2024 CF-18 Demo Team theme

In preparation for the 2024 season, a design competition was held receiving submissions from team members across the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The winning design, selected by the RCAF 100th Planning Team, was submitted by Master Corporal (MCpl) Kevin Kelly from 10 Field Technical Training Squadron (FTTS) at 3 Wing Bagotville, Quebec.

Originally from Quebec City, Quebec, MCpl Kelly joined the Canadian Armed Forces at the age of 16 as a reservist with the Voltigeurs de Québec. He transferred to the regular force in 2006 as an avionics system technician and is currently working with Training and Standards at 10 FTTS.

The design, painted by a skilled team of aviation structures technicians at 1 Air Maintenance Squadron, 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, features a unique commemorative full colour, fully body, paint job focusing on four key themes: Innovation and technology, Air power, Our people, and the RCAF’s distinguished heritage and history.

Innovation and technology is represented in the design by a futuristic and modern motif of the RCAF logo located on each wing, along with gears, electronic circuits, and a binary pattern, painted along the back and between the tails.  Representing technology each RCAF aircraft depends on to fly and accomplish their missions. The binary numbers on the back of the aircraft, when decoded, read "RCAF 2024" and "ARC 2024."

Air Power is represented on outside of the port (left) vertical stabilizer using silhouettes of aircraft from the RCAF's fleet to represent the Fighter Force (CF-18 Hornet), Maritime Aviation (CH-148 Cyclone), Search and Rescue (CC-130 Hercules and CH-146 Griffon), Tactical Airlift and Transportation (CC-177 Globemaster and CC-130 Hercules) and Community Outreach (CT-144 Tutor).

Our People are represented on the outside of the starboard (right) vertical stabilizer, using silhouettes of a non-commissioned member, an officer and a pilot. Reinforcing the RCAF’s inclusive approach, generic silhouettes are utilized providing the viewer the opportunity to envision each in the gender and nationality that best represents with whom they identify.

Also included on the starboard vertical stabilizer is reference to the RCAF’s distinguished Heritage and History through the use of silhouettes of key aircraft from the RCAF’s lengthy past. Represented are: the CF-100 Canuck, an all-Canadian designed and built interceptor-fighter that served in the RCAF for nearly 30 years; the CF-86 Saber which served as both front line fighter and air display aircraft with the Golden Hawks from 1959 to 1963; the C-5 North Star which served as the RCAF's first choice for supporting troops overseas and delivering humanitarian aid from 1949 to 1963; and the Avro Lancaster that served as a war-time bomber and post-war SAR, maritime patrol, aerial photography and arctic patrol aircraft.