No. 39 Wing RCAF
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|unit_name= No. 39 Wing RCAF
No. 39 (Reconnaissance) Wing RCAF
No. 39 (Army Co-operation) Wing RCAF
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|dates= September 1942 – August 1945
|country= {{flagu|Canada}}
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|branch= Royal Air Force / Royal Canadian Air Force
|type= Wing
|role= Reconnaissance
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|command_structure=First Canadian Army
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
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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.
History
No. 39 Wing was established on 12 September 1942 as an "Army Cooperation" Wing at Leatherhead, Surrey, England.{{cite book| last1 = Kostenuk | first1 = Samuel | first2 = John | last2 = Griffin | title = RCAF Squadron Histories and Aircraft 1924–1968 | location = Toronto | publisher = National Museum of Man Canada | year= 1977 | pages = 255| isbn = 0-88866-577-6 }}{{Cite web |title=Air Force (Canada) History |url=https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/air-force-canada-history/ |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=Royal Canadian Air Force Association |language=en-CA}} 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.
The Wing left the UK and moved to the European continent on 2 July 1944 at Sommervieu, France. The Wing moved ever eastward following the front and finished the war at airfield B156 Luneburg, Germany where it was finally disbanded.
Aircraft
- 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
- 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
{{Portal|Canada}}
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
{{Canadian Forces Air Command units}}
{{Canadian Forces Air Command}}
{{RCAF Squadrons}}
{{Canadian Forces}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{RAF Wings}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:143 Wing, Rcaf}}
Category:Units and formations of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
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