Military flyby coming to Fredericton, Saint John Sunday
Keep your eyes to the skies Sunday if you're in Saint John or Fredericton.
A helicopter flyby will be held over each city as part of the Royal Canadian Air Force's commemoration of the Battle of Britain.
Four CH-146 Griffon helicopters will depart from CFB Gagetown in Oromocto before flying over downtown Saint John at 11 a.m. and downtown Fredericton at 12:25 p.m.
"It's just a great opportunity to commemorate the Battle of Britain, this is the 81st anniversary of it," said Capt. Jason McLinton, a pilot with 403 Squadron who helped organize the event.
"It was a victory that set the tone that the Allied powers weren't going to quit and give up."
The battle was the first to be fought exclusively in the air, with more than 2,300 pilots and aircrew from Britain, and nearly 600 from other nations, facing off against the Luftwaffe — Germany's air force.
Over July and October 1940, Germany launched relentless bombing attacks on Britain as it attempted to invade the country. Twenty-three Canadians died in the fighting.
A ceremony to mark the occasion will also be held at the provincial cenotaph in Fredericton at noon.
The helicopters will fly at an altitude no lower than 500 feet. Weather conditions should be perfect for flying, McLinton said.
Flybys are also expected across Canada, including in Halifax and Greenwood, N.S., and St. John's.
