402 (Winnipeg) Squadron
"We Stand On Guard"

402 Squadron - A Brief History:    Back to Top

The Squadron was formed as 12 Squadron (RCAF) in 1932 and was re-numbered 112 in 1937. However, on its arrival in Britain on 11th December 1940, it was re-numbered  once again, this time becoming 2 Squadron (RCAF).
Equipped with Hurricanes, the squadron became operational at the end of February 1941, and on 1st March, while stationed at Digby, was re-numbered 402 Squadron, inline with other 'Article XV' units.  Initially it carried out patrols along the East Coast from its base at Digby, moving to Martlesham Heath in June but the following month it was posted to Ayr in Scotland.  Returning to Rochford, Essex, in August, it now joined in the offensive over the continent.
During this period the squadron was involved in bomb carrying trials on its Hurricanes and in November began operations in this new role.  In March, 1942, the squadron reverted back to the fighter role when it converted to Spitfire VBs and in August Mk IXs.  In March 1943, the squadron returned to Digby, loosing its Mk IXs in the process and for a while trained for possible deployment overseas from a carrier, but this was cancelled.
Returning south in May, 1944, the squadron supported the Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings. The squadron received Spitfire IXs in July.  From August the squadron was involved in 'anti-Diver' operations against the V-1 flying bombs, but in September with the threat reduced, the squadron moved to the continent carrying out armed recces and dive-bombing operations until the end of the war.  The squadron disbanded at Fassburg on 2nd July 1945. 402 Squadron was based at Rochford from 19th August 1941 until 6th November 1941. The identification code for the squadron was: AE (March 1941 - July 1945)
402 Squadron pilots at rest at Rochford, 1941
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Pilots (1941-1945)

NAME
RANK
NUMBER
STATUS
DATE
DETAIL
Wing Commander
-
Collins, K. McR.
Flying Officer
-
Killed
22nd June 1944
Spitfire AD180
Flight Lieutenant C299 Killed 20th February 1945 unknown
Cowan, H.A.
 Flight Lieutenant - Killed 19th April 1945 Spitfire RN 204
Crewe, R.E.
Sergeant - Killed 27th September 1943 Spitfire BM152
Dahmer
 Flying Officer -      
Dodd, W.G.
         
Donnelly, F. J.
Squadron Leader -      
Gilland, B. F.
Flying Officer -      
Gray
 Squadron Leader -      
Flying Officer C948 Killed 17th May 1941 Hurricane P2971
Jenkin, D.W.
         
Laing
 Flying Officer - - - -
Flying Officer C1117 Missing 27th August 1941 unknown
MacLachlan, C.
Flying Officer -      
MacLellan
 Flying Officer - Killed    
McAllister, J.C.
 Flying Officer - Died 21st February 1945 Spitfire RM758
Flight Lieutenant C936 Passed away 8th March 1971 N/A
McMillan
 Squadron Leader -      
McNair, R.W.
          
Morrow, R.
         
Norman
 Flight Lieutenant        
Osborne, D. L.
Flight Lieutenant -      
Patterson
 Squadron Leader -      
Peterson, G.F.
Pilot Officer - Killed 11th April 1945 Spitfire RM904
Pethrick
 Flight Lieutenant -      
Reid, J. M.
Wing Commander -      
Russel, Blair Dalzel
Flying Officer C1319      
Scott
 Flight Lieutenant -      
Thompson, I. C.
 Flying Officer -      
Toews
 Flying Officer -      
Walker, Brad
         
