No. 426 Squadron

Nickname: Thunderbird
Motto: On Wings of Fire

Battle Honours:
English Channel and North Sea 1943, Baltic 1943, Fortress Europe 1943-44, France and Germany 1944-45, Biscay Ports 1943-44, Ruhr 1943-45, Berlin 1943-44, German Ports 1943-45, Normandy 1944, Rhine Biscay 1943

Its Badge, a thunderbird. The thunderbird is a mythical bird, the sight of which is supposed to cause havoc and death to those who perceive it. It was the name given by some Indians to the first airplanes they saw. The thunderbird signified disaster to those on the ground who incurred its displeasure.

The History

No. 426 Squadron was formed at Dishforth alongside No. 425 on 15 October 1942 with Vickers Wellington Mk IIIs and Mk Xs. It began operations against occupied Europe in January 1943, flying a growing intensity of sorties by night, principally over Germany. Unlike the other RCAF Wellington squadrons it did not go to Tunisia in that year, but remained operating over Germany. In June it moved to Linton-on-Ouse, where it re-equipped with the Hercules-engined Avro Lancaster Mk II. With this type it soon resumed the offensive, and continued with the night campaign from Linton for the next ten months. In April 1944 it began to re-equip with Handley Page Halifax Mk IIIs and Mk VIIs, and for the next year continued to operate with these types as part of No. 6 Group. In all its war service the squadron lost 88 aircraft as the price of its offensive. In May 1945 it transferred to Transport Command at Driffield and moved down to Ternpsford, where it re-equipped with Consolidated Liberators for transport duties. It flew on scheduled runs to India for the rest of the year, disbanding at Tempsford on 31 December 1945.

No. 426 Squadron, RCAF Avro Lancaster B.Mk II

The Armstrong-Whitworth built Lancaster B.Mk II used the Hercules radial engines.
Most Mk IIs were used by 400-series squadrons.

Re-formed on 1 August 1946 as No. 426 (Transport) Squadron at Dartmouth, NS On 1 March 1947, No. 426 (T) Squadron was reorganized and relocated to Dorval, PQ where it was equipped with Dakotas and North Stars. In support of the United Nations participation in the Korean incident, No. 426 Squadron was selected to carry out air transport operations in conjunction with the United States Military Air Services. No. 426 Thunderbird squadron was integrated into the Canadian Forces as the Heavy Transport Squadron of the Canadian Forces flying Canadian built CC-106 Yukons.

The squadron moved from St. Hubert, Quebec to Trenton, Ontario in August of 1971 and remains there today, conducting training on the CC-130 Hercules and CC-150 Polaris.

Representative Aircraft

Operational History

Back to Top

Site Search:

Squadrons Main