The Torch: The "Century Hornet"

See the end of this post--and now (via Spotlight on Military News and International Affairs):

A special Hornet buzzing the Valley

The loud buzzing heard over the Valley this week was the sound of a larger-than-life hornet.

The Century Hornet, a CF-18 jet painted gold to celebrate the 100th anniversary of powered flight in Canada, joined the Snowbirds and the F-86 Sabre Golden Hawk on Tuesday [April 21].

The Century Hornet will fly with the Snowbirds during air shows this season [emphasis added].

"It's a full-up air display routine that we do, including aerobatics, low-level down to as low as 300 feet (and) up to speeds as fast as 0.90 Mach, which is equivalent to 600 miles per hour," said Capt. Bruce Ehman, the Canadian Forces demonstration teams coordinator from One Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg.

"What that does is it demonstrates our capability as a fighter aircraft to show what we can do."

Besides the usual Snowbird performance, one of their CT-114 Tutor jets will also be painted gold and that aircraft, along with the Century Hornet and Golden Hawk, will fly in formation at air shows this season [emphasis added].

It's all in celebration of the Centennial of Flight, the 100th anniversary of the flight of the Silver Dart, the first powered, heavier-than-air controlled flight in Canada back on Feb. 23, 1909.

"This year, because it is the 100th anniversary of flight and because the CF-18 is our lead fighter aircraft in our air force, we felt it important to show that aircraft flying to commemorate the anniversary," said Ehman.

"The message we want to send across is ... it is something that everybody can aspire to be. We think the air force is a great job and we'd like to see more people join the air force."

The very loud jet, and the slightly quieter Golden Hawk and Tutor jets, will fly their final practice tomorrow (Saturday [April 25]) over the Strait of Georgia next to CFB Comox beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The flight will be followed by an autograph session with the Snowbird crew from 12:30 to 2 near the cadet hangar. Access is through the gates across from Michael and All Angels Chapel on Military Row.