Last update 04-09-22
Canadian Forces - Air Command / Forces Canadiennes - Commandement Aérien
Operational units / Bases / Badges
No. 434 Squadron "Bluenose" Operation Training Sqn - No. 434 Squadron "Bluenose" Tactical Fighter Operational Training Sqn from 09-09-70
No. 434 Squadron "Bluenose" Tactical Fighter Sqn from 02-04-76
English, French patches
and badge
of first camouflage on tail.
434
Squadron was flying Lockheed CF-104 in
Germany when it was disbanded on 01-03-67.
First unit to be equipped with
Canadair CF-5s it stood-up again at CFB Cold
Lake, on 15-02-68 as No. 434 Operational Training Squadron using Canadair T-33A.
Its role consisted in tactical
fighter and operational training for future CF-5
and CF-104 pilots. First CF-5D was received on 05 November 1968, with
the first
course starting in January 1969. It was later also tasked
to train
Venezuelan
and Dutch pilots.
No. 433 Escadille Tactique Aérienne de Combat
"Porcs-Epics" - No. 433 Escadille Tactique Aérienne de Combat
"Porcs-Epics"
No. 433 Escadron Tactique de Combat
"Porcs-Epics"
Patch
Badge painted on aircraft intake
The Squadron flew Canadair CF-100 Canuk aircraft on
North American air defence from CFB North bay unitil disbanded on
01-08-61.
Reformed
on 22-11-68 at CFB Bagotville (Quebec) it received its first Canadair CF-116 on 25-08-69 as No. 433
Escadron Tactique de Combat, a French language Squadron of Mobile
Command.
Beginning of 1984 it had a strength of 14 CF-5As and 3 CF-5Ds.
The unit kept its CF-5As till December 1987 when it started to
convert on McDonnel Douglas CF-18.
CF-5D 116813 in metal colours at Trenton 22-09-76
CF-5A(R)
116725 with rocket launcher at Bagotville 16-08-71
Photos: Archive The
Northrop F-5 Enthusiast
See Operations for additional information about this unit's activity.
The 433's Sqn "Saguenay Manics" aerobatic team enthusiasted the crowds between 1971 and
1974; it was renamed between 1975 and 1978 "Saguenay Expos", in 1979
"Saguenay Pogos", between 1980 to 1983
"Saguenay Quebec"; 1972 saw also a combined 433/434 Sqn performing under the
name
CF-5 Demo Team.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 419
Squadron
Tactical Fighter (Training) Squadron
"Moose"
Patch
Crest
Badges
painted on silver / on upgraded - aircrafts
Based at CFB Baden-Sollingen (Germany) the 419th Squadron was flying
Canadair CF-100 Canuck all-weather fighters from the begininning of
1960s; it stood down on 31-12-62 upon withdrawal from
operational
service of the Canuck.
Last CF-5 Unit to be reformed it was established at CFB Cold Lake on 02-05-75 as Tactical Fighter Training Squadron; it
replaced 434 Squadron as an Operational Training Unit in April 1976, the first course
started already in January 1976.
Beginning 1978 it had a strength of 15 CF-5A and 22 CF-5D to cope with
training and Dissimilar Combat Training. During the same year a flight
of 5 CF-5D (serials 116805, 116807, 116809, 116823) was painted
in
Aggressor colours, each in a different "Soviet" style scheme. They then
flew against "friendly" CF-5As, CF-101 and CF-104 simulating soviet
tactics participating later to Maple Flag exercises against US and
European fighters.
In 1975 an Air Demonstration Team named "Rut Zulus" was formed with 4 CF-5D.
During Maple Flag 1979 there were nine aggressor painted CF-5Ds aircrafts plus 2 in standard, wrap-around dark green colours.
Three aggressor painted, serials 116815 116812 116809, Canadair CF-5Ds
belonging to the 419th Squadron
A
considerable strength of 35 CF-5s was recorded at the end of 1980,
with 34 instructors,
providing basic training in tactical fighter pilot skills, were taking care of pupils conversion. Some Dutch
and Venezuelan
pilots also followed the conversion courses. On December 1982 a strength of at least 2 Canadair CF-5A single-seater and 14 Canadair CF-5D double-seaters was reported .
By beginning of 1984 there
were 14 CF-5A and 23 CF-5D on strength. In 1986 main spar and wings
fatigue cracks reduced the available fleet to 17 aircrafts, reducing
the training activities.
The Squadron role, with the demise of 433 and 434 Squadrons as CF-5 operators, was changed to that of lead-in fighter training and
adversary training for CF-18 Hornet pilots in 1988.
Arrival
of remanufactured CF-5s, first CF-5D being delivered in
November 1989, enabled the Squadron to be fully operational again,
while avionics upgraded contributed later to better prepare the Hornet
pilots.
Lineup of of Canadair CF-5 two-seaters
Interesting photo of Canadair CF-5A(R) 116705 with high visibility national markings, low visibility
Canadair CF-5D 116810
prepared for a long range mission, June
1991. Photo
D.F. Brown
airframe and 419 tail markings but with high visibiliry "05" aggressor code, old camouflage tank.
In the background an CF-5A with original camouflage and low visibility tank can be seen.
Photo: Archive The Northrop F-5 Enthusiast
Two
basic fighter courses were conducted per year as of 1992, each lasting
seven months.The
number of students, formerly 24, was reduced to 20 and is further
reduced
to 16. Most students arrived directly from
the advanced flying traing
at
Moose Jaw;they received 41 hrs flying in the CF-5
conversion phase. In the tactical phase they had 41 hours flying time.
The tactical phase
includes ACM, air-to-air gunnery, air to
ground weapons delivery,
air-to-air refuelling
and low level navigation. A few of the instructors maintained an aerial
reconnaissance qualification, using CF-5 with nose-mounted Vinten 70-mm
cameras. When so
equipped, the aircraft was temporarely designated as
CF-5A(R)
so as to identify it for maintenance and scheduling purposes.
Instructors
also used F-5 in the aggressor role, not only during the annual Maple
Flag
exercises but also at other US and Canadian bases. Aircrafts with
Avionics
Upgrade Programm were due to arrive June/July
93 for instructor training and the first student course should have
begun by late
1993.
Once the AUP programm was complete, it was not expected that any
non-upgraded CF-5
wouldl remain in service. Graduates of 419's lead-in-fighter course
moved on to
410 Sqdn, also at Cold Lake, to begin their
conversion on McDonnell
CF-18.
Presence at Canadian air-shows was assured between 1988 and 1994 by the
Squadrons demonstrion team "Moose Jet" in normal camouflage, suppanted in 1993 by 4 Canadair CF-5D in aggresor colours: the
"Rut
Zulus" team.
Another display team was called "Solo Display Team", operated
by the 419th Squadron to remember the 70th anniversary (1924-1994) of
the unit. It was present at
airshows all over North America between
19xx and 19xx when the Canadair
fighters were withdrawn from use. Some of them are preserved in
Canadian museums in display colours.
Retirement
of the last CF-5s was decided by the government in 1994 as defence
budget saving measure. The Squadron stopped operational flying on
31-03-95, when its last 6 CF-5s were transferred
to CFB Trenton to be
stored there and the 419 Squadron was dissolved on 25-06-95, to be
reformed on 23-07-00 as a fighter lead-in training unit, still at CFB
Cold Lake, flying CT-155 Hawk as part
of the NATO Flying Training
Programm.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aircraft Maintenance Development Unit (AMDU)