page_title: Snowbirds
section_title: Squadron re-formed
hierarchical_section_title: Snowbirds / Squadron history / Postwar / Squadron re-formed
caption_attribution_description: CT-114 Tutor (114145) of the Canadian Snowbirds aerobatics team. This example was photographed at an airshow held at St. Catharines Airport. Photo taken on August 26, 2006. Source: Photo by me, User:Balcer.
context_page_description: The Snowbirds, officially known as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, are the military aerobatics or air show flight demonstration team of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The team is based at 15 Wing Moose Jaw near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. The Snowbirds' official purpose is to "demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of Canadian Forces personnel". The Snowbirds are the first Canadian air demonstration team to be designated as a squadron.
  The show team flies 11 CT-114 Tutors: nine for aerobatic performances, including two solo aircraft, and two spares, flown by the team coordinators. Additionally, 13 are maintained in storage. Approximately 80 Canadian Forces personnel work with the squadron full-time; 24 personnel are in the show team that travels during the show season. The Snowbirds are the only major military aerobatics team that operates without a support aircraft.
  The Snowbirds continue the flying demonstration tradition of previous Canadian air force aerobatic teams, which include the Siskins, the Blue Devils, the Golden Hawks, and the Golden Centennaires.
context_section_description: No. 431 (Fighter) Squadron re-formed at RCAF Station Bagotville on 18 January 1954, using the new Canadair Sabre. The squadron was formed on a temporary basis until there were enough new CF-100s available to fulfill RCAF squadron needs. No. 431's duties included aerial combat training and displaying the capabilities of jet operations to the public at air shows, the largest being Operation Prairie Pacific: a 50-minute exhibition with aircraft from several squadrons that travelled to selected locations across western Canada. The team from No. 431 Squadron consisted of four Sabres and a solo aircraft. This was the first Sabre team to be authorized to perform formation aerobatics in Canada.  The unit was disbanded on 1 October 1954.
caption: CT-114 Tutor of the Snowbirds
exif: {"Image Make": "SONY", "Image Model": "DSC-W50", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "QuickTime 7.1.2", "Image DateTime": "2006:08:27 12:47:03", "Image HostComputer": "Mac OS X 10.4.7", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "240", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "600", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "3403", "Thumbnail YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/500", "EXIF FNumber": "26/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "80", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2006:08:26 13:29:16", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2006:08:26 13:29:16", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, auto mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "189/10", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB"}