No. 432 Squadron RCAF was a squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force formed during the Second World War.
No. 432 (Leaside) Squadron RCAF 432 All Weather Fighter Squadron RCAF | |
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Active | 1943–1945 1954–1961 |
Country | Canada |
Branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Role | Strategic bombing (1943–1945) Fighter-interceptor (1954–1961) |
Part of | No. 6 Group RCAF (1943–1945) |
Nickname(s) | Leaside |
Motto(s) | Saeviter ad Lucem ("Ferociously towards the light") |
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Squadron Code | QO (1943–1945) |
Squadron Badge | Argent in front of a full moon Argent a Cougar leaping downwards Sable armed and langued Gules. |
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Bomber | Vickers Wellington Mk.X Avro Lancaster Mk.II Handley Page Halifax Mk.III & VII (1943–1945) |
Fighter | Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck (1954–1961) |
It was first formed at RAF Skipton-on-Swale in May 1943, as part of No. 6 Group of RAF Bomber Command. The unit was equipped with Wellington Mk.X bombers.[1]
The squadron deployed to RAF East Moor in mid-September, equipping with Lancaster Mk.IIs in October. In February 1944 they changed to Halifax Mk.IIIs, upgrading these to Halifax Mk.VIIs in July.[1][2]
As part of a Royal Canadian Air Force public relations plan, the town of Leaside officially "adopted" No. 432 Squadron RCAF. Formed and adopted on 1 May 1943 the squadron took the town's name as its nickname, becoming 432 "Leaside" Squadron RCAF. The sponsorship lasted the duration of the war.[3]
The squadron was disbanded at East Moor in May, 1945.[1]
On October 1, 1954, it was reformed as a fighter squadron at CFB Bagotville flying the Canadian designed Avro CF-100. The squadron was again disbanded on October 15, 1961.[4]
Manuel Sharko was a mid-upper gunner in a Halifax bomber during the war.
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1 Aircraft administered and serviced by the RCAF but manned by the Royal Canadian Artillery.
2 Non-standard code as unit using OW added L. Letters normally denoted parent Command, aircraft type (L Liberator transport, D Dakota etc), unit, and individual aircraft. 3 VCAXX where VC was the civil code used by the RCAF replacing CF-, A was the aircraft ID letter and XX was the unit code 4 XXnnn where XX was the unit code and nnn was the last 3 digits of the serial number. Unit code was replaced with "RCAF" in 1958 |