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409 Squadron

409 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS)

Aircraft | Squadron Badge | Alternate Name | Motto | Location | History

409 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) was reformed on 6 July 2006 at 4 Wing Cold Lake by amalgamating personnel and aircraft from 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron and 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The newly reformed 409 Squadron continues the duties of both 416 and 441 Squadrons and, assisted by 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron , deploys tactical fighter forces to meet Canadian and allied defence needs. Under the umbrella of the NORAD mission, fighter crews are on stand-by 24/7 ready to respond to any aerospace threat.

The newly reformed 409 Squadron is now 4 Wing's operational CF-18 Squadron.

Aircraft

  • Boulton Paul Defiant
  • Britsol Beaufighter
  • de Havilland Mosquito
  • Avro CF-100 Canuck
  • Canadair (Lockheed) CT-33 Silver Star
  • McDonnell Douglas CF-101 Voodoo
  • McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet

Squadron Badge

409 Squadron Badge

In front of a cloak a crossbow. The crossbow in front of a dark cloak indicates the unit's function as a night fighter squadron.

Alternate Name

Nighthawks

Motto

MEDIA NOX MERIDES NOSTER (Midnight is our noon)

Location

Victoria (B.C.)

History

409 Night Fighter Squadron was created in England on 17 June 1941, and remained in England until 24 August 1944 when the unit moved to France. July 1945 saw the squadron disbanded in the Netherlands.

In November 1954, 409 All Weather Fighter Squadron was re-formed at RCAF Station Comox where they flew aircraft on North American Air Defence Duty, later NORAD, on the west coast. In February 1968, 409 was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces as an air defence squadron and in 1984 the unit then moved to Cold lake Alberta. Designated as 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron and re-equipped with CF-18 Hornet aircraft, the Squadron was the first operational CF-18 Squadron.

June 1985 saw the Squadron move to Baden, Germany as part of NATO. In October 1990 the Nighthawks deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Friction, the Canadian contribution to Operation Desert Shield/Storm. The squadron was disbanded at Baden, Germany in 1991 and reformed back at Comox as 409 Combat Support Squadron in 1993, and subsequently disbanded in July 1994. 409 TFS was re-formed from the consolidation of 416 and 441 Squadrons on Jul 6 2006 at Cold Lake.

Battle Honours

  • Defence of Britain 1941-44
  • Fortress Europe 1942-44
  • France and Germany 1944-45
  • Normandy 1944
  • Rhine