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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2005 22:24:35 GMT 12
Some questions from more recent times in RNZAF History this time
1) What trade in the RNZAF used to compete for the Maggi Cup?
2) No. 3 Squadron had an annual exercise which involved deploying multiple helicopters, called Exercise Blackbird. What significant event occurred during Blackbird 92 that changed the exercise into an operation and saw the planned events scrapped as the helicopters were thrown urgently into action?
3) On the 31st of May 1991, RNZAF Base Shelly Bay had a significant occurence in its history. What was it?
4) What type of aircraft was commissioned by the RNZAF as NZ6289 in 1990 and was reported as part of its role as "complements the Strike Wing aircraft inventory at Ohakea."
5) What was the name of the bi-annual competition held between the RNZAF's No. 42 Sqn Andovers and the RAAF Caribous in the 1990's and before?
6) What was the name of the large scale parachute exercise that was held annually by No. 40 Squadron around New Zealand, usually with one or two other invited air forces, where both cargo and men were dropped?
7) What is the name of the large military firing range that RNZAF personnel used on occasion in the Christchurch region?
8) What was the last RNZAF aircraft type to be operated from Wigram?
9) What was the last multi-engined RNZAF type to be based at Wigram?
10) What two types served as Gate Guard at RNZAF Base Te Rapa?
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 22:26:59 GMT 12
No.1 would have to be the Catering Corp, surely....ie Maggi Soup?
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 4, 2005 22:28:37 GMT 12
7. West Melton?
8. Iroquois?
9. Friendship?
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 22:30:40 GMT 12
3. Shelly Bay closed ?
7. Burnham Camp
8. Huey
9. Be the Andover ?
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 22:33:47 GMT 12
10 I believe one of the gate guardians was a Vampire.
Remember reading that here.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2005 22:50:29 GMT 12
Blimey, you guys are on the ball tonight and I thought it was a tough one (except the easy ones I threw in at the end).
1. I'll give you that Chris, the Chef trade - Catering Corps is army, we didn't have corps (except the Air Training Corps snotgobblers!)
7. Yes, West Melton range
8. Yes, Iroquois
9. Yes, the Friendship (Andovers were never based at Wigram, although they visted every couple of days so it have looked that way, and one has retired there now to the museum).
10. Half a mark, yes, Vampire. What's the other one.
Shelly Bay is apparently still open, which I find wierd because I'm sure it closed when I was in the mob. But no, that's not it.
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 22:57:20 GMT 12
Oops sorry forgot to put in,....the other gate guardian was an Avenger. I remember reading that it was an ex-topdresser (or something like that)
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 22:59:39 GMT 12
I should know about Shelly Bay cause I live 1km away from it !!!
Didn't have anything to do with the start of the 1st Gulf War did it ?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2005 23:00:47 GMT 12
It was an ex-divebomber that had been used by the RNZAF in the topdressing trials, as well as many other roles in No. 42 Sqn. It's now dressed back in it's wartime uniform, as NZ2521, in the RNZAF Museum.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2005 23:01:49 GMT 12
Re Gulf war, no
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 23:03:02 GMT 12
It was an ex-divebomber that had been used by the RNZAF in the topdressing trials, as well as many other roles in No. 42 Sqn. It's now dressed back in it's wartime uniform, as NZ2521, in the RNZAF Museum. I was close enough....  |
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Post by turboNZ on Dec 4, 2005 23:05:39 GMT 12
re- No.2 was that about the time when the Hueys were called in to drop feed for stock due to flooding or something similar.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 4, 2005 23:14:06 GMT 12
No. 2 - Yes, that's close enough. The Big Snow. When the South Island got a huge dump of snow and the Iroquois all had to take bails of hay up to the sheep and cattle stuck in the high country. I remember seeing some of the choppers return after missions and they were full of stray hay. Mechanics were still finding hay weeks later. A really great mission, timed perfectly when all the Iroquois were down south from memory, it certainly canned the exercise and became an operation. I remember loads of people were giving up their days to be trucked into the country to rescue animals, a real community spirit. Some areas had 10 and 12 metres of snow in about 24 hours. One of my mates was a photographer in the RNZAF and went with Army guys who had to clear the road over the Port Hills. He took a fantastic photo of a Unimog driving through a tunnel they'd carved in the packed snow and the snow towered well above the mog. It was on the cover of several daily papers next day. And in the official book I think, which i have somewhere. A great day that was, Christchurch shut down and everyone, even us who were not on the 3 Sqn Det. were given the day off. It was my first taste of snow in a city. The poor helicopter guys worked over the whole weekend and into the next week for days and days. That's one of those things that the public forgets the RNZAF's worth till it happens and they finally get recognised for their skill.
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 5, 2005 11:48:05 GMT 12
4. Skyhawk "Hotshots" simulator?
6. Operation Bullseye?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2005 12:28:10 GMT 12
No and No, but the answers to those two are strangely related to each other in a way
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 5, 2005 13:35:01 GMT 12
Bugger! Well here's another stab....
6. Exercise Skytrain?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2005 14:03:27 GMT 12
6. Correct - a big time for my old trade, S&S (parachute packers...)
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 5, 2005 15:39:37 GMT 12
Dave, just curious, but apart from the obvious things (like parachutes), what else does the Safety and Surface trade do in the RNZAF?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 5, 2005 16:13:09 GMT 12
All sorts:
Life rafts
Life Preservers
Flying clothing like helmets, O2 Masks, survival vests for Helicopter crew
Survival packs
All the upholstery jobs from bags to aircraft covers to tents to making pilot's map kneepads
All the painting and decal work, and transperant surfaces
Harnesses and QRF fittings
Ropes Knots and Splices
and several homers! We also drank the most beer in the RNZAF.
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 5, 2005 17:56:53 GMT 12
Quite a diverse range of jobs in that trade then. You'd never get bored.
I thought that Gunnies drank more than everyone else, just to keep their hands steady while loading HE?!
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