No. 486 Squadron RNZAF

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Hurricane night fighter pilots of the squadron at RAF Wittering in 1942
Hurricane night fighter pilots of the squadron at RAF Wittering in 1942

486(NZ) Squadron was a fighter squadron of the Second World War manned by New Zealand pilots, trained mostly under the Empire Air Training Scheme , but operationally controlled in Europe by the Royal Air Force.

Its aircraft carried the squadron code letters SA

486's Squadron motto is Hiwa hau Maka (Māori for "Beware of the Wild Winds").

Contents

[edit] History

486(NZ) Squadron came about because of the the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) which was created by the promulgatation of Article XV on December 19, 1939. The article provided for the formation of Commonwealth squadrons within the RAF. On 17 April 1941 a further agreement was negotiated allowing for six New Zealand Squadrons to be formed: Numbers 485 to 490 These units were manned and (mostly) commanded by New Zealanders trained under the EATS, although this didn't preclude other nationalities from being members. Administratively the "Article XV" Squadrons were an integral part of the RAF, with all command appointments being made by the RAF. Other Dominion or Commonwealth countries involved were Australia and Canada, Rhodesia and South Africa. [1]

By the end of the war nearly 50% of 486(NZ) Squadron's personnel were non-New Zealanders; for example F. Philip "Joe" Kendall, a British national and a highly regarded member of the unit served with the squadron from March to July 1945. Two of 486's commanding officers, Squadron Leaders Roberts (March 1942-April 1943) and Ironmonger (January 1944-December 1944) were also British.

[edit] Hawker Hurricane and Hawker Typhoon

Hawker Typhoon flown by P/O Frank "Spud" Murphy (four Typhoon victories). In 1944, Murphy became a test pilot (later chief test pilot) for Hawker.
Hawker Typhoon flown by P/O Frank "Spud" Murphy (four Typhoon victories). In 1944, Murphy became a test pilot (later chief test pilot) for Hawker.

The squadron formed on 7 March 1942, initially at RAF Kirton in Lindsey, Lincolnshire, as part of Fighter Command and equipped with Hawker Hurricane IIs. For a while 486 Sqn. was a nightfighter unit tasked with working in conjunction with 1453 Turbinlite Flight. The squadron was re-equipped with Hawker Typhoons starting in July 1942. After some continued experiments with the Turbinlites, 486 became a day fighter unit flying standing patrols[2][3][4] to counter the low altitude Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighter bombers, a role for which the fast, powerful Typhoon was well suited. While flying patrols over the South coast against these 'nuisance' raids in early 1943, the squadron shot down 11 fighter-bombers in 2 months.Other enemy aircraft encountered and shot down included Do 217 night bombers engaged in mine laying missions.[2][5][6]

From June 1943, 486 Sqn. flew mainly as a fighter bomber unit. In September 1943, with 197 Sqn 486 Sqn became part of the Tangmere Hawker Typhoon Wing commanded by Wing Commander D J Scott.[7] As a fighter bomber unit 486's targets included shipping and airfields, and an attack on one of Hitler's secret weapons, the Vergeltungswaffe V3 long range multi-barrel gun. Several escort missions were also provided for RAF light and medium day bombers (Havoc and Mitchell). While mounted on Typhoons 486 Sqn claimed 22 enemy aircraft shot down.[2][3]

[edit] Hawker Tempest

Tempest V Series 1 JN766 of 486 Sqn. April 1944. Pilot may be Flt Lt. William Miller of Invercargill.
Tempest V Series 1 JN766 of 486 Sqn. April 1944. Pilot may be Flt Lt. William Miller of Invercargill.

Re-equipped with Hawker Tempests in January - April 1944, the unit was changed back to fighter defence after D-Day and claimed 223 V-1 flying bombs, the second highest number of any unit. [8] Initially the unit was part of 150 Wing under the command of Wing Commander Roland Beamont. Beamont was to later write about 486 Sqn.:

"...an exuberant bunch of New Zealanders with a brilliant record on Typhoons and a rather casual approach (as I was soon to find out) to King's Regulations and Air Council instructions - and to "Pommy Bastard" wing leaders!" [9]

Apart from the anti-diver operations, 150 Wing undertook several night-time, as well as the more usual daytime, ground attack sorties. From September 1944, 486 became part of 122 Hawker Tempest Wing, [2][3][10] attached to the Second Tactical Air Force, and moved through Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Denmark. The squadron's role was low-medium altitude fighter operations, although many ground attack missions were also undertaken.(NB: few Tempests carried bombs; ground attack operations mainly involved strafing with the Tempest's four Hispano 20mm cannon.) During these operations German light and medium Flak took a steady toll of Tempest units. 486 lost two C/O's, Arthur E Umbers[11] and Keith G Taylor-Cannon[12] to flak in the last few months of the war. While mounted on Tempests 486 Sqn claimed 59.5 enemy aircraft shot down; first place for Tempest victories. 56 Sqn. was second with 59.2.[2][3]

Soon after the war ended the unit moved to Kastrup,[13] Denmark. On July 1, 1945 the squadron took part in an air display and airfield open day which was attended by the Danish Royal family and some 300,000 Danes. One of the attractions was the strafing and sinking of old Luftwaffe Bv 138 flying boats anchored in Øresund Strait.[2]

486 (NZ) Squadron in June 1945, Kastrup, Denmark.
486 (NZ) Squadron in June 1945, Kastrup, Denmark.

