Friday, September 14, 2007

Historic Flypast for Battle of Britain Parade


Once-in-a-lifetime formation of four WWII vintage aircraft to honour Canadian war dead.

Canada's Air Force, in association with the Air Force Association of Canada, invites you to witness a flypast involving Second World War aircraft commemorating the:

67th Anniversary

of the

Battle of Britain

Sunday, September 16th, 2007

Btwn 10:15 and 11:30 a.m.

at

The Canada Aviation Museum

Ottawa

The event will also feature fly-pasts by current Canadian Forces aircraft including CF-18 fighter jets and CH-146 Griffon helicopters. Second World War veterans will march alongside serving members of Canada's Air Force and Air Cadets, and the Air Command pipes and drums will provide musical accompaniment."I am honoured to have the opportunity to show my respects to these Canadian and Allied heroes. We owe each and everyone of them our deepest gratitude," said Lieutenant-General Angus Watt, Chief of the Air Staff and Commander of Air Command.Ottawa entrepreneur and founder of Vintage Wings of Canada, Michael Potter, has agreed to provide a Spitfire, a Hawker Hurricane and a P-51 Mustang for the event. An Avro Lancaster from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, will also take part in the flypast.One hundred and three Canadians flew in the Battle of Britain between July and October 1940. Twenty-three Canadians lost their lives during the Battle of Britain. Historians have described the Battle, which involved a total of almost 3,000-Allied aircrew, as the turning point of the Second World War. The victory, described by Sir Winston Churchill as Britain's "finest hour" gave hope to a demoralized Britain and northern Europe. It was the first battle to be won purely by air power.

PARKING:- Museum parking is restricted to veterans. Free public parking is available at CFB Rockcliffe on Codd's Road, north of Montreal Road. Continuous shuttles to and from the Canada Aviation Museum will run from 9:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

ADMISSION AND SEATING:- Admission to the Canada Aviation Museum will be free from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A limited number of seats are available to the general public on a first-come-first-serve basis. The public should be seated by 10:15 a.m. The Museum is located at the intersection of Rockcliffe and Aviation Parkway.

WEATHER- Weather permitting, the ceremony will proceed as planned with fly-passes and displays. Should it rain, the ceremony will be held inside the Museum without fly-passes or displays.

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