RNZAF Contact and Airman Magazines

The RNZAF Contact magazine first appeared in March 1941. At that time it was produced for RNZAF Stations Levin, New Plymouth and Ohakea. Prior to the production of Contact, The Airman was produced for RNZAF Stations Whenuapai and Hobsonville.  It ran for twelve issues, with the last issue being November 1941. Contact became the National Magazine in August 1941.

During WWII, Contact ran for a total of 54 issues up until and including December 1945.  Most of the cover illustrations (from December 1941) were painted by Maurice Conly, the RNZAF Official Artist.   Conly joined the RNZAF in 1941 to train as a pilot but an accident left him unfit for active flying service.  He travelled to Fiji, the Solomons, Malaysia, Vietnam, Antarctica and London while serving with the RNZAF.  Details of Conly's life, and more of his artwork, can be seen in the book "Call for the artist" by Paul Harrison.  The illustrations on this web page show some, but not all, of the  Airman  and Contact covers in chronological order.

December 1940 - Vol 1 No. 1 First issue of the Airman magazine (185 mm x 248 mm) for Whenuapai and Hobsonville
January 1941 - Vol 1 No. 2
February 1941 - Vol 1 No. 3
March 1941 - Vol 1 No. 4
April 1941 - Vol 1 No. 5
May 1941 - Vol 1 No. 6
June 1941 - Vol 1 No. 7
 July 1941 - Vol 1 No. 5 Larger old format (270 mm x 215 mm). Produced for RNZAF Stations Levin - New Plymouth - Ohakea
August 1941 - Vol 1 No. 9
August 1941 - Vol 1 No. 6  First magazine produced as the RNZAF national magazine
September 1941 - Vol 1 No. 10
September - October 1941 - Vol 1 No. 7
October 1941 - Vol 1 No. 11
November 1941 - Vol 1 No. 12 The last Airman magazine produced after Contact became the national magazine.
November 1941 - Vol 1 No. 8
December 1941 - Vol 1 No. 9
January 1942 - Vol 1 No. 10
February 1942 - Vol 1 No. 11
March 1942 - Vol 1 No. 12 (Last of old format)

April-May 1942 - Vol 2 No. 1

June 1942 - Vol 2 No. 2

July 1942 - Vol 2 No. 3
August 1942 - Vol 2 No. 4

September - October 1942 - Vol 2 No. 5
December 1942 - Vol 3 No. 1
January - February 1943 - Vol 3 No. 2
March 1943 - Vol 3 No. 3
April 1943 - Vol 3 No. 4
May 1943 - Vol 3 No. 5
June 1943 - Vol 3 No. 6
July 1943 - Vol 4 No. 1
August 1943 - Vol 4 No. 2
September 1943 - Vol 4 No. 3

October 1943 - Vol 4 No. 4
November 1943 - Vol 4 No. 5
December 1943 - Vol 4 No. 6
January 1944 - Vol 5 No. 1
February 1944 - Vol 5 No. 2
March 1944 - Vol 5 No. 3
April 1944 - Vol 5 No. 4
May 1944 - Vol 5 No. 5
June 1944 - Vol 5 No. 6
July 1944 - Vol 6 No. 1
August 1944 - Vol 6 No. 2

September 1944 - Vol 6 No. 3
October 1944 - Vol 6 No. 4
November 1944 - Vol 6 No. 5
December 1944 - Vol 6 No. 6
January 1945 - Vol  7 No. 1 (Actually marked Vol 6 No. 1!)

February 1945 - Vol 7 No. 2
March 1945 - Vol 7 No. 3
April 1945 - Vol 7 No. 4

May 1945 - Vol 7 No. 5
June 1945 - Vol 7 No. 6
July 1945 - Vol 8 No. 1
August 1945 - Vol 8 No. 2
September 1945 - Vol 8 No. 3
October 1945 - Vol 8 No. 4
November 1945 - Vol 8 No. 5
December 1945 - Vol 8 No. 6
May 1953 - Vol 1 No. 7 New Series

June 1953 - Vol 1 No. 8 New Series, Coronation Issue
August 1953 - Vol 1 No. 10 New Series

September 1953 Vol 2 No. 1 New Series - International Air-Race Supplement

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