A refrigeration serviceman at the time of his enlistment, Wipiti joined the
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in January 1941. He completed flight training at
Ohakea, gained his
flying badge in late May, and then proceeded to
Malaya as a
sergeant pilot in July. He was the first Māori airman to go overseas for service.
Singapore On his arrival in Singapore in August, Wipiti was posted to the Royal Air Force's
No. 243 Squadron, which was based at
Kallang Airport and operated the outclassed
Brewster Buffalo fighter. Once the Japanese
invaded British Malaya on 8 December 1941, he was part of a small detachment from No. 243 Squadron to briefly operate with an Australian squadron,
No. 21 Squadron, flying from
Ipoh, and returning to Singapore on 14 December. On 10 January 1942, Wipiti was credited with helping shoot down a
Mitsubishi Ki-46 reconnaissance aircraft, over Singapore. This was reportedly the first Japanese aircraft shot down in the
Battle of Singapore. On 21 January, while on a patrol over the
Batu Pahat area, he shot down a
Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter and then, the following day, destroyed two
Mitsubishi G3M bombers that were part of a raid on No. 243 Squadron's airfield. A few days later, flying escort to several
Vickers Vildebeest bombers that were attacking a Japanese transport convoy, he shot down another Ki-46. By the end of January, Wipiti's squadron had been disbanded and he was one of a few sergeants that were attached to
No. 453 Squadron, an Australian squadron based at
Seletar, which also received the remaining serviceable Buffalo aircraft. Shortly before the fall of Singapore, Wipiti was evacuated to Java, surviving the sinking of his original transport ship. In late March 1942 he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) in recognition of his service in Malaya and Singapore, having shot down five Japanese aircraft. The citation for his DFM, published in the
London Gazette, read: Wipiti was sent to India, where he was posted to
No. 67 Squadron, flying
Hawker Hurricane fighters. While stationed in India, he encountered racism from the British and after several months, was posted to England in August 1943.
Europe in England, where Wipiti is commemorated Wipiti joined
No. 485 Squadron, a RNZAF unit, which at the time of his arrival, was stationed at
Biggin Hill, in the English county of
Kent, and operating
Supermarine Spitfire fighters on escort missions, accompanying bombers carrying out daylight raids into Continental Europe. Wipiti shared in the destruction of a
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter on 16 September 1943, while covering a raid by
Martin Marauder bombers on an airfield in France. He was killed on 3 October 1943 over France while escorting a bombing raid on a French power station. At the time of his death, he held the rank of
warrant officer and had flown 26 sorties with No. 485 Squadron. Initially reported as missing he was reported as being presumed dead the following year. ==Legacy==