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Post by jonesy on Jul 8, 2011 15:50:08 GMT 12
Thats good to know. I'm keen to get his details sorted. As in many cases we really left it too late to find out from him a lot of what he did, relying now on what he'd told other family or from his logbooks. And to think of all those times we'd driven past there not knowing of its history!
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Post by jonesy on Jul 8, 2011 14:59:58 GMT 12
Dave, I'll have to dig out his old flying logbooks. Pretty certain that he learnt to fly there before he ended up flying for the RAF.
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Post by jonesy on Jul 7, 2011 13:30:29 GMT 12
Agree with Calum there..perhaps some maturity made the difference, tend to look at the place thru different eyes. What always happened was that there were some guys who just wouldnt (or couldnt) grow up....To be honest if I hadnt have got out at that time it probably wouldve been me too ha ha ha..... Regrets? NONE!
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Post by jonesy on Jul 5, 2011 14:07:48 GMT 12
Hey, just slightly off topic here...but the support equipment -will that be up for sale? I really want to get my hands on a GTC...its portable, noisy, and battery start! Been trawling thru sites a bit but just dont know where to start...
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Post by jonesy on Jul 5, 2011 12:45:28 GMT 12
Well that sneek preview just made up my mind. That looks like an absolutely superb effort there Don. Hey how long did this labour of love take to accomplish by the way?
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Post by jonesy on Jul 4, 2011 20:58:22 GMT 12
Yep the social life was great back then-doubt if it would ever be as good now tho.... After my OE I returned in late '95 with my new wife, wondering if I should return back to the force and take up the tools again. I said I'd take her into base to show what life was like. However it was the night of all ranks do in the SNCO's mess. Some shows of extreme drunkenness and rowdy behaviour later.....and her mind was made up-"theres no way youre going back to that lifestyle"and that was that. Great place for young single guy....
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Post by jonesy on Jul 4, 2011 17:26:50 GMT 12
Anybody know how the general social status is on base at OH now? I remember back in late 80's and early 90's it was pretty cool really-great beerfests, tinman triathalon, hell even the strippers came out to the baggies club once! ;DNever saw the raft races but that looked pretty fun. Seemed to be a real community/family spirit there through those times.
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Post by jonesy on Jul 3, 2011 13:45:30 GMT 12
Good pics there, thanks. My father trained there on the Tiger Moths, ended up with Pathfinders in Mosquitoes, was handy location for him as was only about 15min from our farm!
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Post by jonesy on Jul 2, 2011 19:43:06 GMT 12
Never heard of parties on the bridge, but quite often would be cycling home to bulls after a good session at the club, negotiating the footpath on the bridge was always a challenge! Getting to the other end of the bridge safely was sometimes an issue....
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Post by jonesy on Jul 2, 2011 19:25:57 GMT 12
I remember the wire fence put up so that young inebriated airmen didnt fall off the footpath into the oncoming traffic! The island parties at the intersection of SH1 and Tangimoana Rd. Wasnt there some big bonfires under the bridge too? Road seal sure took a beating then...
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Post by jonesy on Jun 29, 2011 21:11:28 GMT 12
Only the dairys Dave, and they'll be better defended than the rest of us
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Post by jonesy on Jun 29, 2011 15:55:10 GMT 12
Holey moley!! those guys really know how to do good creative displays. Thanks for that...
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Post by jonesy on Jun 26, 2011 17:30:39 GMT 12
Thats one hell of a museum!! Fantastic photos there...thanks for posting them.
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Post by jonesy on Jun 24, 2011 10:37:38 GMT 12
There is a solution....close and sell off all bases (bar one-Devonport) Buy a good sized aircraft carrier that could house around 5000 crew (sure the U.S.sould lend one for a while...) Theres your offshore patrol, strike wing,rotary wing, ready reaction force, pacific disater relief and countless other roles! And when its not steaming around the country its plugged into the mains and the nuclear power will boost the national grid! Any takers??
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Post by jonesy on Jun 23, 2011 22:25:51 GMT 12
Interesting to hear a comment from the CDF that there would be a "slight dip in moralle". Gotta be one of the best understatements I've heard in some time. These guys have just been crapped on from a decent height. Be interested to see the breakdown of redundancies by trade/rank? My opinion? Servicemen dont deserve this treatment (again) and this country cannot afford to lose skilled and loyal workers.
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Post by jonesy on Jun 21, 2011 18:33:17 GMT 12
I think nige has hit the nail on the head here-the RNZAF is/was a lifestyle choice, and a great degree of pride in your trade, be it pilot/techy/or support. Now with these civilionised trades youre JUST a gov't employee. Huge difference there. Word I've heard is moralle is pretty poor now, with these guys not certain if theyre gonna even have a job soon? WTF?? Note to recruiters: good luck filling those roles with good crew- I was at an careers expo not long ago and had a listen to the F/sgt recruiter guy saying how great the RNZAF was for a career choice. I had a yarn with him after the kids had gone, and he said he felt like a hypocrite especially as he'd had enough and was looking for another job! You guys in aussie-is the grass really greener over the fence, or is that worthy of another thread?
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Post by jonesy on Jun 14, 2011 21:53:49 GMT 12
No too sure, but last time we drove through there it looked more like the Bronx than MQ's. Crappy fences, long lawns and tatty looking houses. Nothing like the palaces we lived in on Devon Crescent!
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Post by jonesy on Jun 14, 2011 21:38:38 GMT 12
I guess the distressing thing is that some personnell will just no longer have that desire to get on with the job, doing their best etc etc....pretty hard to have a great attitude with the axe hanging over you!
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Post by jonesy on Jun 14, 2011 19:52:17 GMT 12
Great pictures indeed. Looking foward to seeing the trucks roll into Tauranga in a couple of months. Rumour is we're getting 6201 is that right?
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Post by jonesy on Jun 14, 2011 19:49:30 GMT 12
Just hearing through the grapevine that some severe restructuring/civilianising is taking place within the Air Force. Whats up with that? Surely there cant be much left that hasnt had the guts ripped out of it? Other word is that married quarters near Hobsonville have been sold and the occupants are on a pretty limited tenure.....great way to appreciate your servicemen isnt it?? Some of these guys have given a great deal of service only to be shat on like this. Guess its all about money isnt it....sigh...
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