RCN Squadrons

HS-50 A/S Helicopter Squadron

    July 1955.  Formed as HS 50 under the US system of numbering at HMCS Shearwater, Nova Scotia.  Flew the Sikorsky H04S, Sikorsky Sea King aircraft.

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    1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces.

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    July 1974.  Disbanded when it was split into HS 423 and HS 443 due to its size and scope of operations.

HU 21 Helicopter Utility Squadron

    September 1951.  Originally formed as Number 1 Helicopter Flight, it was renamed VH 21 under the US system of numbering at HMCS Shearwater, Nova Scotia.  Flew the Bell HTL-4, Piasecki HUP-3, Sikorsky H04S, Bell HTL-6, Sikorsky Sea King aircraft.

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    April 1955.  Detachment No. 3 of the squadron became known as HU 21.

    1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces.

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    July 1972.  Disbanded.  VT 406 Squadron assumed its aircrew training functions.

VT-40 Air Training Squadron

    May 1954.  Formed as VT 40 under the US system of numbering at HMCS Shearwater, Nova Scotia.  Flew the North American Harvard, Hawker Sea Fury, Grumman Avenger, Beechcraft Expeditor, Lockheed (Canadair) Silver Star aircraft.

    May 1959.  Disbanded and its functions were absorbed into VU 32.

VU 32 Utility Air Squadron

    June 1946.  Formed as FRU 743 (Fleet Requirement Unit) in Dartmouth, Nova-Scotia.  Flew the Swordfish, Anson V, and Harvard aircraft.

    November 1952.  Air squadrons of the RCN were brought into the U.S. system of numbering and 743 was re-designated VU 32.

    May 1954.  Became a separate entity, organizationally.  Flew the Grumman Avenger aircraft.

    May 1959.  Amalgamated with VT-40 based at HMCS Shearwater.  Re-organized into 3 Flights.  The Utility Flight, composed of Trackers and Avengers aircrafts.  The Piston Flight, flying Expeditors aircrafts and the Jet Flight with its T-33 "Silver Stars" aircrafts. 

    1960.  Retires its Avengers and Expeditors aircrafts.

1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces. (see Squadrons_Others)  

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VU-33 Utility Air Squadron

    November 1954.  Formed as VU 33 under the US system of numbering at Patricia Bay, British Columbia.  Flew the Grumman Avenger,  Piasecki HUP-3 aircraft.

    1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces. (see Squadrons_Others)      

VX 10 Experimental Air Squadron

    March 1953.  Formed at Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.

     1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces.

    June 1970.  Disbanded and absorbed into the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment (AETE) at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta.

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870 Fighter Squadron

    24 January 1946.  Authorized as 803 Squadron as part of the Royal Navy.  Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.  Flew the Supermarine Seafire and the Hawker Sea Fury aircraft.

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   1 May 1951.  Re-designated 870 Fighter Squadron in Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.  803 designation returned to the Royal Navy.

    November 1952.  Renamed VF 870 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the Hawker Sea Fury and the McDonnell Banshee aircraft.

    1953.  Moved to Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

    30 March 1954.  Disbanded.

    16 March 1959.  Amalgamated with 871 Squadron, retaining the senior designation.

    7 September 1962.  Disbanded.

871 Fighter Squadron

    24 January 1946.  Authorized as 883 Squadron.

    23 February 1946.  Disbanded.

    15 May 1947.  Reformed.

    1 May 1951.  Re-designated 871 Squadron, at Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.  Flew the Hawker Sea Fury and McDonnell Banshee aircraft.

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    16 March 1959.  Amalgamated with 870 Squadron.

880 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron

    January 1941.  Formed at Arbroath.  Flew the Martlett 1s.  Augmented by Sea Gladiators and Sea Hurricane IAs aircrafts.

    July 1941.   Embarked on HMS Furious with Sea Hurricane aircraft.

    October 1941.  Embarked on the completed HMS Indomitable.

