Grostenquin, France

1 Air Division Aerobatic Display Teams

Sky Lancers – 1955

In 1955, 2 (F) Wing, Grostenquin France, was selected to provide a team. The Air Division team was now called "The Sky Lancers". The team was formed in mid April. Approximately 20 shows were flown during the 1955 season and the team disbanded in October 1955.

Extracts from 2 Wing Historical Reports:

25 Apr 55

Aerobatic team practising daily.

26 Apr 55

Flying underway by all units and the aerobatic team.

27 Apr 55

Aerobatic team practising full time.

17 May 55

Aerobatic team continue to practice for any commitments which may arise.

13 Jul 55

Aerobatic team involved in mid air collision. The aircraft were damaged slightly, but no one was injured.

31 Jul 55

"The Skylancers", 2 (F) Wing's Aerobatic Team participated in an international air show at Frescaty, and from all accounts gave an excellent performance.

16 Sep 55

The Aerobatic Team left for Dusseldorf to participate in an air show.

Position

Pilot

Squadron

Aircraft

Number 1

F/L Tony Hannas

421 Squadron

AX23062

Number 2

F/O BR Campbell

430 Squadron

BH23310

Number 3

F/O LM Eisler

421 Squadron

AX23046

Number 4

F/O GCE Theriault

430 Squadron

BH23156

Solo

F/O HL Graves

416 Squadron

AS23226

We mourn the death of General Gérard Thériault, at his home in Victoria after a long battle with cancer. General Thériault had a distinguished military career, joining the Air Force in 1951 as a pilot and flying F86 Sabres with the Sky Lancers aerobatic team. At Defence Headquarters, he was successively vice-chief, deputy chief and chief of defence staff. He retired from military service in 1987. General Thériault was only 66 when he passed away on 13 October 1998.

In early 1955 the Air Div formed a new team at 2 Wing, the Sky Lancers, led by F/L Tony Hannas with F/Os BR Campbell (No. 2), LM "Len" Eisler (No.3), GCE "Gerry" Theriault (No. 4) and HL "Herbie" Graves (solo). The first practices began in mid-April with two sessions a day thereafter, and the air show circuit soon got underway with displays at Chaumont (April 25), Auxerre (July 17), Volkel (August 19), Marignane (August 24), Blackbush (September 8), Tours (September 11), Dusseldorf (September 17), Grostenquin (September 20, Dortmund (October 2), and Cambrai (October 6). The shows ran 15-20 minutes and included the usual diamond formation fly-bys, loops, rools,cloverleaf turns, various formation changes, and closing bomb bursts. The shows in Germany were a special hit, as the Germans were only beginning to reform their air force and jets were still a novelty.


Click on the description text to view the detail.
  1. The 2 Wing Sky Lancers - 1955.
    Courtesy Daniel Dempsey.

  2. The 2 Wing Sky Lancers Mishap - 13 July 1955.
    Courtesy BR Campbell.

  3. The 2 Wing Sky Lancers Mishap - 13 July 1955.
    Courtesy Tony Hannas.

  4. Other memories of the Sky Lancers - 1955.
    Courtesy Tony Hannas.

  5. Other memories of the Sky Lancers - 1955.
    Courtesy Daniel Dempsey.

  6. The Box Takeoff - 1955.
    Courtesy Daniel Dempsey.

  7. The Dusseldorf Incident - 18 September 1955.
    Courtesy Daniel Dempsey.



Click on the description text to view the photograph.
  1. The end of a gratifing season as the formation pilots of the 2 Wing "Sky Lancers" stroll into the sunset and history - 12 October 1955.
    (L-R) F/O Gerry Theriault, S/L Tony Hannas, F/O Don Eilser and F/O BR Campbell.
    Courtesy DND PL 82891.

  2. An advertising poster for the Dusseldorf airshow - 18 September 1955.
    By the fall of 1955, airshows were drawing mega crowds in Europe, occasionally as high as 300,000. The translation reads "With the fastest and best flying squadrons in the world from the USA and Canada.
    Courtesy Herb Graves.

  3. "Sky Lancers" ground crew in Dusseldorf, Germany - 18 September 1955.
    F/S Art Elliott (center).
    Courtesy Art Elliott.

  4. "Sky Lancers" ground crew in Dusseldorf, Germany - 18 September 1955.
    F/S Art Elliott (2nd from right), and 2 Wing CO, G/C Weiser (far right).
    Courtesy Art Elliott.

  5. The "Sky Lancers" in a "diamond formation" over France - 23 August 1955.
    Courtesy DND PL 82637.

  6. Sky Lancers in formation flight - August 1955.
    Courtesy Larry Milberry.

  7. Sky Lancers in a vertical climb - August 1955.
    Courtesy Larry Milberry.

  8. Sky Lancers in an inverted formation - August 1955.
    Courtesy Larry Milberry.

  9. Sabre 23062 from 421 Squadron while with the Sky Lancers - July 1955.
    The rest of the story.
    Courtesy Don Norrie.

  10. F-86 Sabre #23310 was 430 Squadrons contribution to the Sky Lancers - July 1955.
    This aircraft was eventually transferred to 443 Squadron, and then to MAC for disposal.
    Courtesy Don Norrie.

  11. Sky Lancers practicing over 2 Wing - July 1955.
    Courtesy Ren L'Ecuyer.

  12. This "Sky Lancers" team badge was used for public relations - June 1955.
    Courtesy Herb Graves.

  13. This "Sky Lancers" poster was used for public relations - June 1955.
    Courtesy Herb Graves.

  14. "Sky Lancers" aerobatic team in 2 Wing - June 1955.
    The rest of the story.
    Courtesy Art Elliott.

  15. Larger image of "Sky Lancers" aerobatic team - June 1955.
    The rest of the story.
    Courtesy Art Elliott.

  16. (L-R) Tony Hannas (421 Squadron), BR Campbell (430 Squadron) LM Eisler (421 Squadron), External Affairs Minister Lester B Pearson, Gerry Theriault (430 Squadron) Herbie Graves (416 Squadron) - 13 May 1955.
    The 2 Wing Sky Lancers had put on a special show at 3 Wing for Hon Lester B Pearson.
    Courtesy DND PL 82087.

  17. The "Sky Lancers" head downhill on the backside of a loop - June 1955.
    Courtesy Graham Wragg.

  18. Sky Lancers aircraft decals - April 1955.
    Courtesy Ren L'Ecuyer.


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Updated: February 26, 2003