Hamilton Air Show is back!

Freddy K in the cockpit of a CF-100 "Clunk" at the Hamilton International Airshow, 1977.



After a 10 year hiatus, the Hamilton Air Show returns to the skies this Father's Day Weekend! I rejoiced at the news sometime ago that the show was returning. During my Air Force days about 30 years ago, we attended a number of air shows both officially & un-officially & the Hamilton one was a regular event for me. I [particularly liked visiting the Air Force Club at Mount Hope on the day before the show started to have a few beers, a sausage on a bun, look again at the various memorabilia inside the Club, but mostly to watch the various aircraft practice their routines for the show the following days - all without the large crowds or admission charge!

Thought of repeating the tradition today but with a young pup at home & the price of gas these days, easier to stay home & reminisce!

But if you can go this weekend, by all means do so! We've seen the warbirds of the CWH so many times it isn't new for us.

Vintage Fireguy Photos

Click on a pic for a lager view.

From a house fire somewhere around Aberdeen Avenue close to the Hamilton Escarpment. The hottest day of the year & I recall we just came back from drill at the Training Complex. That's a 50 foot pole ladder extended to the roof.


The fellow sitting on the roof is me. Time is the late 1980's. Check out the old gear!


Then fireguy Steve Fedorka-Smith with my wife Lynn at a party we held in the late 1980's.


From Steve Fedorka-Smith's wedding





From fireguy John Currier's wedding




My wife Lynn, Dean Kenney, & Gary Forrester at John Currier's wedding


A shot of fireguy Larry Rees as Santa at our British Car Toy Run charity event, 1995


A Cigar Nite at Carmen's Banquet Center. Freddy K with Lynn, former station Manager of CHCH TV Frank Denardis & Carmen's owner Peter Mercanti


Photo of our crew from a demonstration day at our Fire Training Complex. Probably early 1990's


A Platoon crew at Stn 10, displaying tricycles refurbished for the Trikes For Tykes program


Mike Jackson with trikes


Freddy K at Stn 1 between takes of video productions being done with Mohawk college, circa 1986





Cigars with A Platoon at Stn 1, mid 1990's. Mike Ambacher, Freddy K, and Jim Ecker


Golf Day. "Thurston Howell III", Ivan Harris, & former union President Ron Bowman,


Lynn with my Fire Dept mentor, Lieutenant Larry Barker


Larry Barker & Dean Kenney

Hamilton Music - The Shakers, Dave Rave

I use to hang with these lads, back in the day. I remember Dave, Rick, Tim, Claude, & Cam well.

Hamilton Music - Teenage Head & Forgotten Rebels

Hamilton, Canada...Steel Town. The Hammer. Frantic City...Perhaps 2 of the biggest things that have come out of my home town music-wise were Teenage Head & The Forgotten Rebels. Both were from the late 1970's and both were of the Punk or New Wave genre. And both were still active about 30 years later. Both of these bands were part of my high school scene.

Here's a recent clip of Teenage Head doing one of their best known tunes, before the death of singer Frankie Venom.



Here's my own music video tribute to The Forgotten Rebels 2004 tune High School Hooker, one of my personal favourites...

CF100 Clunk project by Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

This "Clunk" I knew well - standing for years on a pedestal beside the RCAFA Club at Hamilton Airport. Well in late October 2009, it was removed from its perch - apparently to be restored & added to the CWH Museum!