42 Squadron RNZAF

42 SQUADRON RNZAF

Motto

TARA KI UTU TARA KI TAI

WE SPAN THE LAND WE SPAN THE SEA

HISTORY

Formed, December 1942
Disbanded September 1946
Reformed November 1947

COs

W/C, J. D. Hewett. RNZAF, 21 June 1940 to December 1945
CO Comms Flt Rongotai until it became 42 Sqn
Croix De Guerre [F]

S/L, J. R. Wendon. RNZAF, February 1946 to September 1946

S/L, J. R. Wendon. RNZAF, November 1947 to March 1952

S/L, R. A. McVicker. RNZAF, March 1952 to September 1955

S/L, K. A. Sawyer. RNZAF, September 1955 to November 1959

S/L, T. J. Danaher. RNZAF, November 1959 to December 1962

S/L, D. R. G. Thomas. RNZAF, December 1962 to July 1964
[the first Navigator to command an RNZAF Squadron since WW 2 - may be the first ever]

BASES

Rongotai, Wellington NZ, December 1943
Ohakea, Palmerston North,

Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ
Whenuapai, Auckland, NZ, 1984
Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ. January 2002

AIRCRAFT TYPES
In 1944

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Porterfield [ 1 ]

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Rearwin [ 1 ]

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Hudson [ 1 ]

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Vincent [ 1 ]

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Dominies [ 2 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Wako [ 2 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Vega Gull [ 1 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Oxford [ 3 ]

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Whitney Straights [ 3 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

D H Fox Moth [ 2 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

D H Puss Moth [ 3 ]

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

D H Rapides [ 1 ]

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D H Tiger Moth [ 1 ]

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Harvard [ 2 ]

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Magister [ 1 ]

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DC 3

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Devon

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Avenger

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Oxford

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Mustang

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Auster

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Andover

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Harvard

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Beech King Air B200 [leased]

ROLES

Transport
Communications
V I P Transport
Army CO–OP
Multi-Engine Conversion
Target Towing for Army, Navy, Vampire,

ROLL OF HONOUR

F/L, C. R. Bush. DFC, Crashed into Ruahine Ranges 30 November 1948 NZ 2127
Navigator H. C. F Rennie.
AC1, R. G. Roper.

The crash report

Date: 30-NOV-1948
Time: 15:45 LT
Type: Airspeed Oxford Mk I
Owner/operator: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Registration: NZ2127
C/n / msn: 3499
Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: near Howlett's Hut, Ruahine Range - New Zealand
Phase: En route
Nature: Ferry/positioning
Departure airport: Napier
Destination airport: Ohakea
Narrative:
Ex-RAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford NM254: Built by Airspeed Ltd, Portsmouth, England. Brought On Charge at RNZAF Hobsonville on 25 February 1944 and assembled at No.1 Aircraft Depot. To General Purpose Flight.

On 30 November 1948 Broke up in flight and crashed in the hills near Howletts Hut in the Ruahine Range, near the headwaters of the Tukituki and Oroua rivers.

The pilot, Roy Bush, had flown Hawker Hurricane fighters in the Battle of Britain. Serving in No.242 Squadron, Fighter Command under the leadership of the illustrious Squadron-Leader Douglas Bader he had been credited with two enemy aircraft shot down, one probably destroyed and two damaged.

On September the 15th, 1945 he was chosen to be one of the twelve pilots under Bader's command leading the first Battle of Britain fly-past over London.

Returning to NZ in November 1946, Roy Bush was placed in command of the General Purposes Communication Flight at Ohakea.

On the 30th of November, 1948 he had carried out a photographic reconnaissance flight in the Gisborne area and, after a brief stop at Napier, was flying back to Ohakea. Airspeed Oxford I NZ2127 took off from Napier at 15:03 hours local time, but failed to arrive at Ohakea and last seen at about 15:45 hours local time flying in extremely turbulent air conditions east of the Ruahine Range near Norsewood.

