CF-104 "833" RCAF 439 squadron "Tiger" at RAF Woodbridge in 1969

CF-104, construction number 1133, built by Canadair, 12833 Canadair Model CL-90, Lockheed Model 683-04-12, Canadair cn 683A-1133
delivery date to RCAF coded 12833 on October 2, 1962; first unit 1 Air Division, Europe
on June 17, 1965 blew both tires and damaged flap and gear doors during strong crosswind landing at Zweibrucken AB
May 5, 1967 to 1 Wing; full scheme for the 1969 "Tiger Meet" 79th TFS (RAF Woodbridge) and was re-painted during the Tigermeet
reserialed as 104833 effective June 1970; struck off service May 23, 1973
to Norway August 13, 1974 with 1.841 flying hours
crashed coded as "833" with 334 Skv on June 10, 1978 aproximately 17 NM north of Andøya with 2.489 flying hours
the plane was on a mission to identify three unknown vessels approx. 32 NM from Hillesøy radar; after circling the targets twice,
the fighter flew into the sea approx. 5 NM to the south of the targets, the pilot was killed, written off with 2.489 flight hours.

The second part of the story.
A good friend of mine was the Squadron Engineering Officer and allowed the painting on his own decision provided that easily removed latex paint be used as the aircraft was due
for a visit to the Canadian paint shop at another Wing. The aircraft was hidden in a unused hangar for the painting and then flown to the TM. It was a great hit except with the host USAF pilots.
Overnight they did much more than tag the aircraft, they spray painted it all over. Their CO was furious and had the aircraft moved to the USAF paint bay where it was cleaned up and repainted
it using normal aircraft paint. After the TM it went for paint at the other wing who found it was almost impossible to remove the paint without stripping etc. They complained to the Base Commander
at Lahr. My Captain buddy was getting his butt chewed out by the Col and figured he would be on the next aircraft back to Canada when the Col received a call from the General at the
Canadian Air Division HQ complimenting him on the great public relations feat as German TV was talking about how great the Tiger Bird looked. Mike was told to get the hell out of his office
and so a Tiger Meet tradition was born. (Gary Watson 2017)


copyright © Henk Schakelaar