Canadian Warplanes (1) British Columbia, CFB Comox Air Force Museum

CFB Comox Air Force Museum, British Columbia

Website: https://comoxairforcemuseum.ca/

The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document every historical Warplane preserved in Canada.  Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website.  Photos are by the author unless otherwise credited.  Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplanes in Canada would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

CFB Comox, Comox Air Force Museum, 19th Wing

(airforcefe Photo)

Lockheed CP-140 Aurora, RCAF, operating out of CFB Comox.

(Ken Mist Photo)

Lockheed CP-140A Arcturus, RCAF, operating out of CFB Comox.

(SSgt Jennifer C. Wallis, USAF Photo)

McDonnell Douglas CF-188A Hornets, Aviano, Italy.

(Patcard Photo)

McDonnell Douglas CF-188A Hornet, RCAF, operating out of CFB Comox.

CFB Comox Air Force Museum, 19 Wing.

(RCAF Photo)

Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk. 4B, RCAF (Serial No. 18359).

(The A-Team Photo)

Avro CF-100 Canuck Mk. 5D, RCAF (Serial No. 18790), (Serial No. 100790), c/n 690, No. 409 Squadron.  Renumbered from RCAF (Serial No. 18790), on 23 Oct 1970.  This Canuck also flew with No. 414 Squadron, CFB North Bay, Ontario.  It had been struck off strength on 13 Oct 1981, prior to its last flight.  CAFM, CFB Comox, British Columbia.

(The A-Team Photo)

Boeing Vertol CH-113A Labrador Helicopter, RCAF (Serial No. 113310), C/N 310, (from CFB Borden).

(RCAF Photo, via Fred Paradie)

Canadair CT-133 Silver Star, RCAF (Serial No. 21102), later (Serial No. 113102).

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

(The A-Team Photo)

Canadair CT-133 Silver Star, RCAF (Serial No. 113102).  This Silver Star was built in 1953 and delivered to the RCAF with the tail number 21102.  It initially served with No. 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron before later joining VU 33 Utility Squadron in 1983.  After the RCAF was absorbed into the new Canadian Forces, the aircraft was renumbered with tail number 133102 on 11 Nov 1970.  When VU 33 Squadron disbanded in 1992, the aircraft was transferred to No. 414 Squadron, which assumed VU 33's duties.  The aircraft was struck off strength in 2002 with the closure of No. 414 Squadron and later put on display.

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter, RCAF (Serial No. 104731), C/N 683A-1031, painted as (Serial No. 12763) was on display here until it was moved to the BC Aviation Museum in July 2023.

(stemcat5 Photo)

Canadair CP-107 Argus Mk. 1, RCAF (Serial No. 20712), (Serial No. 10712), c/n 3, No. 407 Squadron, Comox Air Force Museum, CFB Comox, British Columbia.  10712 wears the No. 407 Squadron “Demon” insignia (a winged trident) on its tail fin.  No.  407 (Long Range Patrol) Squadron in Comox flew the Argus from 1968 until 1981 when it was retired from flying. Of note, the Canadian military record for the longest unrefueled flight was set by a 407 Squadron crew, who flew an Argus for
over 31 hours.

(RCAF Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, RCAF (Serial 114015).

(Peter Bakema Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, RCAF (Serial 114131).

(Jim Sedgwick Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor, RCAF (Serial No. 114115), C/N 115, Snowbird 3.  As 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds have been regular visitors to the Comox Valley and 19 Wing in particular.  Every spring they arrive for training and have performed at the Comox Air Show.  The museum’s Tutor is painted in classic Snowbird colours, to honour the contribution the Snowbirds have made to the Air Force nationally and to Comox in particular.

(RCAF Photo)

de Havilland DH 100 Vampire, RCAF (Serial No. 17021), GO, in flight.

(CFB Comox Air Force Museum Photo)

de Havilland DH 100 Vampire, RCAF (Serial No. 17031), Reg. No. N41J, 442 Squadron.  Vampire 17031 was sold off and taken out of Canada.  The privately-owned ex-RCAF Vampire was taken onto the Public Account of the Comox Air Force Museum on 5 May 2000.  The Vampire arrived in flying condition; however, it is unique in that it has some wooden (plywood) elements in its structure and unsheltered outdoor display would quickly damage it.  It is therefore stored in a hangar.  Although the Vampire was never flown at Comox, it was used by 442 (Auxiliary) Squadron out of Sea Island (Vancouver), BC when it was a fighter squadron.

