Air Services

Canada

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)

Founded 1st April 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force is the aviation branch of the Canadian Armed Forces.

It defends and protects Canadian and North American airspace in partnership with the United States.

Type inventory last updated 01/10/2025

COMBAT

CF-188 Hornet

The McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet is the RCAF version of the US F/A-18 Hornet, which began service in 1982

CF-188 (F/A-18A)

188797 'Demo Team' @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

CF-188B (F/A-18B)

188940 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

TRANSPORT

CC-130E Hercules (L-382)

130307 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

CC-130J Super Hercules (C-130J-30)

130601 @ RNZAF Airshow 2017

130602 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

CC-144A (CL-600S) Challenger

144601 arriving at Trenton AFB 2013

CC-150 Polaris (A310-304MRTT)

15003 @ RIAT 2022

15004 1997 scan

15004 arriving @ Gatwick Airport in 2023

CC-177 Globemaster III

177703 @ RIAT 2017

CC-295 Kingfisher (C295MPA-W)

295501 @ RIAT 2024

also

CC-138 Twin Otter

CC-330 Husky (Airbus A330-200)

MARITIME PATROL

CP-140 Aurora

The Lockheed CP-140 Aurora is a maritime patrol aircraft, operated by the RCAF, based on the Lockheed P-3 Orion airframe

140107 'Pathfinder Zero-Seven' @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

140117 - RIAT departures 2025

RECONNAISSANCE

CE-145C Vigilance (Beechcraft King Air 350ER)

ROTARY

CH-146 Griffon (Bell 412CF)

146422 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

146430 @ RIAT 2018

146403 @ RIAT 2024

CH-147F Chinook

147304 @ RIAT 2017

CH-148 Cyclone (H-92)

148820 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

CH-149 Cormorant

149915 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

also

CH-139 Jet Ranger

TRAINERS

CT-114 Tutor

Designed and built by Canadair in 1960, the CT-114 Tutor was a standard jet trainer for the RCAF, and later with the Canadian Forces as their primary jet trainer until it was replaced by the CT-155 Hawk and CT-156 Harvard II in 2000. The CL-41G model supplied to Malaysia was built as a ground-attack aircraft. The Tutor is currently used by the Snowbirds aerobatics team.

114090 Snowbird 2 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

114032 Snowbird 1 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

de Havilland Canada CT-142 Dash 8 'Gonzo' (DHC-8-102)

Military navigation training version of the regional Dash 8 airliner for the Canadian Forces

142806 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

Raytheon CT-156 Harvard II

Owned by Bombardier Aerospace Defence Services, leased to the Canadian Forces Flying Training School at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

156120 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

also

Beech CT-145/C-90B King Air

Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet Type A

Grob G 120

DEMONSTRATION TEAM

431 Air Demonstration Squadron / the 'Snowbirds'

Originally founded on 25th June 1971, the Snowbirds are the Canadian Forces Air Demonstration Team flying CT-114 Tutors and are based at 15 Wing, near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The team became the first Canadian air demonstration team to be designated as a squadron on 1st April 1978. Their official name is the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.

Previous Canadian air force demonstration teams include:

the SISKINS

Formed in 1929, the Siskins were the RCAF's first official demonstration team, flying 3 x Armstrong Whitworth Siskin biplanes and based at Camp Borden, Ontario. They flew more than 100 air shows over 3 years before being disbanded in 1932 when the Great Depression forced the RCAF to reduce operations.

the BLUE DEVILS

The Blue Devils (or the 410 (F) Squadron Aerobatic Team) was the RCAF's first postwar demonstration team flying the de Havilland Vampire between 1949 to 1951.

the GOLDEN HAWKS

The Golden Hawks were established in 1959 to celebrate the RCAF's 35th anniversary and the 50th 'Golden' anniversary of Canadian flight. The team were disbanded in 1964.

Golden Hawks 23257 National Air Force Museum Trenton 2013

Golden Hawks 23651 @ Hamilton Airshow 2013

Recently Retired

Lockheed CF-104 Starfighter

Retired 1986

Seen here silouetted @ IAT 1981, Greenham Common (scan)

CH-124A (S-61A) Sea King

Retired December 2018

12417 & 12405 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

CC-115 de Havilland Canada DHC-5A Buffalo

Retired 15th January 2022

115462 @ Abbotsford Airport 2018

CT-155 Hawk

Retired March 2024

155203 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

155207 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

155205 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

155221 @ Abbotsford Airshow 2018

Conair Group Inc.

Established in 1969 in Canada, Conair is now a world leader in specialty aircraft operations delivering a comprehensive range of purpose-engineered services worldwide. Conair is the world’s most experienced aerial firefighting operator modifying aircraft into aerial firefighting aircraft as well as multi-role configurations suitable for passenger, cargo flight missions. Conair averages 6,000 to 10,000 aerial firefighting flight hours each year and has operations in Canada, USA, France, and Australia. They provide aircraft for purchase, lease or under contract and offers specialised services including aeronautical engineering design, flight operations and aircraft maintenance related to any aerial firefighting mission.

Conair France has supported France’s Sécurité Civile for over 30 years (seen here)

Airtankers

Avro RJ85 AT

C-GVFK '165' @ Abbotsford 2018

C-GVFK '391' @ Avalon 2017

Air Tractor AT 802

C-FXVF '78' @ Abbotsford 2018

Convair CV580

C-FFKF '44' @ Abbotsford 2018

C-FKFB '47' @ Abbotsford 2018

C-FKFL '49' @ Abbotsford 2018

C-FHKF '55' @ Abbotsford 2018

L-188C Electra

C-FYYJ '60' @ Abbotsford 2018

Conair Firecat

In storage (used in France)

Also

Bombardier Dash 8 Q400-MR, Canadair CL-215T, Air Tractor AT802 Amphib

Air Attack

All airtanker actions on wildfires in Canada, come under the command and control of an Air Attack Team, comprising an experienced pilot and an experienced fire fighter. Developing strategy and tactics for aerial attacks on forest fires, the team remains in communication with the aircraft inbound to the fire and the onsite ground crews as well as their command center during operations.

Cessna C525 Citation Jet CJ1

C-GSYM @ Abbotsford 2018

Turbo Commander TC-690A

C-GOSX @ Abbotsford 2018

also

Cessna Caravan C208B

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