No. 5 Squadron RNZAF
| No. 5 Squadron RNZAF | |
|---|---|
Squadron insignia
|
|
| Active | November 1941 – November 1942 July 1944 – present |
| Country |
 New Zealand
|
| Branch |
 Royal New Zealand Air Force
|
| Role | Anti-ship/Anti-submarine warfare, Maritime patrol, Search and rescue |
| Garrison/HQ | RNZAF Base Auckland |
| Motto(s) |
Fiji: Keitou Kalawaca Na Wasaliwa (Translation: We span the ocean) |
| Colors | Black and White |
| Mascot(s) | Albatross |
| Anniversaries | 03 November |
| Equipment | 6 x P-3K2 Orions |
| Engagements |
World War II Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Wing Commander Daniel Hunt |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | In front of a blue roundel, an Albatross volant facing sinister with its wings spread in flight |
| Squadron Codes |
OT (Nov 1941 – Nov 1942) PA (Jul 1944 – 1945) KN (1946–1955) |
No. 5 Squadron RNZAF is a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force formed during November 1941 in Fiji. It remains on active duty and logged 2,300 hours flight time in 2007.
Initially, the squadron was equipped with Vickers Vincents. From the outbreak of hostilities with Japan, the squadron operated the Short Singapore Mk.IIIs (transferred on October 1941 from No. 205 Squadron RAF ) mainly on maritime patrol and anti-submarine duties, rescueing more than fifty survivors of ditched aircraft and successfully attacking a Japanese submarine in the process with the elderly Singapores. These types were superseded by Consolidated PBY Catalinas, which aided the air-sea rescue capability. The Squadron moved from Fiji in late 1944 to operate between Espiritu Santo and the Admiralty Islands. During this time the later conqueror of Mount Everest, Edmund Hillary, served with the squadron. In November 1944 the squadron moved to Luganville Seaplane Base on Espiritu Santo to carry out anti-submarine patrols and escort duty In August 1945 the squadron was withdrawn to Fiji.
Following the war the squadron was re-equipped with 16 Short Sunderland MR.5s and based at Laucala Bay, in the suburbs of Suva, Fiji, tasked with "maritime surveillance" over the vast South Pacific Ocean, medical evacuation flights and communications flights for the colonial administrators". From 1965 the squadron relocated to Whenuapai, Auckland, to re-equip with five Lockheed P-3B Orions in the anti-submarine role. The squadron withdrew its last flight of Sunderlands from Lauthala Bay in 1967.
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Wikipedia