No. 488 (NZ) Squadron RAF
Active	1 September 1941 – 26 April 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	New Zealand
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Fighter squadron
Mottos	Māori:Ka ngarue ratau (Translation: "We shake them")[1][2]
Anniversaries	1 September 1941
Insignia
Squadron Badge	In front of ataiaha andtewhatewha insaltire, amorepork[1][2]
Squadron Codes	NF (Oct 1941 – Jan 1942)[3][4] ME (Jun 1942 – Apr 1945)[5][6]
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Brewster Buffalo Hawker Hurricane Bristol Beaufighter de Havilland Mosquito

No. 488 Squadron was the name given to two distinctRoyal New Zealand Air Force squadrons during theSecond World War. Both were formed underArticle XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme and served under the operational command of theRoyal Air Force.

In the mid-1930s, theRoyal Air Force (RAF) was in the process of expanding and required an increasing number of suitable flying personnel. A number of schemes were implemented for New Zealanders to obtain short-service commissions in the RAF with the intention of then transferring to theRoyal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in the future. This led to over 500 New Zealanders serving in the RAF by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War.^[7]

At around the same time there was discussion between the governments of Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to facilitate the co-ordination of training of air crew in the event of hostilities. This led to the implementation of theEmpire Air Training Scheme (ETAS) in December 1939. Under this agreement, New Zealand committed to initially supply 880 full trained pilots for the RAF, with another 520 pilots being trained to an elementary standard annually. As each of theDominion governments desired its personnel to serve together, the ETAS had a clause, Article XV, that allowed for the establishment ofsquadrons with personnel from the respective countries. In theory, the Dominions would supply the ground crew as well as flying personnel. However, in New Zealand's case, there was a reluctance to maintain RNZAF squadrons in Britain so the decision was made to allow for the formation of squadrons within the RAF designated as being New Zealand. These squadrons, known asArticle XV squadrons, were formed around a cadre of New Zealand flying personnel already serving in the RAF but supplemented by newly trained pilots from the RNZAF.^[8][9]

No. 488 (NZ) Squadron was formed on 1 September 1941^[2] atRongotai,New Zealand under the command of Squadron LeaderWilfred Clouston, a veteran of theBattle of France andBattle of Britain with nine aerial victories to his credit. The squadron was one of several Commonwealth squadrons equipped withBrewster Buffalos, and arrived atKallang AirfieldSingapore in November, where it took over the Brewsters ofNo. 67 Squadron. Kallang was shared with a Brewster detachment of the 2-VLG-V of theRoyal Netherlands East Indies Air Force, andNo. 243 Squadron, in which most of the aircrew were New Zealanders.^[10]

When the Japanese attacked, the squadron was still in training and sorting out difficulties with its machines, including dysfunctional oxygen which prevented high-altitude flying, weight difficulties which resulted in armour and machine guns being deleted and high maintenance requirements resulting fromBrewster's use of worn out ex-airline engines in manufacturing the aircraft (which had been supplied to No. 67 Squadron in March). There were also problems getting spares and with the peacetime red tape and restricted flying hours laid down by the British High Command in Singapore.

Frequent air battles over Singapore occurred from 12 January 1942, the Japanese pilots being better trained and outnumbering the defenders, but (despite widespread claims ofMitsubishi Zeros being present), with the exception of a fewNakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa "Oscars" most Japanese fighters and many bombers were in no better condition than those of theRoyal Air Force's.^[11] As the Buffalo squadrons (many manned by New Zealanders and Australians) lost men and machines, several were amalgamated into 488 Squadron. Clouston had presented a plan "Get Mobile" to provide daylight air cover off the coast toAdmiral Phillip's Force Z, but this was rejected by the Navy.^[12]

The squadron received nineHawker Hurricanes at the end of January to partially replace the Buffalos, but by 31 January, losses and the ground situation forced a withdrawal toPalembang,Sumatra and a few days later toTjililitan airfield, nearBatavia,Java, whereDutch East Indies Buffalo squadrons were facing a similarly unequal fight. Clouston handed over command to Squadron LeaderJohn MacKenzie and stayed with remaining staff to become a prisoner whenSingapore fell.

On 23 February, the squadron evacuated Tjililitan, toFremantle in Australia where it disbanded on 2 March, the New Zealand pilots returning home to form the nucleus ofNo. 14 Squadron RNZAF. Figures for the squadron's achievements in the Far East are difficult to determine, but one notable pilot,Flying officer Noel Sharp, who flew a Brewster Buffalo inSingapore, is credited with three victories.

