|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2006 16:44:23 GMT 12
Can anyone tell me how long the Skyhawks served in the ex-RAN lght and medium grey scheme after purchase? When was the last one painted into traditional RNZAF colours? It appears there were still some in the ex-RAN scheme with Kiwi markings as late as 1987?
Also, when Skyhawks served with No. 14 Squadron, between 1970 and 1975, did they carry the 14 Squadron Kea markings, like the Strikemasters and Maachis? Or was this not brought in till later? When did A-4K's first get the 75 Sqn Tiki markings?
All this is just out of curiosity.
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 27, 2006 22:39:07 GMT 12
Dave, I thought the Skyhawks were only attached to 14SQN for a few months in 1971?
Yeah, the RAN colours seemed to hang around for quite some time in RNZAF service, but I'm not sure when the last one in that colour scheme disappeared from the line up.
When did the RNZAF commence painting the Skyhawks the green/grey/green scheme?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2006 23:09:04 GMT 12
The green/grey/green shceme was well and truly the only scheme when i joined in january 1989. I'm not sure when it began. As for the operational conversion being done at 14 Sqn, this is what Kiwi Aircraft Images says: www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/aviation.html"The aircraft were operated by 75 Sqn, but conversion and initial strike training were passed to 14 Sqn. Allocation of 4 aircraft (3x TA-4K and 1x A-4K) replaced use of 'pool' aircraft by 14 Sqn in March 1971. The conversion role reverted to 75 Sqn in 1975, with 14 Squadron moving to purely Strikemaster operations." Whether that's right or not, over to you guys. |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2006 23:16:22 GMT 12
Further to above, David Duxbury, Ross Ewing and Ross Macphersons' book "Aircraft of the RNZAF" also states they were with 14 Sqn till 1975. They must have operated alongside Vampires till 1972 then Strikemasters till 1975.
No. 14 Sqn got it's second batch of Blunties that year so that'll be why they moved the Skyhawks out I'd guess.
|
|
|
|
Post by Calum on Jul 27, 2006 23:19:47 GMT 12
When I was flying down to do my recruit course in Oct 1986 (on a Andover) We stopped at Ohakea. Now anyone who knows Oh Airmovements knows they can see into the 2 Sqn Hangar. (it'll never be PTS to me)
There were several Grey Skyhawks there still
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2006 23:24:32 GMT 12
The gold skyhawk of 1987 was painted from a grey one, as a great photo posted here somewhere shows (modelling section I think)
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 27, 2006 23:30:59 GMT 12
I think a number of the ex-RAN Skyhawks had been repainted only a short time before the RNZAF recieved them, so I guess it was a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
NZ6218 would have most probably been the last to be repainted because that was the one that ended up on its back at Townsville, and I don't think she re-flew again until about 1990?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 27, 2006 23:37:09 GMT 12
Where was NZ6218 restored? I recall there was a Skyhawk at SAFE Air having major overhaul while I was there at Woodbourne from Jan-July 89. Was that it? Or another in regular maintainence?
I also recall the first Kahu rolled out during that time for service, a TA-4k. Minister of Defence Warren Cooper was there and we had a parade. He then climbed in the back and was taken for a ride. Photos appeared in every newspaper next day of the event. Those of us in the know realised as the photos were taken of him climbing in, he was using the black and yellow ejector hoop to hoist himself up! very lucky we didn't witness a decapitation that day.
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 27, 2006 23:41:28 GMT 12
Yep, the boys at Woodbourne rebuilt NZ6218. The RNZAF had to get some surplus US Skyhawk bits in to complete the job, and apparently the tail on the TA-4 'NZ6257' is fibreglass as the real tail from that fuselage ended up on "18".
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 27, 2006 23:45:28 GMT 12
This is what ADF Serials has about NZ6218:
"Ferried from Nowra to Ohakea on 26 July 1984. Converted to A-4K by RNZAF. Damaged in roll over on landing at Townsville, Queensland on 03 June 1985. The aircraft aquaplaned on the wet runway and slid sideways before rolling over. The pilot was uninjured and the badly damaged aircraft was returned to New Zealand in a C-130. Repaired at No.1 Repair Depot, Woodbourne utilising the rear fuselage of an ex USN Blue Angels aircraft and returned to service on 29 March 1990."
She was out of action for quite awhile after that incident.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 28, 2006 0:02:27 GMT 12
Aha, so is that how the front fuselage and cockpit of an ex-Blue Angels Skyhawk came to be at No. 4TTS then? The mechs used to us it to practice replacing skins and stuff.
That must be the same Skyhawk I recall seeing in SAFE's hangar then, They had an Orion in there too and an Andover was also worked on there in that time (plus Sir Tim's TB863, the reason for my wanting to look into their hangar)
|
|
|
|
Post by SEAN on Jul 28, 2006 12:39:30 GMT 12
Here's a photo to remind you all.  |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 28, 2006 13:39:14 GMT 12
That must have been a very scary ride for the pilot.
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 28, 2006 13:57:58 GMT 12
Yep, a real trip to brown trouser time that one! ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by mumbles on Jul 28, 2006 23:27:57 GMT 12
I can confirm that the tail on '57 is fibreglass. Here is the rear fuselage in early 1999.  As for the introduction of the grey/green/green scheme, that appears to be mid/late 1984 if the November 1984 issue of 'Wings' is correct. That issue has a small piece with a photo of '02 in the scheme, which is described as 'a trial camouflage scheme'. Here is '02 at Paraparaumu, 2nd March 1985. If you look closely the pilot's helmet and g-suit are hanging off the port cannon barrel.  |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 28, 2006 23:46:57 GMT 12
Where did 'NZ6257' come from? Was it purchased specifically for the Ohakea Museum? It's not one that served with the RNZAF, is it?
|
|
|
|
Post by phil on Jul 28, 2006 23:50:10 GMT 12
57 is a made up tail number that was chosen for the Ohakea Museum T bird mock up. It is made from scrounged and written off parts, as well a fibre galss tail section. It is no where near complete and is only a bare shell.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 28, 2006 23:52:11 GMT 12
Thanks. I had seen photos of a Skyhawk outside the museum before and assued it was a real one kindly left there for visitors to check out.
|
|
|
|
Post by phil on Jul 29, 2006 0:01:58 GMT 12
it's a shame that it's not a real one. To be honest I'm surprised they were allowed to even have that one there.
When I remustered to photographic in 2001 the airforce news did an article about the two of us that went from armament to photography.
We had the photo taken with us holding various camera equipment, standing in front of 57, to show the old trade and new trade in the one photo, and to tie it in with the DJ2 process that had led us to remustering in the first place. The airforce news said they couldn't publish it because it was a skyhawk and they weren't allowed to have anything to do with skyhawks in the magazine.
Needless to say I kicked up a bit of a stink about that, since the whole disbandment was a pretty raw subject back in 2001, and it was pretty insulting that the whole issue was being treated with an out of sight, out of mind attitude. The articel and photo was relegated to somewhere near the back, if I remember correctly, and it was pretty small!
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 29, 2006 0:06:16 GMT 12
That's an astounding attitude. Sorry to hear that mate!
You cannot turn your back on history, especially such recent and important history.
|
|
