438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron

438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
Squadron badge
Information
Role	Tactical Helicopter
Aircraft flown	de Havilland DH.60 Moth, Blackburn Shark, Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, Westland Lysander, Grumman Goblin, P-40 Kittyhawk MkI, Hawker Hurricane MkIV, Hawker Typhoon MkIB, North American Harvard, de Havilland Vampire, Canadair T-33 Silver Star, Canadair Sabre, Beechcraft Expeditor, CSR-123 Otter, CH-136 Kiowa, CH-146 Griffon
Wing	1 Wing
Base	CFB Montreal
Motto	Going down
Call Sign	Wildcats
History
Date founded	1 September 1934
Badge	The head of a wildcat affronte. The 438 Squadron badge features a wildcat, representing the squadron's nickname. Its motto: "Going Down" is taken from the final instruction of the formation leader when Typhoon bombers of his unit were about to attack.
Notable Battle Honours	Fortress Europe 1944, France and Germany 1944-1945, Normandy 1944, Arnhem, Rhine
Previous Designation	No.18 Bomber (Non-Permanent) Squadron|No.118 Fighter Squadron

438 "City of Montreal" Tactical Helicopter Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces under Royal Canadian Air Force. The squadron operates the CH-146 Griffon tactical helicopter from CFB St. Hubert in Quebec, Canada. Its tasks include transport, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and support to local law enforcement.

The motto Going Down was adopted during the Second World War when operating on Hawker Typhoons over occupied Europe. This was the flight leader's instruction to begin diving attacks with bombs and/or cannons.

History

Wildcat mascot nose art on CH-146 Griffon

Authorized at Montreal Quebec on September 1, 1934 as 18 Squadron. It was renumbered 118 Squadron on November 17, 1937. In its pre-war years, the unit flew the de Havilland DH.60 Moth.

A book was written and published on the history of the Squadron: Le 438^e Escadron tactique d'hélicoptères 1934-2009 by Jerry Fielden and Michel Pratt was published in August 2010.

Second World War

Still then numbered as 118 (Fighter) Squadron, the unit moved to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in October 1939 as the only operational fighter squadron on the east coast of Canada. On January 16, 1942, two squadron Kittyhawks spotted and attacked a surfaced German U-boat barely 10 miles from Halifax. F/O W.P. Roberts flying Kittyhawk AK851 was able to fire six bursts and obtain a number of hits around the conning tower. Embarking for Europe on November 2, 1943, the unit was renumbered 438. 438 Squadron was part of 2TAF's 143 Wing RCAF.

Aircraft operated:

• Blackburn Shark (October 1939 - September 1940)
• Armstrong Whitworth Atlas (October 1939 - September 1940)
• Westland Lysander (October 1939 - September 1940)
• Grumman Goblin (December - November 1940)
• P-40 Kittyhawk MkI (December 1941 - October 1943)
• Hawker Hurricane MkIV (November 1943 - May 1944)
• Hawker Typhoon MkIB (January 1944 - August 1945)

Postwar

Aircraft operated:

• North American Harvard (November 1946 - March 1948)
• de Havilland Vampire (April 1948 - September 1954)
• Canadair T-33 Silver Star (November 1954 - September 1958)
• Canadair Sabre (October 1956 - November 1958)
• Beechcraft Expeditor (November 1958 - March 1964)
• CSR-123 Otter (September 1960 - 1982)
• CH-136 Kiowa (1982–1995)
• CH-146 Griffon (1995 to present)

Griffon number 438 operated by Tactical Helicopter Squadron of the same number.

External links

• 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron official website
• 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron history at Directorate of History and Heritage
• History of 438 Squadron
• 438 Squadron (RCAF.com)
• 438 Squadron Operations Record Book, June 1944