A Visit to Canada

By Mick Boulanger (images by author and Mark Ray)

 

During May 2006 a visit to Canada was undertaken by Mark Ray and I, the visit was superb, we went for one week, but we did get to see a lot of good places in a short time.

 

We were fortunately able to be given a guided tour of CFB Borden which is about 100km North of Toronto. This being the birthplace of the Royal Canadian Air Force, it was good place to start. The field was first opened in spring 1917; eight of the original hangars that were built then are still surviving on the airfield today.

The airfield now is used by No.16 Wing, part of which is the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering which is similar to our RAF Cosford in the UK. Several aircraft are located at locations around the base:

 

Outside the main Head Quarters

CF-104 Starfighter 104792

CP-121 Tracker 1507

CF100 Canuck 100493

CF-101F Voodoo 101011

CF-86 Sabre 23228

 

Also located around the base are:

CH-118 Iroquois 118109 (with the boom off 118105) marked ABDR71

CH-136 Kiowa 136244    Marked 775C

CH-136 Kiowa (Unknown) Marked “136288”

CF-116 Freedom Fighter 116769

 

Inside the School of Aerospace Technology and Engineering were the following aircraft:

 

CH-113A Voyager

11308   11310

 

CT-114 Tutor (Those in bold are in the Snowbirds Colour scheme)

(C) = Cockpit only, any aircraft carrying are marked as so.

114011 - 5/926B         114023                       114026 (C)                 114039 - 933B

114040 (C)                 114043 - 889B            114049 - 10                114062

114164                       114066                       114069 - 891B            114080 - 2/927B

114087                       114091 - 989B            114092 (C)                 114112

114105 (C)                 114112                       114119 - A901            114134 - A894

114139 - 937B            114151                       114163 - 935B            114164 (C)

114175 - 938B            114181

 

CF-116D Freedom Fighter

116768                       116835

 

CF-188A Hornet

188707

 

CH-136 Kiowa

136007

 

Stored outside on the field were:

CF116D Freedom Fighter  

116710    116759 – 912B

CT-133 Silver Star    133443 “Cold Lake”     133540 “Cold Lake”

Finally one very bagged up CF100 Canuck.

 

Inside the Museum were:

CT-114 Tutor (Prototype) marked Tutor 153 (Golden Centennaires c/s)

DH82 Tiger Moth 4974

CT-133 Silver Star 133623

Avro 504 G-CYCK (ex D8971)

 

I would like to thank our host the Public Affairs Officer at 16 Wing, Borden for a fantastic day.