Canadian Wings :: The History & Heritage of the Royal Canadian Air Force

No. 117 Squadron

Authorized as a Fighter unit at Saint John, New Brunswick on April 1, 1938, the squadron was redesignated Coast Artillery Cooperation (CAC) on May 1, 1939. When ordered to mobilize in September, the squadron's organization was incomplete and it was disbanded on October 29, 1939.

Re-formed as a Bomber Reconnaissance unit at Sydney, Nova Scotia on 1 August 1941 with Stranraer flying boats, the squadron, less aircraft, was transferred to Western Air Command in October; there its members were distributed among other under-strength units. The squadron was temporarily disbanded at Jericho Beach (Vancouver), British Columbia on 20 November 1941.

Reactivated at Sydney on 28 April 1942, the unit flew Catalina and Canso A aircraft on anti-submhrine duty over the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the waters adjacent to Cape Breten Island until disbanded at Shelburne, Nova Scotia on 15 December 1943.

1 DFC, 1 AFM, 2 MiD's.

Aircraft
  • Supermarine Stranraer
    • Unit Code EX; Stranraer (Aug 1941 - Oct 1941) 907, 914, 929, 938
  • Consolidated Canso
    • Unit Code PQ; Canso A (May 1942 - Aug 1943) 9701 N, 9702 K, 9704 O, 9705 L, 9706 P, 9707 Q, 9709 R
  • Consolidated Catalina
    • Unit Code PQ; Catalina Mk I (May 1942 - Aug 1943) W8432 W, Z2134 A, Z2137 C
  • Catalina IB/IVA (March 1943 - December 1943)
    • Unit Code PQ; Catalina Mk IB & IVA (Mar 1943 - Aug 1943) FP209 S, FP291 T, FP292 U, JX207 C, JX209 D, JX211 F, JX212 G, JX213 B, JX219 A, JX572 Z, JX578 Z, JX579 Y, JX580 X
Historical Achievements

First Mission 13 May 1942, Canso A 9702 "K" from North Sydney with F/L J.H. Roberts and crew - area sweep from Cabot Strait to the western tip of Anticosti Island. Sighted 5 vessels, all friendly.

Last Mission 27 November 1943, 2 Catalinas from North Sydney - escort of convoy TU4A (7 troopships, 1 tanker, 2 motor vessels, 7 destroyers).

Summary

Sorties: 1236

Operational/Non-operational Flying Hours: 12,391/867

Victories: U-boat: None; 1 attack.



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