A Long Patrol - An Illustrated History of No. 1 Squadron, RNZAF, 1930-1984

Century Hutchinson, 1986. Previous owner's inscription inside.

No. 1 Squadron RNZAF had its beginnings at Hobsonville Airfield, Auckland, in 1930. It was formed as a territorial unit, but with the outbreak of WW2, the three territorial squadrons then in existence were merged and put into a wartime role with the new RNZAF Station Whenuapai as its base. The squadron's aircraft were Vickers Vincent and Vildebeest biplanes and duties included anti-submarine and anti-raider patrols and convoy escort work. The biplanes were later replaced by Lockheed Hudson light bombers, and later, by PV-1 Venturas. During WW2 the Squadron served in the South Pacific from NZ and Norfolk Island to Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands and the Bismarck Archipelago. It was disbanded in 1945, and reformed in 1948, once again as a territorial unit, continuing until its second disbandment in 1957. In August 1972 the squadron was reformed as a transport and communications squadron, equipped with Bristol Freighters, replaced in 1976 by Hawker Sidderley Andovers, working in cooperation with the Army until it was deactivated in December 1984...