780-594-4414 5118 50 Avenue, Cold Lake Helping you is what we do! www.northernlightsrealestate.com Approved Relocation Supplier Nous offrons un service bilingue Northern Lights Realty Ltd. INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED Volume 52 Number 20 www.couriernews.ca May 28, 2019 4 Wing welcomes decorated war veteran CLIFF KENYON all the training pilots received on a new Bombs had three-second fuses to release a bomb then “climbing fast and aircraft. Plus they were handed a couple delay detonation to give pilots enough just high enough to avoid the mast on It’s a sun filled afternoon. High, of small booklets with details they could time to escape the blast. the ship.” light cloud. Perfect for spotting aircraft. study on their own. Attacking ships would mean be at John McClure stands patiently at “It was easier in my day. We didn’t a low-level approach aiming visually to Continued on page 2... the 4 Wing viewing area at the end have such advanced equipment. We of the runway. He has come a long didn’t even have ground school,” says way for this. Both in distance and in McClure. years. He’s waiting for an aerial show He says it would have been a thrill being put on just for him, as a courtesy. to fly a CF-18 Hornet during his Cold There aren’t many decorated pilots who Lake visit “but I think my age is against stop in here. me.” A lone CF-18 Hornet screams past He brought on his visit his log at low altitude. Wings wag as a salute in book from the 1940s when he flew the respect to the 98-year-old retired aviator Whirlwind in combat missions across and warrior, who is now grinning gently the English Channel while based at in approval. Royal Air Force Dover. He put in about He watches the display as the 200 operational hours before being CF-18 twists and turns, McClure repatriated to Canada. acknowledging later it brings back “It was the first fighter with 20 mm memories of being in Cold Lake and of cannons,” he says. flying. The Whirlwind was never meant to McClure has been here before. A be a dive bomber but about six months long time ago. He was here in 1960 for after arriving on the base it was decided about three months of training. to add bomb racks for two five hundred “There were fewer buildings here pound bombs. The Whirlwind was then. There wasn’t much at all,” he says, fast. With a top speed of 360 miles watching the show with his friends and an hour it was faster than the Spitfires family who have come with him to Cold and Hurricanes that escorted them in Lake from his home in London, Ontario. the low level trips across the English “Sixty years makes a big difference.” Channel. He said there was one hangar here “We had to throttle back so they then and just a few buildings. could keep up with us. We would cross He is retired Lieutenant-Colonel the Channel and when we saw land (LCol) and Wing Commander John would climb to 15,000 feet to avoid the McClure DFC (Distinguished Flying enemy.” Cross) who at the time was on his way They would cross the Channel to be Commanding Officer of 410 in about seven minutes on missions Squadron at CFB Uplands in Ottawa. to attack targets including rail yards, He had just finished some training in trains, airfields and ships. The attack Saskatoon on CF100s. to drop their bombs would mean a dive Last week he toured 4 Wing and from 15,000 feet to about 2,000 feet. sat in the cockpit of a CF-18. He “I particularly liked dive bombing,” says 410 Tactical Fighter Squadron McClure says. Commanding Officer LCol James The escorting Spitfires or Kettle kindly showed him the controls. Hurricanes would continue the attack It reminded him of being shown the as the Whirlwind pilots prepared to Cpl Justin Roy, 4 Wing Imaging controls of another jet fighter many drop their bombs. 410 Squadron Commanding Officer, LCol James Kettles (left), and years ago. It was a Westland Whirlwind “Between the two of us (the retired 410 Sqn CO, John McClure (right) pose for a group photo inside twin engine fighter jet. That was 1941 Whirlwinds and the Spitfires) we got the of a Royal Canadian Air Force CF-188 Hornet, during his 4 Wing visit to in England. In those days, that’s about job done.” Hangar 2 on May 15. LOCAL NATIONAL LOCAL WEEKLY Training mission Air power vital Demo Team testing Entertainment & more! Air superiority was vital to D Day Members of the Wing Auxiliary CF-18 Hornet Demonstration team Movies .................................Page 3 Security Force test their skills. invasion. busy in Cold Lake. Padre ..................................Page 6 Page 2 Page 6 Page 8 Entertainment.....................Page 7 Page 2 The Courier News & Publishing Tuesday, May 28, 2019 Joined air force