Expansion of Air Force Strong Weapon Being Forged

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 47, 25 February 1939, Page 5

Expansion of Air Force Strong Weapon Being Forged

In all departments of defence New Zealand is making rapid strides towards a state of camparative security and in no arm of the services is this more noticeable than in the air. During the period of compulsory military training the Dominion army was at considerable strength and the Naval Division, although small, has always been maintained at a high state of efficiency. The air seemed for years to be the Cinderella in the defence system, but with the increased attention that has been focused on this arm overseas and a realisation of its great advantages in striking power New Zealand has embarked on a programme of the expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force to bring it up to a standard comparable with that set overseas.

The principal feature of this is the establishment of two operational stations equipped with medium powered bombers capable of wide range of action. On a permanent basis these will form the backbone of the country’s aerial defence and introduce to the Dominion a new phase in military life. Ohakea, just off the main Wellington to Auckland highway between Sanson and Bulls, and Whenuapai, ten miles from Auckland and near the present

base at Hobsonville, are the sites that have been selected by the Government for these stations. Additional to them are the Flying Training School at Wigram, which was formerly the chief centre of air force activity in the country, and the base at Hobsonville, originally established as a combined flying-boat and land plane station, which is now the chief stores and repair depot for the Dominion. The Territorial Air Force has been put on an entirely different basis with squadrons at each of the four centres which have their own hangars and are to be equipped with Blackburn Baffin bombers. The Wellington unit has been functioning for some time now and carries out reconnaisance work over Cook Strait. Recently it went into camp near Blenheim for a course of training. The Auckland squadron is being recruited at present and the remaining ones will be brought into commission as the machines are made available. Once the operational stations are in full lighting trim the Dominion will have a powerful striking unit that will be a tremendous advance on the post war force that was composed mostly of men who had seen service overseas who underwent a refresher course each year.