Tag Archives: CF-18 Demo

2022 AIrshow

2022 Selfridge ANGB Open House

January 8, 2023 Tomcatter5150 1 Comment

Selfridge ANGB hosted their open house airshow on July 9-10, 2022. Like many airshows across the country, this one was previously postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the show did not feature a military jet team, the action in the sky was filled with warbirds, two parachute teams and was headlined by the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo.

Misty Blues

The all women’s parachute team, Misty Blues, opened the show each day with the flags of the United States and Canada followed by a large streamer promoting the team’s colors. Afterwards, the ladies walked the crowd line signing autographs and posing for photos with members of the audience.

JN-4 Jenny

The flying portion of the show each opened with the Friends of Jenny LLC‘s JN-4 Jenny. The Jenny is perhaps the most iconic American built aircraft of the early days of flight. It was one of the nation’s first aircraft designed to teach people how to fly, the aircraft synonymous with “barnstorming”, flew the airmail and eventually created what is commercial aviation.

This Jenny is only one of seven known to be left flying in the world today. The Jenny underwent a restoration beginning in 2012 and she took her first flight in many years on October 2, 2013. Many of the components needed to be refabricated, which was done using copies of the original Curtiss blueprints. She is painted to replicate the original Jenny “38262” which was in flying with the Army Air Service and was the first aircraft to fly the US Air Mail from Washington DC to New York City on May 15, 1918.

A-1 Skyraider

Warbird Heritage Foundation brought their AD-1 Skyraider. The AD-1 was designed as a single place to replace the dive bombers (Dauntless and Helldivers) and torpedo planes (Avengers) on the decks of the Navy’s carriers in World War II. The aircraft did not see service until 1946. Although too late to see service during WWII, Skyraiders were the light and medium attack aircraft of the fleet until the mid-1960s, seeing service in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

This particular aircraft is BuNo 09257 and built in 1947. It served with the fleet until 1956 when it was stricken from the inventory. It was purchased in 1982 as surplus and returned to flying condition in 1989. It was acquired by the Warbird Heritage Foundation in 2008.

So, if it is a NAVY plane, why does it wear a USAF livery? The answer is simple, when the Navy retired the planes, the USAF needed an aircraft that could loiter in a combat zone a long time, carry a large amount of ordinance and serve as an escort for the combat rescue helicopters. They remained in service with the USAF until the early 1970s.

Greg Colyer – Ace Maker Airshow

Greg Colyer started the jet warbird portion of the airshow with the “Ace Maker” T-33 Shooting Star. The T-33 was the nation’s first jet trainer. It saw service with the USAF, Navy and multiple allied nations into the 1970s. Many of the current versions flying, including “Ace Maker” are license built Canadair variants which had a more powerful engine.

Greg earned his pilot’s license while serving with the US Army. After leaving the Army he continued to fly and worked as an Air Traffic Controller. He continued to fly and performed an occasional airshow. Life changed in 2007 when he took his first flight in a T-33. Every since he wanted to own and perform in a T-33. His dream came true when he purchased the original “Ace Maker” and began performing at airshows across the United States. He now owns three T-33s and is working on developing a 2-ship T-33 team with “Scratch” Mitchell, a former RCAF CF-18 Hornet demo pilot.

AT-6 Texan – Tuskegee Airmen Tribute – Lt. Col. Jefferson

The Tuskegee Airmen Museum flew a tribute to Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, a native of Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from pilot training in 1944 and did his combat training at Selfridge Field. He went on to serve with the 332nd Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Squadron “Red Tails” in Ramitelli, Italy. He was shot down on his 18th mission and was a prisoner of war for eight months in Poland. Mr. Jefferson continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves until 1969 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He passed away on June 22, 2022.

P-51D Mustang “Swamp Fox” – RT Dixon

RT Dixon performed an aerobatic display in his beautiful P-51D Mustang “Swamp Fox”. In addition to the aerobatic display, he did a formation pass with the AT-6 Texan as part of the tribute to Lt. Col. Jefferson. The P-51 was another aircraft the Tuskegee Airmen flew during WWII.

