|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 22, 2005 16:52:30 GMT 12
Has there ever been proper full on airshows at Gisborne's airport, Darton Field?
The city has a thriving base of aviation enthusiasm there, but I've never heard of airshows being held there.
I was thinking, wouldn't it be fantastic if, for the big battle scene at the end, if they chugged an old period steam train onto the airfield and it was attacked by the likes of the Spitfire, Hurricane and other fighters. It could be set up with loads of pyrotechnics on the train for mock explosions and also an anti aircraft gun manned by "Germans". It would make a great piece for the DVD!
Probably just dreaming though.
Do any other NZ airfields have railways passing by (if not through like Darton!)? I know RNZAF Statiion Ashburton did but not sure if it's an active airfield now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Oct 22, 2005 18:05:31 GMT 12
Ashburton is still an active field - it has hosted the SAA national fly in on "Odd" years for some time.
Fielding and Koromiko airfields have the railway beside them, and I think one or two others in the South Island might as well, but not many. Thames used to, the the railway has now been lifted. Matamata has the railway just across the road, but it cant be seen from the airfield.
I vaguely recall an airshow being held at Gisborne in the 1980s, but nothing involving trains etc. I think they had a "Transport open day" with trains, planes and automobiles (but not a full blown airshow) about 3 years ago.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 23, 2005 20:35:02 GMT 12
Cool. Thanks Bruce
As far as my fantasy airshows go, especially with Gisborne in mind, wouldn't it be cool to have a C-47 done up in Fieldair colours, doing a full topdressing routine with all the wingovers, etc. and dropping a full load (in an adjacent paddock of course). Would be cool. (has it been done with a C-47 at an airshow in past years?)
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Oct 23, 2005 21:50:08 GMT 12
Bruce Thompson, of Ag Dak fame displayed BBJ at Ardmore in the mid 80s at an airshow I went to. Definitely the ag type handing display - looked way cool. Dumping real superphosphate at airshows is generally a no -no now, too many people complained about dust on thier Pajeros, and airshows have to comply with the resource management act.
BTW I did a check through a map book the other day (obviously have too much time). Ashburton is not beside a railway line, but Westport and I think Timaru, but virtually no others - I am right in this conclusion?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 23, 2005 22:56:12 GMT 12
You may be right about Ashburton, I was misremembering something. Some aircraft were burned when dry grass on the field perimeter was set alight by a passing steam engine. I ws thinking train, but of course it was probably a traction engine. Sorry.
Pity they can't drop fert any more. Perhaps they could make it a full Dakota hopper of lollies!
|
|
|
|
Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 3, 2009 22:54:07 GMT 12
I've just discovered this thread while looking back through the messageboard.
I can answer the original question — yes there have been proper full-on airshows at Gisborne's Darton Field.
During the 20½ years I lived in Gisborne from March 1978 until October 1998, there were three “big” airshows, plus a number of smaller air pagents.
I've just gone searching through a drawer in my bedroom where I've got the official programs stashed for every big airshow I've ever been to except for the airshow at the opening of Wellington Airport (when I was 5½ years old, although I can still remember it) and the airshow commemorating the opening of Napier Airport's new sealed runway allowing NAC to begin operating Fokker Friendships (if my recall was correct, that would have been in about 1963 when I was 9 years old). But apart from those two, I've got the programs for every other big airshow I've been at.
Major airshows were held at Gisborne during the time I was living there as follows....
13th February 1982
Saturday, 12th April 1986
Sunday, 25th March 1990
In each case, there was a full flying display including full participation by the RNZAF, including Skyhawks taking off from Gisborne Airport and putting on their display. At one of the airshows (I can't recall which one) a P-3K Orion landed and taxied in at the end of its flying display, then departed again at the end of the show.
I can also recall an earlier air pagent in about 1979 or 1980 at which Lawson Field was in attendance and officially opened the show.
The 1982 airshow included a mass display by 3 Fieldair DC-3s and a large number of Fieldair DHC-2 Beavers in the air in formation (both types flying together). That was an extremely spectacular sight. The 1982 airshow also included Piet Van Ash displaying his Monospar.
If I remember correctly, the 1990 show featured the debut NZ display by the Kiwi Red skyhawk team formed especially for the 1990 Celebrations (150th).
