Operation WOUNDED BUFFALO

International Operation Name: not applicable

International Operation Dates:  not applicable

Mandating Organization: Government of Canada

Region Name:  Europe

Location:  England

Canadian Operation Name: Operation WOUNDED BUFFALO

Canadian Operation Dates: 1986/09/01 – 1987/02/28

Mission Mandate:

To return to Canada the remains of a de Havilland Buffalo that had crashed at Farnborough, England

Mission Notes:

De Havilland Aircraft brought four of its aircraft (a Buffalo, a Twin Otter, a Dash-7 and a Dash-8) to the 1984 Farnborough Air Show.  On 4 September, the Buffalo suffered a loss of control on its approach to the runway.  Although it underwent a very hard landing in which the wings crumbled, the undercarriage broke and the propellor blades flew off, nobody was injured.  When the Farnborough crews moved the hulk off the runway, the fuselage was left fairly intact.

The Department of National Defence began negotiations to purchase the remains for use as a flight simulator. In March 1985 the Department of Supply and Services was able to acquire the aircraft. A team from 426 Squadron and CFB Trenton went to Farnborough to remove and crate the aircraft's cockpit section and other parts of the aircraft.  These parts were then flown back to Trenton in a succession of 426 Squadron training flights.  The cockpit was eventually used for flight simulation.