Air Force New Zealand
Air Force New Zealand
The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF ) (Maori: Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa , "New Zealand Warriors of the Sky") is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zealand components of the British Royal Air Force, becoming an independent force in 1923, although many RNZAF aircrew continued to serve in the Royal Air Force until the end of the 1940s. The RNZAF fought in World War II, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Gulf War plus various United Nations peacekeeping missions. From a 1945 peak of over 1,000 combat aircraft the RNZAF has shrunk to a strength of around 53 aircraft in 2007, focusing on maritime patrol and transport duties in support of the Royal New Zealand Navy and the New Zealand Army.
The RNZAF motto is the same as that of the RAF, Per ardua ad astra — "Through adversity to the stars." RNZAF rank titles and uniform remain similar to those of the RAF. All personnel wear the nationality mark "NEW ZEALAND" on the slip-on rank shoulder epaulette or on a sewn-on shoulder title on the dress uniform.
History
Pre-World War I
New Zealand's military aviation began in 1913 when the New Zealand Army was presented with two Blériot monoplanes by the United Kingdom. These machines were grounded after a young woman was given a joyride; on the outbreak of hostilities, the Bleriots were sent to support British forces in Mesopotamia.
World War I
In the Great War, New Zealand aircrew flew as part of the British Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. New Zealand pilots serving with British forces saw service in all theatres. Fifteen became aces, the top scorer being Keith Caldwell with, depending on how counted, more than 24 victories.
The government assisted two private schools to train pilots for the conflict. The Walsh brothers flying school at Auckland was founded by Leo and Vivian Walsh—pioneers who had made the first controlled flight in New Zealand. From 1915 pilots trained on the Walsh Brothers Flying Boats including Curtiss machines, aircraft of their own design and, later in the war, the first two aircraft made by Boeing.
In 1916 Sir Henry Wigram established the Canterbury Aviation Company at Sockburn, Christchurch, and purchased Caudron biplanes from Britain for pilot training. He gifted the aerodrome, later Wigram Aerodrome, to the government for defence purposes.
At the end of the war many New Zealand pilots stayed with the new Royal Air Force and several had attained high rank by the outbreak of World War II. Others returned to New Zealand and, serving part-time, provided the nucleus of the NZPAF.
The New Zealand Permanent Air Force
At the close of hostilities Great Britain offered each of the Dominions a hundred war-surplus combat aircraft. New Zealand was the last to respond and least enthusiastic. When the Avro 504s, Bristol F.2 Fighters and, De Havilland designed, Airco DH.4s and Airco DH.9s did reach New Zealand they were either placed in storage or loaned to the flying schools, barnstormers and nascent commercial operators. Several of the military aircraft were heavily modified—a 504 becoming a 3-seat floatplane and a DH-9 acquiring an enclosed passenger cabin.
The importance of aviation in war was belatedly recognised, largely thanks to the efforts of visionary parliamentarian Sir Henry Wigram. In 1923 the New Zealand Permanent Air Force was formed: a part of the Army staffed by 72 pilots with Great War experience. It was initially equipped with the surviving Avro 504K, the DH.4s, DH.9s and Bristol Fighters. These operated from an airfield outside Christchurch at Sockburn.
In 1926 Wigram donated £2,500 for the purchase of modern fighters and Gloster Grebes were acquired. Sockburn was later renamed Wigram, a name adopted by the suburb which grew up around the airbase. It is the site of the present New Zealand Air Force Museum, but RNZAF Base Wigram has now closed.
A trickle of new-build Bristol Fighters and other new types joined the NZPAF in the late 1920s and early 1930s. A Lewis gun-equipped De Havilland Gipsy Moth floatplane took part in naval operations against rebels in Samoa. The NZPAF's first action came in 1930 when the Moth dropped an improvised bomb made out of a treacle tin on to a ship suspected of gun-running. The bomb did no damage, fortuitously, as the target turned out to be a local missionary vessel. More creditably, Fairey IIIFs made a dramatic maritime rescue and in the aftermath of the Napier earthquake the NZPAF flew in urgently needed supplies and medical equipment.
Like other western air arms a major expansion began from the mid 1930s. The NZPAF acquired more modern British types including significant numbers of Airspeed Oxfords, Avro 626s, Fairey Gordons, Vickers Vildebeests and Blackburn Baffins—and small numbers of other types. The NZPAF was renamed the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1934 and became an independent service in 1937.
World War II
World War II in Europe
At the outbreak of World War II the primary equipment of the RNZAF was 30 Vickers Wellington bombers, which the New Zealand government had offered to the United Kingdom, in August 1939, together with the crews to fly them. They became 75 Squadron. Many other New Zealanders were serving in the RAF.
The primary role of the RNZAF was to take advantage of New Zealand's distance from the conflict by training aircrew, as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, alongside the other major former British colonies, Canada, Australia and South Africa. For this task large numbers of De Havilland Tiger Moth, Airspeed Oxford and North American Harvard were manufactured or assembled locally and second-hand biplanes were acquired—such as Hawker Hinds and Vickers Vincents—as well as other types for specialised training such as Avro Ansons and Supermarine Walrus. Only when German surface raiders became active was it realised that a combat force would be needed in New Zealand in addition to the trainers.
New Zealanders serving with the RAF
The majority of RNZAF personnel served with RAF units, six RNZAF Article XV squadrons, which were RNZAF units attached to RAF formations, and the Fleet Air Arm — in Europe, the Mediterranean, South East Asia and other theatres. Commonwealth personnel under RAF operational control were pooled for operational practicality and many RNZAF airmen also served with Royal Australian Air Force or Royal Canadian Air Force Article XV squadrons.
New Zealanders in the RAF itself included pilots, such as the first RAF ace of the war, Flying Officer Cobber Kain, Alan Deere (whose book Nine Lives was one of the first post war accounts of combat) and leaders such as the World War I ace, Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, who commanded No. 11 Group RAF in the Battle of Britain and went on to the air defence of Malta and, in the closing stages of the war, Commonwealth air units under South East Asia Command, and Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham Air Tactical Commander of D-Day.
Some RAF squadrons were also set aside for pilots from a particular country. The first of these was 75 Squadron, formed by RNZAF aircrews and Vickers Wellington bombers in August 1939.
The squadron later flew Short Stirlings, Avro Lancasters and Avro Lincolns. Through accident or design, other RAF units came to be mostly manned by RNZAF pilots, including No. 243 Squadron RAF in Singapore, No. 258 Squadron RAF in the UK and several Wildcat and Hellcat units of the FAA (leading some texts to claim these types were used by the RNZAF).
New Zealand Article XV Squadrons included No. 485, which flew Supermarine Spitfires throughout the war. No. 486, (Hawker Hurricanes, Hawker Typhoons and Hawker Tempests). No. 487, (Lockheed Venturas and De Havilland Mosquitoes). No. 488, (Brewster Buffaloes, Hawker Hurricanes, Bristol Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes). No. 489, (Bristol Blenheims, Bristol Beauforts, Handley Page Hampdens, Bristol Beaufi
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