No. 438 Squadron RCAF
Encyclopedia
| 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron | ||
|---|---|---|
| Squadron badge |
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| Information | ||
| Role | Tactical Helicopter | |
| Aircraft flown | 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... , Blackburn Shark Blackburn Shark -Bibliography:* Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.* Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Yasuho Izawa. Bloody Shambles:Volume One:The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore. London:Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-50-X.*... , Armstrong Whitworth Atlas Armstrong Whitworth Atlas |-See also:-External links:* *... , Westland Lysander Westland Lysander The Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War... , Grumman Goblin, P-40 Kittyhawk MkI, 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... MkIV, 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... MkIB, North American Harvard, de Havilland Vampire De Havilland Vampire The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served... , Canadair T-33 Silver Star Canadair T-33 |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* "Canada's Fab Four". Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Limited, August, 2003. ISSN 0955-7091.... , Canadair Sabre, Beechcraft Expeditor, CSR-123 Otter De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was overall a larger aircraft.-Design and... , CH-136 Kiowa, CH-146 Griffon CH-146 Griffon The Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks.... |
|
| Wing | 1 Wing | |
| Base | CFB Montreal | |
| Motto | Going down | |
| Call Sign | Wildcats | |
| History | ||
| Date founded | 1 September 1934 | |
| Badge | The head of a wildcat affronte. The 438 Squadron badge features a wildcat, representing the squadron's nickname. Its motto: "Going Down" is taken from the final instruction of the formation leader when Typhoon bombers of his unit were about to attack. | |
| Notable Battle Honours | Fortress Europe 1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, Normandy 1944, Arnhem, Rhine | |
| Previous Designation | No.18 Bomber (Non-Permanent) Squadron|No.118 Fighter Squadron | |
438 "City of Montreal" Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces
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 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...
. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon
CH-146 Griffon
The Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks....
tactical helicopter from CFB St. Hubert in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
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...
. Its tasks include transport, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and support to local law enforcement.
The motto Going Down was adopted during the Second World War when operating on 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...
s over occupied Europe. This was the flight leader's instruction to begin diving attacks with bombs and/or cannons.
History
Authorized at Montreal Quebec on September 1, 1934 as 18 Squadron. It was renumbered 118 Squadron on November 17, 1937. In its pre-war years, the unit flew the de Havilland DH.60 MothDe 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...
.
A book was written and published on the history of the Squadron: Le 438e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères 1934-2009 by Jerry Fielden and Michel Pratt was published in August 2010.
Second World War
Still then numbered as 118 (Fighter) Squadron, the unit moved to DartmouthCFB Shearwater
Canadian Forces Base Shearwater , commonly referred to as CFB Shearwater, was a Canadian Forces Base located in Shearwater, Nova Scotia on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Halifax Regional Municipality....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in October 1939 as the only operational fighter squadron on the east coast of Canada. On January 16, 1942, two squadron Kittyhawks spotted and attacked a surfaced German U-boat barely 10 miles from Halifax. F/O W.P. Roberts flying Kittyhawk AK851 was able to fire six bursts and obtain a number of hits around the conning tower. Embarking for Europe on November 2, 1943, the unit was renumbered 438. 438 Squadron was part of 2TAF's 143 Wing RCAF.
Aircraft operated:
- Blackburn SharkBlackburn Shark-Bibliography:* Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994. ISBN 0-85177-861-5.* Shores, Christopher, Brian Cull and Yasuho Izawa. Bloody Shambles:Volume One:The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore. London:Grub Street, 1992. ISBN 0-948817-50-X.*...
(October 1939 - September 1940) - Armstrong Whitworth AtlasArmstrong Whitworth Atlas|-See also:-External links:* *...
(October 1939 - September 1940) - Westland LysanderWestland LysanderThe Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
(October 1939 - September 1940) - Grumman Goblin (December - November 1940)
- P-40 Kittyhawk MkI (December 1941 - October 1943)
- Hawker HurricaneHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
MkIV (November 1943 - May 1944) - Hawker TyphoonHawker TyphoonThe 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...
MkIB (January 1944 - August 1945)
Postwar
Aircraft operated:- North American Harvard (November 1946 - March 1948)
- de Havilland VampireDe Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
(April 1948 - September 1954) - Canadair T-33 Silver StarCanadair T-33|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* "Canada's Fab Four". Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Limited, August, 2003. ISSN 0955-7091....
(November 1954 - September 1958) - Canadair Sabre (October 1956 - November 1958)
- Beechcraft Expeditor (November 1958 - March 1964)
- CSR-123 OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-3 OtterThe de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was overall a larger aircraft.-Design and...
(September 1960 - 1982) - CH-136 Kiowa (1982–1995)
- CH-146 GriffonCH-146 GriffonThe Bell CH-146 Griffon is the Canadian military variant of the Bell 412EP, a multi-use utility helicopter. The CH-146 is used in a wide variety of roles, including aerial firepower, reconnaissance, search and rescue and aero-mobility tasks....
(1995 to present)