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

No. 8 Squadron

Musk Ox

No. 8 Squadron Badge The activities of this unit covered a wide area in the north west of Canada, frequented by the musk OX. The musk ox is capable, as is a bomber reconnaissance squadron, of covering great distances and is also very formidable in attack.

Motto: Determined to Defend

Formed as a General Purpose unit at Winnipeg, Manitoba on 14 February 1936 by amalgamation of the General Purpose Flight and four General Purpose and Forestry Flights then operating in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the squadron moved to Rockcliffe (Ottawa), Ontario where, on 1 February 1937, it was reorganized as a photographic unit although its service designation remained unchanged., Alerted for hostilities on 26 August 1939, the unit recalled its photographic detachments from the field and proceeded to its war station at Sydney, Nova Scotia.' Mobilized on 10 September as a General Reconnaissance unit, and redesignated Bomber Reconnaissance on 31 October, it flew Delta and Bolingbroke aircraft on East Coast anti-submarine duty. In December 1941, after Japan had entered the war, it was transferred to the West Coast and, from June 1942 to March 1943, served in Alaska as part of the RCAF reinforcement to the United States Army Air Forces. The squadron was disbanded at Patricia Bay (Vancouver), British Columbia on 25 May 1945.

Aircraft
  • Fairchild 71
    • Unit Code YO; Fairchild (Feb 1936 - Sept 1939) 629, 631, 643, 644
  • Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker
    • Unit Code YO; CH-300 Pacemaker (Apr 1936 - Aug 1939) 601-611
  • Vickers Vedette
    • Unit Code YO; (May 1936 - Aug 1939) 805, 807, 811
  • Northrop Delta
    • Unit Code YO; Delta Mk II (Feb 1937 - Nov 1941) 666-674, 677, 682
  • Bristol Bolingbroke
    • Unit Code '39-'42 YO, '42 GA; Bolingbroke Mk I & Mk IV (Dec 1940 - Aug 1943) 702 YO-A, 9025, YO-X, 9048 YO-T
  • Lockheed-Vega Ventura
    • Unit Code GA; Ventura G.R. Mk V (May 1943 - May 1945) 2176 A, 2177 H, 2178 O, 2186 N, 2189 Q, 2190 C, 2194 B, 2218 B, 2222 J, 2244 D, 2261 B, 2271 D
Historical Achievements

Formed as No. 8 (GP) Sqn, Winnipeg, Man. 14 Feb 36. Reorganized (though not redesignated) as a photographic unit, Rockcliffe, Ont. 1 Feb 37. Mobilized as No. 8 (CR) Sqn, Sydney, N. S. 10 Sep 39. Redesignated No. 8 (BR) Sqn 31 Oct 39. Disbanded at Patricia Bay, B. C. 25 May 45.

Operational History

First Mission: September 12, 1939 Delta 674 from Sydney - anti-submarine patrol.

Last Mission: May 16, 1945 Ventura 2185 from Patricia Bay - anti-submarine patrol.

Summary

  • Sorties: 2444
  • Operational / Non-Operational Flying Hours: 9958 / 11,320
  • Victories: Nil
  • Casualties: Operational: Nil Non-Operational 4 aircraft; 6 killed
  • Honours and Awards: 2 AFC's 1 AFM, 1 MiD
Bases of Operations
RCAF Station Winnipeg Feb 1936 - Feb 1937
RCAF Station Rockcliffe Feb 1937 - Aug 1939
Sydney, Nova Scotia Aug 1939 - Dec 1941
RCAF Station Sea Island Dec 1941 - Jun 1942
Elmendorf Army Airfield Jun 1942 - Mar 1943
RCAF Station Sea Island Mar - May 1943
RCAF Station Patricia Bay May 1943 - May 1945


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