I organized & choreographed the 1984 Air Show at North Bay. When I invited a B-52 to attend, the squadron CO was a bit reticent, because he wasn't certain that the North Bay runways and taxiways could accommodate an aircraft that size. I investigated the past history of B-52s landing at North Bay, and, just to be sure, went out and measured surfaces, and even had a team to ready to knock down and re-erect signs, as need be. I joked on the telephone with the squadron CO that he could bring a pedestal and we would erect the aircraft on it at the front gate, if it got "stuck" in North Bay. I ended the conversation by requesting that the B-52 fly around the local area before landing, to generate some PR. The B-52 arrived the day before the air show, and did wide VFR circuits. On the final landing, I was sitting in my office and heard a concussion that sounded like a ton of TNT being exploded. The B-52 had "blown" the left main tire. I arrived on the scene, about 2/3rds down the main runway, when the belly hatch swung open and the squadron CO dropped out saying, "where is this Captain Dunn fellow, and I thought that he was just kidding about the pedestal". He didn't want to move his aircraft until he talked to his command post. This, being FGHQ and a GATOR site, would be no problem; Canadian technology prevailed; a phone patch was not possible. When I explained to the CO our dilemma, his aircraft was blocking the main runway, the only one with arrestor cables, he decided to taxi off the runway. Fuel was transferred to the "good" side of the aircraft, and "lifters" supported the blown tire side wing and damaged gear door. When we got to the taxi-way, the CO said, "what the heck, where do you want us parked"? The B-52 was displayed with grey-painted plywood around the damaged wheel. The arrival of the recovery team was the last act of the air show. When the BOpsO and I picked them up, they were aghast that we had put the aircraft on display with this sort of damage. I said that this was "battle damage", as was noted on the sign by the aircraft. The aircraft flew back to New York State with the gear down.
Another 1984 Air Show related story:
I did a flight safety survey at Goose Bay in 1984 and met some of the German aircrew. The detachment commandant's first name was Diesel, but his last name escapes me. In 1984 we had a German F-4 and Alphajet, and Dutch F-16 attend the North Bay airshow. The Belgiques were also in Goose that summer, but refused an offer to have one of their F-16s attend the airshow. 414 Squadron sent a Falcon up to Goose to bring down some Belgique aircrew to attend the airshow. I greeted them on the ramp when they arrived, and they looked and said, "that's a German F-4 from Goose Bay, and that's a German Alphajet from Goose Bay, and that's a Dutch F-16 from Goose Bay, and look at all these other airplanes". I said, "don't worry guys, since we have lots of T-birds here, we can "loan" you one to stand beside so that you will look like real pilots".
I was asked for access to an CSN telephone to call Brussels. By 10 the next morning, we had a Belgique F-16 on the ramp.
The German crews were great, especially the two from the Alphajet, (I have their names salted away somewhere). After his "buddy" had departed for a night on the city, his partner approached me and asked if I had seen him. When I explained that I thought that he had gone "down town", he said that his "friend" would never abandon him like this. I guess that friendship, sometimes, only goes so far. However, they were unanimous in their opinion that, Goose Bay, North Bay, so close, but so far apart; why can't Goose Bay, be North Bay. Then there was the LCmdr who was bringing the E-6B to North Bay. He called to say that he would a late arrival since he had to practice some carrier landings and wanted to know how to find this Thunder Bay place. Thank God he called, or the airport manager at Thunder Bay would have had a hell of a surprise. Thunder Bay, North Bay, so close, but so far apart; why can't Thunder Bay, be North Bay.
After the success of the 1984 air show, the base wanted to host another one in 1985. With the Herc disaster at Namao on 29 March 1985, Air Command "turned the taps off" on all flying displays - I couldn't even get permission to have a T-33 do an over flight for the dedication of the Aubrey Cousins' Bridge (local WW II VC awardee), on the Trans-Canada highway, near North Bay. Air show plans were cancelled. That didn't stop the air show circuit followers - I ended up hosting "spectators" who had somehow heard, (mistakenly), that there was going to be an air show in North Bay that year.
1986 Air Show. I organized it, but because of the Namao incident in March 1985, the air show director had to be aircrew (Gary Clay, 414 Squadron). Al Hunter, at FGHQ, had recently been attached with the Italian Air force. The Frecce Tricoroli team were doing a tour of North America that year, and needed an Eastern Canada base of operations for a few weeks, and North Bay filled the bill. Since we already had the Snowbirds booked, we had a great line-up for the air show. La Patrouille de France had performed in New York City with the Frecce during a re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty; when they found that the Frecce were doing the North Bay air show, they called and asked if they could be included. After they twisted my arm enough, I relented. This was followed by a civy act, who had hooked up with la Patrouille in New York, that was sponsored by a New York pharmaceutical CEO, whose son-in-law was the doctor for the Austrian Olympic Ski Team. They wanted to participate in the air show with their Pitts S2A, a replica of which, adorned the New York waiting-room of the CEO. Twist my arm again. The Italians were like puppy dogs: they would bend over backwards to make things happen. The French were like Siamese Cats; what, who me; they treated their ground crew like scum. It was hot day, and I took the French ground crew into the reception lounge for a cold drink; meanwhile, the aircrew headed-off downtown to their motel and to change their togs into their "reception" clothes. Surprisingly, when they arrived at the motel, they found that all their luggage, was behind the ground crew luggage in the truck, (the Canadian driver kindly informed them that he didn't do luggage), so the aircrew had to unload the ground crew luggage to get at their own, definitely something that was beneath their station. I had sent packages to all air show participants, outlining show-lines, air show rules, etc. The Frecce did a practice show that had manoeuvres that severely contravened air show rules. I met with them after this show and asked them if they had received my package, to which they responded, "what package"? One was provided, and I advised them that there would be a Transport Canada official observing tomorrow's practice, to approve the performances for inclusion in the air show, and a repeat of today's performance would ensure that they would never perform in Canada again (they were slated for Abbotsford and the CNE in Toronto). Also, since the air show agenda that had been submitted to Transport Canada didn't include Jim Parker's S2A, I asked the TC official if this could be included. He was reluctant to say yes, but was also non-committal. I gave him a copy of the S2A sequence, and said that it would be demonstrated during the practice air show, and he could advise me if the performance couldn't be included. Since I didn't hear otherwise, the S2A was included.
Updated: April 26, 2005