No. 438 Squadron RCAF
| 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron | |
|---|---|
438 Squadron badge
|
|
| Active | 1934–present |
| Country | Canada |
| Branch | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Role | Tactical helicopter |
| Part of | 1 Wing |
| Home station | CFB Montreal |
| Nickname(s) | Wildcats |
| Motto(s) | Going down |
| Battle honours |
|
| Website | rcaf-arc |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | The head of a wildcat affronte |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | CH-146 Griffon |
438 "City of Montreal" Tactical Helicopter Squadron (French: 438e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères) is a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon tactical helicopter from CFB St. Hubert in Quebec, Canada. Its tasks include transport, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and support to local law enforcement.
The motto Going Down was adopted during the Second World War when operating on Hawker Typhoons over occupied Europe. This was the flight leader's instruction to begin diving attacks with bombs, cannons or both.
Authorized at Montreal, Quebec, on September 1, 1934 as No.18 Squadron. It was renumbered No.118 Squadron on November 17, 1937. In its pre-war years, the unit flew the de Havilland DH.60 Moth.
A book was written and published on the history of the Squadron: Le 438e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères 1934-2009 by Jerry Fielden and Michel Pratt was published in August 2010.
Still then numbered as No. 118 (Fighter) Squadron, the unit moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in October 1939 as the only operational fighter squadron on the east coast of Canada. It began operations with the Westland Lysander but this aircraft was considered so lacking as a suitable fighter aircraft the squadron was disbanded in September 1940 and it was not stood up again until the unwanted Goblin fighter made its appearance. The fifteen CCF GE23 Goblin equipped the newly formed 118 Fighter Squadron in December 1940 which immediately moved the Goblins from working up in Rockcliffe to Dartmouth in order to continue the defence of Canada's east coast. The Goblins continued until replaced by the Curtis Kittyhawk in December, 1941. The squadron was sent to serve in the Alaska campaign and flew from Annette Island as part of Y Wing. On January 16, 1942, two squadron Kittyhawks spotted and attacked a surfaced German U-boat barely 10 miles from Halifax. F/O W.P. Roberts flying Kittyhawk AK851 was able to fire six bursts and obtain a number of hits around the conning tower. Embarking for Europe on November 2, 1943, the unit was renumbered No. 438 Squadron, and was part of 2TAF's 143 Wing RCAF.
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