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No. 487 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force
No 487 Squadron RNZAF was formed at Feltwell, Norfolk on the 15th August 1942 as a day bomber unit flying Venturas. It became operative in December 1942 with raids over the Netherlands, contributing 16 Venturas to the raid on the Philips factory at Eindhoven. A Ramrod raid (which must continue regardless of losses) against Amsterdam on the 3rd of May 1943 resulted in the loss of ten out of eleven aircraft. After this massive disaster, No 487 was transferred to 2nd Tactical Air Force on 1st June 1943, receiving Mosquito FB VIs. The squadron took part in the raid on Amiens prison enabling the escape of over 100 Resistance prisoners, and it destroyed Gestapo headquarters at Aarhus and Copenhagen.
No 487 disbanded on the 19th September 1945, with its aircraft and New Zealand aircrew becoming No 16 Squadron RAF and then No 268 Squadron RAF.
Airfields No. 487 Squadron flew from:
- RAF Feltwell, Norfolk from the 15th August 1942 (formed, 2 Group Bomber Command. Ventura II)
- RAF Methwold, Norfolk from the 3rd April 1943
- RAF Sculthorpe, Norfolk from the 21st August 1943 (Group 12 Fighter Command. Mosquito FVBI)
- RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordhire from 31st December 1943 (Group 11)
- RAF Thorney Island, Hampshire from June 1944 (Group 10)
- France from February 1945
10th Sept 1942 Reorganisation and Training
6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
6th Dec 1942 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
6th Dec 1942 Bombing Raid
6th December 1942 Precision bombing
1st March 1943 Exercise Spartan
2nd March 1943 Aircrew killed on training flight
3rd March 1943 Exercise Spartan
3rd March 1943 Not required for Exercise Spartan
4th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
5th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
6th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
7th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
8th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
9th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
10th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
11th March 1943 Exercise Spartan
12th March 1943 Exercise Spartan ends
28th March 1943 Rotterdam bombed
29th March 1943 Three bombing attacks
3rd May 1943 Ventura lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Aircraft lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Ventura of 487 Squadron lost
3rd May 1943 Heavy losses
1st December 1943 Mosquito lost in ship attack
31st Dec 1943 Move
18th February 1944 Mosquitos bomb prison at Amiens
18th February 1944 Wing Commander killed on ops
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Logbooks
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Those known to have served with No. 487 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Blow DFC. Kenneth Leslie Owen. WO. (d.10th December 1943)
- Fuller Roy Alan. F/O. (d.17th September 1944)
- Mair Thomas. Flt.Sgt. (d.10th December 1943)
- Penn Thomas Alfred. Flt.Lt.
- Scott Frank. F/Lt.
- Sparkes George Henry. Sgt. (d.3rd May 1943)
- Teague Kenneth Joseph. Sgt. (d.22nd Jan 1943)
- Trent Leonard Henry. Grp.Capt.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of No. 487 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force from other sources.
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Want to know more about No. 487 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force? There are:2034 items tagged No. 487 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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F/Lt. Frank Scott 487 Squadron My father Frank Scott did his training in Canada, in 1942/3, flying Venturas.
Upon arrival to the UK, he trained on Mossies FB Mk 6, and was then posted to 487 Squadron in 1944. He was the of Pilot G for George.
He completed his tour, including a 0200hr mission on the 6th of June 1944.
He then was posted to a Mossie training establishment in Scotland.
He was due to get a posting flying Hornets against the Japanese when the war ended.
I know that he flew with the reserves until the late 50s flying Mossies.
His navigator was Flt Sgt Jack Redmond. He was from Levin I think. They stayed mates well after the war ended.
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F/O. Roy Alan Fuller 487 Squadron (d.17th September 1944) Flying Officer (Navigator) Roy Fuller was the son of Roland Cecil and Kathleen Mabel Fuller of Gidea Park, Essex.
He was 21 when he died and is buried in the Driewegen Protestant Cemetery, Zeeland, Netherlands.
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Flt.Sgt. Thomas Mair 487 Squadron. (d.10th December 1943) Flight Sergeant (Pilot) Thomas Mair was the son of Marion Mair, of Greenock, Renfrewshire.
Aged 24 he is buried in the Den Ham General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands.
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WO. Kenneth Leslie Owen Blow DFC. 487 Squadron (d.10th December 1943) Warrant Officer (Navigator) Kenneth Blow was the son of Edward and Annie Elizabeth Blow of Luton, Bedfordshire.
Aged 22 he is buried in the Den Ham General Cemetery, Overijssel, Netherlands.
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Flt.Lt. Thomas Alfred Penn 487 Squadron Despite records to the contrary, of the twelve aircraft of 487 Squadron dispatched on Ramrod 16, two made it to the target, not one. Trent reported he was the only aircraft to reach the target. Not so. This has been well documented in recent years.
When A Apple arrived at the power station and attempted to release its bombs, it was discovered the belly of the plane and its load were missing. Due to severe damage to the plane, it was forced to ditch in the channel where the survivors including my father Thomas Penn, were picked up by a Dutch fishing boat. All were held prisoners of war until the end of hostilities.
3rd May 1943 was a disaster for the Royal Air Force.
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Sgt. George Henry "Ned" Sparkes 487 squadron (d.3rd May 1943) George Sparkes was my great uncle, my Nan's brother. He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserves and was attached to 487 Squadron, a New Zealand squadron. On 3rd May, 1943, a raid was undertaken on a power station in Holland. Unfortunately the Enemy was alerted to the raid before they got near their target and nearly all the planes were shot down. There were 12 planes involved in the raid, one had to turn back before reaching Holland because of mechanical failure. Of the remaining 11 planes only one managed to get back home. George was the rear gunner, and he and the pilot were killed, the navigator and wireless operator survived and were taken prisoner.
George had only been married for 6 months, to Olive. She remained close to her in-laws and was my godmother.
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