History 426 Transport Training Squadron

1 history

1.1 second world war
1.2 peacetime
1.3 korean war
1.4 post-korean war present day
1.5 aircraft

history
second world war

no. 426 squadron rcaf created during second world war result of british commonwealth air training plan supply aircrew war in europe. first formed @ raf dishforth, england on october 15, 1942, vickers wellington mk iiis , mk xs. squadron used bomber unit in no. 4 group raf, raf bomber command. first operational mission occurred on night of 14th , 15 january 1943, when 7 wellingtons bombed lorient. squadron used fly night, principally on germany. unlike other rcaf wellington squadrons did not go tunisia in year, remained operating on germany. year squadron transferred no. 6 group rcaf. in june of year moved raf linton-on-ouse, re-equipped bristol hercules-engined avro lancaster ii. type resumed offensive, , continued night campaign linton next ten months. on april 1944 began re-equip handley page halifax iiis , viis, , next year continued operate these types part of no. 6 group.

during war flew 261 operational missions (242 bombing missions , 19 mining excursions) involving 3,213 sorties, , in doing lost 88 aircraft. last operation took place on april 25, 1945, when 20 halifaxes bombed gun batteries on island of wangerooge. on may 25, 1945, squadron renamed 426 transport squadron.

possibly, heroic act realized member of squadron during war took place on october 20, 1943, when flight sergeant stuart (the pilot) , crew sent bomb leipzig. during mission engaged enemy fighters, messerschmitt bf 109 , junkers ju 88, managing shake them off not before having aircraft rendered unfit fly, leaving shattered cockpits , gun turrets; holes in fuel tanks, damaged hydraulics , no navigation instruments. against odds stuart decided continue mission , bombed target before guiding crippled aircraft home. awarded conspicuous gallantry medal.

peacetime

the squadron disbanded on january 1, 1946. reformed @ rcaf station dartmouth on august 1, 1946, transport squadron. moved rcaf station lachine, quebec, in march 1947, began using north star.

on march 8, 1948, north star of squadron used make 426 squadron s first flight arctic flight dorval, quebec, lansdowne house way of rockliffe, resolute, , trout lake. later, in january 1949, 426 squadron north star made canada s first coast-to-coast non-stop flight.

korean war

during korean war, between 1950 , 1952, squadron transported supplies , troops japan in support of united nations operations. on july 1950, few days after start of war, 426 squadron detached mcchord air force base in washington came under operational control of military air transport service of united states. typical korean air lift route 426 squadron aeroplanes physically , mentally demanding fifty-hour round trip flight mcchord japan , stops @ elmendorf air force base (alaska), shemya (aleutian islands), handed , misawa air base (japan).

post-korean war present day

on september 1, 1959, squadron moved trenton, ontario. moved saint-hubert on january 1962. disbanded @ saint-hubert on 1 september of year. reformed again 426 transport training squadron on may 3, 1971, @ uplands. squadron moved trenton in august 1971 remains today, conducting training on cc-130 hercules.

the squadron has carried out many tasks since end of korean war, including casualty evacuations, royal tours , other vip transport, , united nations air lift operations. thunderbird has worked in many places: arctic, middle east , europe, congo , japan.

aircraft