Between 22 June and 7 November 1942, seven new Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) bomber squadrons were formed. They were equipped with British-built Wellington and Hampden twin-engine bombers, aircraft that had become available when the Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber squadrons acquired four-engine Lancaster heavy bombers. The head of Bomber Command, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris, had decided that the RCAF bomber squadrons would continue to use Wellingtons and Hampdens, while all British-built Lancasters were reserved for RAF squadrons. The RCAF would only receive Lancasters once the Victory Aircraft Factory in Canada began producing them.
In January 1943, RAF Bomber Command established Bomber Group 6 with the 11 operational RCAF bomber squadrons.
Squadron | Formation Date | Aircraft |
---|---|---|
405 | 23 April 1941 | Wellingtons |
408 | 24 June 1941 | Hampdens |
419 | 15 December 1941 | Wellingtons |
420 | 19 December 1941 | Hampdens |
425 | 22 June 1942 | Wellingtons |
424 | 15 October 1942 | Wellingtons |
426 | 15 October 1942 | Wellingtons |
427 | 7 November 1942 | Wellingtons |
428 | 7 November 1942 | Wellingtons |
429 | 7 November 1942 | Wellingtons |
431 | 11 November 1942 | Wellingtons |