because ‘things were desperate’ ...continued from front page prized possessions such as two small booklets. One cadets from 614 have gone on to be pilots here. tells a new pilot about the engine in the Whirlwind While at 4 Wing he was treated to his own air show, The Whirlwind, with its three-wheel configuration, and the other, with fold-out pages, describes the a tour of hangars and an honorary mess dinner. required a three-point landing and a higher speed cockpit controls – both booklets much smaller than than most aircraft. an owner’s manual for a modern automobile. “We landed about 20 knots faster than the Spitfires. Turning it over in his hand, he shows a thin silver It was a bit tricky.” cigarette case, engraved inside with his name and Few Whirlwinds were built. Engine manufacturing a declaration it is a gift from other members of his capacity was instead needed to build engines for squadron in England marking the squadron’s first Spitfires and Hurricanes. It was later learned that the victory when McClure shot down an enemy Junkers use of magnesium and riveting in the Whirlwind had JU 88, a Luftwaffe multi engine fighter. created an unexpected weakness due to vibrations. He admits with little detail that on a mission “It was surprising we didn’t lose more planes from his “#2 was hit and taken prisoner” and on another them falling apart.” mission his CO was killed. Another downside was that the Whirlwind was “That’s what war is all about,” he says quietly. never meant to be a low level bomber and there was After about 15 successful missions “they took me no armour below the pilot’s seat as in the Spitfire and off flying. They said I was getting more and more the Hurricane. nervous. But I didn’t notice it.” Those days are now in the distant past. Hard to He returned to Canada where he was involved in remember. It was so long ago. training pilots and was aide de camp to the governor “It’s a little difficult to accept anymore. It seems general. unreal now,” he says. “At that age you just accepted it.” After leaving the military he was for several years McClure joined the Canadian Armed Forces as involved in student financing at the University of a 19 year old in his home town of London, Ontario. Western Ontario in London. He picked the air force because he had been building Nowadays, he proudly wears a ball cap with 614 model air planes since he was five years old. on it for 614 Squadron Air Cadets in London, Ontario. “When I joined, times were desperate. There was That’s the air cadet squadron he started with, with the threat of invasion. I thought it was time I did travel companion Bill Mallett 44 years ago. something about it. “ “I have always enjoyed helping younger people,” Cliff Kenyon McClure still has that treasured logbook with his said McClure. John McClure holds his pilot’s log book from neat handwriting to remind him of the past. And other One reason for the Cold Lake visit is that many the 1940s during a visit to 4 Wing Wing security forces test skills Centennial Building(#67), PO Box 6190 Stn Forces, Cold Lake, AB T9M 2C5 CLIFF KENYON specialties as First Aid, weapons that they may be subject to a Phone: (780) 594-5206 handling and searching vehicles random search. But such searches Email: [email protected] Practice makes perfect, it is and buildings. are permitted under national said. And that’s why last week you “This is an opportunity to defence legislation. may have noticed soldiers stopping practice their skills,” says Major Grout is an army artillery THE COURIER STAFF and searching vehicles entering 4 Nigel Grout who is in charge of officer and based at 4 Wing as a MANAGER Wing. WASF, Wing Auxillary Security ground liaison officer. Janae Wandler - [email protected] It was part of bi-annual Force. “They learn all the skills He makes it clear that EDITOR/REPORTER training to ensure there are needed to secure the base.” members of the auxilliary are not Cliff Kenyon - [email protected] experienced personnel in case “We are creating a visible military police (MP) and when PRODUCTION COORDINATOR additional security is ever needed security presence,” says Grout. necessary they are quick to Alina Mallais - [email protected] at 4 Wing. “The training gets the rest of the assist, such as last year when ADMIN/SALES Wing security is a secondary base accustomed to the fact we are a driver stopped in a random Jasmine Ouellette - [email protected] duty for all those involved and they here.” check appeared to be high and take part in such tasks as vehicle He admits it is a surprise to was driving with an expired EDITORIAL ADVISOR searches only after training in such some people arriving at the base registration.