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| Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet aircraft intercept a simulated hijacked aircraft during Vigilant Eagle 2013 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Aug. 27, 2013. Photo by TSgt Jason Robertson - Public Domain |
I love this opening photo (when I give you the link, just scroll past the opening "April Fools" thing, hint, hint)...
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| Here's that link you were looking for => Link. Tails of Glory Image |
Go ahead, chase the link, I'll wait right here...
While that article was tongue-in-cheek, it was also hysterical.
Here's my favorite "Celebritail" -
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| Tails of Glory Image |
What? You've never heard of them? Well, I know this is the Friday Flyby and all, but ah, what the heck, let's run a clip from the show...
Heh, Guy Caballero played by Joe Flaherty. (Who is from Pittsburgh, not Canada. Yes, I know Pittsburgh isn't a country.) Great clip neh?
Another great SCTV alumnus was the late John Candy, one of my favorite comedians. Surely you remember him?
Ah, good stuff. But we're here to see aircraft, right? What, you didn't get enough at the link I gave you?
Sigh...
Alright, here are some more aircraft, with a Canadian flavor (flavour if you wish). Like the Bieber Bomber wasn't enough?
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| RCAF CF-18 Hornet firing an AIM-7 Sparrow Photo by MSgt. Michael Ammons, USAF |
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| Canada Search and Rescue Photo by Bmpower at English Wikipedia - Own work. CC |
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| DeHavilland CC-115 Buffalo Photo by Ahunt at English Wikipedia - Own work. Public Domain |
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| Pilots of No. 1 Squadron RCAF with one of their Hawker Hurricanes at Prestwick, Scotland, 30 October 1940. Photo by Devon S A (Mr), Royal Air Force official photographer Public Domain |
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| Spitfire VCs 417 Sqn RCAF in Tunisia 1943 Photo by F/O G. Woodbine, Royal Air Force Public Domain |
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| CF-100s of 423 Sqn Photo by Canadian Department of National Defence Public Domain |
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| Sabres of No. 421 Squadron at Grostenquin, France, 1957 Photo by Canadian Department of National Defence Public Domain |
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| CP-140A Aurora Photo by Ken Mist CC |
If you're wondering why that last picture is labeled as a CP-140A Aurora and not a P-3 Orion...
The Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft is based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe, but mounts the electronics suite of the S-3 Viking. In Greek mythology, Aurora is the Greek goddess who restored Orion's eyesight, and also the Aurora Borealis are the "northern lights" that are prominent over northern Canada and the Arctic Ocean. WA little something for Tuna, eh?
Canadians. I served with them in NATO. Great folks and damn fine troops to have at your side when the going gets rough.
Besides which, I may have mentioned once (or twice) that my great-grandfather was Canadian by birth. Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec he was. I'm not sure how long the family lived in Canada after Great-Granddad was born before they moved to Vermont.
But Canada and Canadians, we loves 'em!
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| A CF-18 Hornet takes off from CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada during the second Tiger Meet of the Americas, 2003 Photo by SMSgt John P. Rohrer, USAF |
And I prefer "Eh?" To "Ya know what I sayin?"
ReplyDeleteMoi aussi.
DeleteI served an exchange tour with the RCN in Halifax. Two seasons: Winter and the 4th of July ;-). Concur absolutely great people, and a very, very professional Navy. I learned a lot on that tour.
ReplyDeleteConcur on your assessment of the seasons in Halifax.
DeleteTheir Air Force is also top notch.
You learn something new everyday. I didn't know that about the Aurora, although I was aware it wasn't the same as the Orion. Is it the ESM system (AN/ALR-76 system) or the ASW electronics? I realize that google makes asking questions like that obsolete, but I'll thank you in advance anyway.
ReplyDeleteHere's what the airforce-technology.com website had to say:
DeleteIt is equipped with Wescam MX-20 Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) system, magnetic anomaly detector, Applanix DSS-439 digital mapping camera, hand-held camera, Airborne Imaging Radar Systems (AIRS) and gyro-stabilized binoculars. Other equipment and systems include an Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system and sonobuoys.
You might understand all that, I only grock some of it.
You're welcome!
So, I'll bite, was the Celebritails an April Fools Joke complete with excellent quality photoshopping? Or did the RCAF drive a stake in the heart of Political Correctness?
ReplyDeleteLoved the pictures by the way!
It was (to the best of my knowledge) an April Fools joke. An excellent one too.
DeleteDid you read the story regarding the "Bieber Bomber"? I had a real belly laugh over that one.
Yeah, I did and did also.
DeleteWell, more's the pity. I gave it 90/10 (make that 99/1 after rereading the ENTIRE article) that it was an April Fools joke, but thought if anyone could pull it off, the Canadians were the ones.
Canadian humor seems to me to be a cross between American and British humor.
DeleteBut if any Air Force were to do that, I'd bet on our cousins to the North. I know our Air Force would NEVER do such a thing.
Au contraire, mon ami! We can only hope that no one from the Air Force sees the post, lest legions of "Aim High" tails sprout visiages of assorted kongrass kriminals overnite!
ReplyDeleteThis is me, shuddering.
DeleteMy former service vexes me at times. It surely does.