North Luffenham

441 (F) Squadron Aerobatic Team

With squadron esprit de corps and rivalry being major players in the fighter community, it was no surprise that 441 Squadron pilots aspired to form their own formation team shortly after 410 Squadron got their team up and running. The "Silver Fox" squadron had been re-formed on March 1st, 1951 at RCAF Station St. Hubert and their airshow involvement began befire they arrived in England. The squadron's diary reveals that 441 selected ex-Blue Devil, F/O Larry Spurr, to lead a three ship vampire formation aerobatic display with wingman Simmons and Weeks over Quebec City on June 3rd, 1951, where they received a very warm welcome. The OC of the squadron, S/L AR "Andy" MacKenzie, also got involved when he took part in an early Sabre airshow with F/Os Simmons and Atherton at trenton on October 12th - this one to salute the Royal Visit of Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Once in England, Battle of Britain Sunday became the focus of a huge squadron effort - on September 20th, 1952 no less than 10 squadron pilots put on Sabre displays at 10 different RAF bases. Gar Brine did the honours for the hometown crowd at North Luffenham. Little wonder then, that when F/Os Gar Brine, Fern Villeneuve, Ralph Annis and Jean Gaudry approached their boss in late 1952 with a request to do some formation aerobatics, he readily approved. With blessing in hand, they began some limited practicing, initially in two-plane elements. Fern Villeneuve's logbook reveals his first formation aerobatic sortie on December 5th, the next one not occurring until the 11th. However, this was a beginning. The winter doldrums put the usual damper on flying in England but by mid-April the team was back together and raring to go. Practices became more commonplace and gradually the four developed a safe and appealing four-plane show. Their first opportunity to strut their stuff came on a most auspicious occasion - the visit of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to 1 Wing on May 21st, 1953. This was a major event for the entire station and nothing was overlooked in preparing for the Royal Visit. The Duke was treated to a wing flypast of 12 Sabres, a brethtaking display of solo aerobatics by F/L Dean Kelly followed by " a beautiful display of precision flying in the form of formation aerobatics" by the 441 team according to the station's local newspaper. "The Tailpipe summed up the visit in this way: "A great honour has been bestowed on Number 1 Fighter Wing in this, its first opportunity to host a member of the Royal Family and in the hearts of everyone is the fond wish that we may be so privileged again in the not too distant future."

On June 4th. the team put on a display for the troops at 3 Wing in Zweibrucken. This was followed on the 20th by another major show at the National Air Races at Southend-on-Sea, their last demonstration with Gar Brine as leader. Having given a glowing report on the solo aerobatics of F/O Bob Gibson of 410 Squadron, "Flight magazine added this tribute to the 441 team: The four other Sabres of 441 Squadron gave as graceful and effortless a formation display as could a corps de ballet. Their slow, slowrolls, the speed with which they were back for the next manoeuvre and finally, their bomb shell breakaway - and high-speed criss-cross - were all outstanding examples of master demonstration flying."

At the end of the summer Brine was transferred back to the OTU in Chatham and Ralph Annis proceeded to Zweibrucken to instruct at the Air Division Instrument Trainng Flight. Fern Villeneuve took over leadership of the team, recruiting Norm Ronaasen to fly right wing and Bob Haverstock to fly left; Jean Gaudry remained in the box. Villeneuve led the team through 13 practices starting on the 31st of August in preparation for what would turn out to be their last two shows - RAF Station Horsham St. Faith on the occasion of their Battle of Britain Open House and the North Luffenham "At Home", both taking place on September 19th, 1953. Although this ended the season for the 441 Squadron team, they would fly a rare photo trip on October 8th with Ralph Annis who flew over from Zweibrucken in a T-33. Fern Villeneuve would also do one more solo aerobatic display at RAF Wattisham on October 25th prior to being posted back to Canada. But this stint with 441 Squadron was not the end of his career in the airshow business, it was only the beginning.

Reprinted from "A Tradition of Excellence - Canada's Airshow Team Heritage" courtesy Dan Dempsey. - Web Site -