Country Canada Size Squadron | Type Aviation squadron | |
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Active November 18, 1941–July 6, 2006 Branch Royal Canadian Air Force Motto(s) Ad Saltum paratus (Ready for the leap) | ||
416 "City of Oshawa" Tactical Fighter Squadron (416 TFS) was a unit of the Canadian Forces under Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operated the CF-18 Hornet fighter jet from CFB Cold Lake in Alberta, Canada. In 2006, 416 TFS stood down and was amalgamated with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron to form 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron.
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The unit was originally formed during the Second World War as a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
History
No. 416 Squadron RCAF was formed at RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1941 as a fighter squadron for service during the Second World War and was based at various RAF stations in Scotland, England and continental Europe. The squadron was disbanded in March 1946.
The squadron was reformed in 1952 at RCAF Uplands in Ottawa, Ontario for operations in Europe as part of Canada's Cold War presence. The squadron was located at Grostenquin, France. By 1957, the squadron was relocated to Canada at RCAF St Hubert near Montreal, PQ as an air defence squadron flying Avro Canada CF-100 all weather fighters. In 1962, the CF-100s were replaced with CF-101 Voodoo interceptors, which continued to fly with 416 Squadron until the end of 1984. 416 Squadron thus became the world's last front-line unit flying Voodoos.
In 1988 the squadron relocated to CFB Cold Lake as a Tactical Fighter Squadron flying CF-188s, and later merged with 441 Tactical Fighter Squadron to reform 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron in 2006.
The squadron's nickname was City of Oshawa, Lynx.