400 Series

RCAF Squadrons - 400 Series

Welcome to the archive of Canada's 400 series flying squadrons. This system of numbering was a product of the Second World War; to avoid confusion among Commonwealth units flying in England, all Allied units were renumbered, and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) received the 400-449 block of numbers. 450 Squadron was created in 1968; although the Royal Australian Air Force already had a 450 Squadron (a tactical fighter squadron during the Second World War), the duplication of numbers was not realised until after the Canadian squadron was formed. There are no formal links between the two squadrons.

Since the 400 series numbering was implemented when Canada's air force was known as the RCAF, we have chosen to display most of the badges in their original form, with either the King's or Queen's crown. The badges were changed between 1968 and 1970 when the RCAF was disbanded and replaced by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The names listed below are the last known titles for each squadron.

Source material by Directorate of Military Traditions and Heritage (DMTH) and the Office of Air Force Heritage and History

Squadrons currently in operation are highlighted with a blue background and an asterics (*).

400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron *	401 Operational Training Squadron
402 Squadron *	403 Helicopter Operational Training Squadron *
404 Maritime Patrol and Training Squadron *	405 Maritime Patrol Squadron *
406 Helicopter Squadron *	407 Maritime Patrol Squadron *
408 Tactical helicopter Squadron *	409 Combat Support Squadron *
410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron *	411 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
412 Transport Squadron *	413 Transport and Rescue Squadron *
414 Combat Support Squadron	415 Maritime Patrol Squadron
416 Tactical Fighter Squadron	417 Combat Support Squadron *
418 Transport and Rescue Squadron	419 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron *
420 Combat Support Squadron	421 Tactical Fighter Squadron
422 Tactical Helicopter Squadron	423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron *
424 Transport and Rescue Squadron *	425 Tactical Fighter Squadron *
426 Transport Training Squadron *	427 Tactical Helicopter Squadron *
428 All Weather Fighter Squadron	429 Transport Squadron *
430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron *	431 Air Demonstration Squadron *
432 All Weather Fighter Squadron	433 Tactical Fighter Squadron
434 Combat Support Squadron	435 Transport and Rescue Squadron *
436 Transport Squadron *	437 Transport Squadron *
438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron *	439 Combat Support Squadron *
440 Transport Squadron *	441 Tactical Fighter Squadron
442 Transport and Rescue Squadron *	443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron *
444 Combat Support Squadron *	445 All Weather Fighter Squadron
446 Surface-to-Air Missile Squadron	447 Transport Helicopter Squadron
448 Test Squadron	449 Maritime Training Squadron
450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron *