World War II Album

Testing the port side Merlin of KB 424 (Canadian built) de Havilland Mosquito. Sent to UK and delivered to No. 608 (North Riding) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force. KB 428 in background was retained in Canada and taken on charge by RCAF, 14 Sep 1944. Original color photo.

Winterized Cessna Crane (7945) version of the UC-78 in RCAF service.

Signs such as this became part of the Canadian landscape as schools and airfields opened throughout the nation under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The sign reads “ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE / Service Flying Training School / BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN”. (DND Archives photo PL-3306)

No. 12 Service Flying Training School at RCAF Brandon, Manitoba, exhibit the standard British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airfield layout. (DND photo)

No. 39 SFTS at RCAF Swift Current, Saskatchewan, exhibit the standard British Commonwealth Air Training Plan airfield layout. (DND photo)

Beech SA18D (C-45), 1530, RCAF, Stanley, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1943. Ex CF-BMU donated to the RCAF in November 1939. Returned to CF-BMU in April 1945. The color of this aircraft is not known. Photographs taken on orthochromatic film which can make yellow look very dark and red look black.

Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IIF (R2270), No. 406 "Lynx" (NF) Squadron RCAF, based at RAF Station Aklington, Northumberland, January 1942. R2270 was the first production model, fitted with dihedral tailplanes and equipped with AI Mk. IV radar.

Fairey Battle Mk1 (1628, L5198), RCAF, Ottawa - Rockcliffe, Ontario, Canada, 22 September 1941. Struck off charge in February 1945.

A light observation aircraft, the Taylorcraft Auster IV was introduced by the Royal Canadian Army during the fighting in Northwest Europe in 1945. The primary role of the aircraft was artillery spotting and the aircraft carried a pilot and observer in this role. Two Canadian squadrons were so equipped and were designated 664 and 665 Squadrons. 664 Squadron served in the Canadian Army Occupation Force in post-war activities until its disbandment in 1946.

Taylorcraft Auster, Canadian Army Cooperation operations, Italy.

Armstrong Whitworth Atlas Mk.IAC, RCAF (409), No. 2 (AC) Squadron, Trenton & Rockcliffe, Ontario.

Douglas Digby Mk. I, s/n 740, RCAF, coded R, No. 10 (Bomber) Squadron, RCAF.

Beaufighter TF Mark Xs (NV427 'EO-L' nearest) of No. 404 Squadron RCAF based at Dallachy, Morayshire, in flight along the Scottish coast. NV427 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during an attack by the Dallachy Wing on an enemy convoy off Midgulen, Norway, on 8 March 1945. (Imperial War Museum photo CH 17869)

Personnel from No. 404 Squadron RCAF pose with a Beaufighter while operating out of RAF Strubby, Lincolnshire. as part of its namesake strike wing during the summer of 1944. Ten of the men seen here were assigned to the strike against the ‘Z-33’.

North American AT-6A Harvard Mk. IIB, RCAF (Serial No. 3034), on skis, 21 February 1941.

North American Harvard Mk. II (Serial No. 2694) from No. 2 Service Flying Training School at RCAF Station Uplands (Ottawa), Ontario. On 27 Apr 1941, LAC F. H. Sproule ground looped it while landing at Uplands. The airframe sustained Cat C2 damage but was subsequently repaired. The aircraft was later transferred to No. 1 Service Flying Training School at RCAF Station Camp Borden, Ontario.

North American NA-66 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF Serial No. 3083), circa 1942.

North American NA-61 Harvard Mk. I, RCAF (Serial No. 1344), FO W.V. Mudray and Sgt R. Hammill, 23 August 1940.

North American NA-81 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. 3248), V-24, damage, July 1942.

North American NA-61 Harvard Mk. I, RCAF (Serial No. 1321), on skis, 24 Sep 1941.

North American NA-66 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. 2956), 57, in flight, No. 41 SFTS, 1944.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk. IIB, RCAF (Serial No. FH126), January 1943.

North American NA-66 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. 2702), Rockcliffe, Ontario, 12 September 1941.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk. IIB, RCAF (Serial No. FS965) collision with an RCAF radio control truck, 15 Oct 1943. This Harvard Mk. IIB was from the Test and Development Flight at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. The accident occurred at 11:25 hours on the 15th, and was the result of a blind spot. The driver, Corporal A. R. Coulter was slightly injured. The two in the Harvard were fine but the aircraft received Cat C3 damage.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk. IIB. RCAF (Serial No. FS965) collision with an RCAF radio control truck, 16 October 1943.