Swamp Fox was delivered to the USAAF on May 7, 1945, serial number 44-74202. She was too late to see service during WWII and served stateside in various roles and units until September, 1957 when she was removed from the inventory as surplus. She began a restoration in 2007 in Chino, California and flew again in 2012. The markings are those of Lt. Will Foard, 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, based out of Leiston, England. Mr. Foard was able to see his restored “Swamp Fox” in December, 2012 and took flight in her with Robert Dixon Sr. piloting.

F-100 Super Sabre – Dean Cutshall

Early Vietnam era flight was represented by Dean Cutshall performing in his F-100F Super Sabre. The “Hun” as the Super Sabre was nicknamed, was America’s first aircraft capable of sustained super sonic flight. Dean’s version was built in 1958 as 56-3948, and is a two-seat variant. She flew in various roles for the USAF until 1973 when she was transferred to the Turkish Air Force. In Turkey, she saw combat in the invasion of Cyprus and was eventually retired to the desert in Turkey where she sat idle for 10 years. She was sold by the Turks and eventually brought back to the United States who intended to restore it. The owner failed to have the work done and eventually sold it to Dean. He and his crew ( Paul Swick and Jim “Prez” Prezbindowski) restored it including a new engine and numerous internal and external updates. She was returned to her USAF livery, although wearing civil registration N2011V. The Hun now resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is one of only several known flying examples left in the world. Of those known, Mr. Cutshall’s is the only one that flies regularly.

A-4 Skyhawk

The Warbird Heritage Foundation‘s second aircraft participating in the show was their A-4B Skyhawk. The Skyhawk replaced the AD-1 Skyraider on the decks of the Navy’s carrier fleet as the primary light bomber. The A-4 was extremely popular amongst the pilots and served in a number of roles for the Navy, Marines and numerous allied air arms. The aircraft’s agility and high subsonic speed made it an ideal aircraft to serve in other roles such as the Navy’s advanced trainer, adversarial aircraft (the aerial co-star of the original Top Gun film) and the mount of the Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration team from 1974 to 1986.

This particular Skyhawk is an early “B” model, built in 1958 and served with the US Navy until stricken from the records in February, 1970. The airframe’s history seems to be hazy from 1970-1980, but it appears she was serving as a technical trainer during that period. She was rescued from that role in 1987 and restoration to flight was initiated. She flew briefly in 1989 and then went on display at the EAA Oshkosh Museum. Warbird Heritage Foundation acquired the aircraft in 2007 and again restored her to flight status. Her first flight took place in 2009 and is now seen regularly at airshows across the Midwest region of the United States.

US Army Golden Knights

US Customs & Border Patrol Demo

The aerial branch of the SE Michigan branch of the US Customs & Border Patrol is stationed at Selfridge. They performed a demonstration of a rope extraction.

Team Selfridge Demo

Selfridge Air National Guard Base is the second largest joint Reserves bases in the United States. The primary occupant is the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard, with aircraft assets including the KC-135 Stratotanker, A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) and C-130 Hercules. Additionally, the United States Coast Guard uses the facility for MH-65 Dolphin helicopter operations as Air Station Detroit. Other operators include components of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve, and Army Air National Guard, operating CH-47 Chinooks.

KC-135 Stratotanker from the 171st Air Refueling Squadron showing that fighters are not the only aircraft that can turn tight

Czech-Mate Team

Michael Terfehr of 45 North Aviation leading the way in the T-33, Ron Staley in the blue L-39 and Scott Gusakov in the “Tumbling Goose” L-39.

Czech-Mate Jet Team Finger Tip formation pass

The team formed in 2019 and primarily performs in the Midwest, with the aircraft being based in Michigan. All members of the team belong to the Classic Jet Aircraft Association and the Red Star Pilots Association. The L-39 Albatross is the worlds most numerically popular jet warbird at this time.

