No. 4 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron was a

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 ...

squadron that was active before and during 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 ...

. It was formed on 17 January 1933 at RCAF Station Jericho Beach and flew civil operations until 1939, conducting forestry, customs and fishing patrols as well as aerial photography. On 1 January 1938, it was redesignated a General Reconnaissance squadron but continued with the same aircraft, but began training for war operations. On 10 September 1939, the unit was mobilized for the war and redesignated again, this time as a Bomber Reconnaissance squadron, and it began carrying out anti-submarine patrols under the direction of Western Air Command while based out of RCAF station Tofino, in British Columbia. During the war, the squadron flew the

Blackburn Shark The Blackburn Shark was a carrier-borne torpedo bomber designed and built by the British aviation manufacturer Blackburn Aircraft. It was originally known as the Blackburn T.S.R., standing for "torpedo-spotter-reconnaissance", in reference to i ...

Supermarine Stranraer The Supermarine Stranraer is a flying boat designed and built by the British Supermarine Aviation Works company at Woolston, Southampton. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF). It wa ...

Consolidated Canso The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA- ...

and

Consolidated Catalina The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA ...

before disbanding on 7 August 1945.

Tofino Canso bomber crash

On 8 February 1945, Consolidated Canso 11007 was departing RCAF Station Tofino on a routine night anti-submarine patrol of the coastline having been cleared for take-off at 2300 hours and had just passed the end of the runway when the port engine failed. The flight carried 12 personnel, of fuel and four depth charges. While failing to gain altitude over a forested area the pilot attempted a 180-degree turn to return to the airfield, and impacted the side of a low hill. All on board survived with only minor injuries. Later, the RCAF retrieved all salvageable equipment including radios, radar equipment and machine guns, and detonated the depth charges, leaving a crater. The wreck is in a relatively easy to access location in

National Park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...

land (which precludes salvage) close to roads and is a popular destination for hikers despite most of the area being swampy.

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{{mil-aviation-stub Royal Canadian Air Force squadrons Air force units and formations of Canada in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in the 1940s