When I get a chance I'll scan the Flying Display pages out of the three airshow programs so you can see exactly what was on offer at each of the three major airshows at Gisborne while I was living there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 4, 2009 0:24:44 GMT 12
Thanks Bruce, great info and memories there mate.
When you lived in Gisborne did you know the ex-US Navy pilot Bill Cooksey? He flew in Vietnam I believe and flew T-28's and I think Skyraiders from memory, and he was a huge aviation fan but could no longer fly when my Dad was good friends with him in the 1980's as a crash in Okinawa had resulted in his going partially blind. He still flew model r/c planes though. I'm sure as a Gisborne based aviation enthusiast you must have met him? He and his wife moved back to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1990's and I think now hes sadly no longer with us.
|
|
|
|
Post by aileronroll on Aug 4, 2009 9:47:05 GMT 12
14 Squadron where in attendence for the 1986 show as part of that years "Falcon's Roost". From memory (starting to fade a little) Bruce Thompson displayed both his Skybolt and the DC3.
|
|
|
|
Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 4, 2009 11:18:57 GMT 12
14 Squadron where in attendence for the 1986 show as part of that years "Falcon's Roost". From memory (starting to fade a little) Bruce Thompson displayed both his Skybolt and the DC3. Squadron Leader Scott Glendinning was the commanding officer of 14 Squadron at the time and he shacked up with my next door neighbour for the duration of Falcon's Roost. I'll never forget one night when we all got on the turps (a real heavy-duty drinking session) at my place and he had arranged for an early morning parade (to “keep them on their toes” he said), except that he slept in the following morning and when he suddenly woke up, Glenda (my neighbour) had gone off to work and left him sleeping so he banged on my door to wake me up to get him down to the airport in a hurry. All the air force chaps were on parade waiting for the CO to inspect them and he arrived smelling like a brewery and a little bit the worse for wear. Looking back on it, it was bloody funny actually!  Dave....the name Bill Cooksey definitely rings a bell, but I can't place a face to the name. There was one particular air pageant in the mid-1990s (I can't remember exactly when) which occured when the Warbirds Association had a fly-in to Gisborne during a long weekend. The warbirds Dakota and Catalina were in attendance, as well as the P-51 from Auckland and a Kittyhawk, the Roaring Forties, a Devon, a Dominie, the Racing Moth (ZK-AEJ) and several other interesting aeroplanes. Although not an actual airshow as such, the visitors combined with a few local aircraft owners to put on a two-hour full-on flying display featuring all of the visiting aeroplanes. They got the local radio stations to broadcast it was going to happen and crowds headed out to the airport. I seem to recall they passed buckets around collecting donations towards the cost of putting it on. At the end of the day, the Catalina was heading off down to Napier for the night, and as they had an empty seat onboard, I made a spur of the moment decision to head off to Napier with them and go and visit my elderly parents, then caught the bus back to Gisborne the following day. |
|
|
|
Post by fwx on Aug 4, 2009 12:53:31 GMT 12
Hi Dave,
I attended the Gisborne Bicentennial Airshow in 1969, when I was in the 7th form, and a schoolmate who was going for his private licence flew us down for the day from Whakatane.
No programmed train activity that I can remember, but definitely Harvard and Vampire displays, a Canberra, and a Beaver display that sticks in my memory (red, I'm sure, so don't know whose?).
Cheers, Chris
|
|
|
|
Post by aileronroll on Aug 4, 2009 13:10:12 GMT 12
A few memories of the 86 show flowing back now. Then Flt Lt Greg Elliot was the Strikemaster display pilot, fantastic routine! Greg did an exchange tour flying the Hawk with the RAF a few years later.....rumour has it the RAF held onto him for a bit longer as their ski team could not do without him!
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Aug 4, 2009 13:20:37 GMT 12
Great stuff everyone. Bruce, I think you may have broken the cardinal rule of "What goes on exercise, stays on exercise" there mate.
|
|
|
|
Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Aug 4, 2009 14:17:43 GMT 12
Great stuff everyone. Bruce, I think you may have broken the cardinal rule of "What goes on exercise, stays on exercise" there mate. It's all ancient history now and Scott Glendinning left the RNZAF a year or so after that exercise. He was actually a Herc driver and I got the impression that in his mind he was only temporarily babysitting 14 Squadron. He was certainly a bloody hard-case though! ;D |
|
