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Post by baronbeeza on Apr 8, 2022 12:24:26 GMT 12
This explains why we had the real Lancaster bits getting around Wellington.
We had a thread with pics some years ago where it was obvious we were looking at an aircraft rather than a model or replica. I believe we were supposed to keep quiet about the true nature of the beast back then.
I was quietly hoping it was the start of a local restoration but again this clip answers that also.
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Post by baronbeeza on Jan 16, 2022 7:46:31 GMT 12
Graham is a member of this forum. Re Terry Kearns Sqn Ldr D.S.O D.F.C.D.F.M. I am a Kiwi ex RNZAF, RAF I flew for two years with Terry on Canberra B6 with 139 (Marker) Sqn based at Binbrook including operations during the Suez Affair in 1956. We met at RAF Bassingbourne and as we were Kiwis opted to form a two man crew. Late in 1957 I was posted to a Vulcan Sqn and Terry took up a post in Air Ministry. We did meet briefly during 1959 when Terry visited RAF Finningly where I was based with 101 Sqn at the time. I trust this may help Jamie. I also knew Len Chambers D.F.C whos family resided at Browns Bay at the end of Ww11. Len then returned with his wife to the West Coast and sadly as I understand he passed away not long after his return to trhe Coast. From what I have since learned Terry and Len were friends during their time with Bomber Command. I flew for seven years as a navigator with 40 and 41 Sqdns prior to joining the RAF in 1955. I am now 88 but still fondly recall the halcyon days of my time in the two air forces. Regards Graham That was written in 2015 rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/15273/terry-kearns?page=3
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 21, 2021 8:16:03 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 3, 2021 13:54:12 GMT 12
This was the Hangar Eater incident at 4 Hangar. It was before my time but I heard the story and there will be some discussion on this Forum about it. The version of events I recall are Steve Holtum was involved and that the car was Ernie Thompson's. I will do a search here and see what was discussed previously. **EDIT** There was mention of the incident here. Sounds like from a witness as well. rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/13348/hangar-doors
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Post by baronbeeza on Dec 2, 2021 9:57:51 GMT 12
The last pic of the Airtrainer refuel could be Joe Burns and Keith Alderson.
Not much more than a suspicion though and maybe just a memory jog for some others here.
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Post by baronbeeza on Nov 30, 2021 17:40:28 GMT 12
I would think it is Bikie (Dennis) Johnson. . (I know it is Bikie). He was at PTS before moving to the F-27 Flight about early 1982. Snaphead and Shorty will know for sure. He was a Sergeant in 1982 but I would not be sure if he was a Sergeant before that posting.
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Post by baronbeeza on Nov 17, 2021 13:01:11 GMT 12
The Air Commodore has been identified on another site as Ernie Gartrell. Gartrell, Air Commodore Ernest Charles 1970-1971 Air Officer Commanding RNZAF Training Group 1971-1973 I would think that there is a good chance the Group Captain may have been the Wigram Base Commander at the time. We think the Squadron Leader is Bob Reynolds who was the Westport AFRO at the time. He served in the Pacific towards the end of the war and would have had a few campaign medals.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 24, 2021 13:03:40 GMT 12
I have offered corrections to those photos and generally you see almost immediate action. I think they would appreciate having the names. I did exactly this within the past week.
