Whitehawks being shifted to museums already?

[Dave Homewood]

Here are some nice photos (some of you will have seen them before) of the Skyhawks arriving in NZ, sent to me today from John Scullin. It made me think about the near future for the white sheathed Sqwarks as they are trundled off to museums. Hopefully.

I love the old Austin. My Nana had an Austin A90 Six when i was a kid, same shape but slightly bigger.

[skyhawkdon]

Note how well wrapped they were back then compared to how it was done 40 years later!

[obiwan27]

Awesome pics!!! Will we see the same pics in some parts of the country, same aircraft, latex covered being towed along the road but with more modern vehicles in the near future. Here's hoping!!

[Dave Homewood]

I doubt Auckand would close its roads for them this time around. It'd be interesting to see if Helen turns up to throw stones at them this time around like she did in 1970.

[pjw4118]

Just a rumour and NOT PC. I am told that Ohakea had an annual ugly lady night and despite the best efforts of LAC recruits in Palmerston North, the winner was ALWAYS a cardboard cut out of that certain lady PM.

[skyhawkdon]

I recall a full size effigy of someone with a striking resemblance (including ugliness ;D) to HC, stabbed full of pins and other unmentionables in the 75 Squadron Avionics Bay around 2001!

[lumpy]

The aircraft have aged MUCH better than most of the tow vehicles in the pics ( and infinitely better than HC ) ;D

[Dave Homewood]

I would have thought the tugs are probably still all in use somewhere. Many airports have WWII vintage tow tugs still plying their trade.

As for the old Bedford truck and the Austin, there are not many around now, but they were both old in 1970. There's a four door version of the Bedford truck still at Ardmore used as a powerplant test bed. They used to be quite common in the 1970's, our Power board and other businesses in town like Cambridge Transport had several.

[beagle]

Talking of things on the move, I saw the Mig that was on trade me going up the road passed the airport yesterday ar\fternoon.

[lumpy]

Very true Dave . The piont I was so woefully trying to make is that most of the vehicles in the picture look so " dated " - where as the aircraft still look like a modern piece of gear , even today ( to me anyway )

[skyhawkdon]

I've been saving this one for the book but since Skyhawks and MT vehicles has been raised here thought I would post it. It is a gem don't ya reckon! RNZAF Official photo (now in Air Force Museum)

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting photo Don. Was that the MT section trying to lookcool with some Skyhawks behind them, or do those vehicles all work directly with No. 75 Squadron? If the latter, why the two cranes? Engine changes?

[curtiss]

At least one crane was always available whenever there were Skyhawk operations. The aircraft recovery procedures required a crane to be available in the event of an aircraft overturning as there was no other way to extract the pilot.

Engine changes were carried out using rails and a 4000 series trailer.

Multiple tankers were often used to allow a number of aircraft to be fuelled at the same time.

[30sqnatc]

Sept 27, 2010 20:13:42 GMT 12 skyhawkdon said:

I've been saving this one for the book but since Skyhawks and MT vehicles has been raised here thought I would post it. It is a gem don't ya reckon! RNZAF Official photo (now in Air Force Museum)

That is quite a picture. WWII vintage Thornycroft Amazon with Coles crane, early 1950s AEC Militant with Coles crane, early 1950s Leyland Hippo refuellers (ex Singapore?)

[Dave Homewood]

The entire fleet looks "claped out"

[oggie2620]

Yeah they may have been clapped out but they are probably still working in comparison to some of the more modern equipment of nowadays that falls over at the drop of a hat... As usual the techies will be keeping those together with bodge tape and a prayer or is it only our air force that does that....
Dee

[skyhawkdon]

Lots of beer also helps!

[Dave Homewood]

Dee, my post was meant in humour, quoting a certain ex-PM who's ridiculous statement that the Skyhawks were "clapped out" simply because they were older than most frontline aircraft around the world, despite their high state of capability and maintenance, and all this just after she'd cancelled the deal of the century that would have replaced them with even better jets. I thought the irony of her clapped out mentality would apply to all the old vehicles servicing modern strike aircraft.

As most of these vehichles are British you'd never be able to get parts for them now.

[tazjet]

Sept 27, 2010 20:10:54 GMT 12 lumpy said:

Very true Dave . The piont I was so woefully trying to make is that most of the vehicles in the picture look so " dated " - where as the aircraft still look like a modern piece of gear , even today ( to me anyway )

These scooters could still play a valuable role in Afghanistan and I note the Chinese navy popped into Wellington the other day for a recce.

Aunty Helen cited the 1997 white paper's claims of no credible enemy in the region as grounds to get rid of the A-4 yet irony upon irony the Skyhawk excelled in anti-shipping strike.

They could still go for another ten years. If they needed re-engining the Singaporeans put Tay engines in theirs.

Until there is a new strike wing I say keep them.

[tazjet]

Sept 28, 2010 9:59:15 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Dee, my post was meant in humour, quoting a certain ex-PM who's ridiculous statement that the Skyhawks were "clapped out" simply because they were older than most frontline aircraft around the world, despite their high state of capability and maintenance, and all this just after she'd cancelled the deal of the century that would have replaced them with even better jets. I thought the irony of her clapped out mentality would apply to all the old vehicles servicing modern strike aircraft.

As most of these vehichles are British you'd never be able to get parts for them now.

Dave I used to work at Wellington airport and Qantas was flying some absolute junk heaps of B733s there. You could see the underskins scalloped as they buckled between fuselage stringers. I would dare say many 15 year old high cycle Boeings are more clapped out than the Skyhawks.