No 14 Squadron, RNZAF

MOTTO

KIA MAIA KIA U KIA NGAWARI

ACTIVE ARDENT ADAPTABLE

HISTORY

Formed, Apr 1942
Disbanded, 13 December 2001
Reformed 2015
C Os

S/L, J. N. McKenzie. RNZAF, April 1942 to July 1942
DFC
S/L, R. E. P. Brooker. RAF, July 1942 to February 1943

S/L, J. B. Fitzgerald. RAF, February 1943 to June 1943
DFC

S/L, S. G. Quill. RNZAF, June 1943 to April 1944
DFC

S/L, J. C. Blundell. RNZAF, April 1944 to July 1944

S/L, D. W. Cocks. RNZAF, July 1944 to February 1945

S/L, P. R. McNab. RNZAF February 1945 to June 1945

S/L, J. R. C. Killan. RNZAF, June 1945 to September 1945
Croix De Guerre [F]

S/L, D. E. Willimoff. RNZAF, December 1945 to April 1947
MBE DFC

BASES
Hood Airfield, Masterton, NZ, April 1942 to 26 April 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, April 1943 to June 1943
Kukum Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands 11 June 1943 to 28 July 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides July 1943
NZ to October 1943
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, October 1943 to November 1943
Ondonga, New Georgia, Solomon Islands November 1943 to 17 December 1943
NZ December 1943 to February 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, February 1944
Torokina Field, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 12 February 1944 to 26 March 1944
NZ March 1944 to June 1944
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, June 1944
Torokina, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, June 1944 to August 1944
NZ August 1944 to November 1944
Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, November 1944 to December 1944
Nissan Island, Green Islands, Solomon Islands, 16 December 1944 to January 1945
NZ January 1945 to March 1945
Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, March 1945
Piva Y, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, April 1945 to May 1945
NZ May 1945 to July 1945
North & South Field, Emirau. St Mathis Group, July 1945 to October 1945
NZ October 1945 to March 1946

Iwakuni, Japan, March 1946 to November 1948
Bofu, Japan, March 1946 to November 1948

Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ, November 1948 to October 1952
Cyprus, October 1952 to May 1955
Tengah, Singapore, May 1955 to May 1958
Ohakea, Palmerston North, NZ, June 1958 to September 1964
Tengah, Singapore, September 1964 to November 1964
Ohakea Palmerston North November 1964 to December 2001

Ohakea, Palmerston North

AIRCRAFT TYPES

Image Source

Harvards April 1942 to April 1943

[ex Ohakea Museum]

Kittyhawk April 1942 to 1944

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Corsairs 1944 to November 1948

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Disposal of the Corsairs in Japan

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Oxford 11 November 1948 to October 1952

[Ex Ohakea Museum]

Mosquito

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Vampire 1950 1o May 1955

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Gloster Meteor T7

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Venoms May 1955 to May 1958

B 2,Image Source

B[I] 12Image Source

Canbera B 2
B[1]12
T 13

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A4 K, Skyhawk, painted up for the RNZAF's 50 years centenary

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Strikemaster

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Beechcraft T6 Texan 11 2015

ROLES

Fighter Jun 1942
Fighter/Ground Attack
Fighter
Bomber
Fighter/Ground Attack
Training

CODE

Masterton Harvard HQ
Kitty Hawk H Q
Whenuapai Kitty Hawk HQ March 1943 to Apr 1943
Ohakea Oxford AX

EFFORTS
Sorties
Hours
Destroyed 22
Probable 4
Damaged
Boats / Barges 1
Tanks

ROLL OF HONOUR

F/O K P C Morpath 12 June 1943
P/O J F Burton 1 July 1943
S/L C Blundell July 1944
F/L F G Keefe 1945, POW
F/L B S Hay 15 January 1945
F/S J S Mc Arthur 15 January 1945
F/O A N Saward 15 January 1945
F/S I J Munro 15 January 1945
F/L P Rayner
F/O R B Thomson Pilot 1964
F/L J W Southgate Nav 1964

DECORATIONS

Until WW 2, NZ had concentrated on training, transport, and maritime attack as the vast distance of the Pacific Ocean seemed a defence against attack by air.

