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Squadron History Index

No. 444 Squadron

Nickname: Cobra
Motto: STRIKE SWIFT STRIKE SURE

A Cobra ready to strike. Authority Queen Elizabeth 11, November 1954 This unit adopted the cobra in a position to strike as being indicative of the role of a fighter squadron.

The History

Formed at St. Hubert on 1 March 1953, No. 444 Squadron bore the first new number (i.e. which had no war-time predecessor) in the post-war R.C.A.F. Six months later the squadron flew its Sabres overseas on "Leapfrog 4". The squadron joined No. 4 (Fighter) Wing at Baden-Soellingen, Germany in September. Selected as one of eight squadrons of the Air Division to be re-equipped with CF-104 Starfighter aircraft for a nuclear strike role, it was deactivated on 1 March 1963 and reactivated as Strike Attack on 27 May. When the Air Division was reduced to six squadrons, the squadron was once more deactivated on 1 April 1967. No. 444 Squadron was reformed as the air element of 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade group stationed in Lahr, West Germany. The unit was equipped with CH-112 Nomad and CH-136 Kiowa helicopters.

In 1993, the squadron formed again at 5 Wing Goose Bay as 444 Combat Support Squadron equipped with the CH-146 Griffon.

Representative Aircraft

  • Sabre
  • CF-104 Starfighter
  • CH-112 Nomad
  • CH-136 Kiowa
  • CH-146 Griffon
The material above is mirrored from RCAF.com with the permission of Bob Hurst - who retains copyright to the material listed.