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No 485 Squadron Formed 1 March 1941 - Driffield, Yorkshire. Equipped with Spitfires, No 485 was a day fighter squadron until March 1944 when it transferred to fighter bombing. Operated from England, based at some of the most famous fighter stations, until August 1944 when it moved to the Continent. There it flew in the fighter and fighter bomber role with Second Tactical Air Force.
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| Squadron Motto |
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Ka whawhai tonu (We will fight on)
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| First & Last Operations |
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| 12 April 1941 | Convoy patrol off Flamborough Head shared by six sections of two Spitfires. | | 7 May 1945 | Patrol over Oldenburg by twelve aircraft. |
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| Effort & Achievements |
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No 485 Squadron flew 10,717 sorties totalling 14,494 hours. In combat 63 enemy aircraft were destroyed, 25 probably destroyed and 32 damaged. During the short period that the squadron was employed against ground targets pilots destroyed some 70 motor vehicles and blew up 5 railway engines.
Decorations won by New Zealanders with the squadron were:
Distinguished Service Order (2)
Distinguished Flying Cross (17)
Bar to DFC (6)
Distinguished Flying Medal (1)
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| Bases |
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| Driffield, Yorkshire | March 1941 to April 1941 | | Leconfield, Yorkshire | April 1941 to June 1941 | | Redhill, Surrey | July 1941 to October 1941 | | Kenley, Surrey | October 1941 to July 1942 | | Kingscliffe, Northants | July 1942 to August 1942 | | West Malling, Kent | August 1942 | | Kingscliffe, Northants | August 1942 to October 1942 | | Kirkstown | October 1942 to November 1942 | | Eglington | November 1942 | | Kingscliffe, Northants | November 1942 to January 1943 | | Westhampnett, Sussex | January 1943 to May 1943 | | Merston, Sussex | May 1943 to June 1943 | | Biggin Hill, Kent | July 1943 to October 1943 | | Hornchurch, Essex | October 1943 to November | | Drem, East Lothian | November 1943 to March 1944 | | Hornchurch | 28 February 1944 | | LLanbedr, Merioneth | March 1944 | | 135 Airfield, Hornchurch, Essex | March 1944 to April 1944 | | ALG Selsey, Sussex | April 1944 to June 1944 | | (Detachments at B.3 & B.2) | | ALG Coolham, Sussex | June 1944 to July 1944 | | ALG Funtingdon, Sussex | July 1944 to August 1944 | | ALG Selsey, Sussex | August 1944 | | Tangmere, Sussex | August 1944 | | Caen-Carpiquet (B.17), France | August 1944 to September 1944 | | Godelmesnil(B.35), France | September 1944 | | Merville (B.53), France | September 1944 to November 1944 | | Maldegem (B.65), Belgium | November 1944 to January 1945 | | Gilze Rijen (B.77), Holland | January 1945 to February 1945 | | Predannack, Cornwall | February 1945 to April 1945 | | Twente (B.106), Holland | April 1945 | | Drope (B.105), Germany | April 1945 to August 1945 |
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| Main Equipment |
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Supermarine Spitfire
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| Commanding Officers |
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| Sqn Ldr M.W.B. Knight | April 1941 to November 1941 | | Sqn Ldr E.P. Wells | November 1941 to May 1942 | | Sqn Ldr R.J.C. Grant | May 1942 to March 1943 | | Sqn Ldr R.W. Baker | March 1943 to June 1943 | | Sqn Ldr J.M. Checketts | July 1943 to September 1943 | | Sqn Ldr M.R.D. Hume | September 1943 to February 1944 | | Sqn Ldr J.B. Niven | February 1944 to September 1944 | | Sqn Ldr J.G. Pattison | September 1944 to February 1945 | | Sqn Ldr K.J. Macdonald | February 1945 to July 1945 |
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| Disbanded |
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Disbanded October 1945.
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| Squadron Histories |
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An Illustrated History of the New Zealand Spitfire Squadron by Kevin W. Wells
Published by Hutchinson of New Zealand
1984
ISBN 0-09-159360-3
No. 485 (N.Z.) Squadron 1941-1945 Spitfire
Paul Sortehaug and Phil Listemann
2006
ISBN 2-9526381-0-1
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