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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 15, 2011 7:42:11 GMT 12
Here are my photos of that day... all copyright to Don Simms The final walk... The Safe Air & RNZAF dispatch team... The pre-flight with all the media in tow... Chris' name under the cockpit... NZ6205 - still looking like new despite being 34 years old and having flown over 8000 hours Engine running sniff check...
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Post by baz62 on Jan 15, 2011 9:28:13 GMT 12
Great photos there Don, wonder what was going through "Undies" head on that final walk out. Truly a historic day and a sad one too!
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Post by adzze on Jan 15, 2011 11:49:30 GMT 12
Fantastic shots Don.
Pardon my ignorance, did all the A4 pilots have "nicknames" stencilled on the side of their aircraft?
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Post by Ykato on Jan 15, 2011 11:56:07 GMT 12
Great Photo's don and Mumbles thanks for shareing - Nice.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 15, 2011 16:50:17 GMT 12
Pardon my ignorance, did all the A4 pilots have "nicknames" stencilled on the side of their aircraft? It was only done for the final flights.
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Post by machpants on Jan 17, 2011 11:57:15 GMT 12
Having not seen one in the flesh since my teens, I forgot how small they are... and the cockpits so cramped. Some great phots here.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 17, 2011 12:16:08 GMT 12
NZ6205 - still looking like new despite being 34 years old and having flown over 8000 hours But I thought some "expert" had declared them all "clapped out"
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 17, 2011 12:18:21 GMT 12
By the way these are fantastic photos Sam and Don, thanks for posting them.
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Post by machpants on Jan 17, 2011 12:29:48 GMT 12
NZ6205 - still looking like new despite being 34 years old and having flown over 8000 hours But I thought some "expert" had declared them all "clapped out" Well I guess said experts are correct now!
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Post by angels15 on Jan 18, 2011 13:50:50 GMT 12
Hi
A friend gave me a few years back a copy of what I recall are the official RNZAF photos taken on the day of the last flight at Ohakea.
I will try and locate and post if any are interested. They had Undies in cockpit, 05 going under the water cannons etc
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Post by smithy on Jan 18, 2011 15:08:10 GMT 12
Many thanks Mumbles and Don for the fantastic photos.
The best part of a decade on and these images still make me both very sad and very angry.
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Post by Barnsey on Jan 19, 2011 18:31:29 GMT 12
A glory shot... to show names on jets on the day of the shutdown!!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 19, 2011 18:52:48 GMT 12
Cool shot Barnsey.
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Post by motoxjase on Jan 19, 2011 18:59:17 GMT 12
Im sure one of the Skyhawks has Osbourne stenciled on it plus one Skyhawk still has a sheep-skin on the seat which Im guessing helped with a sore bum?
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Post by Barnsey on Jan 19, 2011 19:07:55 GMT 12
NZ6216 was was the Boss's jet for the last week WGCDR Osborne.
The sheepskin provided a very small amount of comfort - and plenty of jokes everytime an Aussie popped their head into the cockpit. The problem with padding on an ejection seat is that it can't be too thick, or else when the seat fires the seat pan will accelerate into the padding before your body has a chance to move with it and break your legs.
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Post by smithy on Jan 19, 2011 21:37:23 GMT 12
The sheepskin provided a very small amount of comfort At least it wasn't one of those bead/marble jobs the cab drivers like ;D Great photo Barnsey!
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mlewin
Flight Sergeant
In rememberance of F/Sgt S.F Lewin and Cpl R.J Lewin RNZAF and Cpl Marion Lewin nee Dewhurst RNZAF
Posts: 23
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Post by mlewin on Jan 20, 2011 2:24:37 GMT 12
Cool pics folks I remember taking pics at Woodbourne back in 78/79 my first taste of the Skyhawks up close while on my recruit course, must dig them out for a reminder.
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Post by machpants on Jan 20, 2011 12:13:26 GMT 12
NZ6216 was was the Boss's jet for the last week WGCDR Osborne. The sheepskin provided a very small amount of comfort - and plenty of jokes everytime an Aussie popped their head into the cockpit. The problem with padding on an ejection seat is that it can't be too thick, or else when the seat fires the seat pan will accelerate into the padding before your body has a chance to move with it and break your legs. Yeah, I dunno what you managed for hours in a Skyhawk seat but I did a few 8 hours plus in the F3... not comfortable at all. Though we didn't have sheepskin LOL Love the glory shot, when I was training the F3s had the names on the side but by the time I went frontline they'd gone. Then they came back after I'd left Damnit!
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Post by strikemaster on Jan 20, 2011 12:56:21 GMT 12
Pity you couldn't hijack a couple for the RNZAF, Machpants. Park a couple of old A4-s in its place. ;-)
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Post by machpants on Jan 21, 2011 15:26:17 GMT 12
Haha, well they're almost all razor blades now!
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