No. 488 Squadron was reformed on 25 June 1942 atChurch Fenton, inYorkshire, as a night fighter 'intruder' unit equipped with the twin-enginedBristol Beaufighter.^[13] The squadron aircraft carried the code letters ME. When it switched to a defensive role in August 1943 it was re-equipped withde Havilland Mosquitoes. Flight LieutenantJohn Hall and his radar operator Jock Cairns combined to destroy two German bombers on the opening night of the Luftwaffe'sOperation Steinbock, its renewed bombing campaign against England.^[14]

Following theinvasion of Normandy the squadron began performing in an offensive role, operating from the permanent RAF station atZeals, Wiltshire.^[13] It patrolled over the landing beaches, protecting the land forces from night attacks mounted by German bombers, and also carried out intruder missions, seeking out targets of opportunity such as transport vehicles and enemy aircraft.^[15] From early July, the squadron began operating from a temporary situation atColerne, Wiltshire. The weather for most of the month was poor so there was little action until towards the end of July, at which time German air activity increased.^[16] In November the squadron moved to France, and was based in Belgium and Holland in the closing stages of the war. It disbanded on 26 April 1945.^[13]

Possibly the top scoring No. 488 Squadron Mosquito of the war was NF.Mk.XII MM466, ME-R, which shot down seven enemy aircraft between July 1944 and November 1944, after which the aircraft was passed on toNo. 409 Squadron, with which it shot down another four.^[17] In its night fighter incarnation, No. 488 Squadron flew 2899 sorties, shot down 67 aircraft and, in its intruder role, destroyed 40 trains.^[18] In one notable sortie in July 1944, Flight LieutenantGeorge Jameson and his radar operator Norman Crookes shot down four enemy aircraft.^[19] Flight LieutenantKenneth Stewart, who flew with radar operator Harold Brumby, was the last pilot of the squadron to become a flying ace.^[20] Pilots of the squadron were awarded 5DFCs, aDSO and anAFC.^[13]

No. 488 Squadron was unique in that it was the only "Article XV" New Zealand unit to have two distinct and separate roles, in different theatres, during World War Two.

In December 2010, the new headquarters formed to command the RNZAF units stationed atRNZAF Base Ohakea was namedNo. 488 Wing RNZAF in honour of No. 488 Squadron.^[21] This unit was disbanded in early 2015.^[22]

The following served as commanding officers of No. 488 Squadron:^[26][27]

• Squadron LeaderW. G. Clouston (October 1941–January 1942);
• Squadron LeaderJ. N. MacKenzie (January–March 1942);
• Wing CommanderR. M. Trousdale (June 1942–March 1943);
• Wing Commander J. Nesbitt-Dufort (March–July 1943);
• Wing Commander A. R. Burton-Giles (July–September 1943);
• Wing Commander P. H. Hamley (September 1943–January 1944);
• Wing CommanderR. C. Haine (January–October 1944); and
• Wing Commander R. G. Watts (October 1944–April 1945).

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• Clayton, Graham (2008).Last Stand in Singapore: The Story of 488 Squadron RNZAF. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House.ISBN 978-1-86979-033-2.
• Clayton, Graham (2019).Gone the Dark Night: The Story of New Zealand's First Night Fighter Squadron. Merthyr Tydfil, Wales: Bomber Command Books.ISBN 978-1-911255-38-3.
• Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003).Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes Since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing.ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
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• Rawlings, John D.R. (1978) [1969].Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Reprinted ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers).ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Ross, John (1955).Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch.
• Sharp, Martin; Bowyer, Michael J.F. (1995) [1967].Mosquito. Bristol, UK: Crécy Books.ISBN 0-947554-41-6.
• Thompson, H. L. (1953).New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force.Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Vol. I. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch.OCLC 270919916.
• Thompson, H. L. (1956).New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force.Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Vol. II. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch.OCLC 300089346.

• 488 Squadron, first combat success and casualty
• Photo of 488 Buffalo pilots at Kallang scrambling
• Photo of Brewster Buffalo fighters at Singapore

• Military units and formations established in 1941
• New Zealand Article XV squadrons of World War II
• Military units and formations in British Malaya in World War II
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1945

• Use dmy dates from February 2021
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata