No 2 Squadron RNZAF

No 2 Squadron RNZAF

Motto

WHAKATOPA KAI MATE

Ww Swoop To Kill

History

Formed, January 1941
Renamed, 75 Squadron, RNZAF, 10 October 1946
Disbanded, 10 October 1946
Reformed, December 1984
Disbanded, 13 December 2001

C. O. s

S/L, Cohen. R. J. RNZAF, January 1941 to May 1942
CBE, AFC,

S/L, Busch. J. J. RNZAF, May 1942 to December 1942

S/L, Moen. E. A. RNZAF, January 1942 to April 1943

S/L, Hogg. R. H. A. April 1943 to August 1943

S/L, Greenaway. A. B. RNZAF, August 1943 to June 1944
OBE

S/L, Cameron. W. A. June 1944 to May 1945

S/L, King. K. G. RNZAF, May 1945 to September 1945

Re-Formed

W/C, Jamieson. D. E. RNZAF, November 1984 to November 1987

W/C, Dallison. RNZAF, November 1987 to

BASES

Nelson January 1941 to April 1943
Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ, April 1943 to November 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, November 1943 to 12 February 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands 17 February 1944 to
Munda Field, New Georgia, Solomon Islands 17 February 1944 to April 1944
Piva U, Bougainville, Solomon Islands April 1944 to May 1944
Darton Field, Gisborne, NZ, June 1944 to October 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands November 1944 to January 1945
Nissan Island, Greeen Islands, Solomon Islands January 1945 to March 1945
NZ March 1945 to June 1945
Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, Bismark Archipelago, June 1945 to Sept 1945
Ohakea, Palmerston North, October 1945

Re-Formed

Ohakea, Palmerston North, December 1984
HMAS Albatross, Nowara, NSW, Australia March 1991 to November 2001
Ohakea, Palmerston North, November 2001 to 13 December 2001[disbanded]

Aircraft Types

Image Source

Vildebeestes, January 1941 to December 1941

Image Source

Vincent, January 1941to December 1941

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Hudson 111, December 1941 to November 1943

Image Source

Ventura, November 1943 to September 1945

Hudson, October 1945
Ventura, October 1945

[Ex RNZAF Museum]

Mosquito, 1946

A4 Skyhawk December 1984 to December 2001

Image Source

TA4K Skyhawk December 1984 to December 2001
[Originally the T4G and TA4G Skyhawks from the RAN, these were progressively upgraded to the
“Kahu” A4K and TA4K]

Code Letters

1941 to 1945 U H

Roles

General Reconnaissance January 1941 to December 1941
Bomber Reconnaissance December 1941 to September 1945

Multi Eng Conversion, 1946
Meteorological Flights 1946

Navy Training December 1984 to 13 December 2001

EFFORTS

Hours Flown
Sorties
Destroyed
Probable
Damaged 1 28 February 1944
Bombs
Subs Damaged 1 5 March 1944

The Squadron was originally formed in 1930 as part of the Permanent Air Force, with the HQ in Wellington, and shadow flights at New Plymouth and Wanganui, the Annual flying was done at RNZAF Station Wigram.

In 1937 the Territorial Squadrons were re-organized, and the Squadron was renamed as Wellington Territorial Squadron.

The Squadron received its first aircraft in 1938, 12 Blackburn Baffins, and moved to RNZAF Station Woodbourne, given the General Reconnaissance role of protecting the Cooks Strait.

A year later, 1940, all of the Territorial Squadrons were merged to form the New Zealand General Reconnaissance Squadron at Whenuapai.

In January 1941 the Squadron was reformed as part of the RNZAF, equipped with Vickers Vildebeest’s and Vincent’s, and moved to Nelson, to provide General Reconnaissance and protection of Cook Strait, particularly the troops' ships leaving Wellington Harbour.

In December 1941, the Squadron was re-equipped with the new Lockheed Hudson Bomber, which enabled it to change to Bomber Reconnaissance of the Cook Strait.

In November 1943, the Squadron was re-equipped with Lockheed Ventura Aircraft and moved to Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, where its role was BR, [Bomber Reconnaissance], with anti-submarine patrols, supply dropping, and general flying duties.

A short period of Rest and Recuperation, June to October 1944, back in NZ, before being moved to replace No 1 Squadron at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal.

They inherited the Dusk and Dawn Patrols, and anti-submarine patrols as well as usual bombing missions as required.

During this duty period, they made the heaviest single raid by a NZ formation, in the South Pacific, eight aircraft dropped 40,000 lb of bombs on the Japanese positions on Bougainville.

In March 1945, the Squadron returned to NZ for a further spell of Rest and Recuperation, and was moved to Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, where its main tasks were bombing land targets.

They returned to Ohakea, NZ, in October 1945, and operated a variety of aircraft including the Hudsons, [maintaining the Air/Sea Rescue detachments at Whenuapai and Norfolk Island], Ventura’s for twin-engine pilot conversion and meteorological flights, and, early in 1946, they began training the crews to fly the De Havilland Mosquitos from the UK.

On 11 October 1946, the Squadron’s number was changed to No 75 Squadron, in commemoration of the NZ Bomber Squadron which served throughout the war in Bomber Command, RAF.

The Squadron was reformed in December 1984 at Ohakea, and was equipped with the Ex Royal Australian Navy Skyhawks, while at Ohakea the Squadron was tasked with pilot conversion and operational training,

In the middle of 1988, the Squadron started being issued the refurbished “Kahu” A4K, and continued with its support role to No 75 Squadron.

In February 1991, the Squadron was moved to HMAS Albatross, at Nowra, NSW, Australia, to provide the Australian Defense Force [ADF], mainly the RAN, with Air Defence Support, exercising with the Australian Warships.

The Squadron had usually 2 A4Ks and 4 TA4Ks with 50 to 60 ground crew.

The highlight of the RAN Exercises was the successful sinking of the decommissioned HMAS Adroit in August 1994.

With the other Air Combat Squadrons of the RNZAF, [ No 2, 14, 75 Squadrons] the Squadron was disbanded on 13 December 2001.

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner