No. 432 Squadron RCAF
Overview
No. 432 Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
formed during the Second World War.
It was first formed at Skipton-on-Swale
Skipton-on-Swale
Skipton-on-Swale is a small village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the A61 road, about 4 miles west of Thirsk....
in May 1943, as part of No. 6 Group
No. 6 Group RCAF
No. 6 Group RCAF was an organization of Royal Canadian Air Force bomber squadrons which operated from airfields in Yorkshire, England during the Second World War. Although 6 Group was RCAF, it was controlled by the Royal Air Force as part of Bomber Command. No. 6 Group had been previously active...
of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. The unit was equipped with Wellington X
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
bombers.
The squadron deployed to RAF East Moor
RAF East Moor
RAF East Moor was a Royal Air Force air station operated by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. The station was located near Sutton-on-the-Forest, North Yorkshire, UK and was a sub-station of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.-History:...
in mid-September, equipping with Lancaster IIs
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
in October. In February 1944 they changed to Halifax IIIs
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
, upgrading these to Halifax VIIs in July.
As part of an Royal Canadian Air Force public relations plan, the town of Leaside officially "adopted" No.