WWII Royal New Zealand Air Force Rongati Pennant

WWII Pennant, printed on one side on felt with ties, Measures 20" x 11 1/2" In good condition with age and wear 2 or 3 very small pin holes.

RNZAF Permanent Operational and Ground Training Station
Administered by: Royal New Zealand Air Force
Closest Major Town or City: Wellington
History under RNZAF usage: Originally used by No. 2 (Territorial) Squadron from mid-1938 to fly their Blackburn Baffins from, it was a civil aerodrome before the war, and had opened in 1938. After the outbreak of the war the airfield became more and more military oriented, with the establishment of de Havilland New Zealand's aircraft factory for the manufacture of DH82 Tiger Moths for the RNZAF under the EATS. The factory also repaired and maintained other de Havilland products, plus several other light aircraft types, and manufacture parts for the RNZAF's Airspeed Oxford fleet too.

The first RNZAF units to form at Rongotai came immediately after the outbreak of war, in September 1939. These were a Recruitment Centre, and an Initial Training School, for pilots, observers and air gunners. These were apparently actually in the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition Buildings, which must have been whilst the centennial was going on, because that was celebrated in 1940.

Code: 56541