1 Air Division

Flying Targets for CF-100s
by Hu Filleul

When 412 squadron in Ottawa received the two refitted Comets back from De Havilland in 1957, one of their roles was to fly as practice targets for the air defence system. After takeoff from Ottawa we would fly north until we crossed the Mid- Canada Line. Then we would head south on a predetermined track so as to trigger the Mid-Canada Line alarm system. Our predetermined tracks would bring us into the Pine Tree radar system area covered by CF-100 fighters at North Bay or Ottawa.

The main object of the exercises I flew on was to give the CF-100s a chance to practice a "lead collision course" interception. We were not allowed to vary from our predetermined course, or altitude. The speed of the Comet was predetermined at .8 Mach (about 400 knots) and the altitude was always 30,000 feet even though we could have easily flown at over 40,000 feet. There was no evasion. We were always sitting ducks.

These flights of about five hours were a real bore until it came time to be intercepted. It could then get exciting when we would watch as many as 12 fighters come at us from a bit above and off the beam on a collision course. The attacks were all radar controlled, both from the ground and from the AI operator in the aircraft. To me it was some miracle of control to get that many fighters in attack position at a closing speed of about 1000 miles per hour. The CF-100s were supposed to break of automatically after they had completed their simulated rocket firing. Some crews had to have their kicks, however, and they would roar right over the top of us, a thrill for them and more so for us. We did not think that playing chicken at a closing speed of 1000 miles per hour at 30,000 feet was that much fun. They always denied that they were doing it but after we threatened to take our airplane and go home the roaring went away.

Some brain in NDHQ had ordered that we carry parachutes on these flights. We followed orders and chucked them under the seats at the back of the aircraft as soon as we boarded. Can you imagine the explosion if one of those birds holed us at altitude? Never mind that. If anyone were still alive to jump from the rear door, the tail plane would slice him in half. Eventually, our CO got the order rescinded, perhaps by offering free jumps to anyone in NDHQ.

Sometimes we also played target for the USAF interceptors. They always requested permission. On one occasion we had an F-5 Dart pilot waving alongside us six minutes after a launch from their base at Sault St. Marie. Who knows, perhaps they cheated.

Although we made a nice blip on the AI operator's radar screen, the Comet was not designed for this role. Eventually the role was taken over by specialized aircraft. This did not make us sad although we lost the ability to tease the CF-100 crew in the Uplands mess that the Russians would not necessarily maintain a fixed track at an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Web site comment: - We have been able to cross reference to the historical reports from Reserve Squadron and Pinetree Line radar stations. The attached file provides a number of examples of the RCAF Comet being used as a target in Air Defence Exercises.