USAF C-17 Globemaster III Demo (East Coast)

The USAF C-17 East Coast Demo Team brought the huge Globemaster III to Selfridge. The team is based at Joint Base Charleston South Carolina. Although a large cargo aircraft, the pilots state that it handles like a fighter aircraft and is quite agile.

The C-17 began operations in 1993 with the USAF and is the primary medium cargo and troop transport. The aircraft is designed to to use short runways and allows for a large payload. The storage area can be configured to handle a number of different types of cargo, including seats, palletized cargo, and tracked vehicles.

RCAF CF-18 Hornet Demo

Our Canadian allies were represented by the CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team. Captain Jesse “Modem” Haggart-Smith is the team’s demonstration pilot. Modem earned his wings in 2016 and has over 600 hours in the Hornet. The CF-18 is Canada’s primary fighter aircraft and the RCAF routinely deploys internationally to support allied nations and perform security duties requested by the United Nations.

Sadly, the CF-18 was only able to perform on Saturday. While the team brought two aircraft (standard for the airshow industry), both were subject to maintenance issues on Sunday.

The 2021 demo jet was brought as the “spare”

USCG MH-65C Dolphin Demo

Selfridge is home to USCG Air Station Detroit. The MH-65 Dolphin is the assigned duties such as search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions. Air Station Detroit has a large area of operations that include southern portion of Lake Huron, Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. In total, the area covers 1,100 miles of shoreline from Saginaw Bay, MI to the St. Lawrence Seaway.

USAF F-22 Raptor Demo

The feature performance of the 2022 show was the USAF F-22 Raptor. Maj. Joshua “Cabo” Gunderson provided a high energy demonstration of America’s premier air-superiority fighter.

Around The Field

Selfridge had a nice static display, but still small compared to prior years.

VAQ-131 Lancers EG-18G Growler

The static display highlight for me had to be the pair of Growlers from VAQ-131. The unit is stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Seeing their CAG aircraft was great!

2018 Airshow

2018 Brantford Community Charity Airshow

November 21, 2020 Tomcatter5150 Leave a comment

The 2018 Brantford Community Charity Airshow took place on August 29, 2018 at the Brantford Municipal Airport. 2018 had several notable changes, including the name and partnership with the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM).

Mother Nature did not want to cooperate very well, with low ceilings, dark skies and a complete downpour at the climax of the event. Several aircraft were unable to participate due to poor weather conditions allowing a flight to Brantford. However, the bulk of the performers were able to get some of their displays completed.

Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum DC-3 Dakota

The CWHM DC-3 opened the event with the Hamilton Sport Parachute Team onboard to bring in the colors. The low ceiling did not allow them to jump, but the aircraft made several nice passes. The aircraft displays the the markings of RCAF No. 435 and 436 Squadrons, which operated in Burma during 1944-45 and whose slogan was “Canucks Unlimited”.

Danny Richer’s BAC 147 Strikemaster

The Strikemaster is a retired light attack aircraft designed by the British and also used by several allied air forces. The design is the armed version of the Provost trainer and first flown in 1967. Danny Richer owns several warbird aircraft including the Strikemaster and a T-28 Trojan, and flies out of the Brantford airport.

Commemorative Air Force B-29 Superfortress “FiFi”

The Commemorative Air Force brought their B-29 Superfortress “FiFi” for the only Canadian appearance of the year. FiFi was the lone flying B-29 for a number of years and has been featured in several movies including “The Right Stuff”. The aircraft was rescued from U.S. Navy Proving Ground at China Lake, California and restored to flight. She flew regularly until 2006 when new engines were required. After a long 4-year re-engine project, she returned to flight.

