By Gary Watson | October 31, 2014 Estimated reading time 5 minutes, 8 seconds.
The Canadair CF-104 Starfighter is the first of three aircraft to be introduced to
the special Cold War-era exhibit.
The Air Force Museum of Alberta (AFMA) unveiled the first of three aircraft destined for a special Cold War-era exhibit, and thanked a key sponsor on Oct. 22, 2014.
MGen (Rtd) Ken Lett was on hand for the event, which took place at the new Ken and Roma Lett Cold War Exhibit, located at the Military Museum complex in Calgary, Alta.
Canadair CF-104 Starfighter 12846 was painstakingly refurbished by a group of volunteers over the past 15 months at Springbank Airport, a small regional airport west of Calgary. Over 4,500 hours went into the refurbishment of the aircraft, a semi-modified “G” interceptor version that was flown by the Royal Danish Air Force, which purchased it from Canada in 1971. There were obvious modifications that had to be removed, including the infrared gun sight, external navigation lights, emergency nozzle closure control and a heavy coat of green paint. The original Canadian instruments and avionics were still intact, and some control panels and switches were relocated as close as possible to the original aircraft configuration delivered to the RCAF in 1963.The paint scheme is the classic bare metal, with white wings and horizontal stabilizer.
The unveiling served as an opportunity for the AFMA to publicly thank Lett for his support, in addition to the multitude of additional sponsors and volunteers, in creating this one-of-its-kind exhibit in Calgary.
The Ken and Roma Lett Cold War Exhibit pays tribute to all Canadians who stood ready to defend Canada throughout the Cold War, and is the only exhibit of its type in the country.
Ken Lett started a life-long affair with airplanes as a teenage pilot trainee in the RCAF during World War II. He completed an operational tour flying Spitfires in the European theatre of operations and then joined the post war Air Force, serving in many capacities from squadron pilot to senior command and staff positions.
He retired from the RCAF as deputy chief of staff operations of NORAD, with a rank of Major General. He was a member of the selection team that chose the CF-104 as the replacement for the Canadair Sabre in the early 1960s. Lett was appointed the first commanding officer of #6 Strike/Recce Operational Training Unit at RCAF Station Cold Lake, Alta., the unit responsible for training military pilots on the CF-104.
The new Cold War Exhibit buildings consist of two hardened aircraft shelters constructed by Sprung Industries, which replicate the classic curved NATO shape. Sprung is a world leader in building temporary and unique shelters that consist of stressed fabric panels on an aluminum support structure. They are designed for the Canadian winter, with an insulation factor of R35. Natural gas radiant heating warms up each of the two shelters within minutes. Each front wall has a large 50-foot graphic of the aircraft inside; one illustrates a CF-18, the other a CF-104.
The second shelter is occupied by a Boeing CF-188 Hornet that previously saw service as the 2009 Demo Hornet, featuring a unique paint scheme celebrating 100 years of powered flight in Canada. CF-188 118719 retired from the RCAF in 2009, after spending the year on the airshow circuit. Due to the unique paint scheme, which includes the names of 100 significant Canadian aviation pioneers, the aircraft was not repainted to its original combat grey.
The aircraft was restored by a group of volunteers over the course of 15 months at
Springbank Airport.
The museum is now looking for a Sabre, to compete its hat-trick of jet fighters.
The Cold War Exhibit is scheduled to open in April 2015, once interior design work is completed.
