The RAF Red Arrows have successfully completed their tour of Canada as part of Exercise Maple Hawk to mark their 60th display season, and help celebrate the Royal Canadian Air Force centenary.
Millions of people have turned out to see the stunning 2024 displays in Canada featuring classic manoeuvres such as ‘Vixen break’, the ‘Heart and Arrow’ and of course ‘Diamond Nine’ with red, white and blue smoke on across the skies of Greenwood, Toronto, Ottawa and London Ontario. As a special nod to both festivities, a red and white number 60 and finale of a huge number 100 has delighted spectators of all ages.
The transit over to Canada from the UK was meticulously planned over the last two years. As the Hawk T1 is now 50 years old, no air-to-air refuelling is possible and the aircraft flying time and weather restrictions were all factored. A team flying with the 12 hawks departed the Reds home base of Waddington and over the course of a week, undertook flights to Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and eventually Goose Bay in Canada.
Over 120 RAF personnel from professions such as Aircraft Technicians, Military Transport, Military Police, Operations, Safety, Pers support and Media have been detached as part of the 5-week exercise which has seen several flypasts and 4 airshows successfully completed.
“It is an absolute pleasure to be here in Canada supporting our close friend and allies the Royal Canadian Air Force during their centenary and of course being here for our Diamond season makes this tour very special for us”
Wing Commander Collins
Officer Commanding RAFAT
The airshows have been filled with impressive flying a demonstrations including the Canadian Snowbirds.
Wing Commander Collins said, “we have a very close relationship with Canada and its always a great pleasure to fly alongside our friends the Snowbirds and enjoy the activities on the ground and our public outreach programme."
As well as a busy flying schedule, the team have completed multiple public engagements including a wreath laying ceremony at a Commonwealth cemetery, STEM engagements at universities and airshows, ambassadorial events to showcase UK trade and business; and a visit to the Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) where the team handed out gifts and helped the children make paper airplanes.
“Its always great to come and see young people, or people of any age to be honest but especially today, seeing young people in hospital, being able to talk to them about why we are here, bringing books to read and paper airplanes to make is really special”
Wing Commander Collins
There have been many highlights from the exercise including a flypast with the Canadian Snow Birds over the British high commission in Ottawa to celebrate its official opening and a flypast over Niagara Falls where the Reds were accompanied by a historic Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.
Having flown consistently since February, the Reds will return to the UK to finish their 60th Diamond season of 2024 with various RAF displays in October, closing out their display year on the 5th October at the Duxford flying finale.
