No. 18 Squadron was a

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...

of the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

. Formed in June 1943 at

RNZAF Base Woodbourne RNZAF Base Woodbourne is a base of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, located 8 km west of Blenheim. Woodbourne was established in 1939 as the base for No. 2 Service Flying Training School (No.2 SFTS). Also located nearby during World War II ...

, the squadron was initially equipped with Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks, before converting to F4U-1 Corsair

fighter bombers A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...

in 1944. The squadron fought in the Pacific theatre during World War II, flying combat operations against Japanese forces until it was disbanded in late 1945.

History

After being formed in June 1943 at

, No. 18 Squadron was based in New Zealand until September 1943 when it deployed to

Palikulo Bay Airfield Palikulo Bay Airfield or Bomber Field #1 is a former World War II airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides Islands at the Espiritu Santo Naval Base. History World War II The 7th Naval Construction Battalion arrived on Santo ...

Espiritu Santo Espiritu Santo (, ; ) is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of and a population of around 40,000 according to the 2009 census. Geography The island belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region o ...

. The following month, the squadron moved to

Ondonga Airfield Ondonga Airfield is a former World War II airfield on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands archipelago. History World War II The Munda Point area was secured on 5 August 1943. While the rehabilitation and expansion of Munda Point Airfield was th ...

New Georgia New Georgia, with an area of , is the largest of the islands in Western Province, Solomon Islands, and the 200th-largest island in the world. Geography New Georgia island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of ...

, remaining there until it returned to Santo in January 1944. The squadron deployed to

Piva Airfield Piva Airfield is a former World War II airfield on Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands archipelago. History World War II The 3rd Marine Division landed on Bougainville on 1 November 1943 at the start of the Bougainville Campaign, establi ...

on Bougainville between January and March 1944 and then moved to

Kukum Field Kukum Field also known as Fighter 2 Airfield is a former World War II airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. World War II From the beginning of the Guadalcanal Campaign it was planned that the area would be developed into a major air base. ...

on Guadalcanal in May 1944, returning to Bouganville the following month. The squadron returned to Santo in August 1944, and then moved again to Guadalcanal in September, remaining there until November.Ross 1955, p. 327. On 22 November 1944, No. 18 Squadron deployed from Guadalcanal to Green Island assuming responsibility for local patrols and "

Dumbo ''Dumbo'' is a 1941 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The fourth Disney animated feature film, it is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, a ...

" air-sea rescue escort missions from

No. 20 Squadron RNZAF No. 20 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It was first established at as an army co-operation unit, serving in this role between 1942 and 1943. In January 1944, the squadron was reformed as a fighter unit at equipped with ...

.Ross 1955, p.270 In January 1945, the squadron returned to Guadalcanal, before being deployed the following month in support of Australian ground troops fighting the

Bougainville Campaign The Bougainville campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, named after the island of Bougainville. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied ...

. On Bougainville they participated in combat operations over the course of two periods: February–April 1945 and June–October 1945. Corsair NZ5545, 1945

Commanding officers

The following served as commanding officers of No. 18 Squadron: *Squadron Leader J. A. Oldfield (June 1943 – March 1944); *Squadron Leader R. H. Balfour (May–July 1944); *Squadron Leader P. R. McNab (August–November 1944); *Squadron Leader G. H. Corbet (November 1944 – April 1945); *Squadron Leader W. A. Hardman (May–September 1945).

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * {{List of RNZAF Squadrons 18 Squadrons of the RNZAF in World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945