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Ridge Runner
10th Sep 2009, 13:30
I've put a couple of shots of LGW in the 1960s up on the "Which Aerodrome" thread and it got me remembering seeing a Canadian S-2 Tracker there once. It was parked in the corner between the north and centre piers. Does anyone know its identity and/or havea photo of it? I've always been intrigued. I think it was about 1968ish..... Thanks in advance... RR

tornadoken
11th Sep 2009, 08:15
LGW 27 Sept.1969: 1540, CS2F-1(COD), VU-32 RCN, off HMCS Bonaventure participating, before it was decommissioned, in Exercise PeaceKeeper with USS Independence. Both open to visitors Portsmouth (18/10/69)/Spithead (27/9/69). 1540 went to Abbotsford as a water-bomber with Conair as C-GWUO/563.

Ridge Runner
11th Sep 2009, 09:28
Good man!!! Thanks for that!!!!! RR

merlinxx
11th Sep 2009, 11:48
Canadian military had a fully staffed Movements Office at LGW (the optics were always well stocked:E), this goes back to the establishment of CFB Lahr (LHA/EDTL). BEA handled all Canadian military at LGW.

Frankie B
11th Sep 2009, 14:00
Ridge Runner

My father, Bob Laidler, was C O of the Tracker squadron on HMCS Bonaventure at that time. When he died, my selfish mother threw out all his flying memorabilia, including decades of irreplaceable slide photos from the Bonnie & elsewhere. If anyone can post pictures of the Canadian Grumman Trackers or Banshees, I would love to see them.

Thanks,

Francine

Ridge Runner
11th Sep 2009, 15:09
Oh dear, that's sad. I'm sure she didn't realise the significance... RR

merlinxx
11th Sep 2009, 16:41
You may like to try for contacts via the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association @ www.fleetairarmoa.org.They should be able to give you contacts for the Canadian
side of the Assn. good luck:ok:

tornadoken
15th Sep 2009, 08:50
All-professional RCAF returned to UK November,1951, Sabres at North Luffenham, moving in 1955 to join others arriving from 1952 in Grostenquin and Marville, France (to 1967), Sollingen and Zweibrucken, W.Germany, administered 1967-1993 from Lahr. Their materiel base was at Langar, Notts, 1952-63, transited by CL-13, CF-100 and CF-104 for maintenance by Scottish Avn., Prestwick. LGW saw Langar's Bristol 170 Freighters, Daks and C-45 Expeditors, and visiting North Stars, Yukons and Hercules. Like Canada's (and Newfoundland's) commitment in WW2 (all-volunteer till early 1945), its $0.6Bn. share of UK's 1946 Reconstruction Loan, and its share of 1951/54 Mutual Support Program (inc. 370 of RAF's Sabre 6s) the cost of all this was hefty, expressed per capita.

Ridge Runner
15th Sep 2009, 09:01
and, of course, there were the CC-137s and CC-109s (lovely!). Thanks Tornadoken, and everyone else for this informative thread. RR