No. 440 Squadron RCAF
Encyclopedia
No. 440 "City of Ottawa" Transport Squadron (Vampire) is a unit of the Canadian Forces
under the Royal Canadian Air Force
. It is part of 17 Wing and Joint Task Force North located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
.
Based at Yellowknife Airport
and operating throughout Northern Canada
, the unit's primary role is to provide support to the Canadian Forces, including the Canadian Rangers
and the Royal Canadian Air Cadets
, with search and rescue
as a secondary role. The squadron operates four CC-138 DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft that can flown on tundra tire
s, ski
s or floats.
Royal Canadian Air Force
squadron that operated as part of the Royal Air Force
in Europe with the Hawker Typhoon
.
The squadron was formed in Vancouver
on 5 October 1932 as No. 11 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron before being redesignated No. 111 (Coast Artillery Co-Operation) Squadron on 15 November 1937. At the outbreak of the Second World War the squadron formed a detachment at Patricia Bay on Vancouver Island
, now Victoria International
, before being redesignated No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron on 1 July 1940. It was disbanded on 1 February 1941 and then reformed on 3 November 1941. The squadron and took part in air defence operations in Western Canada
and the Aleutian Islands Campaign under Western Air Command before moving to RAF Ayr
where it was redesignated No. 440 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron on 8 February 1944 as an Article XV
squadron under the control of the British Royal Air Force. It was the third Canadian
Typhoon equipped squadron of 143 Wing
. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
for working up but changed to the Hawker Typhoon once they were delivered. After a period of training the squadron began operations in 30 March 1944 with the Typhoons from RAF Hurn
in the fighter bomber role. Originally the Typhoons were fitted with 500 lb (226.8 kg) bombs but later were able to carry a 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bombs under each wing. The squadron supported and followed the allied armies through France, Netherlands and then into Germany. It was disbanded at Flensburg
on the 26 August 1945.
In 1953 the squadron was reformed at RCAF Station Bagotville
and equipped with the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. From 1957 until 1962, when they were once again disbanded, the squadron, part of 3 Wing, was stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base
, West Germany
as part of Canada's commitment to NATO. The squadron was reactivated a final time 8 July 1968 at CFB Winnipeg as No. 440 Communications and Rescue Squadron with Douglas Dakotas and Vertol H-21 helicopters and redesignated as 440 Transport and Rescue Squadron in October. They later moved to CFB Namao
just outside Edmonton
where they operated de Havilland Canada
CC-115 Buffalo
and CC-138 Twin Otters. At the time, two of the Twin Otters were stationed in Yellowknife, and in 1994 after CFB Namao closed the squadron moved north to be redesignated No. 440 Transport Squadron in 1995.
No. 440 Squadron does not share a lineage with No. 11 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
under 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...
. It is part of 17 Wing and Joint Task Force North located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
.
Based at Yellowknife Airport
Yellowknife Airport
Yellowknife Airport is located in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. The airport is part of the National Airports System, and is operated by the government of the Northwest Territories. The airport has regular scheduled passenger service, and is also used as a forward operating base for...
and operating throughout Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
, the unit's primary role is to provide support to the Canadian Forces, including the Canadian Rangers
Canadian Rangers
The Canadian Rangers are a sub-component of the Canadian Forces reserve that provide a military presence in Canada's sparsely settled northern, coastal, and isolated areas. Formally established on May 23, 1947, a primary role of this part-time force is to conduct surveillance or sovereignty...
and the Royal Canadian Air Cadets
Royal Canadian Air Cadets
Royal Canadian Air Cadets is a Canadian national youth program for persons aged 12 to 18. It is administered by the Canadian Forces and funded through the Department of National Defence with additional support from the civilian Air Cadet League of Canada...
, with search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
as a secondary role. The squadron operates four CC-138 DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft that can flown on tundra tire
Tundra tire
A tundra tire is a large low-pressure tire used on light aircraft to allow operations on rough terrain.-History:The tundra style tire has been independently invented at different times and places...
s, ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
s or floats.
History
No. 440 Squadron RCAF was a Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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...
squadron that operated as part of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in Europe with the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
.
The squadron was formed in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
on 5 October 1932 as No. 11 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron before being redesignated No. 111 (Coast Artillery Co-Operation) Squadron on 15 November 1937. At the outbreak of the Second World War the squadron formed a detachment at Patricia Bay on Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, now Victoria International
Victoria International Airport
Victoria International Airport serves Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is north northwest of the city, in North Saanich, quite close to the town of Sidney on the Saanich Peninsula...
