Modern Day Canadian Air Force Trivia Quiz

Answer: 13

The wings or bases are as follows: 1 Wing (Kingston), 3 Wing (Bagotville), 4 Wing (Cold Lake), 5 Wing (Goose Bay), 8 Wing (Trenton), 9 Wing (Gander), 12 Wing (Shearwater), 14 Wing (Greenwood), 15 Wing (Moose Jaw), 16 Wing (Borden), 17 Wing (Winnipeg), 19 Wing (Comox) and 22 Wing (North Bay).

Answer: CF-18 Hornet

The CF-18 has been in service with the Canadian Air Force since 1982. The CF-18 comes in two classes: the CF-18A and the CF-18B. The A class is a single seater and forms the majority of the CF-18 fleet. The B class has two seats and is used mainly for training.

Answer: CH-146 Griffon

1 Wing Kingston was home to CH-146 Griffon Helicopters, but in 1997 the base became an administrative unit only, and the squadrons were relocated elsewhere in Canada.

Upon completion of Griffon training, pilots then move to other Wings where they use their skills in the Griffon to preform duties such as tactical airlifts, search and rescue, and forward air observing.

Answer: Search and Rescue helicopter

The Cormorant is Canada's brand new Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter. It will begin replacing the aging CH-113 Labrador SAR helicopter starting in 2002, with the entire fleet of Cormorants on active service by early 2003.

Answer: All of the above

The C-130 has been in service with the Canadian Air Force for over 30 years. A tried and true workhorse, the C-130 is able to carry out literally dozens of tasks, such as air to air refueling, cargo transport, gunship support, airborne deployments, search and rescue, and troop transport.

Answer: Canadian Forces Air Station Aviano Italy

During the Balkans conflict, Canada maintained a large Air detachment at Aviano, Italy. During the conflict, CF-18 Hornets flew bombing missions deep into Serbia, and performed combat patrols in the skies over Yugoslavia.

Answer: NATO Flying Training Program

Every year dozens of pilots from NATO countries arrive in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan to engaged in pilot training. Since World War II, countries have used the far flung spaces of the Canadian pairies to conduct air exercises. The students enrolled in the NATO funded program learn their piloting skills in the state of the art CT-155 Hawk.

Answer: The Snowbirds

The snowbirds have been performing as an aerobatic stunt team since 1971. The unit flies the CT-114 Tutor aircraft, and perform some of the most impressive airborne stunts ever seen. At times the 9 flying aircraft are less that 4 feet apart and are moving at speeds over 600km/hr.

The Snowbirds are well-known for their skill, but they are not immune to tragedy. Five Snowbird pilots have lost their lives in the performance of their duty.

Answer: Air strikes and combat patrols

When the NATO deadline for Serbia to remove its troops from the Former Yugoslavia ran out, NATO initiated air strikes against major military assets in Serbia. A squadron of 14 CF-18A Hornets were the first NATO aircraft to drop their bombs on Serbian targets. For the entire span of the air strikes, Canadian fighters flew combat patrols over the Former Yugoslavia and dropped hundreds of bombs upon military targets.

Answer: True

Canada had a squadron of CF-18A hornets, as well as several CP-140 Aurora long range patrol aircraft (LRPA) deployed to the small uninhabited island. The Canadian units were deployed on Operation Apollo, Canada's contribution to the U.S. lead war against terrorism.

Answer: 4 Wing Cold Lake Alberta

Located in Northern Alberta, CFB Cold Lake is Canada's fighter town. The base is Canada's largest fighter base and in addition to hosting advanced fighter training, the base is also the site of several operational fighter/bomber squadrons. Cold lake also hosts several specialty units such as airfield engineer units, radar units, air defence units, weapon systems managment units, and an aerospace engineer and testing unit. CFB Cold Lake also has the largest air weapons range in NATO and hosts a massive annual tactical air exercise called "Maple Flag".

Answer: Electronic Warfare

At the time of its retirement in 2005, the Silver Star was the oldest aircraft in use by the Canadian Air Force. Built in the 50s, the CT-133 was originally used by Canada as a primary jet training aircraft, although its last 24 planes ended their lives as EW aircraft. The aircraft were used to jam enemy radar and to eliminate enemy anti-air missile batteries.

Answer: 5 Wing Goose Bay Labrador

Goose Bay is home to permenant detachments from Britain's Royal Air Force, the German Luftwaffe, the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Italian Aeronautic Militaire. The Wing also serves as a NORAD CF-18 deployed operating base and airfield supporting a mix of military aviation activities in north-eastern Canada. Goose Bay is a major hub for all aircraft flying to and from Europe. All aircraft from Canada and the U.S. heading to England stop in Goose Bay to refuel, and Goose Bay is the first place aircraft from Europe land to replenish their tanks.

Answer: Transport Base

From delivering supplies to the high Arctic (CFS Alert) to airlifting troops and equipment world-wide, 8 Wing is the heart of Canada's air mobility forces. It is also responsible for search and rescue in central Canada and home to the Canadian Forces Parachute Center and the famous Skyhawks Parachute Team.

Answer: Aerospace Control Base

22 Wing represents one of Canada's major contributions to the North American Aerospace Defence (NORAD) agreement. From its underground complex at the Sector Air Operations Centre, technicians watch over Canada's airspace 24 hours a day, using state-of-the-art sensors, computer and communications equipment

Answer: Signals intercept and intelligence

CFS Alert was formed during the Cold War in the Canadian high arctic to provided early warning to North America of long range Soviet bombers. With the Cold War over, Alert still maintains a radar station and its crew, an air defence battery, as well as dozens of support staff key to the operation of the station. Alert is one of the most northerly military installations in the world, and depending on the season, the station personnel are sometimes limited to only 1 hour of sunlight a day (winter) or 1 hour of darkness (summer).

Answer: United States

Since the Cold War, Canada and the U.S. have achieved a level of interoperability that no other two countries can match. Dozens of Canadian Air Force personel are stationed at NORAD Headquarters in Colorado, while dozens of American personel are station at 22 Wing North Bay. Canada and the U.S. have banded together to provided a collective security for the North American continent. Day and night American and Canadian military personel work together to provided total and efficient security to the continents airspace.

Answer: The Fox

441 "Silver Fox" Squadron is based at CFB Cold Lake Alberta, where they fly the CF-18A Hornet figher/bomber.

Answer: 416 & 439

In late 1990, 416 Lynx Squadron took an active role in the U.S. coalition force against Iraq by joining forces with 439 Tiger Squadron in Doha Qatar to form the Desert Cats. While protection of the coalition naval force was their primary task, 416 and 439 Squadron pilots led the way in performing sweep, escort and eventually bombing missions deep into Kuwait and Iraq.

Answer: Through adversity to the stars

"Per ardua ad astra" or "through adversity to the stars" was adopted by the RCAF when it was formed April 1, 1924 and it is displayed on the Air Ops cap badge. (The British Royal Air Force has had this motto ever since its creation on 1 April 1918).