Since the last of a series of wars between British colonists and native Maoris ended in 1872, white residents of New Zealand came to respect their fierce warrior neighbors as better to have fighting alongside them than against them. It was perhaps inevitable that a Maori would overcome British prejudice to qualify as a pilot, but Bert Wipiti stood out during World War II as the conflict’s only Maori fighter ace.
Born in New Plymouth on the North Island on Jan. 16, 1922, Herbert Samuel Wipiti graduated from New Plymouth Boys High School and became a refrigerator service man until war broke out. On Jan. 18, 1941, two days after his 19th birthday, he enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Enlisting on the same day was Charles Thomas “Charlie” Kronk. During training the two young Kiwis quickly became best friends in spite of (or perhaps because of) their striking differences. A clerk before the war, Kronk had been born in Kohwrakahi, Taranaki on the other side of North Island on July 28, 1918. Tall, fairhaired, and blue-eyed, Kronk was a star athlete in school and had graduated at the top of his class.
“Bert Wipiti was a born leader. His standard of conduct was impeccable.”
Bert and Charlie underwent flight instruction at Levin, Bell Block and Ohakea airfield. By the time they qualified as flight sergeants the two were inseparable. Both