, before being redesignated No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron on 1 July 1940. It was disbanded on 1 February 1941 and then reformed on 3 November 1941. The squadron and took part in air defence operations in Western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
and the Aleutian Islands Campaign under Western Air Command before moving to RAF Ayr
RAF Prestwick
RAF Prestwick is the home of the "Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre ", and is located within the NATS air traffic control facility at Prestwick, in Ayrshire, Scotland....
where it was redesignated No. 440 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron on 8 February 1944 as an Article XV
Article XV squadrons
Article XV squadrons were Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand air force squadrons formed from graduates of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , during World War II....
squadron under the control of the British Royal Air Force. It was the third Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Typhoon equipped squadron of 143 Wing
No. 143 Wing RAF
No. 143 Wing RAF was a Hawker Typhoon formation of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It comprised No. 168 Squadron RAF, No. 439 Squadron RCAF, No. 438 Squadron RCAF and No. 440 Squadron RCAF....
. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
for working up but changed to the Hawker Typhoon once they were delivered. After a period of training the squadron began operations in 30 March 1944 with the Typhoons from RAF Hurn
RAF Hurn
RAF Station Hurn is a former World War II airfield in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately north east of Christchurch; about southwest of LondonOpened in 1941, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force...
in the fighter bomber role. Originally the Typhoons were fitted with 500 lb (226.8 kg) bombs but later were able to carry a 1000 lb (453.6 kg) bombs under each wing. The squadron supported and followed the allied armies through France, Netherlands and then into Germany. It was disbanded at Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
on the 26 August 1945.
In 1953 the squadron was reformed at RCAF Station Bagotville
CFB Bagotville
Canadian Forces Base Bagotville , commonly referred to as CFB Bagotville, is a Canadian Forces Base located west of Bagotville in the city of Saguenay, Quebec. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CF-18 Hornet...
and equipped with the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. From 1957 until 1962, when they were once again disbanded, the squadron, part of 3 Wing, was stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base
Zweibrücken Air Base
Zweibrücken Air Base was a NATO air base in West Germany . It was located 35 miles SSW of Kaiserslautern and 2 miles mi SE of Zweibrücken. It was assigned to the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Air Forces in Europe during its operational lifetime.The facility was closed in...
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as part of Canada's commitment to NATO. The squadron was reactivated a final time 8 July 1968 at CFB Winnipeg as No. 440 Communications and Rescue Squadron with Douglas Dakotas and Vertol H-21 helicopters and redesignated as 440 Transport and Rescue Squadron in October. They later moved to CFB Namao
CFB Edmonton
CFB Edmonton is a Canadian Forces base located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Edmonton Garrison or "Steele Barracks".-History:...
just outside Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
where they operated de Havilland Canada
De Havilland Canada
The de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
CC-115 Buffalo
De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing utility transport, a turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou...
and CC-138 Twin Otters. At the time, two of the Twin Otters were stationed in Yellowknife, and in 1994 after CFB Namao closed the squadron moved north to be redesignated No. 440 Transport Squadron in 1995.
No. 440 Squadron does not share a lineage with No. 11 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron.
Aircraft operated
| Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932-? | de Havilland DH.60 Moth De Havilland DH.60 Moth The de Havilland DH 60 Moth was a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.-Development:The DH 60 was developed from the larger DH 51 biplane... |
Single-engine, 2 seat biplane Biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing... |
|
| 1942–1944 | Curtiss P-40 Warhawk | Kittyhawk | Single-engined ground-attack aircraft |
| 1944 | Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force... |
IV | Single-engined fighter bomber |
| 1944–1945 | Hawker Typhoon Hawker Typhoon The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied... |
IB | Single-engined fighter bomber |
| 1953–1962 | Avro CF-100 Canuck | All-weather jet Jet aircraft A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft... interceptor/fighter Interceptor aircraft An interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up... |
|
| 1968-? | Douglas Dakotas | Transport Military transport aircraft Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in... , search and rescue Search and rescue Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations... |
|
| 1968-? | Vertol H-21 helicopters | Tandem roter helicopter | |
| 1971-? | de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing utility transport, a turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou... |
CC-115 | STOL STOL STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of... transport aircraft |
| 1971–present | de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... |
CC-138 | Light transport, STOL, bush airplane |