North American AT-16 Harvard .303-inch machine gun installation, RCAF, 10 August 1942.

North American Harvard Mk. IIB, RCAF, in hangar, 30 March 1943.

North American NA-66 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. 2996), BF, wing down, 14 February 1942.

North American NA-61 Harvard Mk1, 1331 (61-1513), RCAF, Canada, circa September 1939 to December 1944. 1331 was based in Ontario and Quebec during the war. Scrapped by January 1945. Photo appears to be at a civil airfield and not an RCAF base.

North American NA-64 Yale 3349 RCAF.

A North American NA-64 Yale, RCAF. The remaining 119 undelivered aircraft from the French order were bought up by the British Purchasing Commission and transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan between August and September 1940, and all were operational by November. The type was named the Yale Mk.I following British naming practice of naming trainers after education institutions and US-supplied aircraft after American locations, in this case, Yale University, and were used initially as intermediate pilot trainers taking pilots from the de Havilland Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch to the much faster and more complex North American Harvard, until this category was dispensed with as being unnecessary. They were then relegated for use as airborne wireless radio trainers, along with the contemporary Fleet Fort intermediate trainer in 1943. Prior to service entry, the throttle and engine mixture controls were modified from the system used by the French whereby the throttle was pulled back to increase power, and the mixture control pulled back to lean out the mixture, to the system used on the Harvard. The Yale appeared in the movie Captains of the Clouds. The RCAF sold all surviving examples off as scrap in 1946 but over 30 survive today as a result of a large number of them being bought surplus by a single farmer, with about 15 currently in airworthy condition.

North American Harvard trainer, RCAF. Fairey Battle in right background.

North American Harvard Mk.II 3819 20 RCAF No.41 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), Weyburn, Saskatchewan, 1944.

North American Harvard Mk.I 1335 RCAF, ex-61-1517, at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, February 1940. 1335 was taken on strength on 2 September 1939, operating out of Camp Borden and Trenton. It was transferred to Aylmer, Ontario, as an instructional airframe in October 1942, and scrapped in 1946.

The Harvard NA-44 was a one-off prototype that was the first with a metal-skinned rear fuselage. Powered by a 750hp Wright R-1820 (!), she featured the earlier-style outer wings as seen on the BT-9, NA-57/NA-64 & Harvard Mk I, and featured a ‘wet wing’ fuel tank for the center section. She went to South American for a sales tour, targeting countries looking for cheap attack aircraft. The sales tour led to orders from Brazil and Chile, although those examples were R-1340 powered. In 1940, the NA-44 (and the NA-26 – the prototype retractable gear NA-16 variant) was acquired by the RCAF and given the RCAF serial number 3344. She served the war at RCAF Station Trenton and was known to engage in dogfights with Hurricanes on occasion (and won!), hence the blue/red paint job. After the war, she was slated to be sold off. However, she disappeared before the buyer could collect her at Trenton.

Gunner in rear seat of North American (NA-18) Harvard, RCAF.

North American Harvard Mk.IIB FE287 30 RCAF and FE279 83, No.41 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), Weyburn, Saskatchewan, 1944.

Just hanging out ... Students of No.41 Service Flying Training School, RCAF, Weyburn, Saskatchewan, equipped with both the Harvard and Avro Anson, 1944.

North American Harvard Mk.II 2964 RCAF; forced landing, c. 1942.

North American Harvard Mk.I 1331 RCAF.

North American Harvards 3115, FE843, 3183 RCAF.

A visit to an aircraft factory in Canada. North American Harvard II in background; from 1942, Canada's Noorduyn built 2,557 R-1340-AN-1-powered Harvard IIs under license, paid for by USAAF Lend-Lease funds as the AT-16, but designated as the Harvard II.B. After World War II, many remained in service with the RCAF. The Vlnr R.B.C. Noorduyn, director; Princess Juliana, showing great interest; Mrs. Noorduyn; Bayer, president of society; mr. W. van Tets, private secretary of Princess Juliana; Bell, factory manager; Mrs. van Tets.

In Commonwealth service the type was known as the Harvard. The Canada Car and Foundry built a total of 555 Harvard IVs under the designation NA-186, many of which trained pilots for the RCAF.

RCAF student pilot taking his place in the cockpit of a North American Harvard Mk.I, 1940. Photo likely taken at RCAF Station Borden or Trenton, Ontario.

