Events In History
-
1 May 1955RNZAF's first combat strike since Second World WarFive Vampire aircraft of No. 14 Squadron carried out the RNZAF’s first combat strike since the Second World War against guerrillas in the Malayan jungle. Read more...
-
19 August 1944Kiwi pilot's sacrifice saves French villageAs his damaged Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber rapidly lost height, Pilot Officer James Stellin struggled to avoid crashing into Saint-Maclou-la-Brière, a village of 370 people. He succeeded, but at the cost of his own life. The villagers gave him a hero’s funeral and have honoured his memory ever since. Read more...
-
2 October 1941NZ pilot saves Scottish villageIn October 1941, New Zealand Spitfire pilot Carlyle Everiss heroically sacrificed his life to save the Scottish village of Cowie from serious damage. Read more...
-
16 January 1941Women's Auxiliary Air Force foundedNew Zealand's first female military unit was complemented within 18 months by the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps and the Women's Royal Naval Service. Read more...
-
7 June 1940Fighter ace Edgar ‘Cobber’ Kain killedKnown to others as ‘Killer Kain’, the Hastings-born pilot's exploits flying Hurricanes for the RAF’s No. 73 Squadron in the first year of the Second World War had made him a household name. Read more...
Articles
Royal New Zealand Air Force
In 1937 the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) became an independent service within the New Zealand defence forces. In the subsequent 75 years the RNZAF has built up a proud tradition of service, demonstrating resourcefulness and professionalism in the face of changes and challenges.
-
Page 2 – Overview: 1913-1945
Overview of the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1913 to 1945.
-
Page 3 – Overview: 1946-2012
Overview of the Royal New Zealand Air Force from 1946 to 2012.
-
Page 4 – RNZAF timeline
Timeline showing key events related to the history of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), 1912-2012
-
Page 5 – Further information
Books and further reading relating to the Royal New Zealand Air Force
D-Day
It was one of the largest amphibious landings in history. On 6 June 1944 a huge Allied military machine embarked on the invasion of German-occupied France. Thousands of New Zealand sailors and airmen were on active duty that day.
- Page 7 - New Zealanders in the airBy 1944 more than 6000 New Zealanders were based in the United Kingdom, serving in the RAF.
Related keywords
- WW1
- bombing
- royal air force
- russia
- royal new zealand air force
- vivian walsh
- wigram
- ohakea
- keith caldwell
- WW1 stories
- royal flying corps
- women
- WW2
- geoffrey fisken
- antarctica
- queen elizabeth
- royalty
- david lange
- paul reeves
- air transport
- canada
- pacific war
- singapore
- disasters
- christchurch
- earthquakes
- malayan emergency
- DDay
- james stellin
- wellington city
- catherine tizard
- aviation
- edgar kain
- timeline
- whenuapai
- battle of britain
- western front
- artillery
- battle of the somme
- trenches
- lancaster bomber
-
Main image: RAF bomber, 1919
An Airco DH-9A of the Royal Air Force (RAF), with examples of the bomb types carried.