Until 1938, only a few record-breaking air flights had flown to NZ where they had to stop and refuel, suggesting that an enemy would not be able to get to, launch an attack, then return to its base.

The NZ PAF [NZ Permanent Air Force], the forerunner to the RNZAF, operated a few token numbers ob Bristol Fighters and Gloster Grebes.

As far as operations overseas. It was correctly assumed that the NZ Air Crews would be embedded within Britain's RAF in Europe.

Because of this planning when the war was declared on Japan, there were no fighter units within NZ.

In response to the rising threat from Japan, the pilots and ground crew of No 488 [NZ] Squadron were sent to Singapore in November 1941, where they were equipped with Brewster Buffalo’s, [there were also a lot of NZ pilots on No 485 RAAF Squadron, and No 243 RAF Squadron, also flying Buffalo’s]

While Japan advanced down the Malaysia Peninsular these, with the other RAF Squadrons, fought a desperate but unsuccessful defence.

On the eve of the Singapore Surrender, No 488 [NZ] Squadron was withdrawn to Batavia [now Jakarta], Australia and then to NZ.

The NZ Government quickly formed the battle-experienced pilots of No 488 [NZ] Squadron, along with those from No 485 RAAF Squadron and No 243 RAF Squadron, who had returned to NZ, into a new No 14 [F] Fighter Squadron, at Hood Airfield at Masterton, under the command of S/L J.N.MacKenzie.

They were equipped with some North American Harvards until a supply of Curtis P-40 Kityhawks could be obtained.

The Allied plan was to defeat the Japanese by Island hopping North across the Pacific, bypassing Major Japanese bases, which would continue to operate in the Allied rear.

The RNZAF was tasked with operating against these bypassed Japanese units.

At first, maritime patrol and bomber units moved into the Southern Pacific, followed by No 15 [F] Squadron.

In April 1943, one year after its formation. No 14 [F] Squadron moved to the rear base at Palikulo Bay, Espiritu Santo to resume action against the Japanese.

On 30 June 1943, 16 P-40’s of the Squadron on patrol sighted enemy aircraft over Rendova Island, but were not engaged, they landed at Russell Islands for a refuel but there was no food for them.

On the Afternoon patrol 14 Aircraft were again were unable to make contact with the enemy, a frustrating day, the US, in a series of interceptions, claimed over 100 enemy aircraft destroyed, while 14 Squadron, who did not even have a fight, lost 2 aircraft and one pilot in a collision on the primitive runway at the Russell Islands

On the morning of 1 July 1943, a force of enemy dive bombers and fighters was attacking the US positions on Rendova, they were intercepted by allied fighters including 8 P-40’s from the Squadron,

In the ensuing action, 22 enemy aircraft were shot down, including 7 destroyed and 3 probable claimed by the Squadron. Six pilots claimed 1 each with P/O Webber claiming two.

Two of the pilots were forced to bail out, P/O Burton came down in the Munda area and was not seen again, while F/L Brown, the flight leader, abandoned his aircraft on the way back to the base and was picked up by a rescue boat 4 1/2 hours later.

For the remainder of the war No 14 [F] Squadron, like the other NZ Squadrons, continued to rotate between forward and rear stations in the Pacific and 6 week periods of Rest and Recuperation in NZ.

On 11th June 1943, the Squadron was advanced to Kukum Field, on Guadalcanal, with its first contact with the enemy the following day when 6 enemy aircraft were destroyed.

In 1944 the Squadron, along with the 13 other [F] Squadrons, re-equipped with Vought F4U Corsairs, but by this time the Japanese fighter aircraft had been all but eliminated, so the Squadrons were used to attack ground targets.

The Squadron was about to be re-equipped with North American P 51 Mustangs when the Japanese surrendered, these were eventually used by the Territorial Squadrons in NZ.

