Being the most northerly airbase in New Zealand, it was enlarged to cope with front-line fighters and bombers. Originally it was used as a maritime aviation patrol base using elderly
Vickers Vincent bombers scouting the northern approaches to New Zealand and looking out for German surface raiders that were operating in the area. In 1941, after the
attack on Pearl Harbor, the base was further enlarged and permanent structures fortified with large bunkers, aircraft revetments, underground command centres and a base hospital built. The main runway was lengthened and strengthened as well as lengthening the crosswind runways which involved culverting a small stream that became prone to flooding in heavy downpours.
Hawker Hind trainers,
Vickers Vincent maritime patrol bombers,
Curtiss P-40 point defence fighters, and
Lockheed Hudson bombers were based there. Later in the War,
Vought F4U Corsair fighters were also stationed at the base. As Waipapakauri was the closest base to the Pacific Theater of Operations, many military transport aircraft transited through for refuelling heading to and from operations. These included
Douglas C-47 Dakota/Skytrains of all the Allied nations fighting in the Pacific. At the end of hostilities in 1945, the airbase was closed and facilities abandoned, the far more suitable
Kaitaia Airport nearby being developed with a paved runway. ==Today==