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Post by smithy on Dec 17, 2007 7:55:31 GMT 12
I hate to say this, but the Skyhawk cuts a fine figure dressed in white. I'd like to have seen one painted that way, rather than being smothered like this though. I just can't help thinking that it's a real shame after all the good work the old girls did for NZ they end up like this, covered in a bloody great condom and shoved out into a paddock. It would've been so nice to see them retired gracefully after being replaced operationally. I'm getting sentimental in my old age!
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 17, 2007 8:35:11 GMT 12
I guess the longer they linger and become outdated, the more likely they will earn a nice retirement place in a museum
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Post by motoxjase on Dec 17, 2007 18:01:50 GMT 12
Well maybe Heather Roy should be hassling the Goverment to dish them out to the Training School and various musuems instead of why they have not sold, and maybe the Air-Force should jump up and down and convince the Goverment about the merits of traing its new recruits on A-4s instead of way out-dated Devons?....just my two cents worth
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 17, 2007 18:21:46 GMT 12
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Post by FlyNavy on Dec 17, 2007 19:12:09 GMT 12
Fantastic - what a great clip. Back to the Future with Dr. Who. Other videos a bit dodgy ;D but this one is a gem. Thanks moditator2.
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andyc
Flying Officer
Posts: 57
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Post by andyc on Dec 17, 2007 19:28:22 GMT 12
Yet they're still shovelling out the same line: ' maintain in tip top condition until sold'
Andy
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 18, 2007 11:21:35 GMT 12
Just a question, why were the Skyhawks shipped to NZ wearing their three large droptanks, which also had to be covered in latex? Was it just easier to ship that way rather than seperately?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Dec 18, 2007 11:32:12 GMT 12
They had to fly them from the US east coast (NAS Cecil Field) where they were doing their training to San Diego on the west coast to catch the USS Okinawa to NZ. They needed all three drop tanks for the transcontinental flight across the US (even with drop tanks they still had to stop once to refuel). So I guess it was easier to just leave the tanks on them and latex the lot when they got to San Diego.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 19, 2007 11:44:53 GMT 12
Cheers Don. It just struck me as odd they painted the latex over the removable tanks rather than stick them in containers or whatever with the other parts. I can see it would have been better on saving space and probably easier though. Maybe the empty tanks could have acted as floatation devices too had the aircraft been pushed off the deck in that storm
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Post by Radialicious on Dec 19, 2007 19:13:29 GMT 12
Our ATSI pilots in Israel said they wished the A-4N could carry more fuel for the ferry flight to Arizona. We snuck away and fitted 5 of the biggest drop tanks we could find to one of the jets. It looked fearsome and we almost pulled the wool over the pilots eyes. Those in the know are well aware that only three of the five pylons can support fuel tanks! It reminded me of the ever ambitious hawk trying to lift two times its weight in road kill as you bear down on it along the open road.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 23, 2007 9:38:42 GMT 12
Saw the Skyhawks in their compound yesterday at Woodbourne. I also managed a peek into the hangar and see there are still three inside parked tpwards the airport terminal end.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Dec 30, 2007 9:46:50 GMT 12
A bit of trivia if anyone is interested, the Skyhawks inside the hangar behind the Chilean P3 are 6213, 6215 and 6218.
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Post by FlyNavy on Dec 30, 2007 10:32:24 GMT 12
Some more trivia: in the order above they are ex-RAN A4G 884; A4G 871 & A4G 877.
RAN (Bureau Numbers) in order above: N13-154905; N13-155052 & N13-155069 & ex-871 & 877 were ex-USN (secondhand) while 884 was new
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Post by kiwi on Jan 10, 2008 12:47:46 GMT 12
This is just something that came to me from nowhere but where might you conceal ten aircraft with a 100ft wingspan .
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Post by phil on Jan 10, 2008 14:07:33 GMT 12
Same answer to the question 'Where to hide a tree'. CLICK HEREThey would never be noticed.
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Post by kiwi on Jan 10, 2008 16:14:53 GMT 12
No these would stick out like the dogs goolies there , wrong era , wrong colours and wrong markings and besides that eight of them are already here . Anyone noticed 16 shipping containers stacked up recently ?
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Post by phil on Jan 10, 2008 17:48:44 GMT 12
Are you looking in the right place mate?
There are plenty (hundreds I should think) of aircraft from the same era as our Skyhawks.
Actually there are even skyhawks if you look closely.
Anyway, it was meant a bit tongue in cheek.
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Post by paddy on Feb 5, 2008 7:41:04 GMT 12
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Post by vgp on Feb 5, 2008 8:41:04 GMT 12
NZ ones are a wee bit dearer with the avionics suite and complete aircraft.
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Post by paddy on Feb 5, 2008 8:52:12 GMT 12
NZ ones are a wee bit dearer with the avionics suite and complete aircraft. I don't know. How much of the a/c's systems still work?
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