HIGH FLIGHT ENTERPRISES LTD. presents…

CANADA’S AIRSHOW TEAM HERITAGE Dan Dempsey Meticulously researched by former Snowbird team leader Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Dan Dempsey, A Tradition of Excellence – ’s Airshow Team Heritage documents the scores of Canadian military air demonstration teams that have thrilled millions of airshow specta- tors for over 95 years. Relive this unique historical journey through the author’s in-depth investigation and personal accounts from dozens of team members who performed with the teams in Canada, the United States and Europe. Theirs is a story of pride, professionalism and perse- verance – a true reflection of the Canadian aviation spirit which helped build a nation.

The second edition of this high quality production features some 768 pages of history. Some of the world’s finest aviation photographers have contrib- uted more than 1,800 photographs, hundreds of which have never before been published. Also presented is a collection of stirring airshow paint- ings and specially commissioned full colour aircraft profiles by Canada’s leading aviation artists. Together, this unique collection portrays a leg- acy of aerial excellence. BARKER’S FOKKER TEAM • RCAF 803 SQN (RCN) SEAFIRE TEAM 417 (F) SQN MUSTANG TEAM CENTRALIA HARVARD AEROBATIC TEAM CFS VAMPIRE TEAM RCN SEAFIRE EXHIBITION FLIGHT RCAF BLUE DEVILS 416/420/424 (F) SQN MUSTANG TEAMS CENTRALIA “EASY ACES” AEROBATIC TEAM 31ST SAG (RCN) DEMONSTRATION TEAM 413 (F) SQN SABRE DEMO TEAM 410 (F) SQN AEROBATIC TEAM 441 (F) SQN AEROBATIC TEAM 439 (F) SQN AEROBATIC TEAM 1 WING AEROBATIC TEAM 3 WING FIREBALLS AEROBATIC TEAM 2 WING SKY LANCERS AEROBATIC TEAM 4 WING SKY LANCERS AEROBATIC TEAM 445/423 AW(F) CF-100 DEMO TEAMS SILVER STARS • 431 (F) SQN AERO TEAM PRAIRIE PACIFIC TEAM • LANCERS VF 870 BANSHEE TEAM • RCN GREY GHOSTS 1 FIS AERO TEAM • RCAF LETTERS TEAM RCAF • RED KNIGHT BALD EAGLES • GOLDEN GIGOLOS • RED RAVENS GIMLI SMOKERS • CHIPMUNK SMOKE EATERS GOLDILOCKS • VIKING SMOOTH VU 32 T-33 DEMONSTRATION TEAM • STU SABRE TEAM • BOBCATS • COUGARS • ALOUETTES LARKS • SKYLARKS • WARLOCKS 409 AW(F) DEMONSTRATION TEAM • HAWKS 6 ST/R STARFIGHTER TEAM • DEADEYE ZIPS ARROWS • RED INDIANS TIGER ROMEOS • 1 CAG STARFIGHTERS 434 TAC (F) SQN SCHOONER BLUENOSERS SAGUENAY MANICS/EXPOS/POGOS/QUEBEC CDN FORCES CF-5 DEMONSTRATION TEAM 1 CFFTS COBRAS • RUT ZULUS JESTERS • 2 CFFTS FORMATION TEAM MUSKET GOLD • VU 33 T-33 DEMO TEAM GOPHER GREENS • DRAGONFLIES HUMMINGBIRDS • LAZER BLUE FLIGHT RED HERRINGS • TRACER REDS BLACK KNIGHTS • SILVER STARS FIS VIKINGS • RAVENS • HERITAGE FLIGHT CF-5 SOLO DEMO • CF-18 SOLO DEMO SKYHAWKS • AVIATION HISTORY IN THE MAKING It was in August 1919 that an aerial extravaganza never before witnessed in Canada took place at the Canadian National Exhibition in – a demon- stration of formation aerobatic flying. The four pilots who performed the feat for the first time in public were all veterans of the Great War, their leader the most highly decorated fighter ace in Canadian history, Lieutenant Colonel William Barker, VC, DSO, MC. Although it would take another 10 years before the formed Canada’s first official aerobatic team, the Siskins, the demonstration of 1919 planted the seed for a rich heritage that grew steadily in the ensuing years.

Some 81 years later when Canada entered a new millennium, the successors of those barnstorming years were still going strong. It has now been over 45 years since the Canadian Forces Snowbirds flew their first formation display for the citizens of Canada. In that span of over four decades, the nine-plane jet team’s polished performance has earned them a plethora of accolades from around the world. They carry on the proud traditions of a legacy of Canadian teams that still stir the imagination – the Blue Devils, Golden Hawks, Grey Ghosts, Red Knight and Golden Centennaires, just to name a few.

Discover why over 145 million spectators have watched a performance by Canada’s aerial ambassadors since 1971 – and why the Snowbirds are today regarded as one of Canada’s most enduring and cherished national symbols.

The Author and Canada’s Airshow Team Heritage Dan Dempsey watched his first airshow as a youngster at RCAF Station Rockcliffe in Ottawa in 1959. From that early exposure grew a passion for airplanes and airshows which led to a 23 year air force career, including two tours with the Snowbirds. In the fall of 1979, he was selected to fly with the team for the 1980 and 1981 seasons as Snowbird 9, one of the team’s two solos. He sub- sequently returned to command the Snowbirds in 1989 and 1990, leading the team through their 20th anniversary and 1000 th official performance. In 2009 he flew the Hawk One F-86 Sabre with the Centennial Heritage Flight, then commanded the Hawk One team in 2011 and 2012, performing solo aerobatic displays across Canada.

His book on Canada’s airshow team heritage took seven years to produce as he pursued sources across Canada, the United States and Europe in his quest for historical accuracy. These sources have been many and varied, from the wealth of photographs at the Canadian Forces Joint Imagery Centre to the historical archives at the Directorate of History at National Defence Headquarters, National Archives and National Library of Canada. The most important research, however, has been in the endless hours spent locating and interviewing dozens of former team members about their experiences. With its rare collection of interviews, photographs and artwork, A Tradition of Excellence represents a most deserving tribute to a proud Canadian legacy. The expanded second edi- tion of the book was released in August 2007 and has been lauded as one of the finest aviation books ever published. Limited copies are still available.

HIGH FLIGHT ENTERPRISES LTD. 1174 Sloan Terrace, Victoria, BC, Canada V8Y 3C4 Ph (250) 658-4397 or email: [email protected] www.CanadasAirshowHeritage.com Printed in Canada