No. 427 Squadron

Badge: In front of a maple leaf a lion rampant
Motto: Ferte manus certas (Strike with a sure hand)
Authority: King George VI, October 1943

The combination of a lion represent­ing England and a maple leaf for Canada indicates the formation of this squadron in England.

Formed as a Fighter unit at St Hubert (Montreal), Quebec on 1 August 1952 with Sabre aircraft, the squadron joined No. 3 (Fighter) Wing at Zweibrucken, Germany in March 1953. Selected as the first of eight squadrons in No. 1 Air Division Europe to be re-equipped with CF-104 Starfighter aircraft for a nuclear strike role, it was deactivated on 15 December 1962 and reactivated as Strike Attack on the 17th. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces.

Brief Chronology: Formed as No. 427 (F) Sqn. St Hubert, Que. 1 Aug 52. Deactivated at Grostenquin, Fr. 15 Dec 62. Reactivated as No. 427 (ST/A) Sqn, Zweibrucken, Ger. 17 Dec 62. Integrated into CAF 1 Feb 68.

Nickname: “Lion”

Commander

• S/L C.L.V. Gervais 1 Aug 52 – 30 Aug 53.
• S/L D.K. Burke, CD 2 Jun 54 – 17 Sep 55.
• W/C D. Laidler, CD 18 Sep 55 – 13 Jul 56.
• W/C W.R. Tew, DFC, CD 1 Oct 56 – 31 Mar 58.
• W/C H.R. Knight, CD 1 May 58 – 30 May 60.
• W/C P.B. St. Louis, MBE, CD 15 Dec 60 – 15 Dec 62.

Squadron inactive

• W/C R.G. Middlemiss, DFC 17 Dec 62 – 10 Feb 64. (See excerpts of this book)
• W/C W.R. Knight, CD 11 Feb 64 – 6 Jul 65.
• W/C J.F. Dunlop, DFC, CD 7 Jul 65 – 15 Sep 65. (1923-1999)
• W/C P.J.S. Higgs, CD 17 May 66 – 1 Sep 67.
• W/C R.E. Carruthers, CD 2 Sep 67 – 31 Jan 68.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations

Air Defence Command:

• St. Hubert, Que. 1 Aug 52 – 6 Mar 53.
• En route overseas (Operation “Leapfrog III”) 7 Mar 53 – 6 Apr 53.

No. 1 Air Division:

No. 3 (Fighter) Wing,

• Zweibrucken, Ger. 7 Apr 53 – 15 Jun 62.

No. 1 (Fighter) Wing,

• Grostenquin, Fr. (withdrawal of Sabre aircraft) 16 Jun 62 -15 Dec 62.

Squadron inactive

No. 3 Wing,

• Zweibrucken, Ger. 16 Dec 62 – 31 Jan 68.

No. 4 Wing,

• Baden-Soellingen, Ger. (Zweibrucken runways being resurfaced) 1 Jul – 15 Sep 66.

Representative Aircraft (Unit Code 1947-51 BO, 1951-58 BB)

Canadair Sabre Mk. 2 (Sep 52 – Jun 53)

• 19409   19427   19433   19444

Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (May 53 – Sep 55)

Canadair Sabre Mk.6 (Sep 55 – Dec 62)

• 23393   23522

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (Dec 62 – Jan 68)

• 12627   12794   12802   12823