Airfields and Stations in New Zealand Used By the RNZAF, Part 11, Auckland Region

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Whenuapai
36^47’16” S, 174^ 37’ 49” E

15 Km North of Auckland

Meaning: The good earth

Motto: From Firm Roots We Spread

The original settlement of the area was during the First World War
by Mr Thepohilus Wake, who was a staunch anti-militarist.
He called the area “Waimarie” meaning “Peaceful Waters”.

Other like minded pacifists joined Wake in this peaceful haven,
including Mrs Darcy Hamilton, a well known feminist and anti-war campaigner,
who called her own house “Dreadnought” an ironic statement against
ships of war.

The settlement grew and soon they wanted a Post Office, when Wake applied
to the Chief Post Office he was told that the area could not remain under
that name as there already was a Post Office in the South Island with that name.

Thepohilus changed the name of the area to Whenuapai, this was later the title
of a popular book and then a film about the book.

In 1937 Sir Ralph Cochrane recommended that two large bomber bases be built.
The Hon. Fred Jones announced in late April/early May 1938 that Whenuapai
was being considered for purchase and development of the North Island’s largest
Air Base.

The NZ Observer reported that it was intended to construct modern underground hangers that will be indiscernible to enemy airplanes.

They were never built, instead two hangers similar to those at Ohakea were constructed.

The paper went on to report:

“The huge Baffin aircraft were being purchased in England to bring NZ’s
aerial defence up-to-date.

Several of these massive bombers have already arrived and are being
assembled at Hobsonville.

Great cases, the size of small houses were unloaded from the SS Rangitane
and carried overland on specially equipped trucks.

Carrying such loads over the 21 miles between Auckland and Hobsonville
without mishap is an achievement which reflects credit on both the contractors
and the Waitemata County Council, whose recent road improvements made
it possible.

When it is considered that only a few years ago the district’s only overland communication
[it has for many years had a good launch service] was a rough
blue metal road with many bad bumps and dangerous turns, the change recently brought about,
which enables great loads like this to be quickly and safely carried, will be somewhat appreciated”
[from the NZ Observer, Thursday 5 May 1938”

The Station was constructed by the Public Works Department and operational
flying commenced before construction was complete.

No 1 GR [General Reconnaissance] Squadron moved from Hobsonville to
Whenuapai on 1 Mar 1940.

Originally a grassed runway at the opening of the airfield in 1940, but this
proved unsuitable in wet weather as the airfield had been built on top of a
120 foot thick bog.

When the site was selected in 1938 it was the cheapest level ground of the size required,
close enough to defend Auckland.

The grass runways were being torn up with the De Havilland Tiger Moths being
used by No 4 Elementary Flying Training School,

When the much heavier Lockheed Hudsons arrived the Government approved
the laying of concrete runways in 1942.

The runway was laid in thick [Ohakea’s blocks were 2.5 to 3 feet thick]
interlocking hexagonal concrete blocks which remain today, even though
one runway is no longer used.

Over the years some of the concrete blocks have sunk into the bog and the
Ministry of Works has had to work continually to keep the airfield serviceable

The three runway are:

03 / 21 6665 feet long 150 feet wide, [the main used one]
This was resealed in 1990’s and is now asphalt.

08 / 26 5200 feet long and 150 feet wide, still the original hexagonal blocks.

The third runway is no longer used

The taxiways are of rectangular shaped blocks

The Government made the Station available to Civil Airlines in 1945,
on a temporary, RNZAF Activities come first, basis, this lasted for 20 years,
and the RNZAF had to give up two of their hangers and move their operations
to the North apron.

At the time there were only three sealed runway in NZ, Whenuapai,
Paraparaumu and Ohakea.

For a while Auckland had 3 airfields, Mechanics Bay, where TEAL operated
the Short Solent flying boats, from 1940 to 1954.

A small grass strip at Mangere, [where the International Airport is today] and
a weekly Pan American and BCPA [British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines]
[who was originally operated by Australian National Airways] services with
Douglas DC - 4s from Whenuapai.

Immediately post war the RNZAF operated many of the civil services while
NAC [National Airways Corporation] was being organized, some of these
left from Whenuapai.

In 1947 the Government closed Mangere to all but light aircraft, citing safety concerns
[they closed Rongotai for the same reasons, forcing NAC to move to Paraparaumu,
35 miles from the City center]

In addition to domestic services NAC also flew a weekly DC - 3 flight to Norfolk Island from
Whenuapai, and a fortnightly route that took a week each way, from Whenuapai to Norfolk
Island to Nadi, Fiji, to Apia, Samoa, to Tongatapu, Tonga to
Aitutaki Cook Is to Rarotonga also in the Cook Is.

