No. 434 Squadron

Badge A representation of the schooner “Bluenose”
Motto In excelsis vincimus (We con­quer in the heights)
Authority King George VI, October 1945.

The squadron was adopted by the Rotary Club of Halifax, Nova Scotia and took the nickname “Bluenose” in reference to the common nickname for Nova Scotians. The schooner ‘Bluenose’ is well known for its fine record.

Formed as a Fighter unit at Uplands (Ottawa), Ontario on 1 July 1952 with Sabre aircraft, the squadron joined No. 3 (Fighter) Wing at Zweibrucken, Germany in March 1953 (1). Selected as one 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 January 1963 and reactivated as Strike Attack on 8 April. When the Air Division was reduced to six squadrons, the squadron was again deactivated on 1 March 1967 (2).

Brief Chronology: Formed as No. 434 (F) Sqn, Uplands, Ont. 1 Jul 52. Deactivated at Marville, Fr. 15 Jan 63. Reactivated as No. 434 (ST/A) Sqn, Zweibrucken, Ger. 8 Apr 63. Deactivated 1 Mar 67.

Nickname: “Bluenose”

Commanders

• W/C J.D. Mitchner, DFC and Bar 2 Jul 52 – 20 Feb 53.
• S/L J.W. Fiander, CD 18 May 53 – 28 Nov 54.
• S/L A.L. Sinclair, DFC, CD 29 Nov 54 – 29 Apr 56.
• S/L E.R.B. Gray, CD 30 Apr 56 – 7 Apr 57.
• W/C H.C. Stewart, AFC, CD 8 Apr 57 – 31 May 57.
• S/L J.F. Dunlop, DFC, CD 11 Jun 57 – 25 May 59.
• W/C H.F. Wenz, CD 26 May 59 – 12 Jul 62.
• S/L J. Ursulak, CD 13 Jul 62 – 23 Sep 62.
• S/L K.E. Lewis, CD 24 Sep 62 – 15 Jan 63.

Squadron inactive

• W/C O.B. Philp, DFC, CD 8 Apr 63 – 3 Dec 65.
• W/C J.A.G.F. Villeneuve, AFC, CD 4 Dec 65 – 1 Mar 67.

Higher Formations and Squadron Locations

Air Defence Command:

• Uplands, Ont. 1 Jul 52 – 6 Mar 53.
• En route overseas (Operation “Leapfrog lll”) 7 Mar 53 – 6 Apr 53.

No. 1 Air Division Europe:

No. 3 (Fighter) Wing,

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

No. 1 (Fighter) Wing,

• Marville, Fr. (for withdrawal of Sabre aircraft) 16 Jun 62 – 15 Jan 63.

Squadron inactive

No. 3 Wing, Zweibrucken, Ger. 8 Apr 63 – 1 Mar 67.

No. 4 Wing, Baden-Soellingen, Ger. (Zweibrucken runways being resurfaced) 1 Jul – 15 Sep 66.

Representative Aircraft (Unit Code 1952-58 BR)

Canadair Sabre Mk.2 (July 52 – Nov 53)

• 19117   19307   19434   19449

Canadair Sabre Mk.5 (Oct 53 – Jan 57)

• 23053   23065   23707

Canadair Sabre Mk.6 (Jan 57 – Jan 63)

• 23480   23642   23688   23707

Canadair CF-104 Starfighter (Apr 63 – Feb 67)

• 12811   12815   12820   12824

(1) In May 1945 its predecessor had flown Canadian-built Lancaster B.X’s from England to Canada. Thus No. 434 became the first squadron of the RCAF to fly the Atlantic in both directions.

(2) The squadron was still inactive when the RCAF was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces, but was reactivated two weeks later (15 February 1968) as an operational training squadron with CF-5 aircraft.