No. 486 Squadron RNZAF
| 486 (NZ) Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 7 March 1942 – 12 October 1945 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |
 New Zealand
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Role | Fighter |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Kirton in Lindsey |
| Motto(s) |
Māori: Hiwa hau Maka ("Beware of the Wild Winds") |
| Anniversaries | 7 March 1942 |
| Aircraft | Hurricane, Typhoon, Tempest |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | A kea volant |
| Squadron Codes | SA (Mar 1942 - Sep 1945) |
486 (NZ) Squadron was a New Zealand fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It was formed under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme and served in Europe.
The squadron formed on 7 March 1942, initially at RAF Kirton in Lindsey,Lincolnshire, as part of RAF Fighter Command and equipped with Hawker Hurricane IIs.
For a while 486 Sqn. was a nightfighter unit tasked with working in conjunction with No. 1453 Turbinlite Flight. The radar-equipped but unarmed Turbinlite (Douglas Boston medium bombers with a searchlight in the nose) were to locate and illuminate enemy aircraft at which point an accompanying Hurricane could make the attack.
The squadron was re-equipped with Hawker Typhoons starting in July 1942 and continued the experiments with the Turbinlites.
In September 1942 486 became a day fighter unit flying standing patrols. Standing patrol missions ('anti-Rhubarbs') were meant to counter The Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighter bombers that flew at high speed and very low altitude. Because of this there was often very little radar warning. To counter such attacks Typhoon squadrons kept at least one pair of aircraft flying continuously, with another pair "on readiness" (in the cockpit and ready to take off within two minutes) to relieve them, throughout daylight hours. 486 Sqn. Typhoons usually flew at 500 feet or lower, still giving them enough height to spot and attack incoming enemy aircraft to counter the low altitude Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighter bombers, a role for which the fast, powerful Typhoon was well suited. While flying patrols over the South coast against these 'nuisance' raids in early 1943, the squadron shot down 11 fighter-bombers in 2 months. Other enemy aircraft encountered and shot down included Do 217 night bombers engaged in mine laying missions.
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