RNZAF Base Ohakea
Encyclopedia
RNZAF Base Ohakea is an operational base of the Royal New Zealand Air Force
. Opened in 1939, it is near Bulls
, 25 km north west of Palmerston North
in the Manawatu
. It is also a diversion landing point for civilian aircraft.
for airships of the British Imperial Airship service. It was proposed to build one mast for a demonstration flight, with the potential for expansion to a full airship base with three masts, airship sheds and hydrogen production
. However, there was no point in going ahead with the development of the site without a commitment from the Australian Government to build masts to provide bases in that country. When the Australian Government declined to build masts, the New Zealand Government declined likewise.
Ralph Cochrane
.
The plan called for several new bases, with a major development at Ohakea, which would be home to 30 Wellington bombers
on order for the RNZAF. Two large hangar
s (now hangars 2 and 3) were authorised to house the aircraft, to be designed by the Department of Public Works
chief design engineer Charles Turner. Turner decided to build the hangars as monolithic reinforced concrete
structures because structural steel could not be obtained in sufficient quantities without delays, while concrete and reinforcing steel could be delivered immediately. The same limitation forced Turner to adopt concrete doors. The arched hangars spanned 61 metres, with a height of 18 metres. The expense of the steel centering was spread across four hangars, as another two similar structures were ordered for Whenuapai
air base in Auckland
.
The two Ohakea hangars were completed in 1939, at a cost of about £76,750 each.
Ultimately, the Wellington bombers for which the hangars were built never arrived, as they were donated to Britain at the start of the second world war. However, the hangars have been in continuous use since their construction, and (re-roofed in steel) remain in use today.
Ohakea was the RNZAF main training base for operational conversion on fighters, observers/navigators for medium bombers and air gunners. After World War II No 14
, No 42
and No 75
squadrons were re-formed at Ohakea, and No.1 Repair Depot relocated from Hamilton
.
Since the end of the war Ohakea has been the RNZAF's strike base, with Nos 14 and 75 Squadrons resident. A long-time resident, No 42 Squadron relocated to Whenuapai in 1984 to allow the reformation of No 2 Squadron to HMAS Albatross
, Nowra, Australia
in 1991. In 1993 RNZAF flying training previously carried out at Wigram
by the Pilot Training Squadron and the RNZAF's Central Flying School
moved to Ohakea. Also in 1993 a new aviation wing of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
was opened at Ohakea. Nos 14 and 75 Squadrons disbanded in November 2001, and No 42 squadron relocated back to Ohakea in January 2002. There are currently around 650 personnel based at Ohakea.
A plan to consolidate all RNZAF operations at Ohakea was abandoned in March 2009 as part of a change of policy on the part of the incoming National Government who chose to retain two operational air bases, Ohakea and Whenuapai, for use by the RNZAF
s if both Auckland and Christchurch
airports are temporarily closed. Ohakea does not have the facilities to process that number of passengers, so the aircraft must wait for either Auckland or Christchurch to reopen.
At about 21:20 on Thursday 3 May 2007 smoke in the cockpit of a Air New Zealand
Boeing 737
forced it to make an emergency landing at Ohakea with more than 100 passengers on board, including several Members of Parliament
. Later that day a Boeing 747 landed after being diverted from a foggy Auckland Airport.
Ohakea has been the subject of a feasibility study into mixed-use military and civilian freight capability, which has included lengthening the main runway to accommodate the Boeing 747
.
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
. Opened in 1939, it is near Bulls
Bulls, New Zealand
Bulls is a small town near Palmerston North on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is in a thriving farming area in the Rangitikei District at the junction of State Highways 1 and 3 about 160 kilometres north of Wellington...
, 25 km north west of Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
in the Manawatu
Manawatu District
The Manawatu District is a district in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region in the North Island of New Zealand.-Location:"The Manawatu", as it is usually called, is located in the southwest of the island, close to the river which shares its name...
. It is also a diversion landing point for civilian aircraft.
Early days
An air base was originally proposed in the area in 1927, when Ohakea was selected as the most suitable site for a mooring mastMooring mast
A mooring mast, or mooring tower, is a structure designed to allow for the docking of an airship outside of an airship hangar or similar structure...
for airships of the British Imperial Airship service. It was proposed to build one mast for a demonstration flight, with the potential for expansion to a full airship base with three masts, airship sheds and hydrogen production
Hydrogen production
Hydrogen production is the family of industrial methods for generating hydrogen. Currently the dominant technology for direct production is steam reforming from hydrocarbons. Many other methods are known including electrolysis and thermolysis...
. However, there was no point in going ahead with the development of the site without a commitment from the Australian Government to build masts to provide bases in that country. When the Australian Government declined to build masts, the New Zealand Government declined likewise.
1930s development
In 1935 the Labour government committed to an expansion of the military air service at the expense of the navy, seeing this as a way of reducing the total defence vote. At the end of 1935 the government accepted an air service expansion plan developed by RAF Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Ralph Cochrane
Ralph Cochrane
Air Chief Marshal Sir Ralph Alexander Cochrane, GBE, KCB, AFC, RAF was a British pilot and Royal Air Force officer, perhaps best known for his role in Operation Chastise, the famous "Dambusters" raid....
.
The plan called for several new bases, with a major development at Ohakea, which would be home to 30 Wellington bombers
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
on order for the RNZAF. Two large hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s (now hangars 2 and 3) were authorised to house the aircraft, to be designed by the Department of Public Works
New Zealand Ministry of Works
The New Zealand Ministry of Works, formerly the Department of Public Works and sometimes referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988...
chief design engineer Charles Turner. Turner decided to build the hangars as monolithic reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
structures because structural steel could not be obtained in sufficient quantities without delays, while concrete and reinforcing steel could be delivered immediately. The same limitation forced Turner to adopt concrete doors. The arched hangars spanned 61 metres, with a height of 18 metres. The expense of the steel centering was spread across four hangars, as another two similar structures were ordered for Whenuapai
Whenuapai
Whenuapai is a suburb and airport located in the western Waitakere area of Auckland City, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on the northwestern shore of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres to the northwest of Auckland's city centre. It is one of the landing points for the Southern...
air base in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
.
The two Ohakea hangars were completed in 1939, at a cost of about £76,750 each.
Ultimately, the Wellington bombers for which the hangars were built never arrived, as they were donated to Britain at the start of the second world war. However, the hangars have been in continuous use since their construction, and (re-roofed in steel) remain in use today.
Military service
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Ohakea was the RNZAF main training base for operational conversion on fighters, observers/navigators for medium bombers and air gunners. After World War II No 14
No. 14 Squadron RNZAF
14 Squadron RNZAF was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.- New Zealand fighters before 1941 :Until World War II, New Zealand's air force concentrated on training, transport and maritime attack. The vast distance of the Pacific Ocean seemed a defence against attack by air...
, No 42
No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
42 Squadron of the RNZAF was formed at Rongotai in December 1943 to provide a communications service around New Zealand, initially using impressed civilian types. It was briefly officially disbanded in 1946, but its aircraft continued with general purpose operations at RNZAF Base Ohakea...
and No 75
No. 75 Squadron RNZAF
No. 75 Squadron RNZAF was an air combat squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It was formed from the RAF's World War II bomber squadron, No. 75 Squadron, which had been initially equipped by the New Zealand government and was largely manned by New Zealanders...
squadrons were re-formed at Ohakea, and No.1 Repair Depot relocated from Hamilton
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
.
Since the end of the war Ohakea has been the RNZAF's strike base, with Nos 14 and 75 Squadrons resident. A long-time resident, No 42 Squadron relocated to Whenuapai in 1984 to allow the reformation of No 2 Squadron to HMAS Albatross
HMAS Albatross (air station)
HMAS Albatross, also known as Naval Air Station Nowra , is an airfield operated by the Royal Australian Navy , in support of the RAN's aviation branch, the Fleet Air Arm...
, Nowra, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1991. In 1993 RNZAF flying training previously carried out at Wigram
Wigram Aerodrome
Wigram Aerodrome is a former Royal New Zealand Air Force base located in the Christchurch suburb of Wigram. It is named after Sir Henry Wigram. Originally home to the RNZAF Central Flying School , it was decommissioned in 1995 following the CFS' relocation to RNZAF Ohakea two years earlier.Wigram...
by the Pilot Training Squadron and the RNZAF's Central Flying School
Central Flying School
The Central Flying School is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 it is the longest existing flying training school.-History:...
moved to Ohakea. Also in 1993 a new aviation wing of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum or Air Force Museum of New Zealand as it is now known, is an air force museum located located at Wigram, the RNZAF's first operational base, in Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand...
was opened at Ohakea. Nos 14 and 75 Squadrons disbanded in November 2001, and No 42 squadron relocated back to Ohakea in January 2002. There are currently around 650 personnel based at Ohakea.
A plan to consolidate all RNZAF operations at Ohakea was abandoned in March 2009 as part of a change of policy on the part of the incoming National Government who chose to retain two operational air bases, Ohakea and Whenuapai, for use by the RNZAF
Stationed units
- HQ Flying Training Wing
- No. 42 Squadron RNZAFNo. 42 Squadron RNZAF42 Squadron of the RNZAF was formed at Rongotai in December 1943 to provide a communications service around New Zealand, initially using impressed civilian types. It was briefly officially disbanded in 1946, but its aircraft continued with general purpose operations at RNZAF Base Ohakea...
(King Air B200) - No. 3 Squadron RNZAFNo. 3 Squadron RNZAF3 Squadron is a unit of the RNZAF. It remains on active duty.-History:No. 3 Squadron RNZAF formed as a Territorial unit of the New Zealand Permanent Air Force based at Christchurch in 1930....
(Iroquois and Bell-47 Sioux) - Pilot Training SchoolPilot Training School-Origins:Military pilot training during World War I was undertaken by private contractors; principally the New Zealand Flying School of the Walsh Brothers in Auckland and the Canterbury Aviation Company formed by Henry Wigram in Christchurch....
(King Air B200 and CT-4E Airtrainer) - RNZAF Central Flying School (CT-4E Airtrainer - shared with PTS)
- Expeditionary Support Squadron
Civilian functions
Ohakea is a secondary diversion airport for civilian Boeing 747Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s if both Auckland and Christchurch
Christchurch International Airport
-Facts & figures:As the gateway for Christchurch and the South Island, Christchurch International Airport is New Zealand’s second largest airport.5,908,077 passengers travelled in and out of Christchurch International Airport from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009...
airports are temporarily closed. Ohakea does not have the facilities to process that number of passengers, so the aircraft must wait for either Auckland or Christchurch to reopen.
At about 21:20 on Thursday 3 May 2007 smoke in the cockpit of a Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
forced it to make an emergency landing at Ohakea with more than 100 passengers on board, including several Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Later that day a Boeing 747 landed after being diverted from a foggy Auckland Airport.
Ohakea has been the subject of a feasibility study into mixed-use military and civilian freight capability, which has included lengthening the main runway to accommodate the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
.