429 Squadron 
Badge

 

No. 429 Squadron RCAF

Motto: "Fortunae nihil" ("Nothing to chance").
Badge: On a mount, a bison, the head lowered. The bison, indigenous to Canada, is a fierce and powerful opponent.
Authority: King George VI, June 1944.

No. 429 (Bison) Squadron was formed at East Moor, on 7th November 1942, as a bomber unit of No. 4 Group, but was assigned to No. 6 (RCAF) Group five months later. On 11th and 12th August 1943, came a move to Leeming, which was to be the squadron's home for the rest of its stay in the UK. Equipped originally with Wellington Ills and Xs, the squadron began operating with Halifax IIs in September 1943, and then switched to Halifax Vs in November and to Halifax Ills in March 1944. By the end of March 1945, it was flying Lancaster ls and IIIs, with which types it made its last few attacks of the heavy-bombing campaign.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 7.11.42 as No. 429 (Bomber) Squadron at:

  • East Moor : Nov 1942-Aug 1943
  • Leeming : Aug 1943 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

  • Vickers Wellington III and X : Nov 1942-Aug 1943
  • Handley Page Halifax B.II, B.V and B.III : Aug 1943-Mar 1945
  • Avro Lancaster B.I and B.III : Mar 1945 onwards

Code Letters:

  • "AL".

First Operational Mission in WWII:

  • 21st January 1943 - 3 Wellingtons despatched to lay mines at Terschelling.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

  • 25th April 1945 - 9 Lancasters bombed gun batteries on island of Wangerooge.


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Date Last Updated : Wednesday, April 6, 2005 2:40 AM

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