No. 30 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force | |
---|---|
Active | 1943-1944 |
Country | New Zealand |
Allegiance | New Zealand |
Branch | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
Role | bomber |
Equipment | Grumman TBF Avenger |
Battle honours |
No. 30 Squadron RNZAF was a New Zealand light bomber squadron which saw service against the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre during the last two years of the Second World War.
30 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force was formed from pilots of No. 8 Squadron RNZAF at Gisborne, New Zealand on 28 March 1943.[1] The squadron initially flew Vickers Vincents and the very similar Vickers Vildebeest, then North American Harvards and finally Grumman TBF Avengers. It moved from home defe
The Squadron flew 1,432 hours on operations dropping 330 tons of bombs and firing 83,000 rounds of ammunition. Six 30 Squadron aircrew were lost on operations, the last of which was flown on 22 May 1944.[2]
A 30 Squadron Avenger is preserved by the Gisborne Aviation Protection Society.