What did the Golden Hawks' Tutors do?

Short answer

The Golden Hawks never flew the Tutor: they were an RCAF aerobatic team formed in 1959 that started with the Canadair Sabre 5. The Tutors—ten modified in 1967—belonged to the Golden Centennaires team, and from 1971 were adopted by the team renamed Snowbirds in 1972.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Canadair CT-114 Tutor Golden CentennaireMichael from Calgary, AB, Canada (CC BY), vía commons

A team created for two anniversaries

The Golden Hawks were a Royal Canadian Air Force aerobatic team established in 1959 to celebrate the RCAF's 35th anniversary and the "golden" 50th anniversary of flight in Canada, which had begun with the AEA Silver Dart in 1909. A six-aircraft team was initially planned to perform for a single year with the Canadair Sabre 5. The Golden Hawks went on to perform for three more seasons, until their disbandment on 7 February 1964, apparently for financial reasons, having given a total of 317 displays across North America.

The Tutors flew with the Golden Centennaires

During 1967 a batch of ten Tutors was modified for use as formation aerobatic aircraft by the RCAF's display team — and later that of the unified Canadian Armed Forces — the Golden Centennaires, to celebrate Canada's centennial year. At the end of the 1967 season the team was disbanded and its aircraft returned to routine training duties.

From the Tutor to the Snowbirds

In 1971 a new formation flying team was formed at 2CFFTS, the Canadian Armed Forces flying school at Moose Jaw air base, which once again adopted the type. The following year the team was given the name "Snowbirds", and in 1978 it received squadron status as the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron. The Golden Hawks' legacy lives on in the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.