List of former Royal New Zealand Air Force stations

Last updated

This list of former RNZAF stations and bases includes most of the stations, airfields and administrative headquarters previously used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. [1]

Contents

New Zealand

North Island

BaseRegionYear openedYear closedNotes
RNZAF Waipapakauri Northland 19391945Closed in 1945, with its facilities abandoned. The station hospital is now the Waipapakauri Hotel, while the runways have been converted back into farmland. [2] [3]
RNZAF Kaitaia Northland 19421945Built with large A shaped runways to accommodate American B-17 bomber aircraft. Transferred to civilian use as Kaitaia Airport in the postwar period. [4]
RNZAF Te Kopuru Northland 1943
RNZAF Onerahi Northland 19391945Transferred to civilian use as Whangarei Airport.
RNZAF Upper Okura Auckland
RNZAF Kumeu Auckland
RNZAF Hobsonville Auckland 19282002Wing Commander A B Greenway was commanding officer, RNZAF Station Hobsonville, in late May 1948. [5] The base was merged with RNZAF Base Whenuapai to form RNZAF Base Auckland. Now largely redeveloped into housing. [6]
RNZAF Swanson Auckland 19431945
RNZAF Mechanics Bay Auckland 19401944Reverted to civilian use. Most of the wartime buildings were disassembled and moved to the Museum of Transport and Technology.
RNZAF Parnell Auckland 1944
RNZAF Remuera Auckland 1944
RNZAF Epsom Auckland
RNZAF Sylvia Park Auckland
RNZAF Otahuhu Auckland 19391940
RNZAF Mangere Auckland 19391944RNZAF Station Mangere had been the home of the Auckland Aero Club since 1935 and so was an established aerodrome by the outbreak of war. Now the site of Auckland International Airport, the largest airport in the country.
RNZAF Seagrove Auckland 19421945Reverted to farmland. [7]
RNZAF Ardmore Auckland 19431957Now Ardmore Airport, a significant general aviation airport for the Auckland region. [8]
RNZAF Waitemata Auckland
RNZAF Manukau Auckland
RNZAF Hamilton Waikato 19421946
RNZAF Te Rapa Waikato 19421992Now The Base
RNZAF Rukuhia Waikato 19421946Now Hamilton Airport. [9] [10]
RNZAF Te Awamutu Waikato 1942
RNZAF Raglan Waikato 1941 [11] Still in use as Raglan Airstrip.
RNZAF Waharoa Waikato 19421945Still in use as Matamata Aerodrome.
RNZAF Tokoroa Waikato --Held in reserve, but never used. Reverted to civilian use as Tokoroa Aerodrome.
RNZAF Tauranga Bay of Plenty 19401944Reverted to civilian use as Tauranga Airport.
RNZAF Rotorua Bay of Plenty 19421945Reverted to civilian use as Whakarewarewa Aerodrome. Whakarewarewa was replaced by the present Rotorua Airport and converted to residential housing.
RNZAF New Plymouth

RNZAF Bell Block

Taranaki 19391945Reverted to civilian use as New Plymouth Airport.
RNZAF Linton Manawatu-Whanganui 19431943Now the site of Linton Army Camp.
RNZAF Wereroa Manawatu-Whanganui 19391942Little remains of the current site today. The runways have been turned back into farmland, while the Speldhurst Country Estate has largely been developed over the training station. However, as of early 2021, several buildings remain on the East of the site.
RNZAF Feilding Manawatu-Whanganui 19391945Reverted to civilian use as Feilding Aerodrome.
RNZAF Milson Manawatu-Whanganui 19421944Reverted to civilian use as Palmerston North Airport.
RNZAF Kaitoke Manawatu-Whanganui 19391945Built to accommodate American B-17 bomber aircraft. Reverted to civilian use as Whanganui Airport. [4]
RNZAF Masterton Wellington
RNZAF Gisborne Gisborne
RNZAF Paraparaumu Wellington 19411947Reverted to civilian use as the main airport for Wellington during the postwar period until significant upgrades at Rongotai Airport. Now operates as a small general aviation aerodrome with the name Kapiti Coast Airport.
RNZAF Mangaroa Wellington 1942Several buildings still remain on Flux Road.
RNZAF Hutt Wellington 19391940The Hutt Railway Workshops are still occupied by KiwiRail, the successor to New Zealand Railways.
RNZAF Rongotai Wellington 19381945Now Wellington International Airport. While the airport is no longer operated by the military, the RNZAF still perform operations here, in addition to maintaining a military logistics terminal on the Western Apron.
RNZAF Wellington Wellington Air Headquarters was located in Stout Street at Defence Headquarters, now the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment building. Several parts of the National Museum were also taken over for military use.

WAAF servicewomen were lodged in the Bristol Hotel in Cuba Street and the Molesworth Street Barracks on the corner of Molesworth and Hill Streets. Today the Bristol remains as a hotel and pub, but the Molesworth Street barracks were removed to make way for St. Pauls Cathedral.

The former American camp at Anderson park was further used as temporary accommodation, now reverted to park area.

