Acquit yourselves like men
Some 80 years ago this month, No. 489 Squadron RNZAF, part of RAF Coastal Command at Langham, finished the transition from their lumbering Handley Page Hampden medium bombers to an aggressive new type, the Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter TF Mk.X.
This image hails from the Air Force Museum of New Zealand Photograph Collection, as are all from this post.
Torpedo armed Beaufighter and crew of No. 489 Squadron. Note the firing ports for her nose-mounted 20mm cannons. PR9035
Capable of carrying a 1,500-pound 18-inch torpedo Mark XII aerial torpedo (or a similar weight of bombs and rockets) as well as four nose-mounted Hispano Mark II 20mm cannons, a rear gunner in a bubble turret upstairs, and a six-pack of .303 Brownings in the wings, the big twin-engined attack plane could hit speeds of 320 mph and had an armed range of 1,700 miles.
The Beau was meant to take the fight to the enemy.
No. 489 would finish their conversion this month– which was made easy as they cut their teeth on the similar but slower Bristol Beaufort when formed in 1941– the Kiwis would soon be off to attack German shipping in occupied Norway (as well as off Holland and over the Channel as needed, for instance during Overlord).
30 June 1944: A great air-to-air view of a torpedo-armed No. 489 Squadron RNZAF Beaufighter No. P6-S, being flown by Pilot Officer Burrowes, making its first trip to Norway, escorted by a No. 315 Squadron RAF (Polish) Mustang No. PK-Whisky was piloted by Flying Officer T Haczkiewics, on a five-and-a-half-hour sortie. Note the “invasion stripes” on both aircraft. Photo PR10329
Image from the No. 489 Squadron unofficial diary. No. 489 Squadron aircraft attacking a ship that had eight Beaufighters painted on the bridge as claims. The ship was destroyed. PR10353
Aerial oblique, taken during an attack by No. 489 Squadron, on German Merchant shipping in Norwegian Fjord, Vindsfjord (Vindspol).
Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. No. 489 Squadron attack on “M” Class Minesweepers Burning After Straffing.”
Image from the DH Mann personal album collection. No. 489 Squadron “Attack On Convoy. Aug 29th 1944. Position 54° 10′ North. 08° 04′ East.”
No. 489 Squadron Beaufighters attacking ships off The Naze. There are 12 crews listed in the No. 489 Squadron unofficial diary.
No. 489 Squadron Beaufighter fires a salvo of rockets at an enemy ship. Unknown location.
Aerial oblique taken during an attack by No. 489 Squadron on German Merchant shipping in Norwegian Fjord, Orstenfiord (Orsta Fiord)
Joint Wing attack on shipping, off Den Helder. Copied from the No. 489 Squadron unofficial Unit History.
Their last operational sortie was 21 May 1945, and, while they would transition to Mosqutos post-VE-Day in preparation to head to the Pacific, it turned out the Emperor would throw in the towel before they arrived and they were disbanded.
During WWII, No. 489 flew 2,380 sorties across 9,773 hours on operations and lost 33 brave lads.
Their motto, in Moari, is Whakatanagata kia kaha (“Acquit yourselves like men, be strong”).
An oil painting saluting the squadron and its “Beautiful Beaus” is in the RNZAF Museum.
Copy of an acrylic painting by RM Conly “489 Squadron Beaufighter”. Shows a No. 489 Squadron Beaufighter with a No. 315 Squadron Mustang escort over burning ships. See PR10329 for the original photograph this was painted from.
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