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RNZAF Wartime Aircraft

The following aircraft types were used by the RNZAF during the Second World War, between the dates of the
3rd of September 1939 and the 2nd of September 1945

RNZAF Wartime Aircraft

The following aircraft types were used by the RNZAF during the Second World War, between the dates of the
3rd of September 1939 and the 2nd of September 1945

Aircraft Type
• Airspeed Oxford

• Avro 626

• Avro Anson

• Beech C-17L Staggerwing (impressed into RNZAF)

• Blackburn Baffin

• British Aircraft Swallow II (impressed into RNZAF)

• Chance-Vought Corsair

• Consolidated Catalina

• Curtiss Kittyhawk

• De Havilland DH60 Moth all but one (impressed)

• De Havilland DH80A Puss Moth (impressed)

• De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth (24 impressed)

• De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth (impressed)

• De Havilland DH84 Dragon (impressed)

• De Havilland DH86 Express (impressed)

• De Havilland DH89 Rapide/Dominie (5 impressed)

• De Havilland DH94 Moth Minor (impressed)

• Douglas Dauntless

• Douglas C47 Dakota

• Fairey Gordon

• Foster-Wickner Wicko GM1 (impressed)

• General Aircraft Monospar Jubilee (impressed)

• Grumman Avenger

• Hawker Hind

• Lockheed Hudson

• Lockheed Lodestar

• Lockheed Ventura

• Lockheed Harpoon

• Miles Whitney Straight (impressed)

• Miles Hawk (impressed)

• Miles Magister (impressed)

• North American Harvard

• Percival Gull Four (absorbed from Air Department)

• Percival Vega Gull (impressed)

• Porterfield 35W (impressed)

• Rearwin 9000 Sporster (impressed)

• Short Singapore

• Short Sunderland

• Supermarine Walrus

• Vickers Vildebeeste

• Vickers Vincent

• Vickers Wellington

• Waco (impressed)


Number Used

299

3

23

1

29

1

424

56

297

23

4

335

1

2

3

14

5

68

49

41

1

1

48

63

94

9

139

4

3

4 variants

2

202

1

1

1

4

4

4

11

39

62

30

3 variants


Role

Trainer (multi-use)

Biplane Trainer

Reconnaisance Trainer

Communications

Biplane Trainer

Communications at 1EFTS

Fighter-bomber

Maritime patrol/Rescue

Fighter, then Advance Trainer

Elementary Trainer

Communications

Elementary Trainer

Communications in 42 Sqn

Trainers at E&W School

Recon/Training/Comms

Recon/Training/Comms

Communications/Army Co-op

Dive Bomber (25 Sqn)

Transport (40 Sqn)

Biplane Trainer

Communications

Communications

Dive Bomber/Target Tug

Trainer/Army Co-op

Bomber Recon/Transport

Transport

Bomber Reconnaisance

Bomber Reconaisance

Communications

Elementary Trainers

Elementary Trainers

Advanced Trainer

Communications

Communications

Communications

Communications/Army Co-op

Maritime Patrol

Maritime Patrol

Maritime Trainers

Reconnaisance/Trainer

Reconnaisance/Trainer

Medium Bombers

Communications

There seem to be some inconsistencies with this list, it seems on the surface to be solely RNZAF raised squadrons as it doesn't include most of the aircraft flown by the Article XV New Zealand manned RAF squadrons (485-490(NZ) Sqns), which were mostly in Europe, those would add Spitfire, Tempest, Mosquito and Beaufort amongst others, but for our purposes we shouldn't forget that they did include 488 (NZ) Sqn, RAF at Singapore with the Buffalo (later a UK-based night-fighter squadron). But then you come to the Sunderland, and that didn't fly with RNZAF squadrons until post-war, but did fly with the Article XV 490 (NZ) Sqn, RAF in West Africa.