Page 32 - World Airshow News Autumn 2024

...ONE HuNDRED yEARS OF EXCELLENCE.

Right: Several elements of the
unique 2024 Centennial Hornet
design can be seen in this photo
of pilot Capt. Caleb “Tango”
Robert with his jet (photo by Joe
Letourneau).
Below: Capt. Caleb “Tango” Robert
completes a loop and pulls some
vapor in the colorful Centennial
demo jet at the 2024 NAS Oceana
Air Show (photo by Greg Meland).

the RAF Red Arrows performed six airshows across Canada. stabilizer using silhouettes of aircraft from the RCAF’s fleet to rep-
Both the Italian and British teams also flew over Canadian cit- resent the Fighter Force, Maritime Aviation, Search and Rescue,
ies and landmarks, including Parliament Hill in Ottawa and Tactical Airlift and Transportation, and Community Outreach
Niagara Falls. The People of the RCAF are represented on the outside of the
The Red Arrows themselves were celebrating their 60th an- right vertical stabilizer, using silhouettes of a non-commissioned
niversary in 2024, so at each show site they drew the number member, an officer, and a pilot.
“60” with their smoke. At the Toronto airshow, they drew the The RCAF’s Heritage and History is also represented on the
number 100 for the RCAF. The Red Arrows also flew in for- right vertical stabilizer by silhouettes of key aircraft from the
mation with the Avro Lancaster bomber from Hamilton and RCAF’s past.
performed a friendship flight with the CF-18.
tO tHOSE WHO SERvE
tHE CENtENNIAL HORNEt I would like to dedicate this article to the men, the women, and
The 2024 CF-18 Hornet demonstration jet featured a the families that have served with the RCAF over the years, and to
unique and colorful paint scheme to commemorate the RCAF their friends that honour the services of those who gave their lives.
Centennial. The design focused on four key themes: On the following pages are my interviews with the 2024 CF-18
Innovation and Technology is represented by a futuristic Hornet demonstration pilot, Capt. Caleb “Tango” Robert and the
and modern motif of the RCAF logo on each wing, along with 2024-2025 Flight Leader of the Snowbirds, Maj. Brent Handy.
gears, electronic circuits, and a binary pattern, painted along
the back and between the tails.
Air Power is represented on outside of the left vertical

www.airshowmag.com 32 Quarter 4, 2024