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
ActiveSeptember 1942 – August 1945
Country Canada
BranchRoyal Air Force / Royal Canadian Air Force
TypeWing
RoleReconnaissance
Part ofFirst Canadian Army
RAF Second Tactical Air Force

History

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No. 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

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Commanding Officers

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  • 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

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Air Force (Canada) History". Royal Canadian Air Force Association. Retrieved 26 May 2022.