|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 19, 2012 20:40:22 GMT 12
I agree, thanks for the link George.
|
|
E.T.
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 78
|
Post by E.T. on Jun 20, 2012 19:17:52 GMT 12
A very interesting website, ET - and what a great selection of stories and images you have. Glad to be able to share. There are plenty more stories of course but most of the rest can't (or shouldn't) be "published" to protect the guilty! Some of the stories are about VIP "law abiding" & role model setting RNZAF and civilian individuals! (like current W/O of the AirForce . . . but my lips are sealed!) :-)
|
|
|
Post by TS on Feb 2, 2013 21:18:01 GMT 12
Hi Guys I was just surfing around on youtube, as you do.... and came across this clip via TVNZ of the 50th Anniversary TA 4K NZ 6256, it's a little short but quite good all the same.
|
|
Glen T
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 85
|
Post by Glen T on Feb 3, 2013 0:17:22 GMT 12
Hi guys, just happened to see this thread about the Ohakea airshow last year .. today. Just need to make a few corrrections. I was part of the team that assembled NZ6257 back in 2003, and we had a group picc in front of her then. I had 'borrowed' a MER that had a bunch of practice 500lbers on that we had had at 75 Sqn for displays and loading practice with the SATS loader up until 2001... and with a SATS loader in 2003 I positioned the load under 57 - with dummy weapons on the racks outside the mueum where she sat for the next three years. Now I signed those out from the Armament 'inventory museum', and when the Ohakea Museun was closed by Wigram in 2006.. I had to reclaim them and take them back to the prep bdg... I was not going to let Wigram museum have our material as they were stripping the musuem building and shipping all to Wigram !!
As for '57, she was towed down to the run-up pit on the other side of the runway, with the Wigram museums Strikemaster, and they sat there for many years... I asked for '57 to be displayed on the tarmac for our 75 Assn 2010 reunion, and the ACFDU guys did a great job in getting her and the Vampire down to 1 Hangar then. For the 2012 reunion/RNZAF 75th airshow at Ohakea, in 2011 I asked the Base Commander for '57 to be positioned 'near' the 75 Sqn Assn marque... and they also made sure she was cleaned up and repainted.. I did not have any say in her repaint and was not aware of their problems with racks... Yes a shame she did not have any weapons attached, it was quite a surprise to me too... as they were fitted only months earlier when down in the pit !! However, they placed her next to our marque, and that is what I asked for ... the only 75 Sqn aircraft represented at the airshow !! Shiny paint job and no weapons..well at least she was there.. I am guessing she would not have been there if I had not have asked for her!!
As for the James Ward figure (or WAX). It was moulded by Mr John Fuller of Feilding.. the same chap whom made the drover and dogs in bronze in the main street opposite the BP. He was a WW2 veteran, Army, a mortor-man in Italy. He did this statue on his own thought, after Michael Laws said in an ANZAC speech he would like to see someone like Ward VC in bronze somewhere in Wanganui. John presented the idea/statue to the council, but they dont do statues, so it was handed to the Wanganui College, who then handed it to the past students assn, who wanted to unveil it at their school 100 year reunion in 2011. Well it was costed to be $80,000 to make into bronze... so no money, no statue, no unveiling at the College reunion... I was asked to help then, and visited John several times, giving him more piccs of Ward to help... but the face was made and that is it... many have said it does not look like J. Ward, some say it looks like John Fuller!
But for the 2012 airshow, I asked the Wanganui Council if it could be displayed in front of the 75 Assn marque for public exposure, and they employed a chap to make a frame for it, and I took my van and trailer and collected it from John's studio the day before the airshow, and got it onto the airfield.. The picc Don posted earlier shows it all well.... including the LARGE family of children with large hats.. the kids standing under my sign in front of the tent, that their parents 'gate crashed' my marque.. to breast feed their new born... thought it was a public place..."Yeah right!!"... He paid me a few dollars for me letting his wife use the marque and they were on their way!! Just seems every photo I have sen as the lineup of kids under my sign !! Since the airshow, the WAX is positioned somewhere safe on base in its frame... a mould was taken by the foundry in Feilding before I was allowed to take it away... paid for by John.... So the WAX is John's property, but alas he died late last year and now I am awaiting family descisions as to its future. Of the several meetings the council, past college students Assn and I have had as to its future use, well, it is waiting for more detail...!!
