Wade, Robert: my RCAF experience (March 11, 2019)
Interviewer: Lindquist, Sarah
An interview/narrative of Robert Wade's RCAF experiences. Interview took place on March 11, 2019.
ABSTRACT: Major Robert Wade describes his upbringing and early life in Evansburg, Alberta before becoming an RCAF pilot. He discusses his Basic Officer and Pilot Training before he was posted as an instructor at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He was then posted to the Snowbird Aerobatic Team. The focus of this interview is Wade’s time as a 1 Canadian Air Group CF-104 Starfighter pilot in Europe during the Cold War. He recounts his CF-104 training at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta and CF-104 operations at CFB Baden-Soellingen, including squadron exercises and exchanges. He then recollects his post-CF-104 aviation career. To conclude, he describes his time flying the Soviet MiG 29 aircraft at the Abbotsford Airshow in 1989. 0:40 – 3:15 - Growing up in Evansburg, Alberta, working on heavy equipment, early interest in aviation. 3:16 – 5:16 - Enlistment to RCAF in Edmonton. 5:17 – 10:07 - Officer Training in Victoria, British Columbia, initial pilot training and selection at Camp Borden, first flight, Basic and Advanced Pilot Training at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. 10:08 – 16:39 - Instructor at CFB Moose Jaw, posting to Snowbird Aerobatic Team. 16:40 – 31:32 - CF-5 transition training and CF-104 training in CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, description of CF-104, first flight in a CF-104, social life at Cold Lake. 31:33 – 36:53 - Posting to CFB Baden-Soellingen, Germany, social life on base, interactions with German population, vacationing in Europe. 36:54 - 44:44 - Role if war broke out with the Soviets, description of targets, description of typical day as a CF-104 pilot, combat ready training, role as mass attack lead. 44:45 – 55:06 - Comparison of CF-104’s nuclear strike and conventional attack roles, CF-104 crashes and pilot fatalities, anecdote about bird strikes, anecdote about close call in Nevada. 55:07 – 1:02:26 - NATO and squadron exercises, squadron exchanges, amenities on CFB Baden-Soellingen. 1:02:27 – 1:05:24 - Development of new Close Air Support Operations procedure called Silent Targeting. 1:05:27 – 1:11:15 - Posting to SO Air 3 in charge of War Plans and Exercises. 1:11:18 – 1:17:58 - Weapons practice in Europe and Cold Lake, length of average bombing mission, anecdote about bird strike incident, flying hours. 1:18:00 – 1:27:01 - CF-104 instructor at Cold Lake during Starfighter phase-out, remarks on end of CF-104 era, remarks on CF-104’s capabilities; remarks on 1 CAG operations. 1:27:03 – 1:30:15 - CF-18 instructor, comparison between CF-104 and CF-18. 1:30:22 – 1:40:00 - Flying Soviet MiG 29 at Abbotsford Airshow. 1:40:01 - end - Final years flying for the RCAF, commercial airline flying, end of aviation career, final remarks on flying career. Suggested Clip for Archive: 1:30:22 – 1:37:45 - First Western pilot to fly the Soviet MiG 29 at Abbotsford Airshow.
Interviewee: Wade, Robert, 1946-
Rank: Major.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- 51.5, 10.5
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- WR_886
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 11, 2019
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2019. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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