Aircraft      Back to Top
 
Hawker Hurricane Mk IIa
The first production version had fabric-covered wings, a wooden two-bladed, fixed-pitch propeller, powered by the 1,030 hp (768 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk II or III engines and armed with eight .303-inch Browning machine guns. Produced between 1937 and 1939. A revised Hurricane I series was built with a de Havilland or Rotol constant speed metal propeller, metal-covered wings, armour and other improvements. The Hurricane II was powered by the improved Merlin XX engine, and went into squadron service in September 1940,
The Hurricane IIa (Series 1) was equipped with new and slightly longer propeller spinner and new wing mounting 12 .303 inch Browning machine guns. The first aircraft were built in October 1940 and were renamed Mark IIB in April 1941.
Type 349 - "Spitfire" Mark Vb  
With the arrival of the Me (Bf)109F an interim aircraft was produced by adding the latest Merlin to a strengthened airframe. They were powered by a 1,230 HP Merlin 45 or 46, with a maximum all-up weight of 6,170 lb. 3 patterns of wing were introduced:
A - eight 0.303 Browning machine guns; B - two 20mm cannon, and four Browning machine guns ; C - either four cannon or either of the other combinations.
In a number the wings were adapted for high altitude (extended, pointed tips) or low altitude (clipped wingtips, for faster roll rate), and the supercharger settings adapted for the selected altitude.
6478 of the MkV were produced.
Type 361 - "Spitfire" Mark IX
Introduced as another temporary measure, the Mk IX started life as a strengthened MkV airframe with the latest, 60 series, Merlin engines driving a 4-bladed airscrew. It proved so successful that all in total around 7180 were produced. Trainer variants were produced by the USSR and UK after the war.
After the end of the War, with widespread sales of Spitfires, a limited number of Mark IX Spitfires were bought back by Vickers Armstrongs and converted to the Trainer (Tr) Mk IX. The front cockpit was moved forwards, and a second cockpit with raised seat and high domed canopy was added behind it. 26 were produced. During the War there were an unknown number of local conversions to a 2-seat configuration, mostly in the Soviet Union.
Spitfires of 402 Squadron

