Whenuapai Airbase in NZ

Cheers Chris. yes I’ve heard the A400M would be a good option for the RNZAF. I’m not all that clued up on them myself. but the little I’ve seen does look like it would be a good option. The refurbishment is delaying the inevitable, I agree.

An RNZAF photog is definately a gret trade, I had a number of mates in the trade when I was in myself, including noted aviation photographer Mike Provost, who was then the W/O i/c of Wigram’s section. As for colourblindness, that may be a problem, but I knew a chap with colourblindness who was an Aircraft Finisher (ie painted the aircraft). He once painted a GPU in the green/grey camouflage, only to find when he was finished his boss told him he’d only painted it green. He was seeing two colours, not one!

When I was in the RNZAF I recall one of those CASA’s visiting the RNZAF from the manufacturers, for evaluation as a replacement for the Andovers in their utility role. I recall hearing the rumours around base that they had been viewed as very good after the evaluation, and that if the Andover was to be replaced it was a frontrunner. But the replacement neevr came in the end.

Yeah bummer about that, they are the perfect replacement for the Andovers…

I think the airforce is making a bad mistake in refurbishing the C-130’s… It is merely delaying the inevitiable for another govt term… I think we should become a partner in the A400M SDD phase now, it is much cheaper than buying them “at retail” a decade down the track, if you know what I mean. Imagine the RNZAF with Five A400M’s at 99.99% availability, at 1/6 the operating costs of the current C-130’s…

Wow. That’s some stunning shots, well done Chris.

Are you based at Whenuapai? Or were these taken during an open day?

I hope you don’t mind, I am putting the link to this page onto the RNZAF forum so others can come and see (the forum is here http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi )
Cheers
Dave

Not a problem mate:)

I’m not not in the airforce, but I live in Auckland so Whenuapai is quite close. A few were taken at the last open day, but the day was a bit of a bummer for me, cloudy and lots of little midgies and flying ants got inside my camera… cost me $200 to get it cleaned out…

I very nearly applied to become an Airforce photographer, but i am a little colourblind so told not to bother…

Cheers

Chris Gee

When I was in the RNZAF I recall one of those CASA’s visiting the RNZAF from the manufacturers, for evaluation as a replacement for the Andovers in their utility role. I recall hearing the rumours around base that they had been viewed as very good after the evaluation, and that if the Andover was to be replaced it was a frontrunner. But the replacement neevr came in the end.

Wow. That’s some stunning shots, well done Chris.

Are you based at Whenuapai? Or were these taken during an open day?

I hope you don’t mind, I am putting the link to this page onto the RNZAF forum so others can come and see (the forum is here http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi )
Cheers
Dave

It’s a lifeime ambition to make it to your fair country. 🙂

The first Sea Sprite shot is a corker.

cheers
Kilvy

Just go for it! You are welcome here 🙂 It’s raining at the moment tho…

nice pics……that casa is a long way from home……….is it permanently based there??

No it is based in New Caladonia, it was here for an excersise. Thanks for the nice comments folks:) I had some of these photo’s printed in Australian Aviation Magazine 🙂

Whenuapai, now I remember when I had just come out of nappies back in the early sixties watching a comet 4 take off from here when it was New Zealand’s only international airport. We where on holiday in Long Bay and drove over to watch. Hell of a drive in those days. I seem to think it may have been the first jet commercial flight out of NZ. Maybe some of you younger guy over there can find out the date of that flight

It’s a lifeime ambition to make it to your fair country. 🙂

The first Sea Sprite shot is a corker.

cheers
Kilvy

nice pics……that casa is a long way from home……….is it permanently based there??

Lovely pictures 😉 Anna

Mate nice pics there, glad to the the Kiwi Cuz doing cool ey!

Aw no replies. Nevermind 🙁 (just kidding)