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Post by Deane B on Jan 11, 2011 12:07:54 GMT 12
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 11, 2011 14:04:51 GMT 12
Hi Dean,
Don't ya just love that clear WB winter sky!
The last flight was on 30 July 2004 (NZ6205 delivery flight to WB). Your photos on 2 July 2004 capture Undies coming down to WB in '05 to pick up '52 to fly it back up to OH to do some demonstration flights for potential buyer ATAC. Safe Air took the LOX converter and SEQ out of '05 and put it into '52 and Undies flew '52 back up to Ohakea. Buy then '05 was the only serviceable Skyhawk left and not much use for taking potential buyers for rides in! '52 had to be brought out of storage and given an extension to several overdue servicings in order to carry out the demonstration flights for ATAC.
So not quite the final flight but close and none-the-less historic photos for me!
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Post by Deane B on Jan 11, 2011 14:54:52 GMT 12
Yep a typical WB winter day. Thanks for clarifying the info. I have got a few more pics in this sequence of the landing roll plus the taxi in if you want them?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 11, 2011 20:37:41 GMT 12
Yes please!  |
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Post by motoxjase on Jan 12, 2011 4:56:52 GMT 12
I very well remember this last flight, I remember the Pilot coming in low and then doing a loop into the clouds (yes there was some clouds) and then it was pretty much all over  If I remember right wasnt the Pilot at University??? What became of this Pilot? |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 12, 2011 9:26:07 GMT 12
Was "Undies" Chris Underwood? If that's him, I was on his Wise Owl and did some of his survival training instruction when he was a pilot u/t. A good bloke. In fact it was overall a good course. I wonder where they all are now.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 12, 2011 10:56:29 GMT 12
Yes that is him Dave.
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Post by Deane B on Jan 13, 2011 18:30:50 GMT 12
Yes please! Added the extra photos in the original post. Cheers. |
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 13, 2011 18:45:39 GMT 12
Thanks.
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Post by mumbles on Jan 14, 2011 9:29:59 GMT 12
I very well remember this last flight, I remember the Pilot coming in low and then doing a loop into the clouds (yes there was some clouds) and then it was pretty much all over I was there and have pics. Some have been posted here before and some haven't (I'm pretty sure Don has copies anyway), but I will put up a set tonight. I haven't seen that many pics of the Skyhawk wind-down in circulation, either of the disbandment or the last flights. Given the number of spectators (especially for the disbandment) there must be some good shots out there... |
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Post by strikemaster on Jan 14, 2011 10:19:55 GMT 12
Gotta say this is one of the saddest threads I've ever read here. Pics are great tho, any from Ohakea?
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Post by Deane B on Jan 14, 2011 10:35:05 GMT 12
Somewhere amongst the plethora of final flights there was the arrival of a group Skyhawks. The solo final act, was performed I think by "Undies". A series of low beatups. One of which he did a quick pull up/turn at the east perimeter airfield fence (in my pics east is to the left) and kicked up dust and stones from the gravel road just past the boundary. Some of the public spectators who were piled along the fenceline would have had a good dusting. In the reverse direction, heading west, he banked past the old tower and was lower than the tower in the turn. We reckon about 15 feet between wingtip and ground. Somewhere there are pics of that !!
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 14, 2011 11:01:36 GMT 12
If you can track those photos down Deane that would be great! The only ones' I've seen of '05 landing at WB for the final time are of it taxing in and shutting down.
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Post by motoxjase on Jan 14, 2011 18:25:50 GMT 12
Somewhere amongst the plethora of final flights there was the arrival of a group Skyhawks. The solo final act, was performed I think by "Undies". A series of low beatups. One of which he did a quick pull up/turn at the east perimeter airfield fence (in my pics east is to the left) and kicked up dust and stones from the gravel road just past the boundary. Some of the public spectators who were piled along the fenceline would have had a good dusting. In the reverse direction, heading west, he banked past the old tower and was lower than the tower in the turn. We reckon about 15 feet between wingtip and ground. Somewhere there are pics of that !! Ive got a pic that I took of the farewell flight that shows Easthope ( I think) going between the old tower and the hangar and he so low that the smoke is hitting the ground, problem is that the camera I had just wasnt grunty enough to get a close up shot, Ill scan it at work for you Don once Ive hunted it down and email it to you. There was a guy at Woodbourne parked next to me who had an impressive camera and I see him at my local mag shop and Ive always meant to ask him how his photos came out that day back in 01 |
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Post by Ykato on Jan 14, 2011 19:03:32 GMT 12
Cool Pics deane thanks for shareing them - cheers
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Post by kiwiscanfly on Jan 14, 2011 19:13:54 GMT 12
Chris is now a pilot with Cathay Pacific...... and yes his was the last Skyhawk flight, he sent me some pic's that he took whilst in flight amazing last flight by the looks of it.
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Post by mumbles on Jan 14, 2011 19:34:42 GMT 12
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Post by strikemaster on Jan 14, 2011 21:29:49 GMT 12
Utterly speechless. Thanks for posting these. Fare the well sweet A4.
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Post by luke6745 on Jan 14, 2011 22:07:04 GMT 12
Would this be a video of that final flight?
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 15, 2011 7:32:55 GMT 12
Yeah that would be the final pass. See my video at the following link taken at the other end of the tarmac... sorry about the poor quality and lack of sound.  and of the Skyhawk and Macchi flypast...  |
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