Motto
KE NGA HAU E WHA
TO THE FOUR WINDS
HISTORY
Formed 1 June 1943
Disbanded 31 October 1947
Reformed 8 December 1954
Disbanded
COs
W/C, J. Adams. RNZAF, 1 June 1943 to November 1944
DFC, AFC,
W/C, R. A. Kirkup. RNZAF, November 1944 to 31 October 1947
S/L, R. A. Bolt. RNZAF, 8 December 1954 to June 1955
DFC, AFC,
S/L, K. B. Smith. RNZAF, June 1955 to November 1957
S/L, O. D. Staple. RNZAF, November 1957 to September 1959
S/L, G. H. S. Tosland. RNZAF. September 1959 to January 1962
W/C, J. L. Trolove. RNZAF, January 1962 to December 1962
S/L, K. A. Sawyer. RNZAF, December 1962 to November 1963
W/C, B. A. Wood. RNZAF, November 1963 to November 1964
AFC,
S/L, K. A. Sawyer. RNZAF, November 1964 to April 1965
W/C, B. A. Wood. RNZAF. April 1965 to December 1966
W/C, D. J. O’Conner. RNZAF, December 1966 to
W/C S. Clark. RNZAF,
BASES
Whenuapai, Auckland, NZ, 1 June 1943 to 31 October 1947
Whemuapai, Auckland. NZ, December 1954 to
AIRCRAFT TYPES
DC 3 [C 47] Dakota April 1943 to 1947
Hudson April 1943 to 1947
Lodestar April 1943 to 1947
At the start of the London to Christchurch Air Race, 1953
At Cocos & Keeling Island, 1962
Hastings December 1954
At Singapore 1962
DC 6 1961
Hercules 1965
727-22 QC 1981 2003
757-200 2003
ROLES
Transport 1 June 1943 to 1947
Long Range Transport December 1954
F/O J Bayley was one of “ The Few”
The Squadron was formed at Whenuapai, on 1st June 1943, equipped with Lockheed Hudsons and Lodestars, and Douglas DC3 [C 47] transports, and tasked with regular transport links between NZ Stations and RNZAF bases as far away as Guadalcanal.
Work started on forming the Squadron in early 1943, after the US promised to provide 6 Dakota’s [DC3’s, C47] and 9 Lockheed Lodestars to NZ.
The first Dakota arrived at Whenuapai in March 1943, and by the end of May 1943, all 6 had arrived safely.
The Lodestars were shipped, with the first 5 arriving in June 1943 and the remaining 4 by the end of the year.
The Squadrons main role was to transfer personnel between NZ and the Squadrons deployed in the Pacific, with Aircrew having first priority, ground crew second, mail and urgent freight following in descending order.
In April 1943 the RNZAF formed a Pacific Ferry Flight, which was responsible for flying aircraft over the Pacific, this flight was absorbed by No 40 [T] Squadron in September and they now undertook the ferrying role as well.
These flights included the delivery of Catalina Aircraft and Ventura Aircraft from mainland USA and Hawaii
In August 1943, the Squadron began its first scheduled services, flying along regular routes that reached as far as Guadalcanal, visiting all of the RNZAF Stations, they also provided a weekly mail service with this regular route.
As the lodestar became available they replaced the Hudsons on the weekly routes.
By August 1944 the Squadron had 16 Dakotas [DC-3’s, C47], 9 Lodestars, and 12 Hudsons, which were used as troop transports.
In August 1944, No 41[T] Squadron was formed and equipped with the 9 Lodestars and 12 Hudsons.
By November 1944, the Squadron was sending 12 aircraft a week on regular flights covering the area between NZ, Fiji, and Guadalcanal, with the transport links to the North and West of Guadalcanal being provided by No 1 [Islands] Group, based at Guadalcanal.
The scale of the Squadrons operations grew rapidly. In July 1943 the Squadron transported 383 men, 28,000 lb of freight and 16.000 lb of mail, by July 1944, this had grown to 7,700 men, 142,000 lb of freight, and 676,000 lb of mail, by the end of September 1945, a total of 37,000 personnel 4,000 lb of freight per month, and 1,500,000 lb of mail had passed through Whenuapai.
At the end of the war, both Squadrons helped to transport NZ Service personnel back to NZ. They were also involved with No 14 Squadrons deployment to Japan in 1946-47
The Squadron was disbanded on 31st October 1947, and most of the aircraft and crews were transferred to the State-owned National Airways Corporation [NAC] that later became part of Air New Zealand [ANZ]
The Squadron was reformed on 8th December 1954, with 4 Handley Page Hastings, one of which had competed in the October 1953 London to Christchurch Air Race.
These were added to by 3 Douglas DC 6 aircraft that had been operated by the defunct Australian Airline, British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines in 1961.
In 1965, 3 of the current Lockheed C 130 Hercules were purchased for the Squadron, with 2 more being added in 1968. these are NZ 7001 to 05 and are still all operating.
Because of the need to transport Politicians and troops, the Government purchased three Boeing 727’s from Boeing in 1982.
These were all ex-United Airlines, NZ 7271 [19892] entered service in July 1981 and was retired on 7th July 2003, when it was to Africa as 3D- KMJ then later 9Q - CMP, and was scrapped in 2005.
NZ 7272 [19893] entered service in July 1981 and was retired to Woodbourne Station as a training airframe on 25th August 2003, NZ 7273 [19895] was the first of the 727’s to be delivered, on 6 May 1981, but only flew 21 hours, being intended from the start as a source of spares to keep the other two flying, it was retired on 25th June 1981.
These aircraft were replaced in 2003 by two Boeing 757, purchased second hand from Transavia. These are still current, working in the transport, troop movement, and cargo movement roles. They are numbered NZ 7571 and NZ 7572.
with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner
