It was indeed the first time, in Canada, that a British EuroFighter Typhoon, the demonstration model at least, had flown, and this, with aircraft used during the Second World War. The sky was thus shared, for a few minutes, between Dave Hadfield’s MK XVI Spitfire, a Hawker Hurricane, a P-51 Mustang and the current European air defense toy.
“In flight, it required a lot of coordination work. Devices with such different speed ranges, it represents quite a challenge to tie that down. That said, even though it was the very first time we flew together, things went well. We were able to present ourselves in different formations in the air. I think our rehearsal bodes well for tomorrow’s performance,” said the main person involved.
Beyond the technical aspect in mid-flight, Mr. Hadfield explained that enormous mechanical work had been necessary upstream to enable such a scenario to be achieved. “We are talking about planes from the Second World War. They have experienced these machines quite a bit. Above all, we owe a debt of gratitude to private collector Michael Potter for the incredible maintenance of his vintage fleet. There is a lot of mechanical work behind the conservation of these machines.”
Dave Hadfield grew up in a family where aviation and agriculture were examples of possible avenues. It was ultimately towards aviation that he turned. Today, he does not regret his choice. (Tom Core/The Daily)
The Spitfire, a childhood dream
Since his early childhood, Dave Hadfield, largely because his father was a commercial pilot, had a passion for aviation. From his adolescence, his passion shifted to fighter planes from the Second World War. “I had several dozen airplane models in my room. The Spitfire was obviously one of them. I never thought I would be able to drive one one day. After twenty years of dedication within the Vintage Wings of Canada, the opportunity was offered to me. I grabbed it,” he suggested.
For Mr. Hadfield, events like the Bagotville International Air Show are essential, even necessary. They have their reason for being, now more than ever, with the global situation. “It is important that communities near military bases can understand the work that is done there. Behind the acrobatic and spectacular aspect that we see from the pilots in this type of event, there is a range of professions, each more important than the other, which contribute to the proper functioning of our defense services. “, he stressed.
Education, with regard to our history, remains one of the areas of society where a lot of work remains to be done, pointed out the brother of the famous Canadian astronaut. “When young people go through the school system, whether in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada, there is not enough time devoted to history, especially that of defense. In fact, it’s mostly not very concrete in the classroom. With our team in Gatineau, since the Vintage Wings exist, there are a whole bunch of opportunities that we offer to young people to see the reality of pilots on the ground. At the time, in the early years of our collective, many teenagers came to visit the facilities. In recent years, I have met several who have taken the path of aviation. Just goes to show that bringing a little concreteness can’t hurt.”
Leave a positive legacy for future generations
Just like his brother Chris, who left his mark on generations of Canadians with his involvement as an astronaut with NASA, Dave Hadfield wishes to pass on to future generations a love for his favorite discipline, piloting. “We often talk about Chris and everything he accomplished, but we often forget the countless hours he had to put in to make it all come to fruition. I’ve never seen a person burn as hard as him. I try in my own way to bring this same energy when I fly or when I talk about aviation. The idea is to inspire future generations,” he admitted.
Of the entire fleet of aircraft that will be presented to the public during the SAIB weekend, Dave Hadfield confirmed that his favorite remains the Spitfire. “There are a variety of machines that will fly at the end of the week. There are lots of beautiful machines, with lots of power and lots of modern gadgets. It may be a bit old fashioned, but for me, the Spitfire remains my favorite. This plane has such a rich history. I hope people will come and see it fly in large numbers,” he concluded.
