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ISSUE 232 - August 2012
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Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum 40th Anniversary
Hamilton Airshow 2012 - part i

By Kevin Moore, Contributing Editor & Photographer
Watford, Ontario, Canada

The Commemorative Air Force B-29 Superfortress "FiFi" in formation
with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Avro Lancaster - a rare sight!

This year saw Canadian Warplane Heritage celebrating their 40th anniversary and what better way to do that than with a return to the glory days of the Hamilton (CWH) Airshow!! Once one of the busiest and most exciting airshows on the Canadian airshow circuit, the airshows stopped in the mid 90's, much to the dismay of many. However, it has returned and what a return!

The Military Aviation Museum's beautiful and newly acquired B-17 "Chuckie" in a flypast, left. Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's venerable B-25 Mitchell "Hot Gen" takes to the air, right.

Canadian Warplane Heritage (CWH) proved, without a doubt, that they were meant to bring back their airshow and, despite a somewhat disappointing "preparation" airshow in 2011, the 2012 airshow was a huge success, not only with CWH and participants, but with airshow crowds as well.

The Military Aviation Museum's TBM Avenger and the Commemorative Air Force's Curtiss Helldiver break overhead for the circuit, left. The CAF's B-29 Superfortress in a close pass, right.

Making the trip from south of the Canadian border were several warbirds including the B-29 Superfortress, B-17 Flying Fortress, Curtiss-Wright SB2C Helldiver, P-51D Mustang and more. These aircraft thrilled the crowds with both solo and formation passes, some of which may never be seen again.

A formation not likely to be seen again, the CAF B-29 Superfortress
in formation with the CWH Avro Lancaster and B-25 Mitchell.

The CWH Lancaster and CAF B-29 Superfortress "FiFi," along with the CWH B-25 Mitchell, spent the Thursday before the airshow in Buffalo, NY before making their way to Mount Hope/Hamilton Airport for two passes. They then headed to Toronto, ON before returning to Hamilton to end a long day of flying.

Shown is one of two static display USAF Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, left. There were several aviation vendors including the Jet Aircraft Museum and Air Combat Canada with Steve Biggs, right.

As the airshow day began on the Saturday, throngs of airshow spectators made their way onto the airport grounds and to the airshow static line by means of an excellent parking and bus service. The static line quickly filled with hundreds of people, cameras in hand, enjoying a close up view of an assortment of CWH non-flying static aircraft, two A-10 "Warthogs," the Jet Aircraft Museum/Hammond Aviation T-33 "Mako Shark," and several food, clothing and aviation vendors.

DC-3 Dakota in the skies over Hamilton, left. The CWH Lysander in a level pass, right.

When the airshow began the fence-line was packed the length of the flightline and as far back as the eye could see. Whether they came to see the big 4-engine bombers, one of the aerobatic demonstrations, the assortment of fighters or for the entire airshow, nobody was disappointed.

Vintage Wings of Canada's P-40 Kittyhawk takes to the air with Dave Hadfield at the controls, left. Pilot Mark Allen and his crewmate, Julia Bordelon, spent a couple of hours making the CAF Helldiver shine before the airshow, right.

Flying in the airshow was the largest gathering of warbirds in Canada in many years. Participating with an assortment of World War II warbird aircraft were Canadian Warplane Heritage (CWH), the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), Vintage Wings of Canada, The Great War Flying Museum, the Military Aviation Museum, the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, and the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA).

Pete McLeod performs a low-level, inverted pass down the runway and past the control tower, left. Matt Younkin performing some wild aerobatics, right (Photo courtesy of Andrew Semon).

Also participating in the airshow were two superb aerobatic pilots with fantastic performances, Canadian Red Bull Racer and aerobatic pilot Pete McLeod in his Edge 540 and flying a dare-devil display in his Beech 18, Matt Younkin. With heart-stopping aerobatics, often only a few feet above the ground, both these pilots put their airplanes into spectacular manoeuvres thrilling, and maybe even shocking, spectators.

Big bomber formation including the CWH Avro Lancaster, CAF B-29, Military Aviation Museum's B-17, CWH B-25 and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum's P-51 "escort fighter."

One of the most spectacular formations included the CWH Avro Lancaster and their B-25 Mitchell, the CAF B-29 Superfortress, the Military Aviation Museum's B-17 Flying Fortress and one "escort" fighter, the Cavanaugh Flight Museum's P-51D Mustang. Seeing three different "heavies" in the air together, along with the twin engine B-25, is something that may never have been seen in skies over North America before, and may never be seen again.

Fabulous Five formation from Vintage Wings of Canada including the Spitfire,
Corsair, Kittyhawk, Mustang and Sabre.

Another fantastic display of warbirds was Vintage Wings of Canada with their Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI, Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk, North American (P-51D) Mustang IV and their spectacular Canadian built Canadair F-86 Sabre V "Hawk One" in several formation passes before the Sabre "peeled-off" in preparation for a solo performance, as did the Corsair.

The Vintage Wings Corsair performing a graceful aerobatic display.

This week we've seen a number of the fabulous warbirds and aircraft that participated in the 2012 Hamilton Airshow. Next week we'll return to the 2012 Hamilton Airshow to see what other aircraft and performers participated.

Come back next week for Part II of the
Canadian Warplane Heritage 40th Anniversary Hamilton Airshow!
By Kevin Moore, Contributing Editor & Photographer
thestickandrudder@execulink.com

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