North American Harvard Mk.I 1323 RCAF Central Flying School based at RCAF Station Trenton. This aircraft was lost on 12 September 1941.

North American Harvard during construction for RCAF.

North American NA-64 Yale 3416 RCAF, which appeared in the movie, "Captains of the Clouds".

Mosquito NF Mark XIII, HK382, RO-T, of No. 29 Squadron RAF, at Hunsdon, Hertfordshire. Lost on 16 March 1945 with No. 409 Squadron RCAF during a test flight in France, crashed killing the Canadian crew, P/O K.S. Brenton Navigator and F/O R.H. Long pilot.

Handley Page Hampden, coded EQ, No. 408 Squadron, RCAF, with Sgt. A.W. Wood, Sgt. H.D. Murray, Sgt. D.L. Henderson and Sgt. W.M. Fraser.

Mustang Mk I flown by Lt Jack Taylor of the RCAF hit a power line and brought back 62 feet of it wrapped around his wing. Luckily not sheering his wing off.

North American NA-66 Harvard Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. [?]210), SS Shulemson, No. 14 Service Flying Training School, winter 1942.

Blackburn Shark II target tug, 122 (K) Squadron, RCAF, Patricia Bay.

RCAF Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina Amphibian. RCAF serial number 9771 just barely on the water. This particular airplane operated in British Columbia during World War II.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk.IIB FE3279 No. 41 SFTS RCAF, 1944.

North American NA-61 Harvard Mk.I 1339 and 1348 RCAF.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk.IIB FE346 No. 41 SFTS RCAF, 1944.

Wireless equipment on an RCAF North American NA-66 Harvard Mk.II, 30 July 1941.

North American NA-61 Harvard Mk.I 1321 RCAF; on skis, February 26, 1941.

North American AT-16 Harvard Mk.IIB FH126 RCAF; January 1944.

North American Harvard Mk.I RCAF being refueled; February 1940.

North American NA-75 Harvard Mk.II RCAF being pushed into place in the snow.

A beautiful in-flight shot of a Royal Canadian Air Force Canso in flight in January 1942 in the Temperate Sea Scheme.

Every detail of the advanced training of Royal Canadian Air Force pilots is studied closely by Great Britain's Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Winston Churchill, shown here alongside a Harvard as he visits No. 2 Service Flying Training School, Uplands, near Ottawa. He is with Major the Honourable C.G. Power, M.C., (left) Canada's Minister of National Defence for Air, and Wing Commander W.R. MacBrien (right) Commanding Officer of the Station, 1941.

The first North American NAA-64-P2 NX13397 before delivery. Due to the fall of France, this aircraft would instead be delivered to Canada as a Yale Mk.I. The NAA-64-P2 was built for the French Armée de l'Air and Aéronavale in 1939–1940, which ordered 200 and 30 respectively. Of these, 111 had been delivered before France surrendered to the Germans after the Battle of France. In France, the NA-64, like the NA-57 before it, was known as the North, and was designated as NAA-64-P2 (abbreviated from North American Aviation modèle 64 perfectionnement, 2 places (North American Aviation model 64 advanced trainer, 2 seats)) but were sometimes attached to reconnaissance units. A small number escaped the Germans to be used by the Vichy French Air Force. Two examples in North Africa survived into the postwar years, having been operated alongside NA-57s, the last only being retired in 1949. The NAA-64s (NA-57s) captured from the French were used by the German Luftwaffe for all types of flight training, from basic flying to advanced fighter tactics. Dive bomber schools and target tug units, and even combat squadrons all used the NAA-64, as they were designated by the Luftwaffe, from the French examples’ tail markings. The Zirkus Rosarius used at least one to familiarize German aircrew with American aircraft’s handling before they evaluated captured aircraft.

Waco Hadrian Mark I, FR579, “Voo Doo,” arriving at Prestwick after being towed, in a series of stages, across the Atlantic from Canada. FR579 served with No. 21 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit and the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment.

RCAF Lancasters being loaded at Silverthorn, England, 21 April 1945.

Consolidated Canso, Canso Wing, RCAF Station Tofino.

RCAF Training with a Lysander at RCAF Station Jarvis, Ontario, 1943. Royal Canadian Air Force Station Jarvis was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Jarvis, Ontario. The station was home to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School and is usually known by that name. Bombing and Gunnery schools trained Air Gunners, Wireless Air Gunners, Air Observers, Air Bombers, and Navigator-Bomb Aimers. These airmen served as aircrew on bombers and maritime patrol aircraft. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan was a temporary wartime measure that ended on 29 March 1945. No. 1 B&GS opened 19 August 1940 and closed on 17 February 1945. During this time 6,500 airmen were trained at Jarvis.

