Canadair F-86E Sabres flown by Nos. 400, 401, and 410 Squadrons
No. 400 Squadron RCAF
15 Apr 1946. No. 400 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron (Auxiliary)was re-formed at Downsview, Toronto, Ontario, flying North American Harvard Mk. IIBs. At the start of the Cold War the squadron flew the de Havilland DH.100 Vampire Mk. III and then Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. V.
(militarybruce Photos)
Canadair F-86 Sabres, No. 400 Squadron.
No. 401 Squadron RCAF
No. 401 “City of Westmount” (Fighter) Squadron (Auxiliary) was formed at Montreal, Quebec, on 15 Apr 1946, flying de Havilland Vampire and Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 5 fighters from Oct 1956 to Oct 1958. No. 401 Squadron was reassigned to a light transport and emergency rescue role.
(DND Photo via James Craik)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 5 (Serial No. 23315), coded AB, No. 401 Squadron (Auxilliary), St. Hubert, Quebec, Oct 1956 to Nov 1958.
(DND Photo)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 5 (Serial No. 23209), coded AB, No. 401 Squadron (Auxiliary), based at RCAF Station St. Hubert Quebec, over St-Laurence River, c1957-58.
(DND Photo via Francois Dutil)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 5 (Serial No. 23047), coded AB, No. 401 Squadron (Auxiliary), St. Hubert Quebec, Oct 1956 to Nov 1958.
No. 410 Squadron RCAF
No. 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron, nicknamed the “Cougars”, is currently located at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta. The squadron was formed during the Second World War as an RCAF squadron under the RAF, at RAF Ayr, near Prestwick, Scotland. No. 410 Squadron was the third RCAF night fighter squadron to be formed and was equipped with the Boulton Paul Defiant. In May 1942 these were replaced by the Bristol Beaufighter. The first official sortie of No. 410 Squadron was from RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland, on the night of 4 June 1942, when twelve Bristol Beaufort crews took off. In October 1944, the Squadron was re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mk. IIs, with which the first victory for the squadron was claimed/. It went on to become the top-scoring night fighter squadron in the RAF Second Tactical Air Force during the period between D-Day and VE-Day.
No. 410 Squadron supported the Allied forces during the Normandy Landings and the Battle of the Bulge, flew nightly patrols during this time and many of its pilots gained ace status. Two members of No. 410 Squadron, Flight Lieutenant (F/L) Currie and Flying Officer (F/O) Rose, were the first members of the RCAF to see the German V-2 rocket in flight. The squadron flew 2,972 sorties and accumulated 28,150 hours of flight time. By the end of the war, members of the squadron had claimed 75 3⁄4 75 3⁄4 enemy aircraft destroyed, 2 probably destroyed, and 9 damaged. Operational losses included 17 aircraft and personnel losses included 32 aircrew, of whom 10 were killed, 20 presumed dead, and two were made prisoners of war. Non-operational casualties included 14 aircraft lost and 30 personnel, of whom 29 were killed, 1 injured.
The Squadron moved through a series of RAF bases, but by 5 April 1945 the Cougars were back at RAF Amiens-Glisy. The final move of the war occurred on 9 June 1945, when the squadron relocated to RAF Gilze-Rijen in the Netherlands. The squadron was disbanded in June 1945.
No. 410 Squadron was reactivated on 1 December 1946 as an Air Defence squadron flying de Havilland Vampire F.3 aircraft, and was re-formed from a defence role into that of a fighter role at St. Hubert near Montreal, Quebec on 1 December 1948. From May 1949 to August 1951, the Blue Devils aerobatics team formed, to demonstrate the abilities of the new Vampire aircraft at formation flying. The squadron later converted to the Canadair F-86 Sabre and was deployed to Europe, initially flying from RCAF Station North Luffenham in the UK, and then at RCAF Station Marville (No. 1 (Fighter) Wing) in France. The squadron had been the first regular force fighter unit to fly the Vampire aircraft and was the first to fly the Sabre and the first to join No. 1 (Fighter) Wing of No. 1 Air Division in Europe.
When No. 445 All Weather (Fighter) [AW(F)] Squadron arrived from Canada, however, No. 410 Squadron was deactivated at Marville on 1 October 1956 and reactivated as an all-weather fighter squadron at Uplands near Ottawa, Ontario on 1 November of that year, flying Avro CF-100 Canucks. When the CF-100s were removed from service in 1961, the McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo interceptor was introduced for North American air defence. No. 410 Squadron converted to these aircraft and the squadron continued to fly Voodoos until defence cuts led to the squadron being deactivated on 31 March 1964.
In 1968, No. 3 OTU (Operating Training Unit) based at CFB Bagotville was tasked with training pilots and navigators for the three operational RCAF Voodoo squadrons. It was later renamed No. 410 Squadron. No. 410 Squadron moved to CFB Cold Lake, Alberta in 1982, changing aircraft to become the training unit for Canada’s then new McDonnell CF-188 Hornet fighter. Currently, No. 410 Tactical Fighter Operational Training Squadron trains between 20 and 22 pilots a year on the Hornet, more than any other RCAF squadron.
(RCAF Photo)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19102), coded AM-N, No. 410 Squadron, RCAF Station St. Hubert, Quebec, 17 Aug 1951. This was the first production Sabre by Canadair. This Sabre was serving with Air Defence Command, shortly before deploying to Europe.
(RCAF Photo via Brian Rempel)
Canadair F-86E Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19141) with No. 410 Squadron, coded AM.
(RCAF Photo via James Craik)
Canadair F-86E Sabre Mk.5 (Serial No. 23348), No. 410 Squadron, 1 (F) Wing, Capt. P Thorne.
(RCAF Photo via James Craik)
Canadair F-86E Sabre Mk.5 (Serial No. 233342), No. 410 Squadron, 1 (F) Wing, Capt. P Thorne.
(RCAF Photos)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19102), coded AM-N, No. 410 Squadron, RCAF Station St. Hubert, Quebec, 17 Aug 1951. This was the first production Sabre by Canadair. This Sabre is serving with Air Defence Command, shortly before deploying to Europe.
(DND Photo via James Craik)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19144), coded AM-T, No. 410 Squadron, in formation.
(DND Photo via Harry Meers)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19144), coded AM-T, No. 410 Squadron, in formation.
(DND Photo via Harry Meers)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19183).
(John Yoxhall Photo via Al Robb)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19159), (Serial No. 19176), and (Serial No. 19180), No. 410 Squadron, coded AM, North Luffenham, England, Dec 1952.
(John Yoxhall Photo via Al Robb)
Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19159) and (Serial No. 19180), No. 410 Squadron, coded AM, North Luffenham, England, Dec 1952.
(RCAF Photo via James Craik)
Canadair F-86E Sabre Mk. 2 (Serial No. 19181, No. 410 Squadron, No. 1 Fighter Wing, North Luffenham, UK.
