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Quinte International Air Show, 25th & 26th June 2016 |
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| Location: 8th Wing/Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ontario, Canada |
| Admission: C$ 15 (Adult) C$ 10 (Child/Senior) C$ 40 (Family Pass) |
| Parking: Free via shuttle buses |
| Value:: Outstanding |
| Rating out of 10: 9.5 |
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The Quinte International Air Show was held at 8th Wing/Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Lake Ontario, Canada over the weekend 25th & 26th June 2016. Over 60,000 visitors attending each day and with extreme temperatures in the 30s a warm welcome was received from all on base. This year's air show celebrated the 75th anniversary of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) and the formation of the 400 series squadron Article XV of the BCATP agreement. |
The main highlights in the flying Display included the USAF F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, CAF Snowbirds with a stunning 40 minute routine, C-130H & J Hercules, CAF Skyhawks parachute team, C-117 Globemaster, Harvard Formation Team, three different display from Kent Pietsch Airshows in his Jelly Belly Interstate Cadet and a unique flypast from an Avro Lancaster, B25 Mitchell and P51 Mustang (Quick Silver). Also the F22 Raptor and P51 "Double Trouble too" provided the USAF Heritage Flight with a tight formation that included rear crowd passes. |
| The CF-18 Demonstration Team with Captain Ryan Kean at the controls, carries a striking scheme commemorating the pan-Canadian effort to train aircrew for the Second World War, including pilots, wireless operators, air gunners, and navigators through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. |
| Within the varied static park military support came from the Mexican Air Force with a C295, USAF B52, Canadian CC-150 Polaris, CT-156 Harvard II & CC-144 Challenger. Civilian static included a T-33 Silver Star "Mako Shark", A4 N Skyhawk, North American T28 Trojan, Westland Lysander III plus 35 other aircraft types represented. It must be noted at Trenton almost all the aircraft on display in the static park had no barriers round them and the pilots were on hand to talk to the public. Military aircraft were open free to the public to walk around and engage closely with the armed forces staff. |
Also in the static park marking the 75th anniversary of 419 Squadron "City of Kamloops" the Royal Canadian Air Force have painted a CT-155 Hawk (155217) in a special camouflage scheme, wearing the serial KB799. The scheme is based on World War Two bomber command markings and it wears the code call letters of "VR-W". |
| The flying display lasted over 5 hours and was well balanced with little or no gaps making for an extremely entertaining throughout and choreographed show. Trenton Air Base display axis is very photographer friendly with the sun behind the display line most of the day making for good photographic opportunities. |
Over all this was a large scale military event that felt open and welcoming to the public that few air shows can deliver. Being the first event since 2009 at Trenton you had a sense of an established yearly event that was well organised. The only negativity reported was the long queues to get into the show reported on the morning of the show days. However, the organisers had predicted about 30,000 each day, this was in fact doubled on both show days highlighting the interest in aviation events of this scale in Canada. |
Thank you to the Media Team at Trenton for their friendly support and advice on the day and early access to the static park. |
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Quick Silver piloted by Scott 'Scooter' Yoak
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| Performers included: |
Snowbirds
CF-18 Hornet Demo Team
F-22 Raptor Demo Team
CAF Skyhawks Parachute Team
P-51 Mustang (Double Trouble Too)
P-51 Mustang (Quick Silver)
Avro Lancaster (CWHM)
B25 Mitchell (CWHM)
SAR Demo Griffin
Yak 50 / Gord Price
Rick Volker / Harvard MK IV
Harvard Formation Team (CHAA)
CC-177 Globemaster III
Kent Pietsch Jelly Belly
CC-130H & J Hercules
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| Static displays included: |
CC-150 Polaris
USAF KC10 Extender
USAF B52H
CC-177 Globemaster III
CT-155 Hawk x2
CF-188 Hornet
CH-146 Griffon
CH-147F Chinook
CH-124 Sea King
CT-156 Harvard II x2
B200 King Air
CC-144 Challenger
C295 Mexican Air Force
CC130H & J Hercules
Cessna 337 Skymaster
Cessna 172
Boeing Stearman (CWHM)
De Havilland Tiger Moth x2
North American Harvard (CWHM)
Fleet Model 16B Finch (Tiger Boys)
Fairchild Cornell (Tiger Boys)
P27 Stearman (Rob Martin)
Noordyan Norseman
Nanchang CJ-6A
Westland Lysander III
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
and many more...
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Report and photography by Jason Phelan for
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