List of squadrons of the RNZAF

This is a list of past and present squadrons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force

Current RNZAF flying squadrons and units

Squadron / Unit Code Primary focus Aircraft used Notes 3 Squadron JV Utility Helicopter NH90, A-109 Formerly Patrol Bomber / Territorial Fighter Bomber & Transport 5 Squadron PA & KN Maritime Patrol Boeing P-8 Poseidon Formerly Reconnaissance / Flying Boat 6 Squadron XX Shipboard Helicopter Kaman SH-2G(NZ) Seasprite Formerly Army Co-operation / Flying Boat 14 Squadron HQ & AZ Primary and Advanced Trainer Beechcraft T-6 Texan II Aircraft shared with Central Flying School 40 Squadron Transport Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules and Boeing 757-200 42 Squadron Training/VIP Beechcraft King Air 350 Formerly Reserve Light Bomber / Communications / Transport 62 SquadronSpace defence & international securityN/A 230 Squadron Intelligence and information systems support N/A Created through combining the Communication and Information Systems functions of 209 Squadron and the Intelligence functions from the Integrated Mission Support Squadron Central Flying School Flight Instructor Training Beechcraft T-6 Texan II Aircraft shared with 14 Squadron

Former RNZAF squadrons

No. 1 Squadron RNZAF Code "SJ" reconnaissance / patrol bomber / Territorial Fighter Bomber / Transport No. 2 Squadron RNZAF Code "UH" reconnaissance / patrol bomber / Territorial Fighter Bomber / Attack No. 4 Squadron RNZAF Code "YZ" reconnaissance / patrol bomber / Territorial Fighter Bomber / Transport No. 7 Squadron RNZAF Code "UW" reconnaissance / patrol bomber No. 8 Squadron RNZAF Code "PA" reconnaissance / patrol bomber No. 9 Squadron RNZAF – reconnaissance / patrol bomber No. 10 Squadron RNZAF – reserve bomber reconnaissance / reconnaissance /patrol bomber / Operational Training Unit No. 11 Squadron RNZAF – reserve bomber reconnaissance No. 12 Squadron RNZAF – reserve bomber reconnaissance No. 13 Squadron RNZAF – reserve bomber reconnaissance No. 15 Squadron RNZAF Code "JZ" Fighter No. 16 Squadron RNZAF Code "XO" Fighter No. 17 Squadron RNZAF – Fighter No. 18 Squadron RNZAF – Fighter No. 19 Squadron RNZAF – Code "ZG" Fighter No. 20 Squadron RNZAF – Code "UY" Army Co-operation / Fighter No. 21 Squadron RNZAF – Code "TX" Army Co-operation / Fighter No. 22 Squadron RNZAF – Code Army Co-operation/ Fighter No. 23 Squadron RNZAF – Fighter No. 24 Squadron RNZAF – Fighter No. 25 Squadron RNZAF - Dive Bomber / Fighter No. 26 Squadron RNZAF - Fighter No. 30 Squadron RNZAF - Reserve Fighter Bomber / Dive Bomber No. 31 Squadron RNZAF - Reserve Fighter Bomber / Dive Bomber No. 41 Squadron RNZAF - Code "SG" Reserve Light Bomber / Transport No. 43 Squadron RNZAF – Reserve Light Bomber No. 44 Squadron RNZAF - Reserve Light Bomber No. 51 Squadron RNZAF – postwar Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) unit. Previous No. 1 LAA Squadron; change of title c.1954.The Forgotten Squadrons: The RNZAF Light Anti-Aircraft Squadrons, reproduced from Forts and Works, Issue 12, October 2001. No. 52 Squadron RNZAF – postwar Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) unit. Previously No. 2 LAA Squadron. No. 60 Squadron RNZAF - Radar No. 61 Squadron RNZAF - Radar No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Code "AA", "JN" & "YC" Fighter / Bomber / Heavy Bomber / Fighter Bomber No. 209 (Expeditionary Support) Squadron RNZAF - support squadron Navigation and Air Electronics Training Squadron RNZAF Airframe Reconditioning Squadron RNZAF (RNZAF Base Woodbourne)

