ARCHIVED - 45 facts about the Snowbirds air demonstration team
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News Article / November 20, 2015
By Lieutenant Patricia Brunelle and Marg Fowler, with assistance from Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Dan Dempsey and Captain Tom Edelson
The Snowbirds – the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 431 Air Demonstration Squadron – recently celebrated their 45th anniversary of performing in front of North American audiences representing the skill, professionalism and teamwork of all members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The Snowbirds have become an iconic part of the Canadian national fabric – the nine red, white and blue jets flying over Parliament Hill every Canada Day, over the Canadian Football League's annual Grey Cup classic and over the fields, beaches and cities of Canada. In celebration of 45 years of flight, here are 45 interesting facts about the small but highly specialized team.
- The Snowbirds were formed in 1971 by Colonel Owen Bartley “O.B.” Philp, commander of Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and former commanding officer of the Golden Centennaires.
- The Snowbirds were named by elementary school student Douglas Farmer in 1971 following a “Name the Team” contest held at the local Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw school.
- The team’s first show as the “Snowbirds” took place on July 11, 1971, in Moose Jaw at the Saskatchewan Homecoming Air Show.
- As Canada’s aerial ambassadors, the Snowbirds carry on a tradition of excellence established by such eminent predecessors as the Siskins, Golden Hawks and Golden Centennaires.
- The Snowbirds first performed in the United States on November 27, 1971, at Williams Air Force Base.
- The first official airshow performance to feature a nine-plane show including the two opposing solo aircraft took place in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. on May 13, 1972.
- The famous Snowbird crest known around the world was designed in 1972 by Captain David Berger-North, an instructor at 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Moose Jaw.
- The Snowbirds conduct spring training in Comox, British Columbia, every year to practice over water training and solidify deployment procedures.
- All Snowbird pilots are volunteers with competitive tryouts being held every spring to replace approximately half of the team pilots for the following year.
- The Snowbird team comprises approximately 85 personnel representing each of Canada’s military services: the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Army.
- The longest serving member of the Snowbirds is Marg Fowler, a civilian, who has been with the squadron for 35 years.
- The team has performed as far north as Inuvik, Northwest Territories (in 1974).
- The team has flown as far south as Guadalajara, Mexico (in 1993).
- As a tribute to their home province, Saskatchewan, the Snowbird crest displays four “Speedbirds” in formation, resembling an ear of wheat.
- In 1974, the Snowbirds became the first aerobatic team to perform at midnight in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The show took place in Inuvik, north of the Arctic Circle, in perfect daylight conditions.
- The Snowbirds were officially designated the “Canadian Forces Air Demonstration Team” in January 1975.
- The Snowbirds earned permanent squadron status on April 1, 1978, when they were designated 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.
- The 431 Squadron motto is The Hatiten Ronteriios, meaning “Warriors of the Air”.
- 431 Squadron was first formed as a bomber squadron in 1942 in Burn, England, during the Second World War.
- 431 “Iroquois” Squadron, as it was known during the Second World War, flew Wellington, Halifax and Lancaster bomber aircraft.
- The Snowbirds first used coloured smoke in 1988 during the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.
- The squadron trains at their home base of 15 Wing Moose Jaw during the winter months.
- Snowbird technicians rotate through the show team during the airshow season, but there are three permanent positions: crew chief, deputy crew chief and the technical coordinator.
- The Snowbirds fly the Canadian designed and built CT-114 Tutor jet trainer.
- A total of 190 Tutors were built between 1963 and 1966. This makes the oldest Tutor 52 years old.
- The Snowbirds have flown the same aircraft for their entire 45 year history.
- The Snowbirds distinctive white smoke is created using diesel fuel stored in two tanks mounted on the belly of the aircraft.
- The Snowbirds incorporated red and white smoke into their show routine to commemorate their 20th anniversary and 25th anniversary of the Canadian flag in 1990.
- The Double Diamond Roll is the tightest formation flown by the team. It is flown with 1.2 metres (4 feet) of wing overlap.
- The team introduced their current paint scheme in 1974. The blue stripe painted on the length of the Snowbirds aircraft is in tribute to their predecessors, the Golden Centennaires Centennial Aerobatic Team.
- The top speed of the aircraft, with smoke tanks attached, is 412 knots (470 mph or 750 km/h). During a performance, the Snowbirds will fly at speeds ranging from 100 knots (115 mph or 185 km/h) to 320 knots (370 mph or 590 km/h).
- The squadron schedules an average of 60 to 65 airshows every year.
- The Snowbirds are ambassadors for two charities: The C.H.I.L.D. Foundation (Children with Intestinal and Liver Disorders) and JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
- The show team travels with 11 aircraft and a mobile support vehicle. This team is made up of nine show pilots, two advance and safety pilots, one public affairs officer, 10 technicians, one supply technician and a mobile support equipment operator.
- The first woman to serve with the team was Lieutenant Heather Campbell who served as the squadron's executive officer in 1981-1982. The first female technician selected to join the team was Corporal Marlene Shillingford in 1993-1994; she later returned to fulfill the role of crew chief for the 2007 season.
- 431 Squadron received its Queen’s Colours in October 1999, denoting 25 years of service as a bomber, fighter and air demonstration squadron.
- The first, and so far only, woman to fly for the Snowbirds was Captain Maryse Carmichael. She flew as Snowbird 3 in the 2001 season and Snowbird 2 in the 2002 season. She later returned to the squadron as commanding officer from 2010 to 2012.
- In 2006, following their 35th anniversary, the Snowbirds were welcomed to the House of Commons on Parliament Hill where the team received two standing ovations from the members of Parliament.
- Snowbird street names include Snowbirds Expressway in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Snowbirds Crescent in Regina, Saskatchewan, and Snowbird Way in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
- The Snowbirds flew their 1,000th official show at Canadian Forces Base Namao (Edmonton), Alberta, in 1990, their 2,000th show at Reno, Nevada, in 2005 and their 2,500th show in Drummondville, Quebec, in 2015.
- The Snowbirds are the only major aerobatic team in the world that operates without a support aircraft.
- The Snowbirds were photographed from the International Space Station in 2013 by Colonel (retired) Chris Hadfield, astronaut and former CF-188 fighter pilot.
- As of the end of the 2015 season, the Snowbirds have performed 2,512 official airshows during their 45-year history, in addition to hundreds of flypasts across Canada.
- The Snowbirds have performed for approximately 140,000,000 spectators.
- The Society of Honorary Snowbirds was formed in 1995 to recognize individuals who have provided outstanding support to the Snowbirds over a number of years. As of the 20th anniversary of the society this year, 114 individuals along with the CF SkyHawks, Michael VandenBos School, and Village of Burn, England, have been inducted as Honorary Snowbirds.
Lieutenant Patricia Brunelle, public affairs officer, and Marg Fowler, liaison and communications officer, currently serve with the Snowbirds. Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Dan Dempsey is a former commanding officer of the Snowbirds and author of the definitive book on Canadian military air demonstration teams: A Tradition of Excellence: Canada’s Airshow Team Heritage. Captain Edelson was formerly the Snowbirds’ public affairs officer.
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