RNZAF Base Auckland
| RNZAF Base Auckland | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Characteristics | |
| ICAO code | NZWP |
| Coordinates | |
| Height above MSL | 30 m (98 ft ) |
| Transport links | |
| Distance from the city center | 15 km northwest of Auckland |
| Street |
|
| Basic data | |
| opening | 1928/1939 |
| operator | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Runways | |
| 03/21 | 2031 m × 45 m asphalt |
| 08/26 | 1581 m × 45 m concrete |
| 08L / 26R | 850 m × 45 m grass |
RNZAF Base Auckland is a military airfield of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in the northern area of Waitemata Harbor a good 15 km as the crow flies northwest of the center of Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand . The airfield also served as a civil passenger airport in Auckland for the first two decades after the end of World War II. Later, the dual base became the base of the air force transport and maritime reconnaissance squadrons, a role Whenuapai continued into the 21st century. Today it is one of two main operational bases of the RNZAF.
history
Today's base has its origins in two separate bases, Whenuapai and Hobsonville. Hobsonville opened as a base for seaplanes and flying boats back in 1928. Hobsonville was the RNZAF's most important flying boat base until 1967.
The construction of a Whenuapai land aircraft base for the planned stationing of bombers began in 1937 and the first hangars were completed in 1939. Because of the outbreak of war, it was stationed in Europe and no more and instead of bombers Whenuapai was the location of a transport squadron in 1943, the 40th Squadron still stationed here today . In 1944, a second transport unit was added with the 41st Squadron . The aircraft types used were Lodestar , Lockheed Hudson and Dakota .
The 40th Squadron was initially disbanded two years after the end of the Pacific War in October 1947, with personnel and aircraft being transferred to the New Zealand National Airways Corporation . For the first two decades, the area served as Auckland's civil international airport. The 41st season remained active and upgraded to Handley Page Hastings and Bristol Freighter in the early 1950s . In late 1954, the 40th season was reactivated, taking over the Hastings of 41st. These were joined by Douglas DC-6 . The conversion to the C-130 began in mid-1965 and from 1981 to 2003 it also operated the Boeing 727 .
The 41st squadron itself was decommissioned two years after the end of the Vietnam War in 1977, after a third transport squadron had been set up in Whenuapai with the reactivated 1st Squadron in 1972. This also flew the Bristol Freighter until 1977 and then received the Andover C.1 . The 1st Squadron, in turn, went into the 42nd Squadron , a second Andover Squadron , which had been moved to Whenuapai at the end of 1984 . The Andovers were decommissioned in 1997/98 and replaced by the Super King Air B200 . The season was moved back to Ohakea in early 2002.
The two independent bases were merged in 1965 to form RNZAF Base Auckland. After the last flying boats had withdrawn, the undeveloped area far from the bank became the location of the RNZAF helicopters operated for the Navy. These were subordinate to the 3rd Squadron and formed within the squadron the Naval Support Flight, equipped with Westland Wasp from 1966 and Kaman H-2 from 1998 . The 3rd season also operated the types Bell UH-1 and Bell 47 in Hobsonville since 1965 .
For the Hobsonville area, a conversion process was started at the beginning of the 21st century and the 3rd season moved to Ohakea in October 2005, which was accompanied by a reduced role. The Seasprite on-board helicopters for the navy frigates remained in Auckland, they have been operated by the 6th Squadron since 2005.
In the 2000s there were considerations to completely close the base and convert it into another civil airport. However, these plans were discarded in 2009 and the area was modernized in the following years from 2011 according to the latest ( earthquake ) standards, including the replacement of facilities previously located in Hobsonville.
Military use
At the moment (2020) there are three flying associations:
- 5th Squadron , Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron , equipped since 1965 with the Lockheed P-3 , initially the P-3B series; these were first modernized to the P-3K standard in the 1980s and again to the P-3K2 standard in the 2000s.
- 6th Squadron , Naval Aviation Squadron , equipped with the SH-2G since 2005
- 40th Squadron , transport squadron, equipped with the C-130H since 1965 and with the Boeing 757 since 2003
A number of non-airborne units are also stationed.
