402 Squadron RCAF 402 " City of Winnipeg " Squadron is a Royal Canadian Air Force ( formerly the Canadian Forces ) squadron based in Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada Pre - war history . 402 Squadron began on 5 October 1932 as Number 12 Army Co - operation Squadron , a unit of the non - permanent active Air Force . During the early years , meetings were held in Minto Armories , while flying facilities were based at Stevenson Field , now Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport . The aircraft flown included a number of Avro Tutor s , de Havilland Gipsy Moth s and a few other light aircraft . On 15 November 1937 , No . 12 Army Cooperation Squadron was renumbered No . 112 Army Cooperation Squadron , flying a variety of aircraft types including the Avro 626 and de Havilland Tiger Moth . The Second World War . After the outbreak of war , No . 112 Squadron was sent to Ottawa in February 1940 , and re - equipped with the Westland Lysander , stocks of which were left behind when No . 110 Squadron was posted overseas . The squadron was likewise sent to Europe on 30 June 1940 with the intention to have No . 112 Squadron become part of the British Expeditionary Force but the decision was made that Army Co - operation squadrons were not needed in France , and the squadron was re - deployed to coastal defence duties in England . On 11 December 1940 , the squadron was re - designated No . 2 Squadron RCAF and equipped with the Hawker Hurricane Mk I . Finally , in March 1941 , while stationed at RAF Digby , Lincolnshire , England the squadron was renumbered as No . 402 Squadron RCAF to comply with Article XV and re - equipped with the Hurricane Mk II the following May and then Hurricane Mk IIBs in June . With these , it began training to become the first " Hurribomber " ( Hurricane IIC ) unit , commencing operations in this role in November 1941 , carrying pairs of 250 lb bombs beneath the wings . In March 1942 , the Squadron resumed its fighter role moving to RAF Colerne and converting to Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vbs . Cross - Channel Ramrod and Rodeo sortie s from various bases followed , notably RAF Kenley and RAF Redhill , until August when it received Spitfire Mk IX s , employing these over Dieppe on 19 August 1942 . A move to RAF Digby in March 1943 , brought a return to Spitfire Mk Vs , which were flown from a variety of airfields right up to and during the Battle of Normandy , when it operated from Horne , Westhampnett ( now Chichester / Goodwood Airport ) and Merston , mainly in a fighter - bomber role . Spitfire IXs were again received in July , but their stay was brief , as in early August 1944 , a move was made to Hawkinge where the Squadron re - equipped with the Griffon - engine Spitfire Mk XIV s and operations against the V - 1 flying bomb s were commenced , with five victories confirmed . Following a change back to operations over Europe on 25 August 1944 , including reconnaissance and bomber escort , 402 continued to see regular action against Luftwaffe aircraft ; 19 victories being claimed in April 1945 alone . At the end of September 1945 , the Squadron was posted to the 2nd Tactical Air Force ( TAF ) in Belgium , joining No . 125 Wing RCAF . A move to Grave in the Netherlands followed where the first victories were claimed over Nijmegen on 6 October 1945 . In December , the Squadron joined No . 126 Wing RCAF to fly alongside the Wing ' s Spitfire IXs . The ending of the hostilities found the unit on German soil at Wunstorf with total victories for the war of 49½ aircraft . The code letters carried by the Squadron during this period were " AE " . The Squadron disbanded at RAF Fassberg , Germany on 10 July 1945 . The Cold War . The squadron was re - formed as 402 ( Fighter Bomber ) Squadron on 15 April 1946 , North American Harvard Mk . II trainers initially in preparation for a transition to a new role . On 18 September 1950 , the title " City of Winnipeg " was added to the squadron name . For two years , parading two nights each week and on weekends , 402 carried out air training on Harvards in addition to ground training on a variety of subjects , including lectures on jet aircraft and engines . For a short period the de Havilland Mosquito was considered as the squadron ' s new aircraft , but eventually 402 converted to a fighter role on 1 March 1947 , equipped with de Havilland Vampire Mk IIIs . With the arrival of the Vampire , in addition to interception and tactical training exercises , 402 Squadron took part in many air shows . During the early postwar years , a large part of 402 Squadron ' s training was conducted in the form of summer camps held throughout western Canada . In 1951 , it was converted to a fighter - bomber squadron , the squadron receiving the North American P - 51 Mustang Mk . IV ( P - 51D series ) . November 1954 saw the delivery of the first Silver Star Mk . III ( Lockheed T - 33 Shooting Star ) to 402 Squadron in anticipation of a switch to this type which could be operated as an armed version of the standard trainer . However , the Mustang was retained until its retirement in 1957 . In 1957 , the squadron changed from a fighter - bomber role to become 402 " City of Winnipeg " ( Transport ) Squadron , initially equipped with eight Beech CT - 128 ( C - 45 ) Beechcraft Model 18 Expeditors . In April 1960 , the Squadron was equipped with two CSR - 123 ( DHC - 3 ) de Havilland Canada DHC - 3 Otter aircraft . The Otter proved to be a highly versatile aircraft and greatly increased the scope of squadron operations . On 1 April 1961 , 402 Squadron was transferred to Air Transport Command . This change brought the additional responsibility of the provision of regular service flights from Winnipeg , west to Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , as well as to many northern points , and , by 1964 , two additional Otters had been added to the Squadron inventory . Unification . The squadron ' s name was changed in 1969 to 402 Air Reserve Squadron based at CFB Winnipeg by that point , a further two Otters had joined the fleet for a total of six . Tragically an Otter was lost in a fatal crash , that claimed the life of , Captain Jack Reeve , in early summer 1974 . The following year the Squadron traded their Otters for CC - 129 Dakotas [ C - 47A / B Skytrain ] . Initially receiving five out of storage and by 1980 they would be operating nine examples of the venerable Dakota in the light transport , search and rescue operations , support for the Canadian Forces SkyHawks Parachute Team , Air Cadet familiarization and VIP transport roles , becoming the last unit in the Canadian Forces to fly the type . The present . In the late 1980s , the name changed to 402 " City of Winnipeg " Transport and Training Sqn . with the CC / CT - 142 de Havilland Canada Dash 8 used to provide light transport and training for the Canadian Forces Air Navigation School ( CFANS ) . In 2000 , the two CC - 142 Dash 8 light transport aircraft were retired and sold into the private sector in 2002 , leaving 402 operating only the CT - 142 Dash 8s , affectionately nicknamed " Gonzo " operating in the air navigation training role . By 2009 , and the changing demands of Air Forces world wide , the training was adapted to include AESOPs ( Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators ) as well as ACSOs ( Air Combat Systems Officers ) . CFANs and 402 Sqn . continue the long tradition of training Commonwealth partners from England , Australia and New Zealand , as well as NATO allies from Germany and Norway . The program has further expanded to include , among others , Singapore and South Korea .