Emirau Island
The squadron was formed in November 1943 equipped with the P-40 Kittyhawk, and was deployed to Guadacanal from February 1944. In March that year, it relieved No. 18 Squadron RNZAF on Bougainville, flying patrol and ground attack missions against Japanese forces. It was regularly rotated between Guadacanal and operations from Bougainville until November when it moved to Emirau Island in the Bismarck Archipeligo, where it provided day fighter defence until January 1945.