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Post by McFly on Oct 7, 2023 15:09:42 GMT 12
It has been a long time since I posted about my appeal. It has had many twists and turns - and delays! I have had to resubmit it several times due to filing errors. The pandemic added another two years to the process. But now we near the end. I have finally presented all my evidence to an Appeal Hearing Officer. They have allowed me two more weeks to add to the evidence. I think I have a pretty strong circumstantial case. If anyone has anything more to add - this is the time. One of our forum members, 'Frankly', posted that he had had a mate who recalls hearing something about a 'hard' landing when we (The American Special Ops group) were here. If anyone had/has heard of something like this happening, a signed declaration to even such a vague recollection would be gold. So, can anyone add to this story? I will post on November 11 (U.S. Veteran's Day) the results of the appeal and thus give true closure to this thread. Welcome back Norm - that was a long (5 years) lunch break you took..! Was worried you had been paid a visit by a Govt vehicle with men in dark suits (G-Men) wanting to know what your interest in New Zealand was back in 1984, and perhaps sending you away for some reassimilation conditioning..? And looks like "Black Hawk Down at Whenuapai" Part 2 is spiking some additional interest and information/photos etc..
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Post by McFly on Oct 6, 2023 17:57:17 GMT 12
Canberra bomber wheel in its more natural environment...
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Post by McFly on Sept 28, 2023 16:10:37 GMT 12
Military (RNZAF) connection to Wairoa..!! "Cessna Golden Eagle NZ7942 after running off the end of the runway at Wairoa, Hawkes Bay. It is believed that the Member of Parliament Koro Wetere was on board at the time. - (WbG708-74-85) - 13/05/1985"
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Post by McFly on Sept 28, 2023 16:07:08 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Sept 26, 2023 11:13:03 GMT 12
…did 15 ever have such a thing?? Either official or not, I don’t care but I’m making a framed montage featuring Dad and his brother; Pat was 34 Sqn, RAF and Dad was 15, RNZAF. I’d appreciate a little help, here, eh!! 😁 A previous thread on the topic which may be useful ( here)
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Post by McFly on Sept 13, 2023 19:40:04 GMT 12
Wellington by the look of it. Not Wellington. Layout is all wrong. Confirmed as Wellington via this link to the original photo - ( Link)
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Post by McFly on Jul 18, 2023 20:23:21 GMT 12
Looks like that USCG is on its way back into Whenuapai. On a related note, are there any other visitors here at the moment? Been told that ‘two jets’ have been buzzing around Whenuapai yesterday and today, in a loose formation. I’m inclined to think it’s probably just a couple of Texans but wondered if anyone knows anything different. L-39C Albatros - ZK-EJA (ALB84) and ZK-TCS L-39C (ALB88) out of 'Fighter Jets NZ' in Tauranga...( fighterjets.nz/ ) flightaware.com/live/flight/ZKEJAflightaware.com/live/flight/ZKTCS
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Post by McFly on Jul 17, 2023 22:24:33 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Jul 16, 2023 20:37:20 GMT 12
does anyone know what happened the database of NZ fighter pilots that NZFPM used to have online?? think the webpage is long gone If you go to a website called 'Wayback Machine' at web.archive.org/ ( link) and then type in the URL of the old website you're looking for it will return all the dates of when that website was 'captured'. Selecting a date will take you to that snapshot in time where you can see the original website, and if lucky the links will mostly work as well. A great resource for all those long-lost websites... This is the NZFPM one to copy and paste in the 'Wayback Machine' URL - www.nzfpm.co.nz/article.asp?id=aces (don't click on this link but copy and paste it otherwise you'll get the 'NZ Farm Product Management' site) to get to the list of fighter pilots/aces...