Consolidated Canso, Canso Wing, RCAF Station Tofino.

Supermarine Stranraer of the RCAF. The Stranraer was used by the RCAF on both the West and East Coasts during World War II. This shot may have been taken at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where 5(BR) was based. The RCAF had 40 of these biplane flying boats on charge between 1938 and 1946.

Another view of the Supermarine Stranraer as seen in the previous photo.

Consolidated Cansos, Canso Wing, RCAF Station Tofino.

Fairey Battle of the RCAF at a training field in Western Canada.

No. 432 Squadron RCAF at East Moore, Yorkshire, UK, 26 May 1944.

Airspeed Oxford, s/n A53 at an RCAF training field in Western Canada.

Fairey Battle, RCAF.

Westland Lysander, s/n 442, in overall yellow with diagonal black bands for target tug duties.

Consolidated Canso, Canso Wing, RCAF Station Tofino.

Wellington GR Mark XI, MP521, on the ground at Brooklands, Surrey, following assembly by Vickers Armstrongs Ltd. MP521 served with No. 407 Squadron RCAF until April 1943, when it was transferred to the Fleet Air Arm. The censor has obliterated the background of the photograph. Imperial War Museum photo ATP 12112B.

Brewster Bermuda Mk I, FF892, at CFB Suffield, Alberta, Canada. RCAF photo.

Brewster Bermuda Mk. I (FF568). Used for special trials at Suffield, Alberta, by the Test & Development Establishment. RCAF photo.

Sergeant, No. 14 (P) Squadron, RCAF, installing a vertical camera in an Avro Anson V, Rockcliffe, Ont., July 4, 1944. Canada, Department of National Defence, Library and Archives Canada photo PA-065112.

Avro Anson of No.1 Air Navigation School from RCAF Station Rivers Manitoba. Sgt Jack Beirnes piloting, 27 Feb 1941. 438 Sqn Archives RCAF photo.

Avro Anson aircraft, No. 2 Air Observer School, RCAF, Edmonton, 1941. Canada, Department of National Defence, Library and Archives Canada photo PA-052347.

Avro Ansons such as this one were a familiar sight in Canadian skies during the days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. DND Archives photo PL-9658.

An early model Royal Canadian Air Force Anson as used in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The yellow overall finish, which denoted training aircraft, was typical of many BCATP aircraft.

Anson Mk I N9939 RCAF at Central Aircraft Ltd, London, Ontario.

Anson Mk II 11371 RCAF over Carberry, Manitoba, Canada.

Vega PV-1 (USN 34807, RCAF 2247), Vega Model 37 (cn 5697), Long Beach, California, 20 March 1953. Bill Larkins photo.

“Hi Toots” was a Mk. II De Havilland Mosquito which flew with No. 418 Squadron, RCAF in March 1944 as a day and night intruder. The squadron's tally of 178 enemy aircraft and 79.5 V-1 flying bombs made it the top-scoring unit of the RCAF.

The De Havilland Mosquito intruders of No. 418 Squadron, RCAF, adopted Al Capp's characters painting them in succession on their aircraft. “Li'l Abner” photographed at Hurn on 22 July 1944.

De Havilland Mosquito intruder aircraft “Cousin Jake” of No. 418 Squadron, RCAF at Hurn, 22 July 1944.

Westland Lysander, 421, RCAF.

F/O George F. ‘‘Buzz" Beurling meets Prime Minister Mackenzie King on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on November 9, 1942. The 20-year-old Canadian ace, who shot down 29 Axis aircraft overseas, was injured in the air over Malta where he saw most of his activity. This was his first trip home in two years.

Canadian Victory bonds are bought by two ex-Malta pilots in a Canadian fighter wing at an advanced airfield in England. At right is F/O George Beurling of Verdun, Que., and at left is F/O Robert G. Middlemiss of Montreal.

Royal Air Force ground crew push a 4,000lb blast bomb towards the bay of a Vickers Wellington bomber of No 419 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force at RAF Mildenhall. May 1942. Imperial War Museum photo TR 11.

No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron was formed at Debden, Essex, England. Equipped with the Douglas Boston, the squadron flew day-and night-intruder operations deep into enemy territory. The squadron claimed 178 enemy aircraft and 79½ V-1 flying bombs destroyed, making it the top scoring unit of the RCAF. On 21 Nov 1944 it was transferred to close support work with the Second Tactical Air Force in the Low Countries, flying de Havilland Mosquitos. The squadron was disbanded at Volkel, Netherlands on 7 Sep 1945.

No. 417 Squadron was a Royal Canadian Air Force squadron formed in England on 27 November 1941 at RAF Charmy Down and was known as the "City of Windsor" squadron. It was equipped with the Hurricane and later the Spitfire. It was initially deployed in Egypt and followed the Allied advance through the Western Desert. On 10 July 1943 when the Allies invaded Sicily (Operation Husky), the squadron was part of No. 244 Wing RAF in No. 211 Group RAF. With the defeat of Axis forces in North Africa, the squadron followed the advance through Italy. It disbanded in Italy on 1 July 1945.

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.

No. 415 (Coastal) Squadron was formed at RAF Thorney Island, England . It is also referred to as No. 415 Long Range Patrol Force Development Squadron, RCAF, and was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens. It flew from a number of different bases, attacking enemy convoys and shipyards.

No. 414 (Army Co-operation) Squadron was formed at RAF Croydon, England, as the RCAF's 12th squadron formed overseas. The squadron flew Westland Lysander Mk. III and Curtiss Tomahawk Mk. I and Mk. II. On 28 Jun 1943 it was redesignated No. 414 (Fighter Reconnaissance) Squadron at Dunsfold, Surrey and flew the North American Mustang Mk. I and Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk. IX and FR Mk. XIV. The squadron was disbanded at Luneburg, Germany, on 7 Aug 1945.

No. 413 Squadron was created as the third RCAF squadron attached to RAF Coastal Command and equipped with PBY Catalina flying boats. 413 Squadron flew reconnaissance and anti-submarine operations over the North Atlantic under Coastal Command until beginning the move to Ceylon in March 1942. It probably came under command of Air Forces in India once the squadron fully arrived in April at Koggala. The squadron gained fame for the actions of Squadron Leader Leonard Birchall, who detected a large Japanese task force approaching Ceylon. This allowed time for the defenders to prepare, and foiled what could have been a major blow to the Royal Navy in the Indian Ocean. The squadron made reconnaissance flights over the Indian Ocean until 1945. It was stood down in January 1945 and sent back to the UK to reequip, in possible preparation for transfer to RAF Bomber Command. However nothing came of this and the squadron was disbanded in February 1945 at Bournmoth.

No. 412 (Fighter) Squadron was formed at RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, England, on 30 June 1941. John Gillespie Magee, the author of the famous aviation poem, High Flight, was serving with 412 Squadron when he was killed in a mid-air collision in his Spitfire in 1941. No. 412 Squadron (squadron code 'VZ') was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Vb and served at a number of RAF Stations in the United Kingdom. In October 1943, the squadron joined RCAF 126 Wing, part of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. It was re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire IXb in November and began operating over northern France in preparation for the Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings. It was during late 1943 that the ace George "Screwball" Beurling scored his last air victory while serving with the squadron. On July 17, 1944, 412 Squadron pilot Charley Fox seriously injured Field Marshal Erwin Rommel during a strafing run. The squadron was moved to France in June 1944, days after the Allied landings and operated on continental Europe for the remainder of the war. The squadron was based at Wunstorf, Germany when the war ended in May 1945.

No. 411 "City of York" Squadron RCAF was a Second World War Royal Canadian Air Force squadron that operated as part of RAF Fighter Command in Europe with the Supermarine Spitfire. The squadron was formed on 16 June 1941 at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire, England as an Article XV squadron under the control of the British Royal Air Force. The squadron was equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire and after a period of training the squadron began operations in August 1941 with the Spitfire VB variant. Part of the Hornchurch Wing it operated over continental Europe on Rhubarb sorties and as bomber escorts. After some rest periods the squadron joined the Kenley Wing for more operations over Europe. Converting to the Spitfire IX in October 1943 it then became a fighter-bomber squadron. Within two weeks of the D-Day it was operating from France in the close-support role and it also operated armed reconnaissance flights. Following the advancing troops the squadron was soon based in Germany until it was disbanded at Utersen on 21 March 1946.

No. 409 (Night Fighter) Squadron was formed at RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, England, for night operations with Boulton-Paul Defiant fighters. The squadron was later re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighter Mk. IIF, Mk. VIF and de Havilland Mosquito NF Mk. XIII.

