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Squadron History Index

No. 410 Squadron

Nickname: Cougar, City of Saint John
Motto: NOCTIVAGA - "Wandering by Night"

Battle Honours:
Defence of Britain 1941-44, Fortress Europe 1943, Rhine France and Germany 1944-45, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1943, Gulf War

Its Badge, in front of a decrescent, a cougar's face. The Cougar is a Canadian animal noted for its speed and power in striking down its prey. The waning moon indicates the squadron's night operations.

Background: The War Years

The RCAF's third nigh-fighter, No. 410 Squadron, formed on Defiants at Ayr at the end of June 1941, moving to Drem in August with detachments located at several other airfields. Beaufighter II's replaced the Defiants in April and in June the Squadron returned to Ayr, with a detachment a Drem, before moving to Scorton in September and to Acklington in October where it converted to deHavilland Mosquito Mk II's, with which the first victory was claimed. In February 1943 the unit moved to Coleby Grange to undertake some 'Ranger' sorties, while a detachment moved to Predannack. Mosquito Mk VI's supplemented the Mk II's from July, while in November the unit moved to Hunsdon where in December Mosquito Mk XII's replace the earlier types. In June 1944 a move was made to Zeels where the Squadron became part of the 2nd TAF (Tactical Air Force), moving to Colerne in July, and in August commenced conversion to the Mosquito Mk XXX. A return to Hunsdon preceded a move to France in September, where regular patrols commences. Moves to other French airfields followed, and then in April 1945 to Gilze-Rijen in Holland. The Squadron had the distinction of being the top-scoring night-fighter unit in 2nd TAF in the period between D-Day and VE-Day. A total of 75 3/4 victories had been claimed by the end of the war. The Squadron used the code letter RA on it's aircraft during this period.

Representative Aircraft

  • Defiant NFI (July 1941 - May 1942)
  • Beaufighter II (April 1942 - January 1943)
  • Mosquito II (November 1942 - December 1943)
  • Mosquito VI (July 1943 - September 1943)
  • Mosquito XIII (December 1943 - August 1944)
  • Mosquito XXX (August 1944 - June 1945)

Background: The Cold War

No. 410 was reformed in December, 1948 at St. Hubert, P.C. The first post-war fighter squadron in the RCAF (Regular). Originally equipped with Vampires the Cougars became the first squadron in the RCAF to fly Sabres. No. 410 became the first RCAF squadron to go overseas equipped with Canadian-built aircraft. Based at North Luffenham until the fall of 1954, when it moved to Baden-Soellingen, Germany, where it was attached to No. 4 Fighter Wing until March, 1955. The Cougars moved to Marville, France, where they were disbanded. Reformed at Uplands as 410 (AW)F Squadron on 1 November 1956. On 20 December 1961 became Canada's first operational Voodoo squadron. It was disbanded once again an 31 March 1964.

Representative Aircraft

  • Vampire
  • Sabre
  • CF-100 Canuck
  • CF-101 Voodoo
  • CF-18 Hornet

Background: Unification

Reformed again No. 410 Nighthawk was the operational training squadron for the CF-101 Voodoo interceptor. The squadron was based at CFB Bagotville, Quebec. The squadron was the first squadron to re-equip with the CF-18 Hornet in the early eighties.

Representative Aircraft

  • CF-101 Voodoo
  • CF-18 Hornet

Background: The Present

On June 11, 1982, the squadron moved to CFB Cold Lake and re-equipped with the CF-18 as 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Sqn were it currently resides today.

Representative Aircraft

  • CF-18 Hornet
The material above is mirrored from RCAF.com with the permission of Bob Hurst - who retains copyright to the material listed.