

Anyway NZ is on the way home from A'Stan using an eliptical great circle route

[Dave Cheeseman]

Big deal, I am one of the taxpayers and it dont bother me. Our goverment wastes all kinds of funds on stupid ass decisions all the time.

Look at the great idea of buying German Leopard MKI tanks, shipping them to Afghanistan to not be able to use them because they did not have air conditioning and then have to add it in later. Also the purchase of British subs that catch fire and kill our soildiers or the failed Cormorant helicopter project.

Dave C

[warbirdcrew]

As another tax payer, I have no problem with it either. It is very likely that the hours spent flying to New Zealand would have otherwise been spend flying training circuits at Trenton should this trip not have happened.

[AIRIC]

In the past Mike Potter has spent a lot of money out of his own pocket supporting flypasts, reunions and dedications for the CAF so it is nice to see the CAF return the favour.

I think it is important for all of us Canadian’s who approved of the CAF support in getting the P-40 to Canada should write Peter MacKay and voice our opinion. I think this was a far less waist of money then a lot of things our government has done.

Peter MacKay’s website is http://www.petermackay.ca/main.phpthen go to General Enquiries.

Eric

[Michel C-GNCJ]

Bah, don't worry about it !

We Canadians are real good at making a storm in a glass of water and letting real important issues slip by without a word !!!

I'm another tax payer who fully support the decision to bring the P-40 back with the C-17 ! Anyway, it's not like our military is really busy to begin with and it beats training around the patch in Trenton ! If we have to pay for the training, might as well be helpful in the process, no ?

Heck, the cost will just kill one of those stupid commissions they keep coming up with... or a little less funds to some "friends", no harm done there !

[Steve Nelson]

As a yank, I have no financial stake in this debate, but it certainly doesn't seem like a "waste" of taxpayer dollars. If a USAF C-17 was deadheading empty back to the States from the mideast, I wouldn't have a problem with them stopping in NZ to pick up one of Jerry Yagen's projects. Like I said..just write it off as a training exercise.

SN

[Jack Cook]

As a yank, I have no financial stake in this debate, but it certainly doesn't seem like a "waste" of taxpayer dollars. If a USAF C-17 was deadheading empty back to the States from the mideast, I wouldn't have a problem with them stopping in NZ to pick up one of Jerry Yagen's projects. Like I said..just write it off as a training exercise.

I agree 100% the exception would be "lets go to NZ and get that P-40 and we'll just mark it down for training.
I'm sure this is nothing new my step-dad's P-3 squadron VP-30 had a weekly lobster run up to Maine yummmmmmy
My sqd allocated a P-3 to run myself and 2 of my comrads down to North Island from Whidbey were we
went to Sea world at explored Balboa Park for 2 days then they came and got us and flew us home.
But has I recall the episode with BD the Val was accepted for compensation to keep a head from being lopped off.
I think they traded that albatross away the first chance they got

[Simcoe Warrior]

In the past Mike Potter has spent a lot of money out of his own pocket supporting flypasts, reunions and dedications for the CAF so it is nice to see the CAF return the favour.

I think it is important for all of us Canadian’s who approved of the CAF support in getting the P-40 to Canada should write Peter MacKay and voice our opinion. I think this was a far less waist of money then a lot of things our government has done.

Peter MacKay’s website is http://www.petermackay.ca/main.phpthen go to General Enquiries.

Eric

Peter Mackay is just another dimbulb politician, you can bet if the P-40 was going to his riding in Nova Scotia he'd be defending the transport vigorously.

Guess what Peter, during the last recession of the early 90's a CF Herc flew Halifax Na337 back to Trenton and that worked out quite well - no one complained then either.