(The A-Team Photo)

de Havilland Canada (Grumman) CS-2F Tracker, RCN (Serial No. 12188), C/N DHC-87.  The Tracker was used in Comox by VU 33 Squadron from 1974 until 1991.

 (RCAF Photo)

Douglas C-47 Dakota, RCAF, with groundcrew, ca 1943.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3583024)

Douglas C-47 Dakota, RCAF (Serial No. 652), 14 Aug 1943.  

(Comox Air Force Museum Photo)

Douglas CC-129 Dakota, RCAF (Serial No. 1000), c/n 16620/33368, ex-USAAF (Serial No. 44-77020), ex-RAF (Serial No. KN655).

(The A-Team Photos)

Douglas Dakota Mk. III(Serial No. ), FZ671, C/N 12256, later  (Serial No. 12944), in the markings of No. 437 Squadron, RCAF, coded Z-2B, painted as a Second World War camouflaged transport.

FZ671 was delivered to the No. 48 Squadron, RAF on 4 Feb 1944.  This Dakota made at least two flights into Arnhem for Operation Market Garden.  The first one was on 17 Jul 1944.   The Pilot Officer on the first lift was Flight Lieutenant A.C. Blythe, RCAF, who went on to win a DFC.  It also went in on the third lift on 19 Sep 1944, with Pilot Officer A.M. Smith.
It joined 4No. 37 Squadron, RCAF in Sep 1945 and also served with Nos. 426, 429, 435, and 437 Squadrons, No. 25 Ambulance, and No. 1 Air Navigation School through the years as FZ671.  Its Serial Number changed to 12944 with the Canadian Armed Forces in June 1970.  It was transferred to No. 429 Squadron at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in March 1975, and then to No. 429 Communications Squadron in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from 1979 to 1980.  12944 was struck off strength with the RCAF on 14 Apr 1989.  It now resides in the Heritage Air Park as Dakota EZ761

In the post-war period Dakotas served with No. 123 Rescue Unit/121 Composite Unit at Sea Island, BC and Comox, BC.
They also served with No. 442 (Transport & Rescue) Squadron out of Comox, BC.

(Author Photos)

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo, (Serial No. 101057), USAF (Serial No. 57-0429), C/N 607, Hawk One, 1978.

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo, (Serial No. 101057), USAF (Serial No. 57-0429), C/N 607, Hawk One mounted on a pylon.

(RCAF Photo)

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo (Serial Nos. 17402 & 17447), in flight 2.

(DND Photo via Mike Kaehler)

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo (Serial No. 17469) ex-USAF 59-0469), 409 Sqn, Comox, ca 1960s.

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

(Colin MacGregor Stevens Photo)

(The A-Team Photo)

McDonnell CF-101B Voodoo, (Serial No. 101030), USAF (Serial No. 57-0354), C/N 532, formerly on display on the grounds of RRMC, Victoria.  101030 was originally built for the US Air Force as an F-101B-90-MC, c/n 532.  It served in the USAF with the 444th Fighter-Interceptor Sqn at Charleston AFB in South Carolina.  As part of Operation Peace Wings, it joined the Canadian Forces on 28 July 1971 with 409 Sqn at CFB Comox.  Later it served with 425 Sqn at CFB Bagotville, Quebec.  It became Instructional Air Frame 827B on 11 July 1984 and was later struck off on 15 May 1990.  It was on display in Victoria, BC before moving to the Comox Air Force Museum.

(Jim Sedgwick Photo)

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MF-75 Fishbed J (Serial No. 4038), C/N 96004038, ex-Czech Air Force.

(USAF Photo)

Piasecki CH-125 Workhorse, RCAF (Serial No. 9611) picking up a wrecked USN Vought OS2U Kingfisher from Mount Buxton, British Columbia.

(RCAF Photo)

Piasecki CH-125 (B) Workhorse (Serial No. 9641) in flight.

(The A-Team Photos)

Piasecki CH-125 (H-21B) Workhorse, (Serial No. 9641), ex USAF (Serial No. 53-4366), C/N B.116, Reg. No. N6792, No. 442 Squadron.  9641 flew from Dec 1955 to 15 Jan 1965 with No. 121 Communications and Rescue Flight and No. 121
Composite Unit at Sea Island (Vancouver) and for a short time in Comox with 121 Composite Unit.

