416 Tactical Fighter Squadron

416 "City of Oshawa" Tactical Fighter Squadron (416 TFS) was a unit of the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operated the CF-18 Hornet fighter jet from CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, Canada. In 2006, 416 TFS stood down and was amalgamated with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron to form 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron.

416 Tactical Fighter Squadron
ActiveNovember 18, 1941–July 6, 2006
Country Canada
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
TypeAviation squadron
Motto(s)Ad Saltum paratus (Ready for the leap)
Battle honoursDefence of Britain 1942-44; English Channel and North Sea 1943; Fortress Europe 1942-44; Dieppe; France and Germany 1944-45; Normandy 1944; Arnhem; Rhine; Gulf and Kuwait.
Aircraft flown
FighterCF-18 Hornet
Sabre Mk 5 of No. 416 Squadron at RCAF Station Grostenquin, France, 1953
CF-100 Canucks of No. 416 Squadron at RCAF Station St.Hubert. QC, 1960
CF101B Voodoo of 416 (AWF) Squadron from CFB Chatham, NB, 1980

The unit was originally formed during the Second World War as a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

History

No. 416 Squadron RCAF was formed at RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1941 as a fighter squadron for service during the Second World War and was based at various RAF stations in Scotland, England and continental Europe. The squadron was disbanded in March 1946. The squadron was reformed in 1952 at RCAF Uplands in Ottawa, Ontario for operations in Europe as part of Canada's Cold War presence. The squadron was located at Grostenquin, France. By 1957, the squadron was relocated to Canada at RCAF St Hubert near Montreal as an air defence squadron flying Avro Canada CF-100 all weather fighters. In 1962, the CF-100s were replaced with the CF-101 Voodoo and the squadron was moved to RCAF Chatham, New Brunswick, where they flew the interceptor until the end of 1984. 416 Squadron thus became the world's last front-line unit flying Voodoos.

In 1988 the squadron relocated to CFB Cold Lake as a Tactical Fighter Squadron flying CF-188s, and later merged with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron to reform 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron in 2006.

The squadron's nickname was City of Oshawa, Lynx.

Battle honours
  • Defence of Britain 1942-44
  • English Channel and North Sea 1943
  • Fortress Europe 1942-44
  • Dieppe
  • France and Germany 1944-45
  • Normandy 1944
  • Arnhem
  • Rhine
  • Gulf and Kuwait

Aircraft

References
Notes
    Bibliography
    • Hitchens, F.H.; Hovey, H. Richard; Schmidt, Don; McNamaee, Harold (eds). 416 Squadron: Complete History 416 Squadron. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Graphic Arts, 1974. (Limited edition of 300 books). Republished by Hangar Bookshelf (1987).
    • Johnson, Rick with Hitchens, F.H.; Hovey, H. Richard; Schmidt, Don; McNamaee, Harold. 416 Squadron History. Belleville, Ontario, Canada: The Hangar Bookshelf, 1984. ISBN 0-920492-00-2. (republished 1987, ISBN 0-920492-00-4)
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