No. 62 Squadron RNZAF was a

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

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, de ...

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 ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The squadron was formed at

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

in August 1943 and comprised all the RNZAF radar units sent overseas. The Squadron was disbanded in October 1944.

History

In January 1943 the Americans were short on ground based radar equipment in the pacific and asked New Zealand to supply one of theirs. No. 52 unit was therefore established to install and operate a Ground-controlled interception radar system at Guadalcanal. The system was operational by 21 March and over the coming months further radar units (No.s 53–59) were formed and deployed to the Pacific. In August 1943 No. 62 Squadron was formed to bring all of the radar units under a unified command. The Squadron's units were deployed throughout the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...

, including Guadalcanal,

Malaita Malaita is the primary island of Malaita Province in Solomon Islands. Malaita is the most populous island of the Solomon Islands, with a population of 161,832 as of 2021, or more than a third of the entire national population. It is also the se ...

Bougainville Island Bougainville Island (Tok Pisin: ''Bogenvil'') is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, which is part of Papua New Guinea. It was previously the main landmass in the German Empire-associated North Solomons. Its land area is ...

Rendova Island Rendova is an island in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, east of Papua New Guinea. Geography Rendova Island is a roughly rectangularly-shaped island, located in the South Pacific in the New Georgia Islands. The ...

and New Georgia. The radar units provided fighter direction to USAAF fighter squadrons in the area and early warning of incoming Japanese air raids. By mid 1944 the radar units were no longer necessary due to the effective elimination of Japanese air power in the Solomons. As most of the RNZAF men had completed their tours of duty and American radar equipment and personnel in the Pacific was deemed adequate, No. 62 Squadron was disbanded in October 1944. Some of the radar units (Nos. 52, 53 and 58), however, continued to operate independently until February 1945. No. 62 Squadron was the only New Zealand Radar Squadron to serve overseas.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:No.62 Squadron Rnzaf 22 Squadrons of the RNZAF in World War II Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1944