No. 15 Squadron
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)

Background
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) No. 15 Squadron operated the P-40 Kittyhawk and later F4U Corsairs in the South Pacific (SoPAC) during World War II.

Wartime History
On January 22, 1944 twelve Kittyhawks from No. 15 Squadron escort B-25 Mitchells on a bombing mission against Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. Lost is P-40N Kittyhawk NZ3186 pilot Sgt Colin B. Grubb (MIA).

On June 20, 1944 lost is F4U Corsair NZ5274 pilot Sgt William J. Thomson (MIA) on a mission over Rabaul and was shot down byy anti-aircraft fire and crashed crashed onto a plantation near Talili Bay.

On July 14, 1944 lost is F4U Corsair NZ5266 pilot FSgt Floyd J. Cousins (MIA) on a mission, hit by anti-aircraft fire and ditched at sea and was later rescued.

On December 3, 1944 lost is F4U Corsair NZ5464 pilot FSgt Floyd J. Cousins (MIA) on a mission.

On January 8, 1945 lost is F4U Corsair NZ5527 pilot Flight Sergeant T. Simpson fliped over landig at Ardmore Airfield and was written off.

On April 15, 1945 lost is F4U Corsair NZ5317 pilot P/O Eric P. Shorthouse (MIA) on a mission over Rabaul and suffered an engine failure and crashed.

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