    August 1942.  Disembarked at Stretton and re-equipped soon after with Seafire IICs aircraft.

    October 1942.  Embarked on HMS Argus.

    March 1943.  Returned to HMS Indomitable.

    October 1943.  Stationed at Ballyhalbert and Skeabrae.  Embarked on HMS Furious.

    June 1944.  Formed part of a Composite Squadron from 801 and 880 Squadrons at Drem.  Flew the Seafires aircraft.

    August 1944.  Dispersed back to their respective parent squadrons.

    October 1944.  The squadron joined the 30th Naval Fighter Wing, and embarked on HMS Implacable.  Disembarking again to Skeabrae and subsequently Grimsetter until March 1945.

    March 1945.  Embarked on HMS Implacable.

    25 August 1945.  Disembarked at Schofields, Australia.

    9 September 1945.  Disbanded.

    24 January 1946.  Authorized as 825 Squadron as part of the Royal Navy.

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    15 January 1951.  Re-designated 825 Anti-Submarine Squadron at Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.  Flew the Fairey Barracuda and the Fairey Firefly aircraft.

     May 1951.  Formed as the redesignation of 825 Squadron, at Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.

    1 May 1951.  Re-designated 880 Anti-Submarine Squadron.  825 designation returned to the Royal Navy.

    November 1952.  Renamed VS 880 under the US system of numbering in.

    May 1957.  Re-equipped with CP-121 Tracker aircraft.

    7 July 1959.  Amalgamated with 881 Squadron, retaining the senior designation.

    1 February 1968.  Integrated in the Canadian Armed Forces. (CAF see 800 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron)

881 Squadron

    August 1945.  Formed as 826 Squadron as part of the Royal Navy and was Canadian-Manned.

    May 1951. Formed as the redesignation of  826 Squadron.

    23 February 1946.  Disbanded.

    15 May 1947.  Reformed at Dartmouth, Nova-Scotia.  Flew the Fairey Barracuda, Fairey Firefly and the Grumman Avenger aircraft.

    1 May 1951.  Re-designated 881 Squadron, at Shearwater, Nova-Scotia.  826 Designation returned to the Royal Navy.

    November 1952.  Renamed VS 881 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the Grumman Avenger and Grumman Tracker aircraft.

    7 July 1959.  Amalgamated with 880 Squadron.

883 Fighter Squadron

    September 1945.  Authorized as 883 Squadron as part of the Royal Navy.  Transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy.  Flew the Supermarine Seafire and Hawker Sea Fury aircraft.

    February 1946.  Disbanded.

    May 1947.  Reformed.

    May 1951.  Renumbered to 871 Squadron.

920 Composite Squadron

    Badge, none.

    May 1953.  Formed VC 920 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the North American Harvard, Grumman Avenger and Beechcraft Expeditor aircrafts.

    1 May 1953.  Authorized as 920 Composite Squadron.

    20 March 1954.  Disbanded.

921 Composite Squadron

    Badge, none.

    September 1953.  Formed VC 921 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the North American Harvard and Beechcraft Expeditor aircrafts.

    30 September 1953.  Authorized as 921 Composite Squadron.

    3 March 1959.  Disbanded.

922 Composite Squadron

    July 1952.  Formed as CFU 1.

    December 1953.  Formed VC 922 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the Supermarine Seafire and Hawker Sea Fury aircrafts.

    1 December 1953.  Authorized as 922 Composite Squadron

    December 1963.  Disbanded.

923 Composite Squadron

    Badge, none.

    May 1954.  Formed as VC923 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the North American Harvard aircraft.

    2 May 1954.  Authorized as 923 Composite Squadron.

    20 February 1959.  Disbanded.

924 Composite Squadron

    Badge, none.

    June 1954.  Formed as VC924 under the US system of numbering.  Flew the North American Harvard aircraft.

    1 July 1954.  Authorized as 924 Composite Squadron.

    4 March 1959.  Disbanded