Squadrons of the Royal Air Force staffed mainly by New Zealanders 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF – heavy bomber; code "AA" & "JN" No. 243 Squadron RAF – fighter/transport; code "SN" & "VM" No. 258 Squadron RAF – fighter; code "FH" & "ZT"

Article XV squadrons

485 Squadron – fighter; code "OU" 486 Squadron – night fighter & fighter bomber; code "SA" 487 Squadron – bomber/fighter bomber; code "EG" 488 Squadron – fighter/night fighter; code "NF" & "ME" 489 Squadron – torpedo bomber; code "XA", "1" & "P6" 490 Squadron – flying boats; code/s unknown

Other RNZAF units

Northern Group, Central Group, Southern Group (in New Zealand) No. 1 (Islands) Group RNZAF General Service Training School Command Training School Ground Training Wing

World War II

Wartime squadrons Squadron(s)Role(s)Aircraft Type(s)No. 1 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceVickers Vincent, Vickers Vildebeest, Airspeed Oxford, Lockheed Hudson, Lockheed VenturaNo. 2 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceVickers Vincent, Vickers Vildebeest, De Havilland Express, Airspeed Oxford, Lockheed Hudson, Lockheed VenturaNo. 3 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceBlackburn Baffin, Vickers Vincent, Vickers Vildebeest, Airspeed Oxford, Lockheed Hudson, Lockheed VenturaNo. 4 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceDe Havilland Express, De Havilland Dragon Rapide, Vickers Vincent, Lockheed Hudson, Lockheed VenturaNo. 5 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissance Close air support

Maritime patrolShort Singapore, Vickers Vincent, Consolidated PBY CatalinaNo. 6 Squadron RNZAFClose air support Maritime patrolHawker Hind, North American Harvard, Consolidated PBY CatalinaNo. 7 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceVickers Vincent, Vickers VildebeestNo. 8 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceVickers Vincent, Vickers Vildebeest, Airspeed Oxford, North American Harvard, Lockheed VenturaNo. 9 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceLockheed Hudson, Lockheed VenturaNo. 10 Squadron RNZAFReconnaissanceAirspeed Oxford, Lockheed HudsonNo. 14 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 15 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 16 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 17 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 18 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 19 Squadron RNZAFFighterCurtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 20 Squadron RNZAF No. 21 Squadron RNZAFClose air support FighterHawker Hind, North American Harvard, Curtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 22 Squadron RNZAFClose air support FighterVickers Vincent, North American Harvard, Curtiss Warhawk, Vought CorsairNo. 23 Squadron RNZAF No. 24 Squadron RNZAFFighterVought F-4U CorsairNo. 25 Squadron RNZAFFighter-bomberNorth American Harvard, Douglas SBD Dauntless, Vought CorsairNo. 26 Squadron RNZAFFighter-bomberDouglas SBD Dauntless, Vought CorsairNo. 30 Squadron RNZAFFighter-bomberVickers Vincent, North American Harvard, Grumman TBF AvengerNo. 31 Squadron RNZAFFighter-bomberNorth American Harvard, Grumman TBF AvengerNo. 40 Squadron RNZAF No. 41 Squadron RNZAFTransportLockheed Lodestar, Douglas Dakota, Lockheed HudsonNo. 42 Squadron RNZAFCommand and ControlDe Havilland Domine

New Zealand Embedded Squadrons in the Royal Air Force Squadron(s)Role(s)Aircraft Type(s)No. 75 Squadron RAFBomberVickers Wellington, Short Stirling, Avro LancasterNo. 485 Squadron RAFFighterSupermarine Spitfire, Hawker TempestNo. 486 Squadron RAFFighter-bomberHawker Hurricane, Hawker Typhoon, Hawker TempestNo. 487 Squadron RAFFighter-bomberLockheed Ventura, De Havilland MosquitoNo. 488 Squadron RAFFighter Night fighterBrewster Buffalo, Hawker Hurricane Bristol Beaufighter, De Havilland MosquitoNo. 489 Squadron RAFTorpedo BomberBristol Beaufort, Bristol Blenheim, Handley Page Hampden, Bristol Beaufighter, De Havilland MosquitoNo. 490 Squadron RAFMaritime PatrolConsolidated PBY Catalina, Short Sunderland

See also Structure of the Royal New Zealand Air Force

References