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Post by skyhawkdon on May 18, 2007 21:14:21 GMT 12
Photos of the Canberra's and Skyhawks together are quite rare. I was recently sent some great photos taken in 1970 by Pat Leggitt, an ex RNZAF Airframe Fitter. Pat was on 75 Sqn in 1970. Pat was one of those who did the initial Skyhawk training in the US in early 1970 and even accompanied the aircraft on the USS Okinawa to NZ. He has some amazing stories and photos of those experiences which will be in the new Skyhawk book "Alpha Four Kilo"which I hope will be published later this year.  12 Skyhawks and 4 Canberras  4 Canberras with 12 Skyhawks all in a line behind  2 silver B2 trainers |
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 18, 2007 21:19:55 GMT 12
and some more...   Interesting nose art on the Canberra |
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 18, 2007 21:24:59 GMT 12
Don't those A-4's look shiny and new!   |
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Post by FlyNavy on May 18, 2007 21:27:48 GMT 12
Don,
Great historic photos - thanks for putting them up. Looking forward to the book. Please keep us informed about any pre-orders for the book. Count me in. :-)
Can you explain more about the meaning of the Canberra nose art please? Thanks.
Phil.
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 18, 2007 22:25:39 GMT 12
Wow, those are really neat photos, thanks Don. Those Canberras looked really good in that low viz green and grey camouflage. It's a shame the Skyhawks didn't wear the same colours from the get go.
The silver ones are superb too. I've never seen such good coloured photos of RNZAF Canberras.
That nose art almost looks like a zap by another squadron. Just guessing there, but the kiwi seems to be covering his eyes whilst being attacked by an eagle, doesn't seem like NZ nose art to me.
I too am anticipating your book. I back Phil up in stating please keep the forumites posted on the progress. Did you manage to track down any photos from that 1970 Weekly News shoot by the way?
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Post by agalbraith on May 19, 2007 8:47:09 GMT 12
Wow Don, thay are amazing!
Thanks for sharing those images with us. That is good reference for modellers also, much appreciated. Best yet I have seen of the Canberras in colour.
I cant wait for your book either. We should get together sometime as I see your location is Christchurch also. Great stuff mate!
No doubt you have caught up with Matthew at the Museum he is a great guy.
Cheers
Anthony
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 19, 2007 9:03:07 GMT 12
Can you explain more about the meaning of the Canberra nose art please? Thanks. Phil. Pat thinks it was done by some of the ex 14 Sqn Canberra guys who were sad to be seeing them go. The Kiwi is crying (sad to be going I guess) and the Eagle is something to do with India where the Canberras were going. Will keep you posted on the book, but it has taken a back seat for the last 6 months since I moved to Christchurch. The words have been written by Nick Lee-Frampton in Wellington and I have proof read it once this year. Nick says he has the next draft ready for checking so after I have checked that it will be ready to go to the publishers (we need to find one who will fully underwrite it as neither Nick or I have the resources to do it ourselves). I already have more than enough photos for it but like a woman and her shoes and handbags you can never really have enough! ;D As Pat's photos demonstrate there are some amazing private collections out there, its just a matter of finding them. |
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Post by flyjoe180 on May 19, 2007 9:11:10 GMT 12
Awesome collection of photos there, thanks for posting them. They must be very rare indeed.
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Post by Bruce on May 19, 2007 10:02:48 GMT 12
stunning photos - great to see coloured pics of the Canberras as well. BTW, not to sound like a "rivet counter" but the silver canberras are T13s rather thna B2s - they have solid noses and 3 ejection seats (RAF Trainers didnt have a bang seat for the Navigator). The nose art on Canberra '05 isnt about a 14sqn kiwi (as on the fins) crying at the arrival of a skyhawk by any chance?
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Post by FlyNavy on May 19, 2007 10:14:18 GMT 12
Don,
I'm glad that you are proof-reading several times. Some Skyhawk books suffer from many simple errors brought about by lack of proof-reading I suspect. I'm looking forward to the book. Please keep the forum posted about what is happening with it. Thanks.
Phil.
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Post by corsair67 on May 19, 2007 16:51:42 GMT 12
That nose art looks like the McDonnell-Douglas Skyhawk emblem is featured in it.
I'm sure I've seen that style of Hawk image associated with the Skyhawk program.
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 19, 2007 17:58:22 GMT 12
That nose art looks like the McDonnell-Douglas Skyhawk emblem is featured in it. I'm sure I've seen that style of Hawk image associated with the Skyhawk program. You could be right there. If the photo was taken just after the Skyhawks arrival at Ohakea in May 1970 (which it looks like from the photos) then this would be too early for the Canberras to be confirmed as sold to India. I don't think they were sold until later in 1970? Either way, someone was sad to see the Canberras go. For 14 Sqn the arrival of the Skyhawks meant the end of overseas deployments for them, although I think 14 Sqn did the 1970 Vanguard to Singapore which was the Canberras swan song. The Skyhawks first Vanguard wasn't until December 1971. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 21, 2007 18:51:12 GMT 12
The other strikingly odd thing about these photos is all that blue sky at Ohakea!
Don, were there other photos in pat's collection that will go into the book? Or are these it?
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Post by corsair67 on May 21, 2007 18:59:56 GMT 12
I love those beautiful bright white drop tanks under the Skyhawks. They fit in so well with all that camouflage! ;D
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 22, 2007 7:05:16 GMT 12
The other strikingly odd thing about these photos is all that blue sky at Ohakea! Don, were there other photos in pat's collection that will go into the book? Or are these it? Yes, Pat sent me a whole lot of photos, but these are all of the Ohakea Canberra and Skyhawk ones. The rest are of the Skyhawks at Cecil Field in the US and on the USS Okinawa on their way to NZ. I want to keep most of them in reserve for the book but I may post a few teasers here as I know you will all enjoy them and will be buying the book anyway  Late in his career Pat was also involved with the RAN A-4G buy and went to Nowra in 1984 for several weeks to sort out the spares and support equipment for them. He has a lot of stories from those days. Coincidently both Pat and I now work for the same company in NZ (outside the aviation industry). A small world! |
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Post by phil on May 22, 2007 9:38:33 GMT 12
Looking forward to the book, keep us posted!
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Post by skyhawkdon on May 22, 2007 20:34:35 GMT 12
These are the only photos I have of an RNZAF Canberra and Skyhawk flying together (with a Vampire for a bonus!). The plan view is a particularly nice shot and illustrates the relative sizes of the aircraft. Both photos are RNZAF Official.   |
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Post by Dave Homewood on May 22, 2007 20:55:04 GMT 12
Very nice formation indeed - I had seen the first one before but not the plan view.
This reminds me of the formation shot done near Ohakea of the Skyhawk, Strikemaster and Spitfire in about 1991.
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