Membership
The Canadian Aviation Moments were submitted by Dennis Casper from the Roland Groome (Regina) Chapter of the CAHS. Spoiler alert - if you read any further than each question, you will find the answer to the questions directly below. Good luck and have fun!
The Canadian Aviation Moments questions and answers for March are:
Question: What is the name and the number of the squadron that was adopted by Regina? The squadron was sent comforts by the Rotary Club and which Bomber Squadron ladies’ auxiliary?
Answer: (Part 1) “No. 426 Squadron RCAF, now known as 426 Transport Training Squadron, or Thunderbird Squadron originated as a squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) that fought during the Second World War as a bomber squadron. After undergoing several reformations, it remains active today as a transport training squadron. The motto of the squadron is "On Wings of Fire" and the squadron's badge contains a Thunderbird. The badge refers to the squadron's Thunderbird designation..”
Source: Wikipedia
Answer: (Part 2) “ The Thunderbird squadron is the squadron adopted by Regina and to which the 120 Bomber Squadron ladies’ auxiliary and the Rotary club sent comforts.”
Source: Regina Leader Post – Aug 19, 1944 - Page 2
Question: How did Wilfrid Reid “Wop” May get his nickname?
He was an illegal immigrant
It’s the sound a propeller makes
He whopped the enemy
He learned to fly on the Westland Wapiti
None of the above
Answer: “None of the above is correct. “Wop” got his nickname when a 2 year old cousin could not pronounce Wilfrid – she tried & it came out “Woppie”, got shorted to “Wop” and stuck. And the Westland Wapiti was not built until 1927 – Wop learned to fly in 1917 on a French built Caludron G.III”.
Source: Website – The Chronicles of W.R. (WOP)
Question: Maple Flag is a Canadian variation of the United States Air Force RED FLAG exercise. Why were the RED FLAG and MAPLE FLAG exercises created and when was each created?
Answer: “Exercise MAPLE FLAG is a Canadian variation of the United States Air Force RED FLAG Exercise, held several times a year at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Both exercises were developed in response to a Vietnam War finding that 90 percent of aircraft losses took place during the first ten combat missions. Aircrew who survived these critical first ten missions were more likely to survive the remainder of their combat tour. In order to enhance survivability and improve performance of aircrew, Exercise RED FLAG was created in 1975. Canadians first participated in RED FLAG in 1977 and a year later, the Canadian Commander of Air Command invited the United States Air Force to hold a northern RED FLAG, which was a great success and was held by 4 Wing Cold Lake bi-annually thereafter until 1987 ”
Source: www.journal.forces.gc.ca