Allied Heavy Iron

In a very rare formation, the B-29 was joined by the CWHM Lancaster. This formation showcased the USAAF and RAF/RCAF’s two largest bombers of WWII. Although similar in size, the Lancaster could carry a larger payload than the American designed B-29. The CWHM Lancaster is the only flying example in North America and is always exciting to see such a rare piece of military history in the sky. The roar of four Merlin engines is also amazing!

Allied Heavy Bomber Salute. The Allied forces two largest bombers the Lancaster and B-29 in a rare formation.

RCAF CF-18 Hornet Demo

The RCAF CF-18 Hornet demo team brought the noise with a flat show demonstration of the Hornet. This year’s demo jet is painted to in a celebration of the 60th Anniversary of NORAD.

RCAF Heritage Flight

At the conclusion of the CF-18 demo, the rumble of the Lancaster could be heard in the distance. Unknown to the spectators, the team had special plans to perform the Heritage Flight with the Lancaster! We could not believe our eyes as the two aircraft joined together in formation and made the turn towards the showline. Sadly, the weather also decided to turn into a downpour at the same time. The first pass is captured, but the rain forced the camera gear into the bag. Still, it was a special formation and one I will remember for a long time.

RCAF Snowbirds

The Snowbirds were able to take to the skies to close the show. The heavy rain from earlier passed and the cloud deck began to rise. The team was still required to perform a flat show, but it is equally impressive as the high show. The variation in the sky can be seen in several photos.

“Doug The Great”

A longtime staple of the ground portion of the Brantford show has been Doug Hunt. He stands out in the crowd for obvious reasons, but really brings a fun element to the show. Doug also resides in Brantford and is a multi-talented performer. Details about his other talents and his world record can be found at his performer website.

Doug is always happy to stop and talk to the kids and take photos. It is hard to determine who is having more fun, the kids taking photos with him or Doug himself. I always enjoy seeing him each year and the kids flocking to see him up close.

2018 Airshow

2018 Airshow London

October 26, 2020 Tomcatter5150 Leave a comment

The 2018 Airshow London took place on September 7-9 at the London International Airport.

This year’s show was memorable for the number of aircraft participating as well as the weather. As you will see below, the various types of aircraft present were impressive. The total amount of aircraft were around 70, and the show was promoted as the largest display of military aircraft in Canada for 2018. The static display area was well done with aircraft all over the airport, with many of the larger aircraft open for tours and pilots near the fighter aircraft. What made this show impressive was the amount of aircraft participating via fly-bys, both from the RCAF and USAF. These fly-bys made seeing the impressive F-22, A-10 and F/A-18E Super Hornet possible.

The oddity of the weekend was the weather. Friday was beautiful, but clouds began to roll in later in the afternoon. It became cloudy for the Friday evening “Hour of Power” event, which was meant to showcase the arrivals of some of the jet aircraft. Saturday’s weather was partly sunny, with the temperatures dropping off significantly. Sunday’s weather was downright terrible, with no sunshine whatsoever and the temperatures were in high 40s and piercing winds. Certainly not the normal weather cycle for that time of year.

Arrivals and Friday Night’s “Hour of Power”

A USN P-8 Poseidon arrived and put on a nice show with several touch-n-go landings prior to landing.

A-10s from the Michigan Air National Guard opened the Hour of Power event.

CF-18 Hornet in the twilight of the Hour of Power

The afterburners were easy to spot during the RCAF CF-18 demo to conclude the Friday evening Hour of Power

Several F-15E Eagles from Seymour Johnson AFB arrived for the Hour of Power.

Two F/A-18E Super Hornets from VFA-143 “Pukin Dogs” arrived during the Hour of Power. VFA-143 is based out of NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA.

107th Fighter Squadron “Red Devils”

Several A-10 Warthogs from the 107th Fighter Squadron participated in all three days of the event. The jets are based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in nearby Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Although the aircraft design is 50 years old, the A-10 remains the premier air-to-ground weapon system in the world.

