435 Transport and Rescue Squadron

A WWII RCAF heraldic jacket patch for 435 Squadron. Although there is no back-stamp, the design and quality are indicative as being made by Crest Craft, Saskatoon.

435 Transport and Rescue Squadron (French: 435^e Escadron de transport et de sauvetage), nicknamed "Chinthe Squadron", is a Royal Canadian Air Force strategic transport, aerial refueling and search and rescue unit based at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The squadron flies eight Lockheed CC-130H Hercules aircraft. In addition to being the only provider of tactical fighter air-to-air refueling in Canada, the squadron is a provider of primary search and rescue response for the largest search and rescue region in Canada, controlled from CFB Trenton.^[2] The squadron keeps an aircraft on constant readiness to deploy, with airborne Search and Rescue Technicians (SAR Techs) standing by to respond within 30 minutes of notification during weekdays and 2 hours at other times.^[2] The Trenton Search and Rescue Region, also covered by the 424 Transport and Rescue Squadron, extends from Quebec City to the Rocky Mountains, and from the Canada–United States border to the North Pole, covering most of Central, Western, and Northern Canada.^[3]

History

No. 435 Squadron RCAF was formed on 1 November 1944 in Gujarat, India during the Burma Campaign, flying the Douglas Dakota in support of the Fourteenth Army. After war's end, the unit was relocated to England, where it provided transport to Canadian Army units in Europe. Deactivated on 1 April 1946 in England and re-activated three months later at RCAF Station Edmonton, the squadron relocated a few miles north to RCAF Station Namao in 1955, flying the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar.

Lockheed C-130B Hercules of 435 Squadron wearing the markings of the Royal Canadian Air Force Air Transport Command when at London Gatwick in 1966.

The unit was re-equipped with the C-130B Hercules in 1960 and upgraded to the C-130E in 1966. Due to the Chretien government's budget slashing and the resultant closure of the airfield at CFB Edmonton, the squadron was moved to 17 Wing Winnipeg in 1994, operating from Hangar 16, a Recognized Federal Heritage Building since 2007.^[4]

More recently, the squadron took part in Operation Southern Watch in Iraq, Operation Allied Force in Kosovo, Operation Noble Eagle domestically, and Operation Mobile during the 2011 Libyan civil war. The squadron has also participated in several exercises and support missions, and was the first Canadian unit to land a plane in Jacmel shortly after the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[5]

References

Royal Canadian Air Force flying squadrons
Early and Pre-WWII Squadrons	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 18
The 100-series squadrons	110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 145 147 149 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 170
The 400-series squadrons	400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443
The 600-series squadrons	664 665 666
Post-war squadrons	103 444 445 446 447 448 449 450