South Island

BaseRegionYear openedYear closedNotes
RNZAF Nelson Nelson 1941Today the former RNZAF station remains open as Nelson Airport. Many of the RNZAF buildings and hangars are still in use today.
RNZAF Takaka Tasman In use today as Takaka Aerodrome.
RNZAF Motueka Tasman In use today as Motueka Aerodrome.
RNZAF Omaka Marlborough 19391944Today Omaka is a significant general aviation aerodrome in the Marlborough region. It is also home to a large collection of historical World War I and II aircraft, with aircraft owned by enthusiasts such as Stuart Trantrum, Peter Jackson and Mike Nicholls. The aerodrome features events such as Classic Fighters, and features a large museum featuring aviation heritage. Many former RNZAF buildings remain on site, with some used by a local Air Training Corps unit.
RNZAF Delta Marlborough 19431944Land reverted to farmland, with many areas being used as vineyards.
RNZAF Fairhall Marlborough 19421943Land reverted to farmland, with many areas being used as vineyards.
RNZAF Wairau Valley Marlborough
RNZAF Dillons Point Marlborough ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Lake Grassmere Marlborough 1938
RNZAF Waimakariri Canterbury 19421945Returned to farm land.
RNZAF Eyreton Canterbury ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Christchurch Central Canterbury 19401945
RNZAF Addington Canterbury 19391940
RNZAF Wigram Canterbury 19231995New Zealand's oldest air base. Now the home of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.While the original plot of land remains, most of the extended base area has been converted into residential housing.
RNZAF Norwood Canterbury 19391945Mostly reverted to farm land. However, several hangar and accommodation block ruins can be found.
RNZAF Lyttleton Canterbury
RNZAF Cashmere Canterbury 1939Several buildings are owned by Heritage New Zealand and are open to the public. The University of Canterbury operates seismic equipment in the underground bunkers.
RNZAF Birdlings Flat Canterbury 19391945
RNZAF Darfield Canterbury ----Land held in reserve, but never used. May have been selected as a satellite field for RNZAF Te Pirita.
RNZAF Te Pirita Canterbury 19421943Returned to farm land.
RNZAF Ashburton Canterbury 19421944Reverted to civilian use as Ashburton Aerodrome.
RNZAF Maronan Canterbury ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Mayfield Canterbury ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Timaru Canterbury Reverted to civilian use as Richard Pearse Airport.
RNZAF Waitaki Otago Now Oamaru Airport.
RNZAF Ranfurly Otago
RNZAF Cromwell Otago
RNZAF Hillside Otago 19391940The Hillside Railway Workshops are still occupied by KiwiRail, the successor to New Zealand Railways.
RNZAF Taieri Otago 19391959Reverted to civilian use as Taieri Aerodrome. Several air force hangars and buildings remain.
RNZAF Outram Otago ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Momona Otago ----Land held in reserve, but never for wartime purposes. Site of the new Dunedin Airport to replace Taieri Aerodrome in 1962.
RNZAF Milton Otago ----Land held in reserve, but never used.
RNZAF Balclutha Otago
RNZAF Middlemarch Otago
RNZAF Sutton Otago
RNZAF Queenstown Otago
RNZAF Glenorchy Otago
RNZAF Makarora Otago
RNZAF Karamea West Coast In use today as Karamea Aerodrome.
RNZAF Jacksons Bay West Coast
RNZAF Haast West Coast 19421945In 1942, the RNZAF had the aerodrome's existing primary runway extended, so that it could be used by Vickers Vincents from RNZAF Nelson in emergencies or during specific patrols. Reverted to civilian use postwar as Haast Aerodrome. [12]
RNZAF Mount Cook Hermitage West Coast
RNZAF Waiho West Coast
RNZAF Landsborough West Coast
RNZAF Mussel Point West Coast
RNZAF Arawata West Coast
RNZAF Hokitika West Coast Located on the south side of the Hokitika River. Reverted to civilian use postwar, but closed in 1948. A replacement airport was built in the hills northeast of the city.
RNZAF Greymouth West Coast
RNZAF Inchbonnie West Coast
RNZAF Westport West Coast 19421945
RNZAF Gore Southland 19391945Reverted to civilian use as Gore Aerodrome.
RNZAF Dawsons Farm

RNZAF Invercargill

Southland 19391945RNZAF Dawsons Farm remained operational throughout World War II, while the new Invercargill Airport was constructed. Due to its proximity to Antarctica, Invercargill Airport retains some minor military use by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, United States Air National Guard, and Aeronautica Militaire. [13]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "EXPANSION AND DISPERSAL OF STORES DEPOTS | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "RNZAF Waipapakauri memorial". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Waipapakauri Hotel - New Zealand's front line against foreign invasion". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Northland's wartime history uncovered from secret documents". NZ Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ↑ W/C A B Greenaway, commanding officer, RNZAF Station, Hobsonville Air Base, Auckland
  6. ↑ "Changing Auckland: How Hobsonville Point went from airbase to built-up". Stuff. 2 January 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  7. ↑ "WWII Defence Force staff sworn to secrecy". Stuff. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  8. ↑ "history of Ardmore Airport - Ardmore Airport". ardmoreairport.co.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "Hamilton airport". www.airports-worldwide.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "Rukuhia aircraft dump | Wings Over New Zealand". rnzaf.proboards.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  11. ↑ "EMERGENCY AERODROME. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 October 1941. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  12. ↑ Price, Mark (31 May 2018). "Former WW2 airfield on market". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  13. ↑ "Invercargill airport". www.airports-worldwide.com. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
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