Having already fought the Germans, fighting ace, Alan Peart took to battling the Japanese over Burma.

New Zealand World War II fighter ace pilot Alan McGregor Peart has died. He was 96.

Peart was only 19 when he became a qualified pilot, after 12 weeks training.

"You'd get up in the morning and have a good look, because you didn't expect to see the next day," he said, reflecting on his time in the war last year.

STUFF Alan Peart and Christine Peart at a 2011 Anzac Day service in Hamilton.

Peart is also one of the subjects of the documentary movie Spitfire, which is now showing in theatres.

READ MORE: Last of the Few: A 19-year-old flying for his life

The plane that Peart flew over North Africa, has become an emblem of the war and has been called "the most famous fighter plane ever made".

He served in Britain against the Germans over occupied Europe, then Tunisia, Malta, Sicily, Italy, and the Japanese over Burma.

He reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant and received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

In 2014, a fundraiser helped get Peart and his squadron mate Jim Robinson back up in the Spitfire.

Peart was born in Nelson on July 25, 1922.

KELLY HODEL/STUFF Alan Peart, WWII veteran, and one of New Zealand's last living fighter aces, has passed away at age 96.

In his memoir, From North Africa to the Arakan, Peart wrote of his time in 610 Squadron, serving against the Germans and the Japanese.

He wrote of the appalling living conditions, living far from civilisation as part of the aircrew.

He also served with 81 Squadron near the North African port of Bone.

SUPPLIED Alan Peart recalls "some pretty mad flying" to save his skin from Japanese fighters bearing down in the skies over Burma.

Tributes could be found on social media for the former spitfire pilot.

The Auckland RSA posted of his passing on Facebook.

NZ Warbirds Association Inc also shared a tribute to Peart on social media, writing, "Alan is one of life's Gentlemen, a friendly and very unassuming man."

*An earlier version of this story said Alan Peart was New Zealand's last WWII fighter ace. That title now belongs to John Forrest, in his 90s and now lives in Australia, but is involved in the RSA in his home country.