(RAF Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire Mk. IX in flight.

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

Supermarine Spitfire HF Mk. IXe, (Serial No. TE294), painted as (Serial No. MK304), Y2K.  The original Y2-K, MK304, was produced at Castle Bromwich, albeit as a Merlin 66-powered LF Mk IXe.  Delivered to 39MU in January 1944, it served briefly with No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron before being transferred to No. 442 Squadron RCAF on 7 February.  The remains of this fighter were rescured from a South African scrapyard in the 1990s and partly rebuilt by volunteers at the Comox Air Force Museum as a millennium project and as an homage to the wartime pilots of 442 Squadron.  442 is currently an RCAF Search and Rescue Squadron based at 19 Wing, Comox.  Restored at Vintage Wings of Canada, TE294 is now airworthy, and was first flown 7 June 2017.  It is painted as (Serial No. MK304), Y2-K as flown by Flt Lt Arnold Roseland, RCAF No. 442 Squadron.

(RCAF Photo)

Y2K is dedicated to and carries the name of Flight Lieutenant Arnold Roseland of 442 Squadron.  Roseland was one of only a handful of Canadian fighter pilots who fought both the Japanese and the Germans during the war.  “Rosey” Roseland was a member of 14 Squadron, a P-40 Kittyhawk unit flying in the home defence of Canada’s West Coast and in combat operations in the Aleutian Island chain against Japanese Army and Navy positions on the island of Kiska.  Later in the war, 14 Squadron became 442 Squadron, reforming at RCAF Station Rockcliffe in Ottawa before going overseas and transitioning en masse to the Supermarine Spitfire.  Roseland flew in a Spitfire with the letter “K” on the side, “K” being used by at least three aircraft he had flown since 18 March 1944.  Roseland’s flight record in the Spitfire included 117 flights totaling 130 hours and 10 minutes.  He flew more than 50% of his Spitfire operations in a Y2-K–marked aircraft, making that aircraft in the squadron truly “his”.  In his nearly two years on P-40s and P-40 Kittyhawks before going to Europe, Rosey had 220 flights and 348 hours, flying out of Great Britain and France.

F/L Roseland was flying one of the Spitfires marked with the letter “K” when he shot down a pair of Focke-Wulf Fw 190s.  He flew “K” on three separate sorties on30 June 1944, just two weeks before he was killed.  His Squadron Intelligence officer typed it out afterward for his combat reports:

“I was flying Yellow 3 in 442 Squadron which was on patrol heading due south at 1800’ just under layer of cloud in the vicinity of VILLER BOCAGE. I suddenly spotted 4 FW 190’s flying due North directly below yellow flight. I immediately broke 180º and down to attack at the same time reporting the presence of e/a [Enemy Aircraft] to the remainder of the squadron. The e/a sighted me and began climbing all out for cloud using violent evasive action but still in fairly compact formation and turning slightly to starboard. I attacked second from left from 20º to 0º opening fire from approx 450 yds. My first burst struck engine and cockpit and e/a began to smoke. I closed in slightly to line astern and my second burst hit tail and e/a immediately burst into flame and rolled over onto its back. I broke starboard and positioned myself on e/a to starboard, which was very near cloud. My port cannon jammed and I had difficulty in getting strikes on e/a which was using violent evasive action. By the time it entered cloud it was smoking badly. I followed into cloud for 30 sec. then diving slightly spotted e/a directly ahead. My starboard cannon also ceased firing so I fired short burst of M/G [Machine Gun - Ed.] until within 50 yards. E/A dove into cloud at an angle of 45º. Pilot apparently bailed out while in cloud. First e/a confirmed by F/L Wright.

I claim 2 FW 190’s DESTROYED. Cine gun used [gun camera]

(SGD), A. Roseland. F/L.”

Arnold Roseland was just 28 years old when he died in an aerial gunfight over Normandy in the summer of 1944.  The 442 Sqn Operational Record Book, (ORB) for 13 July 1944 records he was flying another Spitfire, Y2P and that, "F/L A.W. Roseland, the Flight Commander of “B” Flight chased a Hun into the clouds and was not seen again."  He apparently died when his parachute caught on the tail of his burning Spitfire and he was thrown to his death when the aircraft struck the ground.  Since that day, Rosey’s remains have lain in a well-tended grave site at the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in Calvados, France.  (Dave O’Malley, Roseland Spitfire Project)

2024, Canadian Warplanes II.

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