No. 421 Squadron

Badge: In front of two tomahawks in saltire, a Red Indian warrior’s head­dress
Motto: Bellicum cecinere (They have sounded the war trumpet)
Authority: King George VI, September 1944

The Canadian Red Indian is well known for his courage and fighting qualities and with the tomahawks, his traditional weapon, makes an appropriate device for a fighter squadron.

Formed as a Fighter unit at Chatham, New Brunswick on 15 September 1949, the squadron flew Vampire aircraft and, during 1951, was stationed in the United Kingdom for operational training with the Royal Air Force. In December 1951 it was re-equipped with Sabre aircraft and in October 1952 joined No. 2 (Fighter) Wing at Grostenquin, France (1). Selected as one of eight Sabre squadrons in No. 1 Air Division Europe to be re-equipped with CF-104 Starfighter aircraft for a nuclear strike role, the squadron was deactivated on 1 August 1963 and was reactivated as Strike Attack on 21 December. When No. 2 Wing was disbanded in February 1964, the squadron joined No. 4 Wing at Baden­-Soellingen, Germany. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces.

Brief Chronology: Formed as No. 421 (F) Sqn, Chatham, N.B. 15 Sep 49 (2). Deactivated at Grostenquin, Fr. 1 Aug 63. Reactivated as No. 421 (ST I A) Sqn 2 Dec 63. Integrated into CAF at Baden-Soellingen, Ger. 1 Feb 68.

Nickname: “Red Indian”

Commanders

• S/L R.T.P. Davidson, DFC, CD 15 Sep 49 -25 Nov 52.
• S/L R.G. Middlemiss, DFC, CD 29 Nov 51 -25 Sep 53.
• S/L E.P. Wood, DFC, CD 23 Oct 53 -17 May 54.
• S/L J.R.F. Johnson, DFC, AFC, CD 18 May 54 – 26 Apr 56.
• S/L C.D.A. Bourque 27 May 56 -6 Jul 58.
• S/L L.D. Allatt, CD 7 Jul 58 -29 Jun 59.
• W/C.R. Van Adel, CD 30 Jun 59 -10 Jul 62.
• W/C A.J. Bauer, CD 11 Jul 62 -1 Aug 63.

Squadron inactive

• W/C J.B. Lawrence, CD 29 Feb 64 -S May 67.
• W/C R.H. Annis, CD 28 Apr 67 -31 Jan 68.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations

Air Defence Command:

• Chatham, N.B. 15 Sep 49 -15 Jan 51.
• En route overseas (minus aircraft) 16 Jan 51 -18 Jan 51.

RAF Fighter Command:

No. 11 Group,

• Odiham, Hants., Eng. 19 Jan 51 -12 Nov 51.
• En route to Canada (minus aircraft) 13 Nov 51 -14 Dec 51.

Air Defence Command:

• St Hubert, Que. 15 Dec 51 -27 Sep 52.
• En route overseas (Operation “Leapfrog II”) 28 Sep 52 -10 Oct 52.

No. 1 Air Division Europe:

No. 2 (Fighter) Wing,

• Grostenquin, Fr. 11 Oct 53 -1 Aug 63.

Squadron inactive

No. 2 Wing, Grostenquin, Fr. 2 Dec 63 -13 Feb 64.

No. 4 Wing, Baden-Soellingen, Ger. 14 Feb 64 -31 Jan 68.

Representative Aircraft (Unit Code AX)

de Havilland Vampire Mk.III (Sept 49 -Dec 50)

• 17001   17045   17060   17065

de Havilland Vampire Mk.S (England, Jan -Oct 50, no code)

• VZ261   VZ264   VZ339   VZ343

Gloster Meteor T.Mk.7 (Jan -Oct 50)

• WA740   WA742

Canadair Sabre Mk. 2 (Dec 51 -Mar 54)

• 19287   19350   19365   19389

Canadair Sabre Mk.S (Mar 54 -Jun 56)

• 23153   23166

Canadair Sabre Mk.6 (Jun 56 -Jul 63)

• 23595   23742   23654   23684

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (Dec 63 -Feb 68)

• 12856   12858   12867   12894

(1) It thus became the only RCAF squadron to log three tours of overseas duty.
(2) ‘The squadron was to have formed on 15 February 1949, but the order was amended to 1 June 1949 with Greenwood, Nova Scotia as the location, and further amended 15 September 1949 to Chatham.22