It was great to get at least two Wellington aircrew veterans standing next to the Ward wax for a photo picc though...!
I have visited the Charles Upham VC statue in Amberley... very impressive... I hope one day we can say the same for a James Ward statue somewhere in NZ, to represent our special airmen of Bomber Command of WW2.
PS... I have been asked to service and install the MDD Escapac 1G3 ejection seats of the first two Skyhawks at Draken to be returned to flight in Florida, USA - first flight late March... 1 A4K and 1 TA4K...for the airshow .. Fun in Sun at Lakeland in April.... I leave next week, it will be a huge task.. have to take leave to do it... will send updates as time allows.... GlenT
|
|
|
Post by baz62 on Feb 3, 2013 8:14:32 GMT 12
Oh you can hear them now, moaning the phrase most heard on the forum.....like zombies slowly shuffling towards you, but in this case towards the monitor: Photos.....phooootooooooos.. Thanks for that info Glen, yes something honouring a member of the Air Force like James Ward would be about time!
|
|
|
Post by Barnsey on Dec 1, 2014 20:50:56 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 2, 2014 19:30:11 GMT 12
Very cool Barnsey!
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on May 20, 2015 20:45:37 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Jul 8, 2015 20:20:51 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Jul 8, 2015 21:03:17 GMT 12
Whoops stuffed up the dates above should read 1988 to 1991, out of interest be interested to hear the dates the RNZAF Skyhawks resided at Nowra, thank you.
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 9, 2015 9:24:44 GMT 12
Whoops stuffed up the dates above should read 1988 to 1991, out of interest be interested to hear the dates the RNZAF Skyhawks resided at Nowra, thank you. 2Sqn was at Nowra from 1991 to 2001.
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Jul 9, 2015 10:42:35 GMT 12
Hey thanks mumbles that therefore dates my pic's from early in their time at Nowra, some time between after their arrival to October 1992.
|
|
|
Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 9, 2015 12:36:28 GMT 12
Looks like me leaning on the drop tank in one of those airshow static display shots. I was at Nowra 1991-1993. Those open days were good fun (when the weather was good at least - I seem to recall a few wets ones!). The A-4 mock attack and handling displays were always nice and low and close to the crowd. The arrested landing demo was always right in front of the crowd.
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Sept 4, 2015 21:19:10 GMT 12
Found this interesting pic yes she is an RAN two seat A4 but note is that a 2 Squadron emblem on the tail, must have been around the time they where handed from the RAN to The RNZAF?!
|
|
|
Post by chbessexboy on Sept 5, 2015 8:23:26 GMT 12
Omaka 2013:
|
|
|
Post by skyhawkdon on Sept 5, 2015 8:35:00 GMT 12
Found this interesting pic yes she is an RAN two seat A4 but note is that a 2 Squadron emblem on the tail, must have been around the time they where handed from the RAN to The RNZAF?! This is a recent pic. This is the TA-4G given back to the RAN Museum by the RNZAF a couple of years ago when they were being disposed of. Externally it was converted back to a "G" by the RNZAF before being handed over. The 2 Sqn symbol on the tail was put on as a tribute to the 10 years No 2 Sqn was based at Nowra with the Skyhawks.
|
|
|
Post by baz62 on Sept 5, 2015 22:03:27 GMT 12
Looks like me leaning on the drop tank in one of those airshow static display shots. If you have time to lean you have time to clean. Get busy with a broom!!
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Sept 6, 2015 10:16:05 GMT 12
Found this interesting pic yes she is an RAN two seat A4 but note is that a 2 Squadron emblem on the tail, must have been around the time they where handed from the RAN to The RNZAF?! This is a recent pic. This is the TA-4G given back to the RAN Museum by the RNZAF a couple of years ago when they were being disposed of. Externally it was converted back to a "G" by the RNZAF before being handed over. The 2 Sqn symbol on the tail was put on as a tribute to the 10 years No 2 Sqn was based at Nowra with the Skyhawks. Thanks Don, she looks great.
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Nov 18, 2015 22:43:42 GMT 12
|
|
|
Post by planecrazy on Nov 26, 2015 8:00:50 GMT 12
|
|