Air Force – heads up

Actually, the Ohakea museum had a fuselage inside the museum (C47 perhaps?) which was converted into a mini-cinema – with great action footage of the Skyhawks on show !

I also really liked the ‘simulators’ at the Wigam Museum (new name?) – they had a Spitfire, Skyhawk, and Macchi ‘simulator’ for visitors to try out ………. and it wasn’t just kids getting into them either 😀

Incidentially, has a RNZAF aircraft (or RNZN ship) ever visited Ireland ?

I think the only time F-4 Phantoms were here was in July 1977 at Ohakea.I dont think the USAF left any bits behind.Probably a tail fin or rudder component from a A-4 Skyhawk I think.

OFMC Fan

Dave

I droped into Ohakea on way back from AKL in December. There was no C47 there, as Panther says 3 jets and I’m with him in not remembering what the 3rd was. I actually got there a little after the Museum closing time and just prowled around outside, it was deserted, sort of like a ghost town. In fact, literally flapping and banging in the wind was the vertical tail off some jet, attached to a pole and gently swaying about here and there. It looked like a F4 Phantom tail – is that at all possible or likely?

Hi Dave,

Yes, the IAC has a low profile in Ireland which doesn’t help it’s case. However, on the positive side they recently took delivery of their new PC-9M turboprops and a helicopter tender contract was recently signed which will see Eurocopter EC-135’s and Agusta AB139’s coming into service over the next few years – replacing our (workhorse!) 40 yr old Alouette III helis.

I didn’t see a C47 at Ohakea when I was there. The only aircraft on display were a Skyhawk, a Macchi (and another older jet-it’s name eludes me just now?).

When did they drop the ‘Air Force World’ name (it was still there last August when I visited) ?

I was going to mention the RNZN – I recall reading about the contract when I was in Arthur’s Pass in October. Circa $550 million is to be spent on new ship if I recall correctly ? (Indeed, some of the ships will be of the same design as the new Irish Navy ships).

Actually, the exact same thing happened here over the last few years, the Army got new equipment first, then the Navy and (finally!) the Air Corps has started to get it’s fleet replaced ?!

I’m surprised that the RNZAF are being so neglected. I really began to understand the area they have to cover when I visited The Cook Islands – over 15 islands spread over a huge area, and all part of the RNZAF’s coverage area !
Not to mention the other pacific islands they assist, and the huge pacific ocean SAR area they patrol.

Actually, what exactly is the size of their SAR area over the pacific (map) ?
Where does it end and (I presume?) the U.S. Coastguard’s area begins ?

Panther.

Hi Panther,

Yes, the IAC sounds like it is indeed sufffering the same symptoms. The strange thing is the NZ Navy and Army are getting loads of funding, and the Navy has just been awarded eight new ships. Yet the Air Force, which lets face it in both modern warfare and day to day work is by far the most important military arm, is being screwed.

The Museums you mention are great. I haven’t been to the Ohakea one you mention since I was based there in 1993. Do they still have a C47 there? I couldn’t see it when I drove past last year. It used to stand guard out the front bu the main road.

Thankfully the RNZAF Museum at Wigram has dropped that crappy corporate title “Air Force World” that it somehow gained in the 1990’s – it made it sound like a theme park.

Anyway our Kiwi mates do produce some excellent wine to cry into when thinking about it all….

There is a new Air Heritage Center being built now at Omaka, Blenheim which will feature the RNZAF as well as private collections, so not an ‘official’ RNZAF Musuem.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I’ve just been looking at the nztv ‘Air Force’ info – looks like a good programme………pity it’s wasn’t on tv last year when I was living in NZ ?!

It sounds like the RNZAF have the same PR problems as the Irish Air Corps (IAC) – i.e. small force, doing a great job with limited resources AND sometimes belittled because it no longer operates jets.

(The IAC operated a fleet of Super Fouga CM170R Magister jets until 1999 as part of it’s Light Strike Squadron. They have now been replaced with Pilatus PC-9M turboprops which, while just as capable as the Fouga’s, haven’t got the ‘cache’ of jet aircraft).

I visited two RNZAF museums last year, the one in Ohakea and Air Force World in Christchurch – both are excellent !
I also visited the Fighter Pilot museum in Wanaka – some cool aircraft there too !! (Was saddened to hear about the Fouga crash, as I hoped to view it during my visit).

Is there another air force museum in NZ ?

Regards,

Panther.

