1980's RNZAF Recruiting Booklets

[Dave Homewood]

You might find these of interest. Two booklets that I have added to my R1/89 Recruit Course site. One is to entice prospective recruits to join, and the other was for new recruits to tell them about the RNZAF General Service Training School. Even when we got these in 1988/89 they were quite out of date.

What I find of interest is the Boeing 727 NZ7273 in the Woodbourne photo - and the Freighters too.

The trees had certainly grown a bit by the time I arrived in 1989, and now the place looks a bit different, but not too different. In this c.1981 photo it looks almost exactly as it had during the war.

www.rnzaf.org.nz/Recruitment.htm

[Bruce]

Hey, That brings back some memories, I recall both the documents you have there from my 3 weeks of Airforce Career (Long story, not particularly interesting...just like GSTS). The Woodbourne brochure I definitely recall. My Corporal on R2/90 mentioned the photo of the Airmen in blues, lurking around the GSTS buildings with their SLRs in a "Combat Like" stance - "What a bunch of tossers!" was the comment - we were certainly never allowed to tote our weapons (Not Guns! around in that manner. The Picture of the flagpole reminds me of when the corporal was introducing us to the parade ground, he mentioned that below the flagpole was a capsule cointaining things to desribe the various goings on in the school, to which one member of our squad commented "Oh did someone sh*t in the hole?" everyone including the corporal cracked up laughing, and the cpl, obviously a good sort didnt even reprimand the squaddy responsible.
The aerial view of Woody is great, there were some changes from the photo when I was there, the Chapel had moved across the road to the main base, and obviously the Bristol Freighters were history. The swimming pool had just been covered and remodelled and was great - the main pool was increadibly deep! Tim Wallis's Spitfire emerged from the SAFE Air workshop and was test flown whilst I was there, after its first landing accident when it ran short of fuel on approach.
I remember watching it when a group of us were walking around the perimeter wearing in our new combat boots.
As I recall, R2/90 was aparently the last recruit course to train on the L1A1 SLR Rifle. The Armory had shelves full of Steyrs waiting to go, but introduction was delayed whilst they sorted minor issues with the safety catches (Like they didnt work!)
Cor, How can 3 weeks be so nostalgic....