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Post by McFly on Jul 3, 2023 18:22:26 GMT 12
Been a while since I posted on here but thought it might be of interest, please move this thread if I posted it in the wrong section. I was walking out of Christchurch Airport last night and I noticed there was a USAF (assumedly, as they are the only operators) LC-130J sitting on the apron outside the US Antarctic Program hangar. This isn't a rare sight in the summer months although it seemed weird for it to be all the way down here in the middle of winter so I went up and had a closer look. From there I noticed it was completely "paint-stripped" like it had just come off the production line, which seemed odd so I thought I'd post it on here to see if anyone else thought the same and/or if they had any idea as to why it was here at this time of year and in such a state. This one...
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Post by McFly on Jul 1, 2023 18:50:40 GMT 12
Possibly only helos with any flying hours available at the moment after the effort the NH90s achieved supporting disaster relief. Three of the NH90s have just headed over to the 'Talisman Sabre' multinational exercise in Australia so probs not short of flying hours...
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Post by McFly on Jun 30, 2023 17:09:48 GMT 12
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Post by McFly on Jun 23, 2023 20:04:57 GMT 12
Found these on the interweb if they offer any help..?
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Post by McFly on Jun 13, 2023 20:06:25 GMT 12
"Two No. 75 Squadron Skyhawks and two United States Air Force F4 Phantoms in formation over the Tasman Glacier during Exercise TRIAD 76 - 29/02/1976 - OhG35999-76)"
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 21:13:50 GMT 12
Close enough...?
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 21:09:36 GMT 12
From The Press, 8th of October 1984: Triad-watching popularPA Auckland Thousands of Aucklanders went to Whenuapai Air Base at the week-end to watch jet aircraft of the three A.N.Z.U.S. nations playing war games in the Triad ’84 exercise. An R.N.Z.A.F. spokesman said that traffic built up so much on Saturday that gates to the airfield’s perimeter were opened to allow motorists to park inside. At one stage yesterday more than 5000 people were at the end of the runway. During the week-end “enemy” aircraft based at Ohakea Air Base “attacked” Whenuapai base.
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 20:59:48 GMT 12
Yes I'd seen those shots, but was wondering specifically about it at Ohakea. "RAAF Canberra, A20-240, on the tarmac in front of the Control Tower at RNZAF Base Ohakea, on the way to the Air Force Museum at Wigram - 1984 - OhG1770-84""RAAF Canberra, A20-240, on the tarmac at RNZAF Base Ohakea on the way to the Air Force Museum at Wigram - 1984 - OhG1771-84"
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 20:45:53 GMT 12
Does anyone have photos of the ex-RAAF Canberra A visiting Ohakea on the way to its final resting place at the RNZAF Museum, Wigram? I have to admit that I did not realise the Canberra B.20 at Wigram was the same as the B.2's the RNZAF used in Singapore. It seems the only difference was they were licence-built in Australia and got additional fuel tanks. That being the case I think it is a shame it was not painted up to represent one of the RNZAF-operated B.2 Canberras. I mean half the aircraft in the museum are wearing paint they never wore in service so they represent an RNZAF type, so why not the Canberra? I have always felt that it stands out badly as being out of place in the museum but assumed it was because it was too different. I recall hearing the museum had secured the B(I)8 to swap the nose onto the B.20 and make it into a representation of the B(I)12 used by No. 14 Squadron. But nowI discover the B.20 could have much more simply represented a No. 75 Squadron Canberra. "RAAF Canberra A20-240 over the sea during its delivery flight to the Air Force Museum at Wigram - 1984 - OhC179-84""Air to air view of No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk NZ6205 in formation with RAAF Canberra A84-240 over Wellington. This is the delivery of the Canberra to the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand and both of these aircraft are now part of the collection - 1984 - OhC169-84"
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 20:14:15 GMT 12
"No. 75 Squadron Skyhawk NZ6218 taxiing past an RAF Tornado at Royal Singapore Air Force Base Paya Lebar during Exercise Vanguard 94 - Sep 1994 - Oh3039-94"
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Post by McFly on Jun 8, 2023 20:10:35 GMT 12
"Portrait of Squadron Leader JWH (Harry) Lett. Directorate of Operations. Air Headquarters, Wellington, Circa 1943 - PR1768"
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