Vernon historian has footage from the 1970 Abbotsford Airshow

High-flying history

Today's vintage video is reaching new heights in history.

Vernon historian and videographer Francois Arseneault has converted grainy colour footage of the 1970 Abbotsford Airshow into a much crisper 4K format.

“The 1970 airshow featured many static displays and aerial demonstrations,” Arseneault said. “The US Navy’s famous Blue Angels, flying the McDonnell Douglas F4 Phantom...had quite a presence on the tarmac and in the air.”
Unfortunately, there is no sound with the footage, as was common with most 16 mm home movies of that era.

The RAF even made it to the show with one of their 10 Shorts Belfast, sometimes mistaken for a C130 Hercules. The turboprop aircraft was introduced in 1966, but retired after only 10 years.

Arseneault, who is also well versed on military history, said other aircraft included the 1976 Fairchild C-119C, Canadair CF-5, McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo, P51 Mustang Miss America N991R with Bob Hoover and CF104 Starfighters.

The experimental Chipmunk N1114V also made an appearance at the show.

“The Canadian Forces demonstrated their CF104 Starfighters and CF5 Freedom Fighters,” Arseneault said. “The Canadair CF5 had been recently acquired in 1968 and would serve until retirement in 1995.”

The Art Scholl-piloted, Penzoil-sponsored Chipmunk put on an aerobatic demonstration. Originally built in 1950 for RCAF reserve pilot training, this particular aircraft was highly modified for aerobatic demonstration.
“Sadly, 15 years later on Sept. 16, 1985, Scholl was lost after his Pitts S-2 camera plane failed to recover from a flat spin and plunged into the Pacific Ocean while filming for the movie Top Gun,” Arseneault said.

Arseneault is always looking for more information on the vintage footage he digs up, and he encourages people to add their input in the comments section on his Youtube page.

Arseneault has an extensive collection of vintage footage, and he is looking for more.

Anyone who may have old 16 mm or 8 mm film footage of the Vernon and Okanagan area is invited to email Arseneault at [email protected].

- with files from Francois Arseneault