1967 Centennaires: Snoopy Old Gold Patch
 

Here’s an obscure aerobatic patch with an interesting history. In 1967 the Canadian Government sponsored an aerobatic team to celebrate the Centennial year and aptly named them, the Golden Centennaires. They performed over 100 shows that year and eventually, many of the same Tutor aircraft later went on to form the Snowbirds. If lucky, one will occasionally come across the patch issued to pilots and aircrew of the Centennaires Team; it is illustrated in the first image.

Rarely seen is a 2nd patch issued to a sub-set of the Centennaires known as the “Old Gold”. It was decided to include a vintage aircraft along with the Golden Centennaires at the airshows. An AVRO 504K, one of Canada’s first trainers in the 1920 era of the Canadian Air Force (CAF), was chosen and restored to flying condition. The best source of information is an article written by Bill Ewing entitled “Old Gold”. For a more detailed background, the reader would do well to check out this article published by Vintage Wings:

http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNe...s-of-1967.aspx

While Bill was extensively involved in the restoration and maintenance of G-CYCK from the beginning, it also provided him the opportunity to incorporate a 2nd interest of his, RCAF patch design. He drafted a design of a patch for the aircraft and event highlighting Snoopy, submitted it along with the darker cardboard colour-concept example to then W/C O.B. Philp who was responsible and held oversight for the Centennial Team and later founded the Snowbirds. OB approved it and a very limited run were manufactured; the two pilots of the aircraft being among the lucky few who received them. The 3rd attachment below (with permission from Mr. Ewing) is a page from the OLD GOLD article and describes the patch history, as published in Vintage Wings above.

Copyright wasn’t something that was generally thought about in those days but Bill did eventually receive approval from Charles Schultz for the use of the Snoopy likeness as the limited edition patch wasn’t intended for commercial purposes.

Collectors should keep a sharp eye out for post 1967 reproductions of these rare patches - some good, some awful.

Best wishes,
Wayne Logus

Absolutely great stuff.

Dan.