The squadron was disbanded on 12 October 1945 at RAF Dunsfold, England.

486 squadron flew over 11,000 sorties claimed 81 enemy aircraft, (including two Messerschmitt 262 jets) and destroyed 323 motor vehicles, 14 railway engines and 16 ships. Pilots attached to the squadron won 22 DFCs and a DSO. The squadron was the equal top-scoring Tempest unit, with 59 aircraft claimed shot down.

[edit] Surviving aircraft

A Hawker Tempest MkV used by the squadron, "SA-I", is being restored by Kermit Weeks in Florida[14].

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Article XV
  2. ^ a b c d e f Sortehaug 1998
  3. ^ a b c d Thomas and Shores 1988
  4. ^ Note:Standing patrols; The Fw 190 and BF 109 fighter bombers flew at high speed and very low altitude. Because of this there was often very little radar warning. To counter such attacks Typhoon squadrons kept at least one pair of aircraft flying continuously, with another pair "on readiness" (in the cockpit and ready to take off within two minutes.) to relieve them, throughout daylight hours. 486 Sqn. Typhoons usually flew at 500 feet or lower, still giving them enough height to spot and attack incoming enemy aircraft. Thomas and Shores 1988
  5. ^ In April 1943 F/L A.O Moffet of the RAE Farnborough was attached to the unit in response to complaints about the overheated cockpits of the Typhoons. For a fortnight "Moff" flew operationally with the unit: his report can be found in That Nothing Failed Them. His tests showed that the cockpit temperatures could reach 135 degrees F.
  6. ^ Wheeler 1963.
  7. ^ Desmond ScottNote: Desmond J. Scott OBE, DSO, DFC and Bar. Commanding officer of 486 Squadron 1 March 43 - 25 September 43. Awarded DSO 22 August 43. Promoted to Wing Commander 25 September 43 and became Wing Leader of Tangmere Hawker Typhoon Wing (197 Sqn. 486 Sqn.). Promoted to Group Captain and C/O 123 Hawker Typhoon Wing 3/44 - 2/45. (123 Wing during Scott's command was made up of 198 Sqn., 609 Sqn, 164 Sqn. and 183 Sqn.).
  8. ^ Note; Although 486 Sqn was the first unit to receive Tempests, No. 3 Squadron RAF was the first unit fully equipped.
  9. ^ Beamont Tempest Summer: Part 1.
  10. ^ Note:3 Sqn., 56 Sqn., 486 Sqn., 80 Sqn., 274 Sqn.; 41 Sqn., a Grffon engine Spitfire XIV unit was also a part of the Wing, providing high altitude cover.
  11. ^ Umbers
  12. ^ Taylor-Cannon
  13. ^ Kastrup Region
  14. ^ Kermit Weeks

[edit] Bibliography

  • Beamont, Roland. "Tempest Summer: part one". Aeroplane Monthly, Volume 20, Number 6, Issue No. 230, June 1992.* Scott, Desmond. Typhoon Pilot. London: Arrow Books Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-09-950700-5.
  • Scott, Desmond. One More Hour. London: Arrow Books Ltd., 1989. ISBN 0-09-984440-0.
  • Sheddan, Cornelius James and Franks, Norman. Tempest Pilot. London: Grub Street Publishing, 1993. ISBN 1-90401-038-5.[1]
  • Sortehaug, Paul. The Wild Winds, The History of Number 486 RNZAF Fighter Squadron with the RAF. Dunedin, New Zealand: Otago University Print 1998., ISBN 1-877139-09-2.[2]
  • Thomas, Chris. Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2. London: Osprey Aerospace., 1999. ISBN 1-85532-779-1
  • Thomas, Chris and Shores, Christopher.The Typhoon and Tempest Story. London: Arms and Armour Press., 1988., ISBN 0-85368-878-6.
  • Wheeler, Allen (Air Commodore). That Nothing Failed Them. London: G. T Foulis & Co. Ltd., 1963. ISBN N/A
Official New Zealand History
  • Thompson, H L, Wing Commander. New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol I): European Theatre September 1939-December 1942. Wellington, NZ: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs 1953. ISBN N/A
  • Thompson, H L, Wing Commander. New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol II): European Theatre January 1943- December 1945. Wellington, NZ: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs 1956. ISBN N/A

[edit] See also

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