Royal International Air Tattoo
News Release
July 21, 2017 – RAF Fairford, United Kingdom – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Crews of a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-177 Globemaster and CH-147F Chinook helicopter concluded a successful visit to the United Kingdom following their attendance at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford from July 13 to 16.
While the RCAF had the chance to engage with members of the public in the United Kingdom, they also had the opportunity to train with their RAF counterparts, which included a joint CH-147 Chinook flight over France and a flyby of the Vimy Memorial on July 21.
Deputy Commander of the RCAF, Major-General Tammy Harris was also present at the announcement of a project to commemorate Pilot Officer John Magee, an American pilot who flew with the RCAF during the Second World War, remembered for his poem High Flight.
Quotes
“The Royal Canadian Air Force’s participation at the Royal International Air Tattoo was a great opportunity to further strengthen our important air power relationship with the Royal Air Force. It is also the first time we have used a CC-177 Globemaster to airlift a Chinook helicopter outside of North America thereby showcasing the RCAF’s ability to provide agile, strategic airlift of essential assets anywhere in the world demonstrating our strategic reach to support operations whether in Canada or abroad in conjunction with our allies.”
Major-General Tammy Harris , Deputy Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force
Quick Facts
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Participation at the Royal International Air Tattoo was the first time a RCAF CH-147F was airlifted by a CC-177 Globemaster to a location outside of North America, validating and demonstrating the RCAF‘s ability to project this key capability globally..
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While visiting their RAF counterparts, members of 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron took part in joint training that involved an RAF/RCAF Chinook helicopter flight in France and a Vimy Memorial flyby to pay tribute to the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers and its allies during the First World War.
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The CC-177 Globemaster was from 429 Transport Squadron, based at 8 Wing Trenton, Ont. The CH-147F was from 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, based at Petawawa, Ont.
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The Royal International Air Tattoo provided an opportunity to recognize the work being done to build a memorial to Pilot Officer (P/O) John Gillespie Magee of the Royal Canadian Air Force, at Wellingore, United Kingdom. P/O Magee, an American serving with the RCAF, was killed in a mid-air crash near Wellingore airfield on 11 December 1941, age 19. He is remembered as both a pilot and a poet, his most famous work being High Flight, considered by many to be the poem of aviators.
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