RCAF Patch Sqn Royal Canadian Air Force 408 Squadron Escadrille Small

RCAF Patch 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron Escadrille Royal Canadian Air Force Patch 1980s CH 135 Twin Huey CH 136 Kiowa CFB Edmonton Embroidered on twill merrowed edge 50mm two inches diameter.

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Squadron History

408 Photographic Squadron Goose was reactivated on 10 January 1949 at RCAF Station Rockcliffe Ontario. The Squadron was equipped with Lancaster Mark X photographic aircraft modified with Shoran for geodetic control of aerial photography tasked with the mapping of the far North and Arctic regions of Canada. The Squadron also had and Canso Norseman Otter and Dakota aircraft to fly in and maintain the ground stations
associated with Shoran.

On completion of the mapping The Squadron was redesignated 408 Reconnaissance Squadron on 18 July 1957 tasked with Arctic surveillance patrols and reconnaissance with Lancasters. In 1962 the Squadron formed a flight of Canadair T 33 aircraft to carry out the additional task of photo reconnaissance missions in support of Army exercises.

On 29 February 1964 the Squadron retired its Lancaster aircraft and received Dakotas. The Squadron relocated to RCAF Station Rivers Manitoba redesignated 408 Transport Support and Area Reconnaissance Squadron and reequipped with CT 133 Silver Star aircraft. On 1 May 1964 the Rivers Transport Support Flight with its C 119 Boxcars was transferred into 408 TSAR Squadron. The Squadron replaced its Boxcars with CC 130 Hercules aircraft in 1965.

On 1 October 1968 the Squadron was redesignated 408 Tactical Fighter Squadron and assigned to 10 Tactical Air Group. 408 TFS disbanded on 1 April 1970.

On 1 January 1971 the Squadron reactivated as 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron THS at CFB Namao Edmonton Alberta with UTTH Flight equipped with CH 135 Twin Huey and LOH Flight with CH 136 Kiowa helicopters. 408 THS colocated with 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group at Edmonton tasked with the provision of tactical aviation to the army including air mobile assault air ambulance air observation reconnaissance
insertions troop movement airborne command and control platform and dropping paratroopers. In September 1996 the Squadron reequipped with CH 146 Griffon helicopters. 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron has deployed to support United Nations and NATO peacekeeping operations including assignment to the Canadian contingent in the Balkans in 1999. 

This patch dates from the early 1980s.