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No. 400 Squadron

Eagle, City of Toronto
PERCUSSURI VIGILES - "On the watch to strike"
Adoption: City Council of Toronto, Ontario

BATTLE HONOURS
Fortress Europe 1941-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Dieppe Normandy Arnheim Rhine Biscay 1942-43

Its Badge, in front of two tomahawks in saltire an eagle's head erased. The eagle's head indicates the squadron's role as a reconnaissance unit on army co-operation work, the tomahawks indicates the type of planes with which it was once equipped.

The War Years

The City of Toronto Squadron, originally No. 10 Army Cooperation Squadron, was formed in October 1932, and was the RCAF's first auxiliary squadron. It acquired its Toronto affiliation in 1935 and a new numerical designation, "110", about two years later. Reformed as No. 110 "City of Toronto" (AC) Sqn (Aux), Toronto, on October 5, 1932.  No. 110 Squadron, RCAF arrived in the UK in February 1940 as an Army Cooperation squadron. It was renumbered as 400 Squadron at Odiham Hants., England March 1, 1941, operating Curtiss Tomahawks and later North American Mustang Mk I aircraft. During the Mustang period some engagements with Luftwaffe aircraft took place when tactical reconnaissance sorties were being flown over Western Europe during late 1942 and 1943. Nine victories were claimed by December 1943. The squadron was re-equipped with the unarmed photo reconnaissance Spitfire Mk XI and Mosquito Mk XVI. The squadron carried the code SP on its aircraft during this time. It was disbanded on 7 August 1945 at a captured airfield in Germany.

  • Lysander III (March 1941 - April 1941)
    • R9001, R9009, R9119, R9125
  • Tomahawk I/IIA/IIB April 1941 - September 1942
    • AH789 (L), AH806 (W), AH824 (F), AH831 (N), AH841 (K), AH862 (J), AH895 (B), AK324 (S), AK481 (S), AK484 (Y), AK528 (B)
  • Mustang I (June 1942 - February 1944)
    • AG488 (B), AG521 (P), AG528 (B), AG583 (G), AG587 (L), AG591 (A), AG615 (Q), AG641 (V), AG658 (T), AG659 (U), AG661 (X), AL971 (S), AM126 (D), AM129 (M), AM184 (N), AM187 (J), AM237 (E), AM256 (Y), AP191 (O)
  • Mosquito P.R. XVI (December 1943 - May 1944)
    • MM275, MM284, MM306, MM353
  • Spitfire P.R. XI (December 1943 - August 1945)
    • PL799, PM124, PM144, PM158

Operational History

  • Sorties: 3,000
  • Operational/Non-Operational 4833 / 13,907
  • Victories: Aircraft: 9 destroyed, 2 probable, 9 damaged
  • Victories: Ground: 15 locomotives, 1 probable, 75 damaged; 34 trains, 23 misc.
  • Casualties: Operational: 12 pilots killed of missing, 2 wounded
  • Casualties: Non-operational: 17 killed

The Cold War

No. 400 was the first (F) Squadron (Reserve) to reorganize in peacetime (April, 1946) and flew Vampires and Sabres in the Air Defence role.

  • Harvard Mk II
  • Vampire Mk III
  • Silver Star Mk.3
  • Sabre Mk.5

Unification

The Squadron was reformed as a light transport squadron using the Expeditor and later added the Search and rescue role with the deHavilland Otter aircraft. With the retirement of the Otter the squadron converted to a rotary wing squadron within 10 Tactical Air Group operating the CH-136 Kiowa in the LOH role.

  • Expeditor Mk.3
  • CSR-123 Otter
  • CH-136 Kiowa

The Present

The squadron moved to CFB Borden in 1996 and is now equipped with the CH-146 Griffon.

  • CH-146 Griffon
The material above is mirrored from RCAF.com with the permission of Bob Hurst - who retains copyright to the material listed.