Canadian Warplanes 6: Canadair CT-114 Tutor

Canadair CT-114 Tutor

(CAF Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114147), from AETE in 1993.

Canadair CL-41A, CT-114 Tutor (190), (Serial Nos. 26001-26190), later re-numbered (114001-114190)

The Canadair CL-41, designated the CT-114 Tutor in RCAF and later unified Canadian Forces use, is a jet trainer aircraft designed and built by Canadair.  Ordered in September 1961, 190 aircraft went on to serve as the Canadian Forces primary jet trainer until 2000, when it was replaced by the CT-155 Hawk and CT-156 Harvard II.  The CL-41G, of which 20 were supplied to Malaysia, was built as a ground-attack aircraft.  The Tutor is perhaps best recognised as the aircraft used by the Snowbirds airshow team.

Although the CL-41A Tutor has been retired from active training, 22 Tutors continue to fly with the Canadian Forces with the Snowbirds and the Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment (AETE), at CFB Cold Lake.  A number of Tutor airframes are held in reserve for future deployment as replacement Snowbird mounts.  Today, at least five CL-41s fly as civilian aircraft, including one Tebuan. The original prototype, CF-LTW-X is displayed as a “gate guardian” at Southport Aerospace at the former CFB Portage la Prairie. CL-41R, CF-LTX-X, is now part of the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.  John Travolta gave a CL-41G to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, in 2001. (Wikipedia)

(RCAF Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No.).

(DND Photo via Benoit Thibeault)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 26037).

(CAF Photo via Tony Edmundson)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114062), over CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, ca early 1990s.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114163).  One of several Tutor now serving as instructional airframes at CFSATE. This one is still carrying the 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School Flying Instruction and Standards markings, 4 June 2010.

(Frank Kovalchek Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114081), at the 2010 Arctic Thunder on Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska. 30 July 2010.

(Trish McNorgan Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114189), Moose Jaw.

(RCAF Photo courtesy of the Canadian Aviation Preservation Association)

Canadair CL-41A Tutor (Serial No. 114030) in flight.

(SDASM Photo)

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (Serial No. 12822), with Canadair CL-41R Tutor, CF-LTX-X.

Proposed radar trainer for the CF-104.  It was less expensive to operate than the few dual seat CF-104s available.  Modified DC-3s with CF-104 radar installed ended up taking on that role instead.  The Dakotast were named Dolly's Folly, Pinocchio, and Woody Woodpecker.  Woody crashed in Pierce Lake Saskatchewan with all crew lost.  The Dakota could stay in the air for hours and train multiple pilots on the CF-104 radar.  The only downside was flight speed, which obviously didn't match the jets. I believe Germany and possibly other NATO allies flying the F-104 also had modified DC-3s for that purpose.

The radar console stayed in the cabin and I think the empty CF-104 T-rack stayed as well. A comstock ground power unit was installed to run all the equipment when they were doing the radar training flights.  It was exhausted out one of the side windows which had a metal blanking plate installed.  It would have been quite a noisy experience with that gpu running during the entire flight.  The gpu was removed for additional cabin space/seats when not used for training.  This is how it was configured much of the time I was posted to Base Flight in the late 1970s.  It took a good half day or longer to do the installation and preparation for radar training runs.  Pinocchio also did weekly runs to Edmonton, so extra space was valuable.  Not sure but I think the bulges on the sides of the modified Tutor were required to accommodate the electronics for the radar that would normally be housed in the CF-104 T-rack behind the cockpit.  The Tutor generator would have had to be significantly upsized as well to power the radar.  (Mike Siemens)

(Trish McNorgan Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114189), Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

(CF Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutors, Golden Centennaire formation flight.

(RCAF Photo)

S/L Clarence "CB" Lang as the Squadron Leader of the Golden Centennaires. This team was the only Airforce aerobatic team to take-off and land in formation.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114093), painted in the colours of the Golden Centennaires to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the RCAF demonstration team.  They only flew the Tutor for one year in 1967 to celebrate Canada's 100th anniversary as a country and were disbanded at the end of that year.

(Mike Kaehler Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 26122), Golden Centennaires.

(RCAFA Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 26183), Golden Centennaires in flight with Avro 504K (Serial No. D8971), C-GYCK.

(RCAF Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor.

Canadair CT-114 Tutor survivors:

CAFM, 19 Wing, CFB Comox, British Columbia, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114115), Snowbird 3.  

CMF, Langley, British Columbia, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114003).[1]

CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114114).  

Cold lake Air Force Museum.[2] Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114083), mounted on a pylon.

NLAM, Nanton, Alberta, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114177).

R-AM, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114076).

CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114036).[3]

WDM, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114021).

AFHM&AP, 1 Canadian Air Division Headquarters, CFB Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114004).

Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114000).

WCAM, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114021).

BBMM, CFB Borden, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114012).

