Huot, Robert: my Cold War recollections (March 4, 2011)

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An interview/narrative of Robert Huot's experiences during the Cold War. Interview took place on March 4, 2011.

Interviewee: Huot, Robert, b. 1935

Interviewer: McKeigan, Cameron

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel.

ABSTRACT: The interview with Lt. Col. Huot on 4 March 2011 begins with a description of Huot’s family background and why he joined the RCAF in 1954. He then highlights Canada’s relationship with the Soviets and the US at the time of his joining up, and describes his first posting flying in an F-86 Sabre Squadron in the RCAF No.2 Fighter wing in France. After providing some commentary on the quality of Canadian airmen and an encounter with a Soviet transport plane, Huot describes the significance of Canada’s contribution to NATO and his feelings towards the CF-105 Arrow and Bomarc missiles. His narrative then turns back to North America, where he attended university before heading right back to Europe, this time as a technician with the Italian air force in charge of maintaining their F-104 flight simulators. Following his time in Italy, Huot spent ten years with the Reserves, and was a first-hand witness to the effects of budget cuts on the organization. Huot describes in detail the operations of the Reserves during his time with them, including his participation in the Canadian government’s search for the Franklin expidition. Huot then expresses his opinion on the Unification of the Canadian Forces, and its impact on the Reserves, before going into greater detail of the role he played in the Arctic. There is a brief discussion of setbacks in the RCAF, largely du to budget, a return to the CF-105, and Huot’s opinion of the relationship of the RCAF and the USAF during the Cold War. Huot concludes the interview with three anecdotes, the first regarding his escape procedures while in France, the second about the Soviet attempt to throw of NATO fliers over East Germany, and the third about being an ‘expert’ at detecting mechanical failures in the F-86. 0:00-0:30 - Intro 0:30-2:00 - Family background 2:00-5:00 - Joining RCAF 5:00-6:10 - Threat from the Soviet Union 6:10-7:40 - Relations with US 7:40-9:30 - Assigned to F-86 No. 2 Fighter Wing in France 9:30-14:30 - Flying in Europe and Africa, commentary on Canadians 14:30-16:20 - Canada's role in NATO air force, gunnery competition 16:20-18:00 - Soviet aircraft contact 18:00-22:00 - Canadian significance and presence in NATO 22:00-24:40 - Decline in NATO, The Arrow 24:40-25:20 - Back in North America for University and CAE 25:20-28:00 - Italy for NATO flight simulators, Reserves back in Quebec 28:00-30:30 - Canadians working for other NATO nations 30:30-32:15 - Flight simulators 32:15-34:20 - Reserves 1969-79 34:20-35:30 - Problems with Reserves manpower, 401 sqdrn. 35:30-38:00 - Nuclear weapons 38:00-40:20 - NORAD and NATO and effects on Reserves 40:20-45:45 - Budget cuts and the Reserves 45:45-48:30 - Responsibilities in the Reserves, Franklin Expedition 48:30-53:20 - Integration and its impact 53:20-56:10 -More detail on Reserves roles, Arctic photography 56:10-58:30 - Machine preferences in the Reserves 58:30-59:40 - Reserves vs. Regulars and budget 59:40-1:04:40 - Setbacks in RCAF, budget 1:04:40-1:06:00 - More on the Arrow and Bomarc 1:06:00-1:09:45 - RCAF relations with USAF 1:09:45-1:11:40 - Anecdote about escape and evasion procedures in France, Interrogation 1:11:40-1:13:15 - Anecdote about Soviet radio frequencies, Force matching in East Germany 1:13:15-1:17:30 - Anecdote of Zulu partners, engine blowout, and 'experts' 1:17:30-1:20:22 - Conclusion

In Collection:
Contributor Subject Language Keyword Date created Relation Resource type Rights statement Extent
  • 1 sound recording (MP3)
Geographic coverage Coordinates
  • 60.10867, -113.64258
  • 39.76, -98.5
  • 51.5, 10.5
Additional physical characteristics
  • Original sound recording (MP3) also available.
Physical repository Collection
  • Canadian Military Oral History Collection
Provider Genre Archival item identifier
  • HR_686
Fonds title Fonds identifier Is referenced by Date digitized
  • March 6, 2011
Technical note
  • Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 128 kbps and 44 kHz. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2011. 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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