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In an ongoing initiative to mark 2017 as its 75th year as a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadron, 429 Transport Squadron, located at 8 Wing Trenton, Ont., has unveiled a tail art design created and painted by its own members.
The winning design was created by Stephen Rodych, a Boeing Canada field service technical representative supporting the CC-177 Globemaster III in Trenton. His design won the popular vote amongst the squadron and it was approved by RCAF leadership for the anniversary tribute.
The design features a bison, which also appears at the centre of the squadron’s crest. Squadron members are also nicknamed “Bisons.”
This tribute, painted by 429 Squadron’s own aircraft structures technicians MCpl Shawn O’Hara, Cpl Jacob Abusow and Cpl Steven Leblanc, commemorates the squadron’s 75th anniversary and also marks the 10th anniversary of the CC-177 Globemaster III fleet in Canada.
“I am honoured as commanding officer of 429 Transport Squadron to present this awesome tribute to our squadron and history in the RCAF with the first-ever CC-177 tail art, designed and executed completely by our own team members,” said LCol Bill Church, the commanding officer of 429 Squadron
The design also holds the distinction of being the first-ever tail art painting on a Globemaster anywhere in the world.
“It is always a great pleasure to mark a milestone anniversary for our squadrons,” said Col Colin Keiver, the commander of 8 Wing. “429 Transport Squadron has a storied and dignified history of service in the RCAF on behalf of Canadians. And, on behalf of 8 Wing Trenton, I applaud 429 Squadron on their anniversary and I look forward to seeing this tail art in the skies over the beautiful Quinte region and around the globe, as these airplanes deliver their missions on behalf of the DND and the Government of Canada.”
