RNZAF Station Waipapakauri was a Royal New Zealand Air Force station located at Waipapakauri, 14 km north of Kaitaia, Northland Region, New Zealand. Originally established in 1933 as a small local aerodrome, it was commandeered as an air force base by the RNZAF at the outbreak of war in 1939.
The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy established a radio intercept and direction finding (D/F) station here as part of a network throughout the country.[1]
Being the most northerly airbase in New Zealand, it was enlarged to cope with front-line fighters and bombers. Originally it was used as a maritime aviation patrol base using elderly Vickers Vincent bombers scouting the northern approaches to New Zealand and looking out for German surface raiders that were operating in the area.[2]
In 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the base was further enlarged and permanent structures fortified with large bunkers, aircraft revetments, underground command centres and a base hospital built. The main runway was lengthened and strengthened as well as lengthening the crosswind runways which involved culverting a small stream that became prone to flooding in heavy downpours. Hawker Hind trainers, Vickers Vincent maritime patrol bombers, Curtiss P-40 point defence fighters, and Lockheed Hudson bombers were based there. Later in the War, Vought F4U Corsair fighters were also stationed at the base. As Waipapakauri was the closest base to the Pacific Theater of Operations, many military transport aircraft transited through for refuelling heading to and from operations. These included Douglas C-47 Dakota/Skytrains of all the Allied nations fighting in the Pacific.[3]
At the end of hostilities in 1945, the airbase was closed and facilities abandoned, the far more suitable Kaitaia Airport nearby being developed with a paved runway.
Todayedit
Today remnants include the command bunker, some weather-worn revetments and the base hospital which is now the Waipapakauri Hotel. The main runway is still well defined from the air as well as on Google Earth. State Highway 1 cuts across the southern end of the runway. In the 1950s the culvert across the main crosswind runway was opened out to prevent seasonal flooding that it caused. The runways have been turned back into farmland. An official memorial next to the hotel carpark bears testimony of the base's past existence.[4]
^Bou, Jean (2012). MacArthur's Secret Bureau: The story of the Central Bureau. Loftus NSW Australia: Australian Military History Publications. p. 18. ISBN978-0-9872387-1-9.
^Wings over New Zealand|RNZAF wartime stations| Northland, thread
^History of the Royal New Zealand Airforce|Collins pub.
rnzaf, station, waipapakauri, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, september, 2012, learn, when, remove, this, temp. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2012 Learn how and when to remove this template message RNZAF Station Waipapakauri was a Royal New Zealand Air Force station located at Waipapakauri 14 km north of Kaitaia Northland Region New Zealand Originally established in 1933 as a small local aerodrome it was commandeered as an air force base by the RNZAF at the outbreak of war in 1939 The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy established a radio intercept and direction finding D F station here as part of a network throughout the country 1 Contents 1 World War II 2 Today 3 See also 4 ReferencesWorld War II editBeing the most northerly airbase in New Zealand it was enlarged to cope with front line fighters and bombers Originally it was used as a maritime aviation patrol base using elderly Vickers Vincent bombers scouting the northern approaches to New Zealand and looking out for German surface raiders that were operating in the area 2 In 1941 after the attack on Pearl Harbor the base was further enlarged and permanent structures fortified with large bunkers aircraft revetments underground command centres and a base hospital built The main runway was lengthened and strengthened as well as lengthening the crosswind runways which involved culverting a small stream that became prone to flooding in heavy downpours Hawker Hind trainers Vickers Vincent maritime patrol bombers Curtiss P 40 point defence fighters and Lockheed Hudson bombers were based there Later in the War Vought F4U Corsair fighters were also stationed at the base As Waipapakauri was the closest base to the Pacific Theater of Operations many military transport aircraft transited through for refuelling heading to and from operations These included Douglas C 47 Dakota Skytrains of all the Allied nations fighting in the Pacific 3 At the end of hostilities in 1945 the airbase was closed and facilities abandoned the far more suitable Kaitaia Airport nearby being developed with a paved runway Today editToday remnants include the command bunker some weather worn revetments and the base hospital which is now the Waipapakauri Hotel The main runway is still well defined from the air as well as on Google Earth State Highway 1 cuts across the southern end of the runway In the 1950s the culvert across the main crosswind runway was opened out to prevent seasonal flooding that it caused The runways have been turned back into farmland An official memorial next to the hotel carpark bears testimony of the base s past existence 4 See also editNo 7 Squadron RNZAF No 1 GR Squadron operated from this airfield also References edit Bou Jean 2012 MacArthur s Secret Bureau The story of the Central Bureau Loftus NSW Australia Australian Military History Publications p 18 ISBN 978 0 9872387 1 9 Wings over New Zealand RNZAF wartime stations Northland thread History of the Royal New Zealand Airforce Collins pub Wings over New Zealand Wartime Bases thread 35 01 15 S 173 13 32 E 35 0207 S 173 2256 E 35 0207 173 2256 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RNZAF Station Waipapakauri amp oldid 1213533491, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
