Story and Photos by Gord McNulty
The arrival of the Grey Cup — Canada’s equivalent to the Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the Super Bowl — in Hamilton, Ontario, provided plenty of excitement for football fans and photographers in December.
A Bell CH-146 Griffon from the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 430 Silver Falcon Tactical Helicopter Squadron, based in Valcartier, Quebec, flew the iconic trophy and Canadian Football League Commissioner Randy Ambrosie to Hamilton, host city of the 108th Grey Cup Game.
In a remarkable scene at Bayfront Park, the Griffon whipped up so much snow as it approached that for a few moments photographers couldn’t see anything — only hear the sound of the rotors.
When the snow settled, we could see that the Griffon was painted in an impressive color scheme honoring the 50th anniversary (1971-2021) of the squadron’s reactivation in 1971 as a French-speaking tactical helicopter unit, making the occasion all the more special.
The squadron’s gyrfalcon emblem proudly stood out on the side of the fuselage. A second Griffon, in standard finish, flew in as a backup.
Everyone was thrilled to enjoy this one of a kind event. The helicopter crew posed for a few photos with the Grey Cup before lifting off. Kudos to 430 Squadron for mission accomplished!
As for the Grey Cup Game, the defending champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-25 in an overtime thriller.