These continued until 1952 when the Pacific Service was handed over to TEAL
[Tasman Empire Airways Limited].

In 1954 the Norfolk Route was chartered to TEAL who serviced the route
with a DC - 4.

In May 1954 the BCPA was wound up, giving it’s Douglas DC - 6’s to TEAL,
TEAL sold all but two of it’s flying boats and the remainders were stationed at Laucala Bay Fiji.

The Pacific route then flew the first leg from Whenuapai to Nadi by DC-6,
and then to Tahiti by flying boat as they didn’t get an airfield until 1960.

The operational level at Whenuapai remains the same as it has been for the
last 40 + years, there was discussion in 2007 by the then Labour Government
to close the base and move everything to Ohakea.

A budget of over $1 billion was needed, it was still being discussed when the incoming
Nation Party canceled the idea.

There have been suggestions that Whenuapai should be upgraded to a
2nd international airport, with the amalgamations of the various Borough
Councils into a large Auckland Council this has also lapsed.

Civil Operators that have used Whenuapai

RNZAF while preparing the way for NAC 1945 to 1947
Pan American World Airways 1946 to 1965
British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines BCPA 1947 to 1953
NZ National Airways Corporation NAC 1947 to 1965
Tasman Empire Airways Limited TEAL 1954 to 1965
Transports Aeriens Intercontentaux TAI 1957 to 1963
South Pacific Airlines of NZ SPANZ 1960 to 1965
QANTAS 1961 to 1965
[on it’s own account, it owned half of TEAL until 1961
so any appearance would be code sharing]
British Overseas Airways Corporation BOAC 1963 to 1965

Units known to have been stationed there

No 1 Hospital

No 1 Transport Operational Training Unit 43

No 1 GR Squadron [Blackburn Baffins 1 Mar 40 to Oct 40]
[Vickers Vincent Oct 40 to Jun 41
[ Lockheed Hudson Jun 41 to ?]
[Lockheed Ventura 43 to ?]
Re-named No 1 BR [Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron

No 3 GR Squadron [from Harewood 9 March 42 to prepare for deployment to the
forward Pacific Area -Bougainville / Guadalcanal until Oct 42]

No 3 BSS Squadron [Battle Field Support] May 65

No 4 Field Maintenance Unit

No 6 Sqn SH-2G[NZ] Seasprite

No 8 GR Squadron Apr 42 to Sep 42

No 9 BR Squadron [Detachment]

No 15 Fighter Squadron Jun 42 to Oct 42

No 17 Fighter Squadron [just prior to deployment to the Pacific Forward Area]

No 4 EFTS Formed 23 Dec 1940, using De Havilland Tiger Moths,
initial training of new pilots until March 1942
when the school was closed

No 5 Squadron Lockheed P-3K2 Orion

Unit 19 An Aircraft Maintenance unit

No 40 Squadron Formed 1 Jul 43 flying Douglas C47’ Dakota,
Lockheed C 63 Hudsons and Lockheed C-60 Lodestars, RNZAF’s first
dedicated freight Squadron,

Main tasks were to transport men and equipment to the Pacific
Front Area.
Disbanded 1947
Re-formed in 1954
Currently flying Lockheed C130 H Hercules and Boing 757s

No 41 Squadron Formed Aug 43, flying Douglas C-47 Dakota, Lockheed C-63
Hudson and Lockheed C-60 Lodestars, RNZAF’s second long
range transport Squadron.
Also used to transport men and equipment to the pacific front
area, and an internal shuttle run to the main RNZAF Stations

Post war Handley Page Hastings and then Bristol freighters
Before deploying to Changi, Singapore for the Malayan
Emergencies and then the Vietnam War.

No 42 Squadron

No 60 Radar Unit

Research & Development Flight to 10 Oct 51

RNZAF Aviation Medicine Unit

RNZAF Force Protection Dog Training School

NZDF Military Police

RNZAF Operations Squadron

RNZAF Pacific Ferry Flight

RNZAF Parachute Training and Support Unit

Decompression Chamber

Main Auckland Civil Airport 29 Sep 49 to 29 Jan 68

Commanding Officers:

S/L Geoffrey Roberts while also CO of NZGR Squadron
W/C John Seabrook took over command when No 4 EFTS began
flying there
W/C Maurice William Buckley CBE, MID, Nov 1941 to 1942

A/C Charles Campbell Hunter CBE May 1945 to

W/C T J McL de Lange 15 Sep 53

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner