Winnipeg’s well-known Golden Centennaire is down for repairs, and when it’s put back up it will be a Red Knight.

“It’s going to be quite impressive,” says Jason Bell, parks capital projects manager for City of Winnipeg public works.

The Lockheed T-33 Silver Star aircraft was put on display in Woodhaven Park on Portage Avenue in 1967, for centennial celebrations. A bronze plaque at the site says it was a project of the people of St. James and Canadian Armed Services Base.

According to Gord Crossley, 17 Wing Heritage, Canadair CL-30 T-33AN Silver Star Mk.3 number 21232 entered service with the RCAF August 10th, 1955. It was a trainer until it was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1964. In 1967, the plane was declared surplus and was transferred back to the RCAF to be used as a monument.

The City of Winnipeg acquired the monument in 1972 when the city unified with several surrounding municipalities, including St. James.

The plane hasn’t come down from its pedestal since 1990, when it was re-painted to resemble a Golden Centennaires T-33. The Golden Centennaires were an aerobatic team preceding the Snowbirds. The display plane originally went up in 1967 with a silver finish.

Now its getting a coat of red and black. The jet has once again been taken down from its perch for repairs and a re-painting. Bell says the concrete mantle and structure that supports the plane will be repaired. The air frame will be soda-blasted to remove the decals, paint, and oxidation on there currently. The plane’s aluminum skin will be repaired, and it will be painted as a Red Knight. The Red Knight was an RCAF solo aerobatic act.

“17 of Canada’s best pilots flew the distinctive Red Knight aircraft,” says Crossley in an email. “Three were killed in crashes during the duration of the program.” The program ran from 1958-1969.

Flight Lieutenant Bill Slaughter was one of those 17 pilots, flying as Red Knight in 1963 and 1964. Slaughter retired from the RCAF a Brigadier-General. He was born in Winnipeg in 1939 and died in 2013. Slaughter’s family, and 17 Wing RCAF, are assisting the city with its plane refurbishing plan.

 

This is a corrected story.