414 Electronic Warfare Support Squadron is a unit of the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

. It is in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

and conducts electronic warfare support training for other units in the

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

History

World War II

On 13 August 1941, No 414 Army Co-operation Squadron was formed at

RAF Croydon Croydon Airport was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period. It opened in 1920, located near Croydon, then part of Surrey. Built in a Neoclassical style, it was developed as Britain's main airport, handling more cargo, ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, flying

Westland Lysander The Westland Lysander is a British Army cooperation aircraft, army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War. After becoming obsolete in the army co-operat ...

and

Curtiss Tomahawk The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is an American single-engined, single-seat, all-metal fighter-bomber that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry ...

aircraft. On 28 June 1943 the squadron's name was changed to 414 Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron to reflect its role, and later known as 414 “City of

Sarnia Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes, ...

” Squadron (

Sarnia Imperials The Sarnia Imperials were a professional-amateur Canadian football team competing in the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU), based in Sarnia, Ontario. The team played their home games at Athletic Park (now known as Norm Perry Park). Preceding the ...

). Throughout the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the squadron was based at numerous airfields in

and in continentental Europe flying

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allies of World War II, Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced conti ...

and

North American Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...

aircraft. During this period, the squadron provided photo reconnaissance, intelligence and ground attacks for both the

Dieppe Raid Operation Jubilee or the Dieppe Raid (19 August 1942) was a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, during the Second World War. Over 6,050 infantry, predominantly Canadian, supported by a ...

and the allied Invasion of Europe. It accounted for 29 enemy aircraft destroyed and 11 damaged, 76 locomotives and 12 naval vessels destroyed. After the war ended, the squadron disbanded at

Lüneburg Airfield Special landing field Lüneburg (ICAO airport code EDHG) is an airfield near Lüneburg in Lower Saxony state, Germany. It is approved for motor planes, motor glider, microlights and gliders up to a maximum weight of 2000 kg. Helicopters are ...

( Advanced Landing Ground B156), Germany on 7 August 1945.

Postwar

On 1 April 1947, No 414 Photographic Squadron was reformed at

RCAF Station Rockcliffe The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canad ...

. The squadron used the

Douglas Dakota The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...

to photograph of Canada's North. When this task was completed it was disbanded on 1 November 1950. Canadair Sabre 4 19460 414 Sqn SPK 27

On 1 November 1952 No 414 Fighter Squadron reformed at

RCAF Station Bagotville Canadian Forces Base Bagotville , commonly referred to as CFB Bagotville, and also known as Bagotville Airport or Saguenay-Bagotville Airport, is a Canadian Forces base west of Bagotville in the city of Saguenay. Located in the centre of Quebe ...

. The following summer on 24 August 1953 as part of "Leap Frog IV" the squadron moved to 4 Wing Baden-Soellingen flying the Canadair Mark.4 Sabre. Four years later on 14 July 1957 the squadron disbanded to make room for the arrival of 419 Squadron flying the

Avro Canada CF-100 The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (affectionately known as the "Clunk") is a Canadian twinjet interceptor/ fighter designed and produced by aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada. It has the distinction of being the only Canadian-designed fighter to ent ...

. On 5 August 1957, the squadron reformed at

RCAF Station North Bay Canadian Forces Base North Bay, also CFB North Bay, is an Canadian Forces base, air force base located at the City of North Bay, Ontario, North Bay, Ontario about northwest of Ottawa. The base is subordinate to 1 Canadian Air Division, Winnip ...

where it operated as an all-weather fighter squadron flying the CF-100 Canuck and the

McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo The McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo was an all-weather interceptor aircraft operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Forces between 1961 and 1984. They were manufactured by the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation of St. Louis, Missouri for ...

until 30 June 1964 when it was disbanded once more. The squadron then reformed on 15 September 1967 at RCAF Station St Hubert in its new role as an electronic warfare squadron flying the CF-100. In August 1972 the squadron moved to CFB North Bay where it remained for the next twenty years flying the CF-100, Dassault CC-117 Falcon and McDonnell EF-101B "Electric Voodoo". In 1992 the squadron was split into two parts with one part going to

CFB Comox Canadian Forces Base Comox , commonly referred to as CFB Comox or 19 Wing, is a Canadian Forces base on Vancouver Island in the Comox Valley, north northeast of Comox, British Columbia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Roy ...

as No 414 Composite Squadron and the other part going to

CFB Greenwood Canadian Forces Base Greenwood , or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located east of Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the ...

as 434 Composite Squadron. In 1993 the squadron changed its name to No 414 Combat Support Squadron when it was equipped with the

Canadair CT-133 Silver Star The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) is the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, in service from the 1950s to 2005. The Canadian version was powered by the Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbo ...

. The squadron was disbanded in 2002 when its duties were contracted out to a civilian company. On 7 December 2007 approval was received for the squadron to stand up once more, this time as 414 EWS (Electronic Warfare Support) Squadron. Belonging to the RCAF Aerospace Warfare Centre, the squadron is based in Ottawa and is composed of military Electronic Warfare Officers who fulfill the combat support role, flying on civilian contracted aircraft. The squadron was re-formed at Gatineau Airport, Quebec, on 20 January 2009 to operate the

Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a attack aircraft, light attack jet aircraft, jet and advanced jet trainer co-manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and Dornier Flugzeugwerke of Germany. It was developed specifically to perform trainer a ...

provided by Top Aces Canada.

Badges

Image:RCAF 414 Sqn in felt, 1957-67.jpg, RCAF 414 Sqn in felt, 1957–67 Image:CF100Crest.JPG,

CF-100 The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (affectionately known as the "Clunk") is a Canadian twinjet interceptor/ fighter designed and produced by aircraft manufacturer Avro Canada. It has the distinction of being the only Canadian-designed fighter to ent ...

badge worn by 414 Squadron crews in the 1970s and 80s

References

* * {{Use dmy dates, date=August 2019 Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons Canadian Forces aircraft squadrons Military units and formations established in 1941 Canadian Article XV squadrons of World War II Military units and formations of Canada in World War II