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No. 39 Wing RCAF was a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force which served with the Royal Air Force in Europe during the Second World War.
| No. 39 Wing RCAF No. 39 (Reconnaissance) Wing RCAF No. 39 (Army Co-operation) Wing RCAF  | |
|---|---|
| Active | September 1942 – August 1945 |
| Country |  Canada |
| Branch | Royal Air Force / Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Type | Wing |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Part of | First Canadian Army RAF Second Tactical Air Force |
History
editNo. 39 Wing was established on 12 September 1942 as an "Army Cooperation" Wing at Leatherhead, Surrey, England.[1][2] It comprised No. 400 Squadron RCAF, No. 414 Squadron RCAF, and No. 430 Squadron RCAF. As a reconnaissance unit, its purpose was to gather photographic intelligence in support of allied ground operations.[1]
The Wing left the UK and moved to the European continent on 2 July 1944 at Sommervieu, France.[1] The Wing moved ever eastward following the front and finished the war at airfield B156 Luneburg, Germany where it was finally disbanded.[1]
Aircraft
edit- Curtiss Tomahawk I (1942–1943)
- North American Mustang I (1942–1945)
- Supermarine Spitfire LF IX (1944–1945)
- de Havilland Mosquito PR XVI (1943–1945)
Commanding Officers
edit- G/C D.M. Smith, 12 Sep 42 – 9 Feb 44
- G/C E.H.G. Moncrieff AFC, 10 Feb 44 – 8 Feb 45
- G/C G.H. Sellers, AFC, 9 Feb 45 – 15 May 45
- G/C R.C.A. Waddell, DSO DFC, 16 May 45 – 7 Aug 45
See also
edit
References
editCitations
edit- ^ a b c d Kostenuk, Samuel; Griffin, John (1977). RCAF Squadron Histories and Aircraft 1924–1968. Toronto: National Museum of Man Canada. p. 255. ISBN 0-88866-577-6.
- ^ "Air Force (Canada) History". Royal Canadian Air Force Association. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
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