CF-18 pilots on standby to escort Santa across Canada

CBC ^ | December 22, 2012 | Janyce McGregor

[Squawk 8888]

Great link! That’s a major dose of serendipity.

[Candor7]

The duty to escort Santa across Canada was once prosecuted by none other than the super-hero of the RCAF, THE RED KNIGHT, shown below.

solo, aerobatics performer of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Training Command from 1958 through 1969, the role of the Red Knight was actually shared by seventeen different pilots over a period of twelve seasons.

The Red Knight was appointed because he was a dogfight aerobatics expert, I saw him do a verticle climb in a Scarlet T-33 from about 30 feet off the runway at RCAF base Summerside in July of 1964, on take off, it left a large torch mark on the runway. I was 15 years old at the time, never forgot it, if the thing had flamed out due to over throttle, he would have died right there, but she hit full throttle with a huge bang and kicked herself to 1000 feet in just 4 seconds:

[Hot Tabasco]

I am absolutely certain that the “Santa Claus escort mission” is part of ongoing training/readiness missions.

What, you're saying you doubt the authenticity of the Santa escorts?????.....what a hoser!

[Rebelbase]

The Iranian’s with the Russian SAS missiles are going to be a problem.

[TornadoAlley3]