Although searching aircraft flew in excess of 100 sorties over the next four days, it was a 15-man police party on the morning of the 4th that finally discovered NZ2127’s fate. The Oxford had been torn apart in the air, disintegrating wreckage falling over a square mile of wild country near Howlett’s Hutt, near the headwaters of the Oroua River.

Scrub had closed in over the main wreckage, obscuring it from view from the air. The task of bringing out the three bodies took over a week because of the rugged terrain which had to be traversed. The pilot’s funeral was held at Wanganui on the 14th, with cremation following.

Crew of Airspeed Oxford NZ2127:
Pilot: NZ2506 Flt Lt Charles Roy BUSH, DFC, RNZAF - Age 30.
Navigator: NZ423433 Navigator I Hugh Gordon Finlay RENNIE, RNZAF - Age 23.
Photographer: NZ46130 A/C1 Robert George ROPER, RNZAF - Age 20

One ridge assumed the name “Plane Crash Spur” for obvious reasons. The aircraft wreck was never recovered, and some engine parts remain at the confluence of Howlett and Oxford Creek. Written off books at Ohakea on 26 April 1949.

Crash Report From

Squadron Badge was Presented by Governor General Sir Willoughby – Norrie on August 1953

Mustangs used for high-speed target towing duties

Peace Keeping Roles
1 Andover to UN Iran – IRAQ Military Observers Group [17 personnel, & A/C based at Tehran] 1968 to December 1990
3 Andover Somalia based at Mogadishu they flew support mission for the force [62 personnel] 1 January 1993 to May 1993

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

C47B 42sqn at Japan 1954

The RNZAF Communications flight was established at Rongotai, equipped with a variety of Civilian impressed aircraft and military transport aircraft, to provide a communications service around the country.

In December 1942 the flight was upgraded to Squadron, with the same aircraft and duties.

The Squadron was disbanded in September 1946, with the remaining aircraft formed into a GP [General Purpose] Flight at Ohakea, Palmerston North.

This flight was upgraded to Squadron in November 1947, and equipped with Harvards, Austers, Avengers, Oxfords, Devons, Mustangs, and Dakota’s [DC-3, C47’s].

TBF Avenger A/C carried out world first top dressing trials by spreading Superphosphate alongside the runway at Ohakea.

Mustangs used for high-speed target towing duties for the Mosquitos, Vampires and the Mustang Territorial Squadrons, as well as the NZ Army and Navy.

During the Queen’s Coronation Tour in 1953/54, NZ 3551, a Dakota, was beautified and carried the Queen around NZ, NZ 3553 was also beautified for use by the supporting Imperial Staff.

By 1960 the Squadron was equipped with Harvards, Devons and Dakotas, and was tasked with multi-engine conversion, VIP Flights, general transport duties around NZ and the South Pacific, and helping train Precision Approach Radar operators.

During the 1960s the Squadron was enlarged to 6 Dakota’s.

In 1977 the Dakota’s were retired and sold, they were replaced by 4 Andover C1 twin-engined transports, 2 of these [NZ 7622 and 28] were converted to VIP configuration, NZ 7625 was partially converted while NZ 7627 remained in the utility configuration.

To make room for the reformed No 2 Squadron and its A4 K Skyhawks, the Squadron was moved to Whenuapai, Auckland.

Peace Keeping Roles
1 Andover to UN Iran – IRAQ Military Observers Group [17 personnel, & A/C based at Tehran] 1968 to December 1990

3 Andover to Somalia, based at Mogadishu they flew support mission for the force [62 personnel] 1 January 1993 to May 1993

While there, No 1 Squadron was disbanded and the Andovers transferred to No 42 Squadron

The Andovers were withdrawn from service [4 in January 1997, and sold overseas] the others were withdrawn in June 1998.

They were replaced by leased Beech King Air B200 Aircraft![]

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner