Airfields and Stations in New Zealand Used By the RNZAF, Part 18

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Te Rapa

Opened 10 Apr 1942

Closed 1992

The name was taken from the area the station was located.

Chosen because it was considered far enough inland from both coasts
to prevent air attack.

It was situated on the Main Trunk Railway Line, the area was very rural
so it wouldn’t disrupt the surrounding area to much.

Constructed by the Public Works Department, and several large building
were designed as stores hangers.

There was provision for a branch line to run through the camp allowing
loading straight into the buildings.

After the concrete had been poured the RNZAF Works Officer, on his
inspection round, found that all the foundations had been laid in the wrong place,
and the planed railway line would not work.

After the foundations were ripped out and relaid, to speed the process and
lessen the overall costs, one of the buildings was deleted from the original plan.

Te Rapa stayed the Main Stores Depot until 1992, when the Stores system
was decentralized.

The ground was given to the local Maori tribe, Tainui, and for many years it
slowly became more and more degraded.

All the once pristine buildings were eventually demolished or removed.

Sadly little was done to preserve these historic and commercially useful
buildings and warehouses. Even the modern buildings disappeared.

Units known to have been stationed there

No 1 Stores Depot 1942 to 1992 when the Station closed

Snake Gully

Named after the famous farm in the then popular Australian radio comedy
series, Dad & Dave, which was a hit with the airmen.

The huts were very primitive, in an area opposite the Western end of Fairfield
Bridge, off Victoria Street.

The area flooded easily and swarmed with insects.

The men marched daily to and from No 1 RD in town, where they worked.

Hamilton

Opened in 1942

Closed in 1945

As Franklin was on the main railway it was considered as a Stores Depot,
but as it was reachable by carrier borne aircraft, it was still to close to the
coast and discounted.

Slightly further down the train tracks was Hamilton, which had the Winter
Show Buildings on the corner of Anglesea Street and Ward Street, also known
as Bledisloe Hall, at the time it was the largest free standing pre-war building
in NZ.

The roof was supported on trusses, like an aircraft hanger.

The No 1 Stores Depot was moved to Hamilton as Hobsonville was considered
vulnerable to enemy aircraft attack, and with the increasing numbers of aircraft
arriving it was necessary for Hobsonville to become a purely an assembly depot.

With no rail connection to Hobsonville the transportation of spares required a lot
of motor transport as well.

As well as the Bledisloe Hall, No 1 RD began to spread out over the town and
take up empty buildings.

The first were car garages, their mechanics had been called up for military duty,
and the cars, being off the road due to petrol shortages.

A Motor Transport Unit was established at Ebbitt’s Garage, offices for the Admin
and Accounting staff were taken, the Station Commander in charge of RNZAF
Hamilton and Rukuhia had an office above a garage in North Victoria Street.

The WAAF’s that did all the Admin were accommodated in three hotels, the
Central, the Riverside and The Hotel

The Elemental and Flying Training Schools were able to carry out their own
maintenance and servicing on the simple aircraft of the pre 1940’s, and were
equipped with their own Engine and Airframe repair shops.

By April 1942 the policy was changed towards centralization, all Oxfords
and Gordons would be overhauled at Wigram, the Harvards at Woodbourne,
Ohakea was allotted various tasks including inspection and overhaul of the
P40 Kittyhawks from 14 Squadron at Hood Airfield, Masterton, and the
aircraft of Bomber Operational Training Unit.

By July 1942 a number of buildings to used for engine repair and Instrument
repair had been set up in Hamilton.

The Airframe Repair Squadron/Shop had been set up at Rukuhia.

These were designated No 1 Repair Depot and began operation in September

When it was set up 1 RD was responsible for all multi-engined operational
aircraft except flying boats, and all single engined operational aircraft in NZ
except for the P40 Kittyhawks at the Operational Training Unit, Ohakea.

Units known to have been stationed there

No 1 Stores Depot. From 21st July 1942, until 10th April 1943.
It was NZ’s largest storage unit,
Moved to Te Rapa

No 1 Repair Depot
Overhauling and repairing NZ and US engines from NZ and the Pacific.
Mainly in Bledisloe Hall, but with workshops in various places in the town

Unit 45
A Maintenance unit within No 1 RD

No 302 Elementary Ground Training Squadron

RNZAF Hospital
Opposite the Court House on Anglesea Street, became Valentines Resteraunt.

Commanding Officers

S/L F Butler April 42 Aug 42
W/C Esmond Allen Gibson Aug 42 Sep 42
W/C J T Brown Sep 42 Jan 43
W/C W Temple Jan 43 Apr 44
W/C Alfred Morton Manhire Apr 44 Apr 46

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