No 2 territorial Squadron RNZAF

Motto

WHAKATOPA KIA MATE

WE SWOOP TO KILL

Reformed, 1 November 1948
Disbanded, 1957

C Os

S/L, J.A. Oldfield. 1 November 1948 to

S/L, M. B. Stevens. 10 March 1953 to 22 December 1953

T/S/L, E. D. McCabe. February 1954 to November 1956

W/C, D. E. Jamieson. November 1956 to November 1957

W/C, D. M. Dallison. November 1957

BASES

Ohakea, Palmerston North 1953 to 1957
[Flight at Rongotai, Wellington, with 4 Harvards]

Aircraft Known To Have Flown

Anson

Image Source

Known to have been on the Squadron.
NZ 4130
NZ 405 F
NZ 406 G
NZ 408 J
NZ 410 L
NZ 422 R

Harvard

Image Source

Mustang

[Image Source](http://venturapublications.com/dada/mail.cgi?flavor=archive&list=ML&id=20150515215445]

Squadron Colours “ Black & Gold”
Approved by RNZAF, HQ. January 1954

Squadron Badge Presented By CAS February 1954
[Chief of Air Staff]

Affiliated with No 601 “County Of London” Squadron RAuxAF, February 1954

With the introduction of Compulsory Military Training [CMT]in NZ in 1949, with the aim to provide a core of trained personnel to protect the UK and Commonwealth interests, and the mutual interests in the Middle East the Territorial Squadrons were formed to keep the pilot skills up, and provide training for the CMT’s

The Squadrons were equipped with 30 North American Mustangs, re-activated from storage, with a few Harvards and Tiger Moths,

In 1957 the Squadrons were disbanded after the CMT had been replaced with a balloted system that provided smaller numbers, for service with the NZ Army

S/L M B Stevens, killed in Mustang NZ 2404, 22 December 1953, while on a cross country from Ohakea to Whenuapai,
Became disoriented in cloud and lost control, crashed into Tongaporutu.
Could have been a mid air with F/O Richard Westrupp, NZ 2411

They were going to Whenuapai to practice a fly past for H.R.H. The Queen, on her up coming visit.

The Squadron won the “Kingsford Smith” Trophy for best bombing and gunnery in 1949, 50, 51, and lost the Trophy to No 1 TAF Squadron, Auckland in 1952.

Squadron pilots on 18th January 1949 were
S/L J.A. Oldfield. DFC, as CO.
F/L, M. G. [Garry] Barnett. DFC,
F/L, C.G. [Cliff] Andrews. DFC.
F/L, M.C. Pryce. MiD.
F/O, J. l. Murray.
F/O, J.T. [Jim] Coltman. MiD,
F/O, E. S. Doherty. DFM, DFC[US]
F/O, J.H. [Ray] Richards, DSC,
F/O, R.T. Burch.
Sgt, K.M. Hay.
Pilot, S.J. Treadwell.
Pilot, W.P. [Pat] Lawson.

In May 1949 the following were mentioned
F/L, H.M. Eccersall. MBE, Adjutant and Instructor [Regular Force]
F/O, E.S. [Ernie] Palliser. Accounting Officer
F/O, J.F. [Fred] Band. Engineering Officer
F/O, K. Hodgson
F/L, Chapman
?, McNab
?, Whitehead.
?, Davidson.
?, Williams.
?, Heyder.

F/L, R. Jeffs. Adjutant and Flying Instructor, replaced F/L H M Eccersall.

The following Mustangs were on the Squadron

NZ 2402 sold as scrap, tender 5926,
NZ 2403 sold as scrap, tender 5926
NZ 2404 crashed 22 December 1953, Tongaporutu, S/L M.B. Stevens killed
NZ 2406 from 75 Squadron, 22 June 1953, sold as scrap, tender 5926
NZ 2408 damaged by gunfire 7 October 1954, sold as scrap, tender 5926
NZ 2411 crashed 22 December 1953, Tongaporutu, F/O Westrupp killed
NZ 2419 forced landing near Manaia, coolant leak, reduced to spares
NZ 2420 sold as scrap, tender 5926
NZ 2422 sold as scrap, tender 5926
NZ 2423 to No 42 Squadron, last P-51 flight on 30 May 1957,
sold as scrap, tender 5926

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner