Gary Danvers:
1913 Bleriot XI-2 'Britannia', New Zealand’s first ‘military’ aircraft. Believed to be Claude Couturier running up the engine of his Bleriot while four men hold the aircraft back at Rolleston, near Christchurch.
Gary Danvers:
1917 The Canterbury Aviation Company at Sockburn, Christchurch which was to become, 22 years later, RNZAF Station Wigram. This shot shows the complete outfit with the Bleriot to the right.
Gary Danvers:
1917 The small beginnings at Sockburn of what was to become, some 20 years later, RNZAF Station Wigram, Christchurch. This shot shows the complete outfit, staff and pupils with the Bleriot to the right.
Gary Danvers:
1926 Avro 504K aeroplanes lined up outside the hangars at Wigram, Christchurch, 1 Feb 1926.
Gary Danvers:
1926 Officers, permanent staff and mechanics pictured in front of an Avro 504K at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch.
Gary Danvers:
1928 Charles Kingsford-Smith made the first Tasman flight from Sydney to Christchurch, arriving at Wigram Aerodrome on the 11th Sep 1928.
Gary Danvers:
1931 Hobsonville & S/L Leonard Isitt.
Gary Danvers:
1933 Five Bristol Fighter F.2Bs on the grass outside the original hangars at Wigram Aerodrome. Mechanics have removed engine cowls from the nearest aircraft. A Hucks Starter sits to the left with RAF painted on its door, Feb 1933.
Gary Danvers:
1936 RNZAF Station Wigram with No.s 1 & 2 Hangars (later No.s 4 & 5 hangars) complete, No. 1 store & water tower under construction. In the foreground is DH 86 Express ZK-AEB at the Canterbury Aero Club & civil aviation terminal, 1936.
Gary Danvers:
c. 1936 Whenuapai before the construction of the RNZAF Station started, showing proposed location of the hangars & boundaries with Hobsonville at the top.
Gary Danvers:
1937 The second hangar under construction at RNZAF Station Ohakea. Worker's accommodation huts in the background.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Ohakea hangar under construction. Back half completed. Preparing to pour concrete over reinforcing on front section.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Ohakea RNZAF officers' quarters under construction. Photo taken from the roof of the completed first hangar.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Hangar form work being winched along greased on rails toward second hangar site. Photo taken from roof of completed first hangar.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Headquarters building (right) with the large curved formwork used for moulding the roof of the two concrete hangars at RNZAF Station Ohakea. Workmens' car and truck beside the Headquarters building.
Gary Danvers:
1938 RNZAF Blackburn Baffin S1573 after its first test flight in New Zealand at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. Crew were S/L E.A. Gibson & A.G. Lester, Pilot, 1 Feb 1938.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Four RNZAF Vildebeest including NZ102 and NZ107 in formation over the Canterbury Plains, approaching RNZAF Station Wigram (visible in the background), 3 Apr 1938.
Gary Danvers:
1938 Four of the RNZAF's 29 Baffins soon after initial assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville, 11 Nov 1938.
Gary Danvers:
1939-40 Winching up another truss for the first hangar to be built at RNZAF Station Woodbourne, 1939.
Gary Danvers:
1939 RNZAF Station Ohakea almost completed with the Bomb Dump buildings in the foreground under construction.
Gary Danvers:
1939 RNZAF Station Omaka.
Gary Danvers:
1940 Whenuapai under construction, 8 Feb 1940.
Gary Danvers:
c1940 RNZAF Hobsonville bomb dump & what was later to become 3 Sqn hangar top right.
Gary Danvers:
1940 RNZAF Station Whenuapai Airmen & WAF barracks under construction.
Gary Danvers:
1940 RNZAF Station Whenuapai under construction with formwork for the first concrete hangar removed. Taken from 7,250' at 12.35, 23 Apr 1940.
Gary Danvers:
1941 RNZAF Station Whenuapai. Construction of the swimming pool is well under way. Runways not yet started, but most construction has been completed, Sep 1941.
Gary Danvers:
1941 RNZAF Station Ohakea with numerous aircraft on the flight line.
Gary Danvers:
1941 Wing Commander EP Wells talking to a group of Air Training Corps cadets sitting on the lawn in front of the Officer's Mess at RNZAF Station, Ohakea, Oct 1942.
Gary Danvers:
1942 RNZAF Ohakea hangar under construction
Gary Danvers:
1942 RNZAF Wigram with all hangars camouflaged, Feb 1942.
