Fighter squadron reunion

Press, 19 November 1982, Page 12

Fighter squadron reunion

About 30 former members of one of the Royal Air Force’s most famous wartime fighter units, No. 486 (New Zealand) Squadron, will hold a reunion this week-end to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the formation of the squadron.

Organised by a former squadron commander, Group Captain D. J. Scott, the reunion will be only the second one for the squadron since it was disbanded in September, 1945. A smaller gathering was held at Nelson in 1967.

No. 486 Squadron was formed at Kirton-in-Lindsey, Lincolnshire, in March, 1942, and began service as a night fighter squadron equipped with Hurricanes. It reequipped with Hawker Typhoons before being led by Squadron Leader D. J. Scott, who switched it from a defensive to an offensive role. The Typhoons were later replaced by Tempest aircraft. The squadron had considerable success in Normandy and the Netherlands in close support of Allied ground troops and against enemy road and rail transport systems. When it was disbanded it had flown 11,019 sorties against the German forces. Activities planned for this week-end’s reunion include a visit to the Air Force museum at Wigram, lunch in, the officers’ mess at Wigram, and church service at Mr Scott’s residence. The highlight of the reunion will be a formal dinner on Saturday evening at Wigram.

"It will be nice for us to be back here, where most of us did out training,” Mr Scott said. A familiar sight will greet former squadron members visiting Mr Scott’s house ouring the reunion. They will see a painting of Mr Scott’s Typhoon, personalised with his initials, which hangs in the place of honour in his dining room. Painted by a

Waikanae artist, Maurice Conly, it was completed about-two years ago. Because the number of the aircraft was concealed in most remaining photographs of it, this part of the painting was not added until the number was rediscovered about a year ago. The aircraft was destroyed after being hit by flak near the border between the

Netherlands and Germany in September, 1944. Mr Scott was not flying it at the time. Coinciding with the reunion will be the release of a book, "Typhoon Pilot,” which Mr Scott began writing a few years ago while recovering from heart surgery. Mr Scott says his cardiologist encouraged him to write the book and was an avid reader of each chapter as it was completed.

“I don’t know whether it was a threat to get on and do something while you are still alive, or a desire to learn something about the war,” Mr Scott said, of the specialist's encouragement.

Mr Scott also believes his book fills a gap in the role of the Air Force in World War

“People think the war revolved round the Mediterranean theatre,” he said. About 11,000 New Zealanders served in the Royal Air Force of whom 3285 were killed.

Mr Scott is particularly pleased that a Brithish publisher accepted his book.

Conscription case

A United States judge has dismissed a charge against a man, aged 21, for failing to register for military service in a decision which a defence lawyer said could affect similar conscription cases. At least a dozen other young Americans have been charged with refusing to register for military service, and four have been convicted so far. — Los Angeles.