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Flying Squadrons
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Bomber Command
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1485
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2782
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399 Signals Unit
Nationality
based Sqns
Formed: 19 Dec 1941, RAF Waddington
Disbanded: 5 Sep 1945
Squadron was based at:
RAF Waddington :: 19 Dec 1941 - 7 Aug 1942
RAF Skipton-on-Swale :: Aug 1942
RAF Dalton :: ?? - Dec 1943
RAF Tholthorpe :: Dec 1943 - ??
Squadron code: PT
Aircraft operated:
Manchester :: Dec 1941
Hampden :: Dec 1941 - Jul 1942
Wellington Mk III:: Jul 1942 - Apr 1943
Wellington Mk X :: Feb 1943 - Oct 1943; tropicalised from Jun 1943 - Oct 1943
Halifax Mk III :: Dec 1943 - May 1945
Lancaster X :: May 1945 - Sep 1945)
420 Sqn RCAF formed at RAF Waddington on 19 Dec 1941, the 18th RCAF sqn to be formed overseas and the 4th bomber sqn. 420 Sqn was one of the last to operate the Hampden, receiving 44 (Rhodesia) Sqn's aircraft as it converted to the new Lancaster. It took the type into night operations on 21 Jan 1942, one month after forming, with 6 aircraft bombing Emden and laying mines in the Frisian Islands.
The move to Skipton-on-Swale in Aug 1942 was part of a plan to form an all-Canadian bomber Group. From Jun 1943 to Oct 1943 it flew tropicalised Wellington from North Africa in support of the invasions of Sicily and Italy. 18 Halifaxes bombed Heligoland and another Halifax crashed in sea en route to objective on 18 Apr 1945, the last combat sortie the Sqn flew. After VE Day it was selected as part of the Tiger Force, converting to Canadian-built Lancaster and returning to Canada for reorganization and training. The sudden end of the war against Japan resulted in squadron disbandment at Debert, Nova Scotia on 5 Sep 1945. The Sqn reformed in Sep 1948 as an auxiliary fighter squadron. More details can be found on the RCAF website history section :: click here
Battle Honours
Defence of Britain 1944,
Fortress Europe 1942-1944,
France and Germany
1944-1945,
Normandy 1944
420 Sqn history on RCAF website
420 Sqn RCAF on RCAF.com
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