RCAF CC-130 Hercules SAR Demo

A CC-130 Hercules from the 424 Tiger Squadron performed a search and rescue (SAR) demonstration. The SAR mission is extremely important given the vast open space of Canada. The 424 Squadron is based out of CFB Trenton and are the primary search and rescue squadron for the central and eastern coast of Canada. Their coverage ranges from the Canada/USA border all the way to the North Pole, and goes from Quebec City to the Rocky Mountains – an area that covers over 10 million square kilometers! A SAR team can deploy with 30-minutes notice during the week and up to two hours if an incident occurs during the weekend.

The 424 Squadron flies the CC-130H model of the Hercules. Note the crew dangling their feet off the open ramp!

USAF F-22 Raptor

Two F-22 Raptors from the 325th Fighter Wing based at Tyndall AFB came to London to participate in the fly-by portion of the show. Since this was not an official demonstration of the jet, we were treated to some afterburner passes and some tight vertical pulls, which produced some nice vapor.

RCAF CF-118 Hornets

Two different CF-18s participated in the show making several fly-by passes with nice vapor and burners.

These jets were from 425 Tac (F) Sqn 3 Wing based at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.

Paul Keppler’s F-86 Sabre

The F-86 Sabre is painted to represent Capt. James Jabbara, the USAF’s first ace. By the end of the Korean War, Jabbara had downed 15 MiGs, making him a triple ace.

Jet Aircraft Museum’s T-133 Shooting Star “Red Knight”

The Jet Aircraft Museum is based at the London International Airport and their mission is to preserve and display aircraft and other artifacts representing the RCAF from the early years of the jet age RCAF.

The beautifully restored “Red Knight” made its first public appearance at the 2018 show. Just days earlier, it made its first post-restoration flight on August 26th. The jet had spent several years in a full restoration with the generous help of numerous private and corporate donations along with approximately 1200 hours of volunteer labor to put the jet back into pristine condition.

The Red Knight started as an RCAF Training Command solo display of the CT-133 back in early 1958. Later that year, the formal Red Knight made its debut at the 1958 Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The jet was refinished into the overall red scheme by the Trenton air maintainers. The Red Knight performed annually through 1969, and 17 different pilots.

The only difference to the original paint scheme is the Maple Leaf logo on the underside. This was added in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation and inspired by the 2017 CF-118 Hornet Demonstration Team.

Canadian Forces Skyhawks Parachute Demonstration Team

The Skyhawks are Canada’s official parachute demonstration team. With the low ceilings, the team did not get to participate with full demonstrations. However, the team did fly in the respective flags of Canada and the United States.

USAF F-16 Viper Demonstration Team

The USAF brought the F-16 demonstration team to showcase the multi-role lightweight fighter. Although the Viper has been in service for a number of years, it is still one of the most versatile production aircraft the world.

F-16 Viper demo pilot Maj. John “Rain” Waters walks to the crowd after his performance.

The F-16 Viper Demo team performed the USAF Heritage Flight along with a WWII era P-51 Mustang

RCAF 431 Demonstration Squadron – The Snowbirds

The Snowbirds are the Canadian Forces jet team, performing in the CT-114 Tutor.

RCAF History, one of the original demonstration aircraft and the current RCAF Jet Demonstration Team

Civilian Performers

The civilian performers were represented by Pete McLeod and Mike Tryggvason. Pete McLeod is from the London, Ontario area is is currently a participant in the Red Bull Air Races. Pete flies an Extra 300. Mike flies a Giles 202 is a relative new comer onto the airshow circuit.

Pete McLeod signs autographs after his performance.

RCAF CF-118 Hornet Demonstration Team and Heritage Flight

The theme to the 2018 Demonstration Team is a tribute to commemorating the 60th anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

CF-188 Hornet demo pilot Capt. Stefan Porteous waves to the crowd as he taxis after his performance.

The Hornet demo team joined up with the JAM Museum’s CT-133 Shooting Star and performed an all jet Heritage Flight. Two stunning paint schemes in the sky at the same time!