No 486 Squadron

Formed 7 March 1942 - Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire. No 486 began as a night-fighter squadron equipped with Hurricane aircraft. Re-equipped with Hawker Typhoons in September 1942, was prominent in south coast defence against sneak raiders until June 1943. Then flew mainly as fighter bombers until February 1944. Re-equipped with Hawker Tempests in April and after D-Day took a prominent part in defence against flying bombs. After moving to the Continent in September the squadron was employed on standing patrols and armed reconnaissance over Holland and Germany with Second Tactical Air Force.

Squadron Motto

Hiwa hau Maka (Beware of the wild winds) 
 

First & Last Operations

27 April 1942	Dawn convoy patrol off the East Coast by two Hurricanes.
4 May 1945	Armed reconnaissance of Kiel area by four Tempests.

 
 

Effort & Achievements

No 486 squadron flew 11,019 sorties totalling 13,350 hours. In combat 81 enemy machines were destroyed, 5 probably destroyed, and 22 damaged. Pilots also accounted for 223 flying bombs. In attacks on ground targets 323 motor vehicles and 14 railway engines were destroyed, while 16 ships were almost certainly sunk in port or at sea.  
 
Decorations won by New Zealanders with the squadron were: 
 
Distinguished Service Order (1) 
Distinguished Flying Cross (20) 
Bar to DFC (2) 
 

Bases

Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire	March 1942 to April 1942
Wittering, Northants	April 1942 to September 1942
North Weald, Essex	September 1942 to October 1942
West Malling, Kent	October 1942
Tangmere, Sussex	October 1942 to January 1944
Beaulieu, Hampshire	January 1944 to February 1944
Drem	28 February 1944
149 Airfield, Castle Camps, Cambs	6 March 44
Ayr	21 March 1944
149 Airfield, Castle Camps, Cambs	29 March 44
Newchurch, Kent	April 1944 to September 1944
Matlaske, Norfolk	September 1944
Grimbergen (B.60), Belgium	September 1944 to October 1944
Volkel (B.80), Holland	October 1944 to April 1945
Hopsten (B.112), Germany	April 1945
Hustedt (B.150), Germany	26 April 1945 to May 1945
Celle (B.118), Germany	6 May 1945
Kastrup (B.160), Denmark	8 May 1945
Lubeck (B.158), Germany	6 July 1945
Flensburg (B.166), Germany	September 1945
Dunsfold, Surrey	September 1945 to October 1945

 
 

Main Equipment

Hawker Hurricane II 
Hawker Typhoon Ib 
Hawker Tempest V 
 

Commanding Officers

Sqn Ldr C.L.C. Roberts	March 1942 to March 1943
Sqn Ldr D.J. Scott	April 1943 to September 1943
Sqn Ldr I.D. Waddy	September 1943 to January 1944
Sqn Ldr J.H. Iremonger	January 1944 to December 1944
Sqn Ldr A.E. Umbers	December 1944 to February 1945
Sqn Ldr K.G. Taylor-Cannon	February 1945 to April 1945
Sqn Ldr W.E. Schrader	April 1945 to May 1945
Sqn Ldr C.J. Sheddan	May 1945 to October 1945

 
 

Disbanded

Disbanded 12 October 1945 at Dunsfold. 
 

Squadron History

The Wild Winds by Paul Sortehaug 
The History of Number 486 RNZAF Fighter Squadron with the RAF 
396 pages. Colour plates, B&W photographs. 
ISBN 1-877139-09-2.