See her lines
Both straight and narrow
This benefiter of the Arrow
Titanium plated northern eagle
To be cast in olive grey
Unaware of the role she’ll play
Until men take her innocence

To carry her right and left
On special pylons below the wings
And yet her masters hope optimistically
She’ll never have to draw blood

She’s an American made for Canada
Defending the peace with the threat of war
Yet still an innocent for now
Born of experience from the 104

Soon to feel the arctic cold
As she warms her nest
Across her home
Cold lake, Bagotville, even Lahr
They will hear her engines growl

Within the framework
Of an aging NATO
She takes her place among the wings
Side by side with sister Harrier
Tornado
F-16

But already they feel
Their place in history
As man reaches for space
Above the sky






© 1982
Inputted and revised © 2022
Photos: Video screen captures of a model I completed (also in 1982) of a CF-18 Hornet.
In the ‘what if’ category, it is dressed in a hypothetical three-tone winter camouflage
scheme of my own design, including dark green, medium grey, over flat white,
with light grey undersides. Canada has never adopted this type of scheme,
instead opting for medium grey, top and undersides.


510 hits as of November 2024

04/11/2022

Author's Note: Written at a time when the CF-18 was first coming into service. Now, 40 years later, it’s in bad need of replacement. Canada has just agreed to purchase 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 Stealth fighters, after the Liberal government cancelled the initial contract in 2015, when it came to power under Justin Trudeau. Another example of Liberal gross negligence and incompetence in matters of military policy and procurement.

Posted on 04/11/2022
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti