Torpedo bomber squadron

Press, 24 May 1988, Page 12

Torpedo bomber squadron

Sir, —I would like to add some points to your article (May 9) on the recent reunion of No. 489 R.N.Z.A.F. torpedo bomber squadron, which, because of ill health, I was not able to attend. The bombers we flew were torpedo bombers which attacked at anything above 30 feet above water and often below the deck level of the ships we attacked, not at around 30,000 feet of ordinary bomber squadrons. There were only four of these squadrons, Nos 144 (British), 415 (Canadian), 455 (Australia), and No. 489 R.N.Z.A.F. (TB) Squadron. The R.N.Z.A.F. squadron was formed on August 12, 1941. I ■was one of the foundation members. The aircraft we obtained for our use were (in this order) Beauforts, Blenheims and later Hampdens, the latter serving very well up to September 1943. I need not go into why the aircraft changed, except to say that at the end of our term in September 1943 there was only a 20 per cent survival rate. I was among that 20 per cent. No. 489 Squadron re-formed in late 1943 to become part of the strike wings comprising several squadrons in various areas of Britain. The squadron then had Beaufighters and Torbeaus to operate with; at no time during its existence did it have Mosquito aircraft allocated to it. Your article

said that No. 489 Squadron flew Anson aircraft. Who told that to the Wigram Museum?—Yours, etc.,

NORMAN E. JUNGE, No. 41 593, R.N.Z.A.F. May 9, 1988.