I know what some of you may be thinking and no this is not something done in photoshop. We had a Snowy Owl hanging around our local airport, nearby there is an RCAF club that has a vintage NA-66 Harvard Mark II decommissioned aircraft on a pedestal. I took a drive up there one day and there she was perched right on the cockpit. I thought I may have seeing things and it was a little foggy out but yeah that just happened!! lol!! This is my #1 most unusual place I've ever seen a Snowy Owl. I kept returning back to the site hoping she would sit up there again on a nice day with some blue skies behind her but no luck after this chance encounter.

The Canadian Forces Snowbirds are a military aerobatics team. They are officially known as "431 Air Demonstration Squadron." Since 1971, the team has performed across North America before millions of people. The Snowbirds have been recognized as among the best in the world at precision formation aerobatics and stunning solo crosses with minimum separation between the aircraft.

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Les Snowbirds des Forces canadiennes sont une équipe de voltige militaire. Ils sont officiellement connus sous le nom de « 431 escadron de démonstration aérienne ». Depuis 1971, l'équipe s'est produite à travers l'Amérique du Nord devant des millions de personnes. Les Snowbirds ont été reconnus comme parmi les meilleurs au monde pour les acrobaties aériennes de précision en formation et les superbes croix en solo avec une séparation minimale entre les aéronefs.

130602 LMML 31-12-2010 Canada - Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Lockheed Martin CC-130J Hercules CN 382-5627

I live about 15kms from the airforce base (CFB Trenton) and I can always hear when the F18s are around. I caught a shot of this one coming in for a landing.

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J'habite à environ 15 km de la base aérienne (BFC Trenton) et j'entends toujours quand les F18 sont dans les parages. J'ai pris une photo de celui-ci venant pour un atterrissage.

Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King which has just recently been replaced with the Cyclone.

Another heritage flight with a Spitfire, a Hurricane, a Tutor and a Hornet.

Photographed in its demo team colours at the CFB Trenton air show.

Gosh, these guys go fast!

As soon as I spot the F18 taking off, and I am ready with my camera, wow, I can hardly track their flight.

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Mon Dieu, ces gars vont vite !

Dès que je repère le F18 décoller, et que je suis prêt avec mon appareil photo, waouh, j'ai du mal à suivre leur vol.

Airshow London 2022, London Ontario.

500_1769

15001 painted and back to work.

Flying the Canadair CT-114 Tutors.

Overshooting runway 30 for a go around for runway 12 at Prestwick C/S CFC4004

CP-140 Aurora

(140115)

Flying the Canadair CT-114 Tutors.

RCAF CF-188 Hornet 188776 in special NORAD 60th Anniversary markings (North American Aerospace Defense Command) Canada’s fighter force is committed to protecting North America from airborne threats and as a part of Operation NOBLE EAGLE, RCAF CF-188s maintain a constant state of alert to safeguard North American skies.

The Hercules aircraft have been around 'forever', serving many varied roles around the world.

This definition I just Googled sums up my thoughts perfectly with regards to the Hercules:

"a person or machine that dependably performs hard work over a long period of time".

Oh yes, click to enlarge!!!!

Thanks for looking, etc.:)

RCAF CF18 with special tail art commemorating the 75th anniversary of 409 knighthawk squadron.

The Airbus CC-330 Husky is a Royal Canadian Air Force version of the Airbus A330 MRTT based on the civilian Airbus A330.

RCAF 003 is based at CFB Trenton.

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L’Airbus CC-330 Husky est une version de l’Aviation royale canadienne de l’Airbus A330 MRTT basée sur l’Airbus A330 civil.

L’ARC 003 est basée à la BFC Trenton.

The SkyHawks @ CIAS 2022

177702 - Boeing C-177 Globemaster III - Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF - ARC)

at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)

c/n F-180 - built in 2007

operated by 8 Wing 429 Sqn, based CFB Trenton ON

Bison 9 doing some training at YHM

These venerable old Hercules aircraft are still wonderful to see, and hear. They're a superb workhorse around the world, and have been for over 50 years!

The actual shutter speed was 1/800 sec, with +2/3 compensation!

Click to enlarge!

Thanks for looking, etc.:)

............and have a great weekend, my friends:)

RCAF 130609 - Lockheed CC-130J Hercules - Canadian Forces - Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF - ARC)

at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)

c/n 5652 - built in 2011 -

operated by 8 Wing/436 Transport Squadron, CFB Trenton

(17 x CC-130J Super Hercules)

Performing over YXU.

I don't normally go to the CIAS but with the weather looking good, we decided to head into Toronto to catch one of the last performances of the Snowbirds.

RCAF F-18 790 from the CFB 3 Wing Bagotville demonstration team performing at the RCAF 100th anniversary show.

Here you can see the red-hot afterburner effect which is used to provide an increase in thrust, usually for supersonic flight, takeoff and for combat situations.

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Un F-18 790 de l'ARC de l'équipe de démonstration de la BFC 3 Escadre Bagotville se produit lors du spectacle du 100e anniversaire de l'ARC.

Ici, vous pouvez voir l'effet de postcombustion brûlant qui est utilisé pour fournir une augmentation de la poussée, généralement pour le vol supersonique, le décollage et les situations de combat.

C-GRSB/FZ692 - Douglas DC-3C-A1C3G (C-47A / CC-129) - Royal Canadian Air Force (Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum)

at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)

The Museum's Dakota was built for the USAAF and was delivered to the Royal Air Force in February 1944 as FZ692 and the Royal Canadian Air Force 437 Squadron in September 1944. It was later renumbered as 12945 as part of the Canadian Armed Forces where it served with No. 424 Squadron for Search & Rescue at CFB Trenton. It performed JATO ignition in flight at the 1970 Canadian National Exhibition Air Show on the Toronto waterfront.

After it was struck off strength by the Canadian Armed Forces in 1973, the aircraft ended up with Environment Canada, where it was used for mineral and environmental surveys. C-GRSB was donated to the Museum in May 2014.

FZ692 has been restored to the paint scheme it would have worn at the end of World War II with 437 Squadron RCAF. FZ692 flew 208 operational trips with 437 Squadron and 16 with 233 Squadron for a total of 224. It ended up flying hundreds of individual legs between airfields in Europe. FZ692 participated in two major airborne operations, Normandy and the Rhine Crossing. It carried 298 casualties to medical aid and repatriated 456 prisoners of war. It carried over 5,100 passengers to destinations around Europe and carried over two hundred tons of freight (414,368 lbs).

Unfortunately, this year (2026) is the final year for the Snowbirds demonstration team. At the end of this year the team will be disbanded although it is said that they could be reformed sometime in future years after acquiring new aircraft (Pilatus PC-21). I have my doubts about that but time will tell.

These Hercules CC130 aircraft are designated for Search And Rescue (SAR) operations here in Canada. They are a very old design, dating back to the 1950s, but their robust design has kept them in daily service. Some of the aircrew here tell me that these older versions are very reliable and dependable in the harshest conditions.

Thanks for looking, etc.:)

At the San Francisco Fleet Week

Prestwick 19/2/22. RCAF CC-150, 15001.

177702 - Boeing C-177 Globemaster III - Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF - ARC)

at Hamilton International Airport (YHM)

c/n F-180 - built in 2007

operated by 8 Wing 429 Sqn, based CFB Trenton ON

Bison 9 doing some training at YHM

Overshooting runway 30 for a go around for runway 12 C/S CFC4004