No. 40 Squadron RNZAF
Encyclopedia
No. 40 Squadron RNZAF is a transport squadron
in the Royal New Zealand Air Force
. It remains on active duty.
s and Lockheed Lodestar
s during World War II
. The Squadron was disbanded in 1947, with most of its crew and aircraft being transferred to the government owned National Airways Corporation
.
No. 40 Squadron was reformed in 1952 with four Handley Page Hastings
, one of which competed in the October 1953 London-Christchurch air race. The Squadron was supplemented with 3 Douglas DC-6
acquired from the defunct Australian airline, British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines by 1961. The present Lockheed C-130H Hercules were purchased in 1965, and supplemented by three Boeing 727
s, (including the infamous Spud One
) in the early 1980s. The 727s were replaced by two Boeing 757
-200s in May 2003.
on Whenuapai
airfield, the Squadron today operates five C-130H Hercules and two Boeing 757
-200s. The squadron saw action throughout the pacific war against Japan
, and subsequently helped supply New Zealand
forces fighting in Korea
, Malaya
, Vietnam
, East Timor
, Afghanistan
, and Iraq
as well as providing transport to United States
and United Kingdom
forces in the 1990 Gulf War
. Recent humanitarian missions have included assisting victims of the Bali
bombing and Boxing Day Tsunami. Since the late 1960s the squadron has detached aircraft each summer to work in the Ross Dependency
of Antarctica.
As of 2008, the Squadron was preparing to modernise its Hercules aircraft with new avionics and aircraft systems to extend their life expectancy (for NZ$234 million), and has replaced its two Boeing 727
with two Boeing 757
(for NZ$220 million).
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
in the Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. It remains on active duty.
Origins
The squadron was formed in the south pacific in 1943 with Dakotas. It also used Lockheed HudsonLockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
s and Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.-Design and development:The prototype of the Lockheed Model 18, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed Model 14 Super Electras which had been returned to the manufacturer by...
s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Squadron was disbanded in 1947, with most of its crew and aircraft being transferred to the government owned National Airways Corporation
National Airways Corporation
National Airways Corporation was the national domestic airline of New Zealand from 1947 until 1978 when it amalgamated with New Zealand's international airline, Air New Zealand. The airline was headquartered in Wellington...
.
No. 40 Squadron was reformed in 1952 with four Handley Page Hastings
Handley Page Hastings
The Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings was a British troop-carrier and freight transport aircraft designed and built by Handley Page Aircraft Company for the Royal Air Force...
, one of which competed in the October 1953 London-Christchurch air race. The Squadron was supplemented with 3 Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
acquired from the defunct Australian airline, British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines by 1961. The present Lockheed C-130H Hercules were purchased in 1965, and supplemented by three Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
s, (including the infamous Spud One
Spud One
Spud One was an informal name adopted by New Zealand civil servants for the Boeing 727 aircraft of No. 40 Squadron RNZAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force carrying Prime Minister Jim Bolger....
) in the early 1980s. The 727s were replaced by two Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
-200s in May 2003.
Modern days
Located at RNZAF Base AucklandRNZAF Base Auckland
RNZAF Base Auckland is a Royal New Zealand Air Force base located near the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand. The base formerly comprised two separate airfields, Whenuapai and Hobsonville. Hobsonville was established as a seaplane station in 1928 and was the RNZAF's...
on Whenuapai
Whenuapai
Whenuapai is a suburb and airport located in the western Waitakere area of Auckland City, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the northwestern shore of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres to the northwest of Auckland's city centre. It is one of the landing points for the Southern...
airfield, the Squadron today operates five C-130H Hercules and two Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
-200s. The squadron saw action throughout the pacific war against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and subsequently helped supply New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
forces fighting in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
as well as providing transport to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces in the 1990 Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. Recent humanitarian missions have included assisting victims of the Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
bombing and Boxing Day Tsunami. Since the late 1960s the squadron has detached aircraft each summer to work in the Ross Dependency
Ross Dependency
The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160° east to 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60° south...
of Antarctica.
As of 2008, the Squadron was preparing to modernise its Hercules aircraft with new avionics and aircraft systems to extend their life expectancy (for NZ$234 million), and has replaced its two Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
with two Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
(for NZ$220 million).