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Post by nightstalker84 on Jul 6, 2017 7:09:31 GMT 12
I've plonked a couple of pics on my blog for those interested. www.mrcaviation.blogspot.com/I posed the question, is this the first visit by ADF Blackhawks to NZ? I don't recall them having ever crossed the Tasman before. In addition to that question, a friend poses the following and we would appreciate anymore on this subject: Around 1984 the US Army or USAF had several machines operating in NZ. A C5A Galaxy collected them from Whenuapai with the story being on TV and showed at least two Blackhawks. The story stated they were here operating with our SAS. The questions are: 1/ How many Blackhawks and what were the serial numbers 2/ How did they arrive in NZ 3/ Was the C5A the only one ever to land at Whenuapai. Any feedback on the subject will be awesome! Thanks Mike
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Post by nightstalker84 on Jul 6, 2017 8:00:00 GMT 12
I was a crewchief on one of the Blackhawks back in 1984. There were 2 Blackhawks brought to Whenuapai by the C5 Galaxy. They were operated by the U.S. Army Task Force 160, which later became 160 SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment), The Nightstalkers. If you read the book, Black Hawk Down, then you know the unit. We are the aviation asset for the Delta Force and Navy SEAL teams. We were working with the Austrailian and New Zealand SAS contingent at that time in 1984. There were things going on in Indonesia, at the time, and this was an integration exercise. I am actually looking for physical evidence of our mission there as the aircraft I was on sustained a 'hard landing' (crash). I have suffered a back injury as a result. But my medical review states that there was no evidence that we were in New Zealand in 1984. If the crash had happened in the U.S. , there would have been FAA records - even if it was military. Is there something like that in New Zealand? I remember seeing a picture of our C5 in the newspaper as the first time an aircraft as big as ours had landed in NZ. Can anyone get me a facsimile of that? If you are interested in the details of Task Force 160s time in New Zealand or Queensland in 1984 just ask me what you want to know. - Norm
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Post by McFly on Jul 6, 2017 12:56:29 GMT 12
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Post by nightstalker84 on Jul 6, 2017 13:41:52 GMT 12
Yes, McFly, those are my birds. The Black Hawk was brand new back then and we were the beta testers for the rest of the U.S. Army. From 1982 to 1985 the pilot and copilot step ladder did not have that ring under it like it does in these pictures. That was a custom job we put together so that we could attach the winches to the aircraft to load them up the ramp of the C5 faster. It made so much sense that they all have them now. I'm sure some guy at Sikorsky took credit for it, but MSGT Gary Bogenschutz came up with it (up until now he has probably never been ackowledged for his contribution, given how secretive Special Ops is). In addition to the two Black Hawks the C5 also disgourged two suped-up OH-6 (little birds) at Whenuapai. When new production began they were churning out specifically crafted MH-6 and finally AH-6s. Back then we just took the OH-6 and went wild with it (it was amazing what we could get away with when, like Delta Force, the U.S. Army wouldn't acknowledge that we existed). After Black Hawk Down, I'm sure the lads don't understand the kind of freedom we enjoyed then. On the other hand it has been next to impossible to get the bureaucracy to go back and set things right since we didn't officially exist at that time.
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Post by nightstalker84 on Jul 6, 2017 13:51:41 GMT 12
McFly, that last picture of the C5 is identical to the picture I remember from the newspaper account at the time. What is the provence for it? Is there a formal source for these pictures or are they from your personal collection? -Norm
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Post by snafu on Jul 7, 2017 18:26:32 GMT 12
Here they are.. I seem to recall that there was also a bunch of MH-6 'Little Bird' helicopters that came out of the C-5 as well but were generally kept from view in the hangar. The C5 came back again later on to collect them. (Good times) Gee those C5's are effin huge, you missed out on C17 but there are 12 C5's sitting in storage because of budget cuts just waiting to ve back on the flight line grab 3 of those and put the RAAF to shame www.businessinsider.com.au/air-force-reactivating-c-5m-super-galaxy-tanker-aircraft-2017-6?r=US&IR=T
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Post by nightstalker84 on Jul 8, 2017 9:11:12 GMT 12
The Black Hawk in the picture that McFly provided was call sign, "HB-5". This was her first mission after having been torn up in the Grenada Invasion, some months back. In addition to glass and sheet metal work the GE700 engine facing the camera was also replaced. If you think she looks a little dingy, just imagine how you'd look after a Cuban ADA unit got to use you for target practice - in broad daylight! Just because we were called "Nightstalkers", doesn't mean we were used properly (Ours is not to reason why, Ours is not to make reply, Our is but to .....). The tailboom of the aircraft next to her would have been "HB-3".
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