A P-40 flown by F/O Geoff Fisken DFC, [who was the British Commonwealth’s top fighter ace with 11 confirmed destroyed plus some unconfirmed in the defence of Singapore, where he flew with No 243 Squadron RAF] and two other NZ Aces, has been restored to flying condition and is privately owned and operated in NZ.

No 14 Squadron was re-equipped with the newer Corsair FG-1D aircraft and the US extended the ‘Lend-Lease’ arrangements to cover the costs.

The Squadron became part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, initially located at Honshu, the former Japanese Naval Air Base, the Squadron flew armed patrols to protect armament and bomb dumps, to identify hidden ammunition and check schoolyards for forbidden military parades.

They also undertook surveillance flights over the seas between Korea and Japan, to identify and turn back boats smuggling Koreans into Japan.

The Squadron stayed a second year despite lacking a third of its ground crew, due to NZ Treasury Department refusing to fund recruiting advertisements.

In February 1948 the Squadron moved to Bofu Air Field, to replace an Australian Mustang Squadron.

After the decision to terminate J-Force the 20 Corsairs were towed to one end of the runway in October 1948 and set alight, the Air Force decided that they had reached the end of their useful life and couldn’t justify the expense of returning them to NZ.

The only casualty of the deployment was F/L C.W.N. Wright whose aircraft crashed on take off.

The personnel of the Squadron returned to NZ on board the MV Westralia, leaving Japan on 25th November 1948.

On return to Ohakea from Japan, the Squadron operated Airspeed Oxfords, and De Havilland Mosquito, converting the pilots to the fighter/bomber role.

The Squadron was re-equipped with De Havilland Vampire Jets in 1952, and was moved to Cyprus as part of the RAF Middle East Air Force,

While there, they travelled within the Middle East Air Forces boundaries, they were part of the official fly past on Queen Elizabeth 11’s Accession, and being in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising.

Their other claim to fame was the unbeaten record of their Rugby team during their period in Cyprus.

In May 1955 the Squadron was moved to Tengah, Singapore, and equipped with 16 De Havilland Venoms, to operate against the Communist Terrorists in the Malay Peninsular.

The Squadron was relieved, in May 1958, by No 75 Squadron, who were flying the English Electric B2 Canberra.

A privately owned De Havilland Venom is still airworthy in NZ, painted in 14 Squadron’s colours.

The Squadron returned to Ohakea, and was equipped with Vampires until in 1959 when they were equipped with 10 B[I] 12 Canberras and two T 13, three seat trainers.

In September 1964, during the Indonesia - Malaysia confrontation the Squadron was detached to RAF Tengah, Singapore, with further detachments to Labuan, North Borneo, in October/November 1965, RAF Gong Kedak, Malaysian Peninsular in June 1964, and RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong,

The Squadron returned to Ohakea in November 1966, and in 1970 the remaining Canberras were sold to the Indian Air Force.

The Squadron then took up the role of advanced training, using up to 4 TA4K two seat trainers, and the two seat T11 Vampire Trainers.

In 1972, 16 BAC [British Aircraft Corporation] Strikemaster were added to the Squadron’s strength, replacing the T11 Vampires.

After 19 years of service these were replaced in 1991 by 18 Aermacchi MB 339, continuing the Advanced training role.

The price of operating ‘fast jets’ was criticized by the opposition party, and with the Defence Budget being pressured by the involvement in East Timor, the newly elected Labour Party stopped the purchase of the planned 28, F16, the existing contract with the Australian Government ended and all the Skyhawks and Aermacchis retired.

With the other ‘fast jet units’ 14 Squadron was disbanded on 13 December 2001

The remaining 17 Aermacchis were going to be sold to an American pilot training company, who has stated that they will continue to fly in their 14 Squadron colours, without national markings. This deal fell through.

In 2017, a deal with Draken International saw 9 Skyhawks and 8 Aermacchis sold to the company, with the remaining aircraft given to various museums.

Better times came in 2015 with the delivery of 11 of the Beechcraft T-6C Texan 11 training aircraft. The Squadron was reformed and tasked with advanced training with the new Aircraft

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner