Sabre makes a comeback

I am sorely going to miss seeing the annual air show at the Canadian National Exhibition this year. When I was a kid I went with my Dad often. When I grew up, I took my own kids many times. This year the Ex air show is featuring a CF86 Sabre fighter jet, in the colours of the Golden Hawks. What a fabulous plane. I remember seeing the Hawks when I was a kid living on the airbase at Portage La Prairie. The Hawks would land there often. It was a time when Canada’s air force had real fighter jets for an air show team. The Snowbirds are nice, but nowhere near as cool or fast or good looking as the Hawks. Interestingly, in those days, the jets were not required to fly at a safe distance from spectators. Flying low and fast right over the crowds was done often. The Sabres were fabulous birds and even though they were created by the US, the Canadian-built version was actually faster since it carried the Orenda Engine. And oh-my-god they were so fast. I remember seeing one zooming over the field at Portage. It was like a blur. There was not a sound. That’s when we knew to cover our ears. It was breaking the sound barrier. Then the sonic boom hit like the sound of the throat being ripped out a dragon. What a thrill! When we lived in France, the Canadian Sabres were screaming over the base all the time. Canada had two complete fighter squadrons there and they would patrol over northern Europe back in the days when we all hated the Soviets. If you want to see the first flight of the “Hawk One” Sabre, go here: http://www.asb.tv/videos/view.php?v=605190c0
Photo Credit: Canadian Forces Combat Camera