BBMM, CFB Borden, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114158).

(Alain Rioux Photo)

CA&SM, Rockcliffe Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114108).  Snowbird 10 sporting a RCAF 75 years sticker was rolled outside the National Aviation Museum for the inauguration of the new storage hangar, 14 April 2005.

(Alain Rioux Photo)

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114066), 2 CFFTS, 28 Apr 1984.  This Tutor is now an instructional airframe at CFB Borden, Ontario.

CFB Mountain View, Ontario, Aerospace & Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron (ATESS).  Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114003); (Serial No. 114005); (Serial No. 114014); (Serial No. 114020); (Serial No. 114024); (Serial No. 114025); (Serial No. 114027); (Serial No. 114029); (Serial No. 114031); (Serial No. 114032); (Serial No. 114033); (Serial No. 114034); (Serial No. 114037); (Serial No. 114038); (Serial No. 114044); (Serial No. 114045); (Serial No. 114046); (Serial No. 114047); (Serial No. 114048); (Serial No. 114050); (Serial No. 114051); (Serial No. 114051); (Serial No. 114052); (Serial No. 114054); (Serial No. 114055); (Serial No. 114056); (Serial No. 114059); (Serial No. 114060); (Serial No. 114062); (Serial No. 114065); (Serial No. 114066); (Serial No. 114067); (Serial No. 114068); (Serial No. 114070); (Serial No. 114071); (Serial No. 114072); (Serial No. 114090); (Serial No. 114093); (Serial No. 114094); (Serial No. 114095); (Serial No. 114096); (Serial No. 114097); (Serial No. 114100); (Serial No. 114106); (Serial No. 114109); (Serial No. 114112); (Serial No. 114113); (Serial No. 114115); (Serial No. 114116); (Serial No. 114121); (Serial No. 114124); (Serial No. 114128); (Serial No. 114131); (Serial No. 114135); (Serial No. 114139); (Serial No. 114140); (Serial No. 114141); (Serial No. 114142); (Serial No. 114144); (Serial No. 114147); (Serial No. 114148); (Serial No. 114149).

CFB Borden, Ontario, Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Training and Engineering, (CFSATE), Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114002); (Serial No. 114011); (Serial No. 114021); (Serial No. 114023); (Serial No. 114026); (Serial No. 114134); (Serial No. 114039); (Serial No. 114040); (Serial No. 114043); (Serial No. 114053); (Serial No. 114063), cockpit; (Serial No. 114069); (Serial No. 114080); (Serial No. 114087); (Serial No. 114091); (Serial No. 114092); (Serial No. 114105); (Serial No. 114110); (Serial No. 114112).

CWHM, Mount Hope, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114038).

NAFM, CFB Trenton, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 (Serial No. 114015), White, Snowbird.

CASM, Toronto, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114168).

CASM, Toronto, Ontario, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. CF-LTW-X), White, CF-104 nose.

BADM, CFB Bagotville, Québec, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114014), silver, mounted on a pylon.

GMAM, CFB Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114155).

SAM, 12 Wing Shearwater, Nova Scotia, Canadair CT-114/CL-45 Tutor (Serial No. 114075).

Canadair CT-114 Tutor survivors overseas:  

Canadair CT-114 Tutor (Serial No.). N4017B, still flying with a civilian operator in the USA.

[1] The Museum’s Tutor was used in the Snowbird team in the mid-70s. I t has been refinished in the colours of Snowbird pilot Captain Miles Selby who was tragically killed while flying a Tutor in December 2004.  It is a fitting memorial to Capt Selby, and to all the men and women who have flown the CT-114.  The Tutor was acquired from Crown Assets in 2005 and transported from Ontario by Museum members.

[2] 114114 was used by the Snowbirds as Snowbird 9 in the 1977 season, Snowbird 10 in the 1978 season, and Snowbird 3 in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1986 seasons.  Finished in CAF Era Markings.

[3] Mounted as gate guardian at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1999, with RCAF (Serial No. 26036) and CAF markings.

(Mike Gibbons Photo)

Canadair CL-41/CT-114 Tutor (Serial No. 114187), between Millennium Park and College of the Rockies. Canadair 114187, was TOS on 2 June 1966. On 8 January 1971 it was renumbered from RCAF No. 26187. It was operated by 3 CFFTS at CFB Portage, Manitoba. Later at ATESS, CFB Mountain View, Ontario, with a tail from No. 114063. It was reported as available for sale to museums in May 2005. Components were seen stored outside at CFB Mountain View, Ontario, in October 2005. This Tutor was moved to Norwood, Ontario by December 2005, where it was slated to be part of a Snowbirds static display. It was stored outside at Norwood-Kelly airfield in August 2009. SOS: 23 August 2005. It was preserved for a time at the Memorial Military Museum, Campbellford, Ontario, before being moved to Creston, British Columbia.

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