De Havilland Aircraft Propellers hand crafted at the Rongotai Factory, Wellington, 1942

This photograph shows hand made wooden aircraft propellers at the De Havilland aircraft factory in Rongotai, Wellington in 1942, during the height of World War II. The factory was part of De Havilland’s operations in New Zealand, established to support aircraft production, assembly, and parts manufacture for local and allied use. 

Propellers of the era were critical components, while specific records for these particular propellers are limited, aircraft propellers of the early 1940s were often made using high-strength woods like Mahogany, American Ash, European Beech and carefully crafted by laminating several layers of these woods together with epoxy adhesives to ensure they are strong and resilient to meet wartime demands. This image captures part of the industrial side of New Zealand’s contribution to aviation, with finely finished propeller blades ready for use in aircraft production or maintenance.

Digital download: 6144 × 4096 pixels. Suitable for up to A2 printing

Image reflects real-life scenes from the period.

Digital PDF download - The image is offered as a historical digital reproduction.

About this image

- Image quality reflects the original source material and restoration process, if any.
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