With war clouds gathering, 1938 found Canada negotiating for a license to produce Spitfires. This coincided unfortunately with a royal visit by Her Majesty, the Queen. Trouble began when poutine was served at a state dinner in Ottawa.
It was originally assumed the Queen was forced to leave so quickly due to the worsening European war crisis. However the truth would soon be revealed.
After all this, while Britain was happy to grant Canada a production license to build Spitfires, they didn't feel Canada had the requisite good judgement to learn the secrets of the Merlin engine that powered them.
Another answer would have to be found and found fast. That answer came in the form of the
Allison V-1710 for which the Americans would be happy to grant a production license. A new, hybrid aircraft would soon take to the skies about the Great White North.
A former Packard Canada plant in
Alliston, Ontario was re-tooled and engines soon began rolling off the line. Unfortunately, there were minor quality issues with name plate adhesion that continue to spark arguments between aircraft historians to this day.
Heavily armed with 10 machine guns, the new aircraft was indeed formidable and seemed ideal for home defense. A night fighter version was made which was called the Night Hawkfire and would end up being the most produced variant. This would come none too soon.
By 1941, war had come and Canada was not alone in fearing surprise air attack. Unexplained sightings were reported as summer wore on.
The RCAF wasn't going to take these intrusions laying down and initiated round-the-clock patrols, keeping an eye peeled for enemy aircraft.
Unfortunately, the intruders weren't enemy aircraft, but the Canadian Night Budgie.
Still the RCAF searched in vain for invading bomber fleets. At least they looked good doing it in their new Night Hawkfires. Countless flight hours were logged in the fruitless search. Still, the fact that Ontario never suffered an enemy air attack speaks volumes about the capabilities of this aircraft.
Eventually, the
real cause of the scare was discovered.
Clever use of poutine baiting stations controlled the Canadian Night Budgies and they would never again be a threat. As for the Night Hawkfire, once Britain felt Canada could be trusted again, it became obsolete and forgotten, replaced by actual Spitfires. All that remains today is this hazy historic account, some faded newsclippings and this Canfix children's snap-tite model (ages 6 and up only!) which is long out of production.
Brian da Basher