I think the RNZAF qualifies as an historic warbird operator….[except for the CT-4E’s and the elderly 40,000hr+ 757’s]

Thanks OFMC Fan. I have some more somewhere but cannot lay my hands on them. As this was the last day, a lot of us who’d been involved with them, includiong most of Technical Squadron where I worked, turned out to see them off. They took off in fours and fourmed up eventually into that large formation, but sadly they were past me before the formation was sorted properly.

Also I have the same deal from when No. 3 Sqn left Wigram, five Souix and three Iroqouis in formation, disappearing into the sunset. Sad times, the demise of a great base.

I have another photo I took at Wigram where one of every type of aircraft in the RNZAF except the 727 (which cannot land on that runway) was lined up on the tarmac. I cannot for the life of me remember what the occasion was – does anyone know? It’s have been about 1992 or 1993. Perhaps it was the afternoon before a Wings and Wheels, but I don’t recall exactly.

Great pic’s of the Airtourer’s and Airtrainers.I believe that Airtourer 1762 is now flying again based near Paeroa.

John B, cheap? I should think so, they turn 40 years old this year and all probably very high houred machines. I’ll drop Mike a line and see what he says.

Dave,
The value in helicopters is in the time remaining on the critical (i.e. expensive) items….not just the engine but the blades (both sets), rotor grips, gearboxes…the list is almost endless.
It could be a high time machine (basic airframe time) with lots of time left on the components…all that add can up to big money.

I don’t think anbody would ever accuse Ron Reagan of being a defence wimp!!!!

Of course not, he was in LOADS of war films 😀

John B, cheap? I should think so, they turn 40 years old this year and all probably very high houred machines. I’ll drop Mike a line and see what he says.

I know an officer who till recently was working on the helicopter replacement programme. I can ask him about their disposal if you’re seriously interested.

Only if they’re REALLY cheap…unless they’d like to donate one to my nonprofit trust to display it at airshows. 🙂

(BTW: I know an attorney…who incidentally used to work for the NZ government…who would do the paperwork).

Hi john

Just a quick one to clarify

I was picking on Ronnie because on his and Thatchers watch Economic rationalism became policy and it was this that later led to the demise of Public sector spending – Ronnie was a big defence spender granted but later policies he started led to cuts based on ER rather than need and stupid risks being taken as part of the value for money equation.

I don’t think anbody would ever accuse Ron Reagan of being a defence wimp!!!!

Regards
John P

Hi John B,

Yes we operate both Bell 47G-3B-1 and Bell 47-G3-B-2 types. I don’t know if there is any designation for the one our mechanics built from spare parts and bits left over from a couple of wrecks though!

I know an officer who till recently was working on the helicopter replacement programme. I can ask him about their disposal if you’re seriously interested.

Dave
Thanks for the Souix pictures…tell them that one will do nicely! Looks like a Turbosupercharged Bell 47G-3B, just the thing for the mountains around here.
And be sure to tell them I’ll keep in RNZAF markings for stateside airshows. Great PR, as i dare say few Americans have ever seen a RNZAF aircraft.

and Setter, don’t be too hard on Ronnie..if it weren’t for him, the USAF wouldn’t have a modern bomber force…remember he ressurrected the B-1 after Carter cancellled it. Back in 1980, thw newest B-52 was then 18 years old and he made it a campaign issue to ressurrect the B-1. And he made good on his promise, about 100 days after being sworn in, he re-started the program. For once a politician made good on a promise.

Thanks for the lovely pics of the old RNZAF, Dave.

And good points mentioned there, John.

Cheers
TNZ

Hi

Iv’e been lurking on this thread…

The Kiwi experiance is a global trend and I personally blame Maggie Thatcher and Ronald Regan – Thats when it started – All this Thatcherite penny pinching at the expensive of proper goods and services delivered by government being outsourced to Private enterprise etc – Ok to a point but it went way too far and has continued. It will come back to bite one day when that part of the world that didn’t go along with it comes after some of these governments. Look at the US military – has to sacrafice most of the bomber force and a lot of the front line fighter component as well as the transport fleet and not is streched to near breaking point by a smallish war in Iraq – how would it ever cope with a serious series of conflicts. Is there a growing reliance on the unmentionable aresnal as a way of future solution. I don’t know but it gets you thinking.

The Kiwis are not alone – we are here and will help but we are always being cut back too – I would have thought Sept 11 was a wake up call but not so – why are we scrapping the F111s early and then waiting 5 more years before / perhaps a replacement droips in ?

How long before we start using points Cook as the “ready reserve ‘ Bring back the Bostons I say!!!

Regards
John P

More from the olden days…

This was the last day of the Pilot Training Squadron’s CT4B’s at RNZAF Wigram. They formed up en-masse and flew north to their new home at RNZAF Ohakea