Spitfire Mark IIa:
 P7355 (14/07/41).
Spitfire Mark Vb/c, VbT:
P8788 ( 27/04/44).
R7158 (14/03/42).
W3129 (20/08/43 & 13/05/44); W3249 (10/05/44); W3250 (30/05/44); W3313 (12/12/42); W3370 (25/03/43); W3432 (22/04/43);
W3529 (04/12/43); W3638 (25/03/43); W3951 (29/01/42).
AA718 (29/07/43); AA738 (30/03/44); AA752 (11/07/42); AA753 (02/09/43); AA915 (25/03/43); AA920 (05/06/44).
AB185 (10/07/42); AB194 (11/06/43); AB274 (25/03/43); AB275 (28/06/44); AB371 (11/05/43); AB489 (18/06/43); AB509 (22/05/44);
AB522 (31/12/42); AB524 (05/05/43); AB897 (12/10/43); AB963 (09/03/42).
AD113 (12/12/42); AD132 (25/03/43); AD180 (27/03/44); AD186 (29/04/42); AD352 (25/03/43); AD470 (31/12/42); AD571 (26/04/43).
AR319 (18/04/42); AR338 (07/04/43); AR396 (22/05/42); AR401 (23/05/42); AR463 (26/06/44); AR491 (24/12/43);
AR493 (19/06/43 & 03/07/44); AR516 (05/05/43); AR517 (18/06/43); AR529 (14/05/43).
BL304 (23/03/42); BL416 (10/04/42); BL419 (17/03/42); BL516 (26/06/44); BL669 (01/04/42); BL677 (02/04/42); BL692 (08/03/42);
BL698 (02/05/42); BL723 (05/03/42); BL735 (25/03/43); BL752 (15/03/42); BL772 (05/03/42); BL812 (30/04/42); BL820 (16/04/42);
BL849 (05/03/42); BL850 (09/03/42); BL851 (25/03/43); BL852 (09/03/42); BL852 (09/03/42); BL896 (15/03/42); BL921 (09/03/42);
BL929 (14/03/42); BL957 (09/03/42); BL981 (09/03/42); BL992 (08/03/42).
BM124 (26/06/44); BM134 (02/05/42); BM135 (24/05/42); BM150 (02/05/42); BM152 (30/08/43); BM198 (08/07/42); BM205 (30/03/44);
BM211 (05/10/43); BM230 (02/05/42); BM233 (27/04/44); BM246 (02/05/42); BM257 (30/04/42); BM262 (30/04/42); BM272 (30/04/42);
BM296 (25/05/42); BM297 (30/04/42); BM298 (30/04/42); BM350 (30/04/42); BM376 (02/05/42); BM458 (06/05/42); BM466 (03/05/42?);
BM477 (30/04/42); BM480 (18/06/42); BM509 (03/05/42); BM513 (02/05/42); BM519 (1942); BM525 (25/03/43);
BM535 (25/03/43 & 05/10/43); BM556 (03/07/43); BM583 (25/03/43); BM645 (27/03/44); BM652 (25/03/43).
EE613 (26/04/43); EE661 (09/09/43); EE680 (13/04/44); EE715 (28/05/44).
EN849 (09/05/43); EN895 (26/06/43).
EP114 (17/06/44); EP115 (24/06/42); EP120 (22/04/43); EP178 (25/03/43); EP275 (25/06/42); EP284 (05/05/43); EP288 (25/06/42);
EP445 (22/04/43); EP447 (26/04/43); EP465 (05/05/43); EP548 (26/04/43); EP601 (22/04/43); EP637 (22/04/43); EP639 (24/04/43);
EP756 (16/05/43).
Spitfire Mark IX:
BR633 (10/11/42); BR634 (31/07/42); BR635 (09/12/42 & 12/01/43); BR636 (31/07/42); BR637 (12/08/42).
BS122 (28/07/42); BS123 (28/07/42); BS127 (03/08/42); BS130 (31/07/42); BS131 (04/08/42); BS132 (05/08/42); BS136 (09/08/42);
BS148 (26/08/42); BS151 (26/08/42); BS152 (26/08/42); BS167 (28/07/42); BS194 (29/07/42); BS195 (29/07/42); BS196 (31/07/42);
BS198 (03/08/42); BS200 (09/08/42); BS202 (11/08/42); BS277 (20/08/42); BS306 (26/08/42); BS308 (30/08/42); BS309 (31/08/42);
BS314 (10/09/42); BS316 (17/09/42); BS351 (25/01/43); BS353 (13/12/42 & 23/03/43); BS385 (23/01/43); BS397 (11/10/42);
BS428 'AE-U' (26/08/42); BS430 (01/09/42); BS433 (01/09/42); BS434 (07/09/42); BS440 (10/09/42); BS450 (15/09/42);
BS451 (16/09/42); BS509 (31/10/42); BS548 (31/01/43).
Spitfire Mark LFIX:
LZ816;
MH753 (11/08/44).
MJ825 (17/07/44).
MK293 (17/07/44); MK350 (1944); MK453 (11/08/44); MK475 (24/08/44); MK572 (17/07/44); MK587 (25/07/44); MK635 (17/07/44);
MK666 (17/07/44); MK678 (17/07/44); MK715 (17/07/44); MK734 (17/07/44); MK794 (17/09/44); MK909 (17/07/44); MK955 (17/07/44);
MK998 (17/07/44).
ML115 (17/07/44); ML341 (17/07/44).
NH155 (17/07/44); NH351 (17/07/44).
PL493 (1944)
Spitfire Mark XIV/e, FRXIV:
MV252 (26/04/45); MV256 (19/04/45); MV265 (17/04/45); MV302 (26/04/45); MV310 (03/05/45).
NH703 (09/11/44); NH744 (29/03/45); NH752 (03/05/45); NH835 (23/04/45); NH905 (26/04/45).
RM624 (09/11/44); RM625 (09/11/44); RM651 (07/09/44); RM652 (09/11/44); RM671 (25/09/44); RM682 (1944); RM683 (26/08/44);
RM684 (1944); RM685 (1944); RM686 (1944); RM687 (1944); RM726 (07/09/44); RM727 'AE-P' (09/11/44); RM731 (1944);
RM734 (09/11/44); RM735 (1944); RM737 (09/11/44); RM752 (12/04/45); RM758; RM804 (04/01/45); RM809 (16/11/44 & 22/03/45);
RM814 (02/11/44); RM819 (12/12/44); RM839 (09/11/44); RM843 (23/11/44); RM845 (04/01/45); RM846 (04/01/45); RM849 (09/11/44);
RM858 (26/04/45); RM862 (04/01/45); RM873 (25/10/44); RM875 (23/11/44); RM902 (04/01/45); RM904 (15/03/45); RM906 (04/01/45);
RM933 (26/02/45).
RN119 'AE-J' (08/02/45); RN126 (15/03/45); RN180 (26/04/45); RN204 (1945); RN211 (29/03/45).
Spitfire Mark LFXVI:
SM284 (23/06/45); SM366 (28/06/45); SM426 (28/06/45); SM485 (28/06/45); SM512 (28/06/45).
TB713 (28/06/45).
TD243 (28/06/45); TD265 (28/06/45); TD349 (28/06/45).
TE199 (28/06/45); TE202 (28/06/45).
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