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No. 3 Squadron RNZAF is a unit of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). It remains on active duty. ==History== 3 Squadron formed as a Territorial unit of the New Zealand Permanent Air Force (NZPAF) based at Christchurch in 1930. Pilots attached to the squadron used NZPAF aircraft based at Wigram until No.3 Squadron got its first aircraft Blackburn Baffin torpedo bombers, in 1938. Following the outbreak of war the unit was equipped with Vickers Vincent and Vickers Vildebeest torpedo/patrol bombers and was tasked with protecting shipping entering Lyttelton harbour. The squadron received modern aircraft -- Lockheed Hudsons -- converted to the patrol bomber role. The squadron was deployed to Palikulo Bay Airfield on Espiritu Santo on 9 October 1942, becoming operational on 16 October. On 23 November 1942 No.3 became the first RNZAF squadron deployed forward to engage the Japanese, when a six aircraft detachment was deployed to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.〔Ross, p.146〕 No. 3 Squadron was attached to the Search and Patrol Group, responsible for conducting daily and nightly searches of the approaches to Guadalcanal, and daily low-level searches along the coastlines of islands which might be used as Japanese staging points, replacing dive bombers and long-range heavy bombers in this role.〔Ross, pp.147-8〕 Despite being lightly armed, a Hudson of F/O Gudsell twice saw off attacks by three Japanese aircraft; Gudsell was awarded the Air Medal (US). The Squadron moved to Kukum Field on Guadalcanal and stayed there until October 1943 when it returned to Santo where it remained until January 1944. From February–March 1944 the Squadron returned to Guadalcanal, returned to Santo from May–July and deployed to Guadalcanal again from July–August 1944. The Squadron re-equipped with Lockheed Venturas and in August 1944 moved to Piva Airfield on Bougainville. In October 1944 the Squadron moved to Emirau where they ran interdiction patrols against Japanese shipping and ground targets. No. 3 squadron was replaced by No.4 Squadron in November 1944 and returned to New Zealand.〔Ross, p.266〕 The Squadron returned to Guadalcanal from February–March 1945 and was then deployed to Green Island from March–June 1945.〔Ross, p.322〕 From 1948 to 1957 No.3 Squadron reverted to being a territorial squadron, based at Wigram with de Havilland Tiger Moths, North American Harvards and P-51 Mustangs. It subsequently operated transport types such the Bristol Freighter and Army co-operation types such as the Auster AOP, before becoming a dedicated helicopter squadron in 1965, based at Hobsonville, Auckland, and equipped with Bell 47s, and from the end of the year Bell UH-1 Iroquois, a type it still operates. The Squadron's Naval Support Flight flew helicopters for the Royal New Zealand Navy's frigates from 1966 until October 2005, when the role was transferred to 6 Squadron. The flight flew Westland Wasps, and later Kaman Seasprites of the naval air wing attached to the squadron from 1966 to 2005. Pilots from No. 3 Squadron served in Vietnam and in UN peace keeping in the Sinai. The Squadron served in East Timor. For many years a detachment was based in Singapore, to support the New Zealand Army presence there, and combat Indonesian insurgents. Detachments have recently served in the Solomon Islands and Antarctica. No. 3 Squadron UH-1s transported the participants on the first episode of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Today, No. 3 Squadron provides tactical air transport for the New Zealand Army. The Iroquois are scheduled to be replaced by NH90s. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「No. 3 Squadron RNZAF」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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