No. 486 Squadron

Squadron Motto: Hiwa hau Maka (Beware of the wild winds).

Date and Place of Formation: 7 March 1942 – Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire.

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 September 1945

page 459

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
149 Airfield, Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire	March 1944 to April 1944
Newchurch, Kent	April 1944 to September 1944
Volkel, Holland	October 1944 to April 1945
Hopsten, Germany	April 1945
Fassberg, Germany	April 1945 to May 1945
Celle, Germany	May 1945
Copenhagen, Denmark	May 1945 to July 1945
Lubeck, Germany	July 1945 to September 1945

Role:

No. 486 began as a night-fighter squadron equipped with Hurricane aircraft. Re-equipped with 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 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

First Operation:

27 April 1942

Dawn convoy patrol off the East Coast by two Hurricanes.

Last Operation

4 May 1945

Armed reconnaissance of Kiel area by four Tempests.

Disbanded: 12 October 1945

Effort and 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