Battle of Britain Sunday – Saluting the Gallant Few

CF18s, Spitfire, Lancaster bomber to fly in honour of Canadian war dead

September 16, 2004

OTTAWA - - Vintage aircraft fly-pasts, pipes, drums and military pageantry are among the highlights of this year’s Battle of Britain parade, to be held at the Canada Aviation Museum this Sunday, September 19, 2004 between 10:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

The parade promises to be a moving, entertaining and exciting activity the whole family can enjoy with free parking and free admission. It’s an opportunity for the people of Ottawa to show their appreciation to those Canadian veterans who made the supreme sacrifice during this and other air campaigns during the Second World War.

Many Second World War veterans will be marching in the parade, alongside current members Canada’s Air Force and Air Cadets. The Associate Minister of National Defence, Mauril Bélanger, will be the Reviewing Officer and will take the salute during the march-past. The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Ray Henault, will also be in attendance. Representatives from other Commonwealth countries that participated in the campaign will also attend.

Of the 103 Canadians who flew in the Battle of Britain between July and October, 1940, 23 lost their lives while 30 others paid the supreme sacrifice later in the war. Historians have described the Battle of Britain, which involved a total of almost 3,000 Allied air crew, as the turning point in the Second World War. The victory gave hope to a demoralized Britain and northern Europe and was the first battle to be won purely by air power.

This spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime aviation event will include fly-pasts* by:

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT:

• Michael Potter and his vintage Supermarine Spitfire
• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Avro Lancaster bomber
• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum DC-3 Dakota transport
• Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum North American B-25J Mitchell bomber

MODERN CANADIAN FORCES AIRCRAFT:

• Four CF-18s flying the “missing man” formation
• CC-144 Challenger jet in Second World War markings
• CH-146 Griffon helicopter also in vintage markings

STATIC DISPLAY INSIDE THE MUSEUM:

• The International Plastic Modellers Society (IPMS) of Ottawa will be displaying scale models representing aircraft which participated in the Battle of Britain. IPMS is a unique, world-wide organization dedicated to plastic scale modelling.

The parade will take place rain or shine.

Seating is limited so the public is asked to arrive early and bring chairs if possible.

The Canada Aviation Museum is located at Rockcliffe and Aviation Parkways.

* Subject to weather and aircraft availability.