List of Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons

The Royal Canadian Air Force existed from 1924 to 1968, later designated Canadian Forces Air Command under the Canadian Forces, and then renamed to its original historic name of Royal Canadian Air Force in 2011. These are the squadrons that have served with Canada's air force since 1924.

Early squadrons

These early squadron numbers have a history going back to the post-First World War Canadian Air Force which disbanded in 1920. These units were formed after the creation of the RCAF in 1924.

No. 1 Squadron RCAF No. 2 Squadron RCAF No. 3 Squadron RCAF No. 4 Squadron RCAF No. 5 Squadron RCAF No. 6 Squadron RCAF No. 7 Squadron RCAF

No. 8 Squadron RCAF No. 9 Squadron RCAF No. 10 Squadron RCAF No. 11 Squadron RCAF No. 12 Squadron RCAF No. 13 Squadron RCAF No. 14 Squadron RCAF No. 18 Squadron RCAF

The 100-series squadrons

Established in Canada in the 1930s most of these units were either disbanded or reassigned a 400 series number for overseas service.

No. 110 Squadron RCAF No. 111 Squadron RCAF No. 112 Squadron RCAF No. 113 Squadron RCAF No. 114 Squadron RCAF No. 115 Squadron RCAF No. 116 Squadron RCAF No. 117 Squadron RCAF No. 118 Squadron RCAF No. 119 Squadron RCAF No. 120 Squadron RCAF No. 121 Squadron RCAF No. 122 Squadron RCAF No. 123 Squadron RCAF No. 124 Squadron RCAF No. 125 Squadron RCAF No. 126 Squadron RCAF No. 127 Squadron RCAF No. 128 Squadron RCAF No. 129 Squadron RCAF

No. 130 Squadron RCAF No. 131 Squadron RCAF No. 132 Squadron RCAF No. 133 Squadron RCAF No. 134 Squadron RCAF No. 135 Squadron RCAF No. 145 Squadron RCAF No. 147 Squadron RCAF No. 149 Squadron RCAF No. 160 Squadron RCAF No. 161 Squadron RCAF No. 162 Squadron RCAF No. 163 Squadron RCAF No. 164 Squadron RCAF No. 165 Squadron RCAF No. 166 Squadron RCAF No. 167 Squadron RCAF No. 168 Squadron RCAF No. 170 Squadron RCAF

The 400-series squadrons

During the Second World War, the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan set out co-operation between the various British Commonwealth air forces. Under Article XV of the plan, RCAF squadrons were attached to and/or formed within British RAF operational formations. These squadrons were known as 'Article XV squadrons'. To avoid confusion with squadron numbers of other Commonwealth squadrons, RCAF units were assigned squadron numbers from 400-449. Not all squadrons up No. 449 were formed, however. This squadron series continued through the post-war years, and the majority of current Royal Canadian Air Force operational squadrons are still numbered in the 400s due to their legacy as wartime units. For this historical reason current squadrons are listed here with their original RCAF names.

No. 400 Squadron RCAF No. 401 Squadron RCAF No. 402 Squadron RCAF No. 403 Squadron RCAF No. 404 Squadron RCAF No. 405 Squadron RCAF No. 406 Squadron RCAF No. 407 Squadron RCAF No. 408 Squadron RCAF No. 409 Squadron RCAF No. 410 Squadron RCAF No. 411 Squadron RCAF No. 412 Squadron RCAF No. 413 Squadron RCAF No. 414 Squadron RCAF No. 415 Squadron RCAF No. 416 Squadron RCAF No. 417 Squadron RCAF No. 418 Squadron RCAF No. 419 Squadron RCAF No. 420 Squadron RCAF No. 421 Squadron RCAF

No. 422 Squadron RCAF No. 423 Squadron RCAF No. 424 Squadron RCAF No. 425 Squadron RCAF No. 426 Squadron RCAF No. 427 Squadron RCAF No. 428 Squadron RCAF No. 429 Squadron RCAF No. 430 Squadron RCAF No. 431 Squadron RCAF No. 432 Squadron RCAF No. 433 Squadron RCAF No. 434 Squadron RCAF No. 435 Squadron RCAF No. 436 Squadron RCAF No. 437 Squadron RCAF No. 438 Squadron RCAF No. 439 Squadron RCAF No. 440 Squadron RCAF No. 441 Squadron RCAF No. 442 Squadron RCAF No. 443 Squadron RCAF

The 600-series squadrons

During the Second World War pilots who served in the 600-series RCAF squadrons were recruited from the Royal Canadian Artillery in England and Italy, and trained to fly at 22 E.F.T.S. Cambridge (England), completing their operational flying training at 43 O.T.U. (RAF Andover). Observers were trained at Larkhill (England); these were selected 'Other Ranks' from the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Canadian Artillery. The three Canadian 'Air Observation Post' squadrons operated under the command of 70 Group, RAF Fighter Command; the first two squadrons saw action while serving with 84 Group, Second Tactical Air Force.

• No. 664 Squadron RCAF
• No. 665 Squadron RCAF
• No. 666 Squadron RCAF

Post-war squadrons

Subsequent to the Second World War the RCAF expanded their squadron numbers to include 444-450. No. 450 was also a Royal Australian Air Force squadron during the war and the Canadian squadron duplicated the number by error, which was discovered when No. 450 Squadron RCAF was formed in 1968.^[1]

• No. 444 Squadron RCAF
• No. 445 Squadron RCAF
• No. 446 Squadron RCAF
• No. 447 Squadron RCAF
• No. 448 Squadron RCAF
• No. 449 Squadron RCAF
• No. 450 Squadron RCAF

Other squadrons

• No. 103 Search and Rescue Flight RCAF - This unit was operational in the RCAF from 1947-1968. It was reactivated in 1977 by the Canadian Forces and redesignated a squadron in 1997.
• 21 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
• List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons
• List of Army Air Corps aircraft squadrons

References

1. "450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron reborn". Royal Canadian Air Force. 18 May 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2014.

• Squadron information from Juno Beach Centre
• Squadron information from Government of Canada
• Fromow, Lt-Col. D.L. (2002) Canada's Flying Gunners , Air Observation Post Pilot's Association, Ottawa, Canada ISBN 0-9730055-0-5
• Stewart, Major A.B. (1945) Battle History 666 , Epe, Holland