No. 408 Squadron's history dates back to 24 June 1941, when RAF Bomber Command's directive called for the formation of 408 Squadron as part of No. 5 Group RAF. It was to be the second Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) bomber squadron formed overseas. Goose Squadron, as it was to become known, was initially based at RAF Lindholme in Yorkshire, England, and equipped with Handley Page Hampdens. During the war, the Goose Squadron converted aircraft several times. No 408 would change from Hampden aircraft to the Halifax, and then to the Lancaster in August 1943 after moving to RAF Linton-on-Ouse and becoming part of No. 6 Group. It flew 4,610 sorties and dropped 11,340 tons of bombs. A total of 170 aircraft were lost and 933 personnel were killed, listed as missing in action (MIA) or prisoners of war (POW). Squadron members won two hundred decorations, and 11 battle honors for its wartime operations. On 5 September 1945 No 408 Squadron was officially disbanded.

No. 407 (Coastal Strike) Squadron was formed at RAF Thorney Island, England on 8 May 1941, first training on the Bristol Blenheim and then transitioning to the Lockheed Hudson bomber.

No. 406 (Night Fighter) Squadron was formed at RAF Acklington, as part of No. 12 Group of Fighter Command, equipped with Blenheim Mk. IF heavy fighters, re-equipping with the improved Beaufighter Mk. IIF the next month.

No. 405 (Bomber) Squadron was formed at Driffield, Yorkshire, England, as an Article XV squadron and equipped with the Vickers Wellington bomber. It flew the RCAF's first bombing operation ten weeks later on 12/13 June 1941, attacking the railway marshalling yards at Schwerte, Germany.

No. 404 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The squadron was formed at Thorney Island in Sussex, England on 15 April 1941 under Royal Air Force operational control. Tasked with coastal patrol and attack, the squadron flew the Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV & later the Beaufighter. From May 1944 to September 1944 they were based at RAF Davidstow Moor in Cornwall, England. As part of the RAF Dallachy strike wing of four Beaufighter-equipped squadrons, they took part in an attack on German ships on the Norwegian coast on 9 February 1945. The ships included a destroyer and "flak" ships as well as merchantmen. The ships were located in a fjord and German fighter aircraft scrambled in defense. As a result of the heavy losses to the Dallachy Wing the attack was subsequently called "Black Friday". The squadron disbanded on 25 May 1945.

No. 403 (Fighter) Squadron was formed at RAF Station Baginton, Warwickshire, England, initially equipped with the Curtiss Tomahawk Mk. I. After 29 operational sorties, the Tomahawks were replaced with Supermarine Spitfires. No. 403 Squadron was the first of 35 RCAF squadrons to be formed overseas, and the third Fighter squadron in service. The unit flew Spitfire s on both offensive and defensive air operations, and in support of Allied ground forces in North-West Europe. The squadron was disbanded at Fassberg, Germany on 10 Jul 1945.

No. 2 Squadron was renumbered as No. 402 Squadron while stationed at RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, England. No. 402 Squadron became operational at Digby, Lincolnshire, England equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk. 1 fighters. It was re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane Mk. II the following May and then Hurricane Mk. IIBs in June. The squadron began training to become the first "Hurribomber" unit, commencing operations in this role in Nov 1941, carrying pairs of 250 lb bombs beneath the wings.

No. 401 Squadron began as a permanent peacetime unit which, augmented by personnel from RCAF No. 115 Squadron (Auxiliary), arrived at Middle Wallop, England. It had brought its own Hawker Hurricanes from Canada, and as these were not fully up to UK standard, the squadron was non-operational until mid-August when it moved to RAF Northolt. At the time the squadron comprised 27 officers (21 pilots) and 314 airmen. To gain experience of Fighter Command operations, S/L E.A. McNab, Commanding Officer, flew on operations attached to No. 111 Squadron, and claimed a Heinkel He 111 bomber destroyed on 11 August 1940. The squadron had replaced its Hurricanes with Spitfire Mk. IIs in Sep 1941, Mk. Vs in late 1941 and in Jul 1942 some of the first examples of the new Mk. IX. The squadron ended the war as 2TAF's top scoring unit, claiming 112 aerial victories between 6 June 1944 and 5 May 1945. Their total score for the war was 186.5 confirmed, 29 of which were claimed during 1940 when operating as No. 1 RCAF Squadron.

No. 400 Army Co-Operation Squadron, RCAF.

World War II ALbum #0000: Canadian Air Power