488 RNAZ
Arrived at RAF Bradwell Bay 03/09/1943
Departed RAF Bradwell Bay 03/05/1944
Aircraft Flown at Bradwell Bay Mosquito Xll
` Mosquito Xlll
Squadron Code ME
A squadron of the Royal New Zealand Airforce and ones of Bradwell Bay’s longer serving squadrons. One of two Mosquito Squadrons to move in during the Autumn of 1943. The 2 squadrons were moved to Bradwell Bay as part of the preparations for the Normandy invasion planned for the following year.
At the time of their move to Bradwell Bay they were a defensive squadron and had moved from RAF Drem in Scotland. They were active on home defence especially during Operation Steinbock, known as the ’Baby Blitz’, in early 1944. On 21st March 1944 the squadron bought down 3 aircraft in 1 night, 2 by the same crew.
In the spring of 1944, a separate airfield administration called 150 airfield was established at Bradwell Bay. This provided training for being a mobile force and personnel had to live in tents. So, the crews had to leave the relative comfort of the officer’s mess in Bradwell Lodge to ‘roughing’ it in tents.
488 were planned to be a part of 150 Wing and indeed moved into the tented camp. There was a change of plan for 488 when they were directed initially to RAF Colerne on 3rd May 1944. This was only a short stay as on 12th May they were transferred to Zeals in Wiltshire.