Canadian Reconnaissance Aircraft in Europe

After WW 2 the tactical reconnaissance role was taken by 417 Sqd RCAF in Europe. Initially equipped with Mosquito FR XV1's, by 1952 these were obsolete and the RCAF began the search for a replacement. They evaluated both the Meteor FR 9 and the RF84F in 1953-4 finding both aircraft suitable for their needs, but opting to obtain the newer American aircraft on lease due to unacceptable delivery times with the Meteor. So 417 reformed with 24
Thunderflashes in 1955 and was based in France, W Germany and Southern Italy.

In 1961 with the adoption of the CF101 fighter the RCAF looked to update their reconnaissance assets and simplify their logistics by obtaining the
RF101C. The first of 18 aircraft were delivered in 1963 replacing the faithful Thunderflashes.

Due to the UK's involvement in the ongoing SE Asian war the other NATO and Commonwealth countries supporting the NATO commitment to Europe found themselves stretched very thinly along the East/West borders of Europe. The RCAF requested extra RF101C's from the US in 1968, but due to a perceived lack of recce assets in SE Asia within the USAF this request was turned down. McDonnell was busy converting as many single seat fighter-bomber Voodoos to the recce role as fast as they could. But they did offer a conversion for the F101B and F two-seat fighter Voodoos that were being withdrawn from front line USAF service. This would give the two-seater dual controls and a 'missionised' rear cockpit. The reconnaissance cameras and sensors being housed in a 'canoe' under the nose and in the weapons bay. Twelve aircraft were converted by Avro after they were withdrawn from storage in Nevada and delivered to 417 sqd. The crews found the two-seaters to be a great success due to the shared workload in the generally poor European weather conditions. This along with the USAF's requirement for more single seat recce Voodoos led to the RCAF withdrawing the remaining 22 RF101C's in 1970 and returning them to McDonnell for overhaul before they were issued to the USAF, who had borne the cost of the overhauls and offset a large percentage of the conversion cost by donating the replacement airframes to the RCAF. They were replaced in Canadian service with RF101B's on a one for one basis.

The Voodoos soldiered on in Europe on both the inner German and inner Italian boarders thoughout the '70s and early '80s until replaced in 1984
with Tornado GR1A's. These were a quantum leap in technology for the CAF and they served in Europe until after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The
three year upheaval of the interregnum saw the CAF flying many missions in support of the UN over the Balkans, Italy and Cyprus. The celebrated
interception of a CAF Tornado by RAF Tornados over Cyprus where the Canadian crew were invited for a beer and a curry is a well known story. But hides the very serious and often dangerous missions flown at low level, under fire over
the 'Green Line' by the CAF's Tornado force. The shooting down of a Greek Cypriot National Guard Fiat G91 by a CAF Tornado, and an engagement with
Turkish AF Kifirs attests to this.

In 1994 the CAF withdrew from Europe, 417 was co-located at CAF Station North Bay Ontario with 414 sqd. They continue to make detachments abroad in support of the UN, one of the latest being to police the UN brokered ceasefire between the Zapatista rebels and the Federal Mexican Government in
the southern provinces of Oaxas and Chiapas.