No. 487 (NZ) Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 15 August 1942 – 19 September 1945 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Allegiance | New Zealand |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Role | Bomber |
Motto(s) | Māori: Ki te mutunga (Translation: "Through to the end")[1][2] |
Anniversaries | 15 August 1942 |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Irving Smith |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge | A tekoteko holding a bomb[1][2] |
Squadron Codes | EG (Aug 1942 – Sep 1945)[1][3][4] |
Aircraft flown | |
Bomber | Lockheed Ventura de Havilland Mosquito |
No. 487 (NZ) Squadron was a light bomber squadron established for service during the Second World War. It was a New Zealand squadron formed under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Plan. Although many of its flying personnel were largely drawn from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the squadron served in Europe under the operational and administrative command of the Royal Air Force as part of Bomber Command. Formed in mid-1942, it operated the Lockheed Ventura and then the de Havilland Mosquito and took part in over 3,000 operational sorties before being disbanded at the end of the war in late 1945.