They would certainly check for correctness though.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 20, 2021 20:38:31 GMT 12
And from Sept 1958. Another Whites Aviation pic from the National Library.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 20, 2021 20:26:54 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 18, 2021 19:38:37 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 14, 2021 10:03:20 GMT 12
The second pic with the flagpole shows a hangar out to the right. That would be the Air Nelson hangar these days. The terminal moved over to the right out of frame in the late 60's early 70's era, I think it would have been.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 11, 2021 14:32:03 GMT 12
I have memories from the early 70's when doing an ATC Corporals qualifying course at Wigram. The classrooms had glass display cases in the entranceway and they may well have been navigation instruments. Actually the contents could have been anything but there was a display, wherever on Base we were. I would think it was down in the 6 or 7 Hangar area, possibly where CTS was later on.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 7, 2021 14:26:58 GMT 12
Strange you mention the silence. That was part of our confusion also. I was parked at the Nelson Aero Club and looking out over the Richmond direction. We saw what I assumed was a helicopter coming directly at us from behind Wakefield, it was like a landing light and exactly what you would expect. I remarked that it was about to get noisy as I thought it would be landing at HNZ just a hundred metres or so from us. Anyway it continued for a minute or two, maybe three, and I was thinking it was overhead Brightwater at about 2000' in my thinking. What got our attention was what happened next. The landing light, while still pointing at us, stepped sideways to it's left and went about 3 miles in a second. It was now over behind Rabbit Island. It then resumed a heading toward North of Nelson but this time accelerating at tremendous speed and within another second had gone. No sound even though I had wound the window down to listen. It seemed much faster than a missile the way it came towards us but had faded from sight before it got across the Bay. I am not sure how I lost sight but it may have just been the speed, the acceleration. So it wasn't a helicopter after-all.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 7, 2021 13:02:23 GMT 12
It would be interesting to see just who else has witnessed similar sightings.
They are not common, in all my years I have only had the one. There were two of us though and both saw exactly the same. Nelson Airport looking towards Wakefield, one night in 1976.
The NZ skies were much blacker pre-war and people may have been outdoors more. You have to wonder why there were not more sightings then.
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Post by baronbeeza on Sept 30, 2021 21:41:05 GMT 12
Yes quite right about the non-GD officers on the wings course. In the Harvard course photo above front row second from the left is Dr John Faris, an RNZAF doctor who completed the course and rightfully wore his wings ever after without serving as an active pilot. In my time there were doctors, psychs and engineers who qualified for the badge without continuing on after as pilots. Complete waste of training time and money in my opinion, and the practice seems to have petered out from the 90’s as training courses became more expensive and greater accountability demanded. Yes John Faris and the other I know there is Des Ashton, an Engineering Officer. That is 1/76 course and while I can name many, I know I will be missing others. Across the front, John Dick, John Faris, John Grant (Navy), Des Ashton, Mike Booth, Lindsay Upjohn. Ian Gore and Pete Douglas are there and possibly Jeff Harris, DJ Watson and Roger Read. I think that was the last Harvard course.
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Post by baronbeeza on Sept 29, 2021 19:14:52 GMT 12
There are at least two ground trade officers in this pic that wore wings badges during their service. They were never pilots, GD Branch, though. Somewhere there will be a list of all non- GD branch that were awarded a brevet.
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Post by baronbeeza on Sept 29, 2021 9:10:10 GMT 12
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Post by baronbeeza on Sept 22, 2021 13:50:55 GMT 12
My father's neighbour listed some books on Facebook. One caught my eye so I did a visit and was given it.
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Post by baronbeeza on Sept 9, 2021 15:12:12 GMT 12
Some of the Andovers went to Africa. Many of the East African countries were operating DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft and indeed I flew on a Tanzanian Defence Force one. There was a civilian one in the region as well, flying aid during the Sudan war. It was operated by a group of NZ'ers, Aussies and Canadians. I was involved when there was talk of buying ex-military aircraft and spares, even doing refurbishments. They were not in the same class, maintenance, wise as the Andover. I was in Lusaka for a military asset disposal sale. A dozen engine, props, gearboxes could be had for the price of just one Dart engine (Andover). No doubt I could have picked up a few aircraft for similar prices. I had involvements with the RNZAF Andover and Friendships and saw the Andover as very expensive to maintain, and it was still a compromise. It was probably ideal for the role at the time, given the NZ situation and operation. I would have been far happier operating the Buffalo in Africa though and we saw some weird types flying in the region. I did a flight in a AN-32, that was very close to an Andover in many respects and may have been cheap to operate as well. I think the RNZAF would be well served by a small fleet of ex-airline aircraft for the communications role. The Dash-8, and similar turbo-props, come to mind there. The F-27 was very good but was just too old, same era as the Andover but much cheaper to run. Modernising sounds good but something out of the airlines is going to be far easier on the pocket.
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