435 Transport Squadron History

435 “Chinthe” Transport and Rescue Squadron was formed at Gujrat, India in November 1944, and conducted airlift missions using the famous Douglas Dakota aircraft in the China-Burma-India theatre of operations.

Since that time, the Squadron has operated Douglas CC-129 Dakotas, Fairchild C-119 Boxcars, and Lockheed CC-130 Hercules in many roles including airlift, search and rescue, and air-to-air refuelling. Following the Second World War, the squadron was based at RCAF Station (later Canadian Forces Base) Namao at Edmonton, Alberta. In 1994, 435 Squadron moved to its current location, 17 Wing Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The China-Burma-India Campaign

435 Transport Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, was formed on November 1st, 1944, at Gujrat, Punjab, India. At the time, the Squadron flew Douglas Dakota Aircraft in support of the British Fourteenth Army in Northern Burma.

While flying in the China-Burma-India theatre of operations, 435 Squadron completed 15,681 sorties (missions), moving 27,460 tons of freight, 14,000 passengers and 851 casualties.

Four aircraft were lost on operations and the Squadron suffered 21 aircrew casualties, of which eight were killed and eight were missing. In 1996, the remains of the Dakota KN 563 crew, missing since the aircraft disappeared on an operational mission on June 21st, 1945, were recovered from the Burmese jungle.

Post-War

Following the Second World War, 435 Squadron was disbanded at Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, England on 1 April, 1946, and reformed later that same year at Edmonton Municipal Airport in Edmonton, Alberta on 1 August, 1946. Still flying Douglas Dakotas, the Squadron's mission was to conduct airlift missions in Western Canada and support parachute training at the Canadian Joint Air Training Centre at RCAF Station Rivers, Manitoba.

In 1952, the squadron was equipped with the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar. Due to its larger cargo capacity, greater range, and ease of loading through it’s rear “clamshell” doors, the Boxcar played an essential role in opening up one of Canada's last frontiers: the Arctic. In addition, 435 Squadron and its Boxcars were instrumental in the airlift of the United Nations Emergency Force from Italy to the Sinai in the fall and winter of 1956-57.

In 1955, the squadron moved to RCAF Station Namao (now an Army garrison known as Steele Barracks), just north of Edmonton where it would remain until 1994.

The first of the Lockheed C-130B Hercules Aircraft arrived in 1960, which were exchanged for newer C-130E aircraft in 1966. From 1973 to 1992, the newer 'H' model Hercules were purchased to supplement the older 'E' models in the fleet.

Unique Capabilities

435 Squadron’s CC-130H Hercules are equipped as air-to-air refuelling aircraft and, following the retirement of the Boeing CC-137 tanker/transports of 437 Squadron in the mid-1990s, represent the Air Force’s sole air-to-air refuelling capability.

In the summer of 1994, 435 Squadron was relocated to Winnipeg after having spent 48 years in Edmonton.

435 Squadron deployed a CC-130H Hercules tanker detachment to Kuwait as part of OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH in 1998. During OPERATION ALLIED FORCE, the 79-day NATO air campaign in 1999 in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, 435 Squadron conducted deployments of CF-18 Hornet fighter-bombers from Canada to Aviano Air Base, Italy.

Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on North America, 435 has continued it’s air-to-air refuelling missions in support of OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE, NORAD’s on-going internal air defence operation. 435 Squadron has been a major contributor to the Campaign Against Terrorism, with many Squadron personnel deploying overseas to Camp Mirage in the Arabian Gulf region to conduct airlift activities in support of deployed Canadian and Allied forces.