Contact is a term that evokes fond memories for former wartime airmen and women, not only because it's yelled to start an aircraft's engine but also as the title of the beloved National Magazine of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Today, this magazine is highly sought after by collectors, offering a nostalgic look into the social history of the RNZAF. On the evening of December 30, 1940, a small group of Air Force members gathered at RNZAF Station Levin to establish a magazine led by Squadron Leader Sinclair, the station's Commanding Officer, to launch a Station Magazine.

This publication, named Contact, evolved into a social journal that shared various content of interest to RNZAF personnel, including news, short stories, poetry, profiles of notable airmen, sports updates, topical articles, handy tips, public notices, and humor. The initiative was inspired by Leading Aircraftsman J. Warren-Jones, who became Contact's first editor.

The inaugural issue outlined the magazine's purpose, which resonated throughout subsequent editions: "Contact is dedicated to Victory." The mission emphasized that all must "work and fight to the uttermost until the day when victory is won, at which point we can, please God, dedicate 'Contact' not to Victory but to Peace."