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Post by juanita on Oct 7, 2014 15:32:52 GMT 12
I’m looking for information on a joint Australia-NZ exercise that was held during February 1985 (or there about). The exercise involved RAAF 77 Sqn Mirages and RNZAF 75 Sqn A-4s. I’ve checked the thread listing RNZAF exercise but couldn’t identify any likely contenders.
Would like to find out the name of the exercise and any other details, like how long it ran. It’d be great to hear from anybody who was involved.
Juanita
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Post by KiwiCraig on Oct 8, 2014 9:44:31 GMT 12
I think it may have been TRIAD. I was based at Ohakea during that exercise and we hosted RAAF Mirages and USAF F-16s. Up at Whenuapai, they had USAF F-15s (and RAF Harriers, too...I think). It ran for around three weeks and was a classic old-school exercise with 44-gallon drums filled with iced cans of beer on the tarmac to welcome the crews on their arrival into town. Lots of fun in the various clubs around base and some awesome flying from the squadrons. Good stuff!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2014 9:54:06 GMT 12
Triad 84 was a nine-day ANZUS exercise held in August 1984. There were RAAF Mirages involved.
I don't know if there was another Triad as soon as February 1985 though, was there?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2014 10:08:01 GMT 12
I cannot see any mention at all of a Trans-Tasman exercise in the NZ Wings magazines from Dec-Jan, Feb or Mar 1885, so the exercise in question must have been Triad 84.
By the way Labour's anti-nuclear policy forced ANZUS to split in February 1985, so I'd guess there will definitely not have been a military exercise at that time between two ANZUS partners, as the Governments were seriously not talking to each other.
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Post by camtech on Oct 8, 2014 11:18:04 GMT 12
Just checked "Skyhawks", and there is mention in there (p128) of a "Willoh" exercise in February 1985.
Eight 77 Sqdn RAAF mirages arrived for this exercise. Some Mirages were escorts and others were distinctly hostile, creating some identification difficulties for the Skyhawk pilots, who had two kills scored against them. "The identity problems were quickly overcome".
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2014 12:26:47 GMT 12
Aha, that has to be it then. Interesting that the Air Forces were still playing while the politicians were not.
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Post by juanita on Oct 8, 2014 16:39:40 GMT 12
Thanks Camtech, that certainly sounds like it fits…and the comment "The identity problems were quickly overcome" ties in too. The thing that started me on this search was photos of Mirage A3-54 with more than the regular level of temporary identification marking!
I gather it was the last day of the exercise and the leader of the bad guys, ‘orange’ force, ‘AVM Hannibal Crunge’ (Flt Lt Bob Veneziani) had the name ‘CRUNGE’ painted in large yellow letters down the side of the fuselage. There was a crate of champagne for whoever shot him down.
The photos were published in the Mason & Mottram book ‘Mirage IIIO Colours & Markings’. Since doing the profile artworks for the book I have wanted to illustrate an example of the temporary markings, and ‘Crunge’ would be a gem. However I really need to know a bit more about the background story, both of the ’85 event and the ‘Willoh’ exercises in general.
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Post by camtech on Oct 8, 2014 18:27:34 GMT 12
Jaunita, someone who was at Ohakea at the relevant time may be able to fill in more details - I spent very little time at Ohakea.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 8, 2014 19:05:53 GMT 12
I can remember the Willoh exercise of 1981 very clearly. I know it was a few years earlier but was definitely in late January. I happened to be watching a particular cricket match on tv, a one-day game and was getting to be a very close finish. There were only a few Kiwis watching but there was a larger group of Mirage pilots in the room. The Aussies were clearly embarrassed with the events of the last ball. I thought for hard-core knucks they were genuinely good sports. Would your man have gone by the nick V8 or V+8 ?
We have two or three members here that are sons of the guys on 75 at that time. They would have a fair idea of some of the stories.
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Post by juanita on Oct 8, 2014 22:32:03 GMT 12
I posted a reply but used the 'reply' button rather than the quick reply...and it seems to have disappeared, so I will try again.
Thanks Baronbeeza. It'd be great if you could encourage any of then in my directions. I won't post my contact details here as I'm not sure how appropriate that is, but I can be contacted via my website aeroillustrations-com.
Since my last posting I have found further snippets: "In early February eight RAAF 77 Sqn Hornet aircraft deployed to Ohakea in New Zealand for exercise “Willoh”. The two week exercise focused on dissimilar air combat tactics against RNZAF Skyhawk and Strikemaster aircraft. The deployment proved to be highly successful. Much was learnt by all participants. The eight aircraft re-deployed to Williamtown via Auckland on 17 February."
Interesting to hear the Strikemasters were also involved...so that'd be 14 Sqn as well as 75 Sqn.
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Post by juanita on Oct 9, 2014 8:06:28 GMT 12
Sorry Baronbeeza, I forgot to answer your question about the pilot's name...his nick was indeed 'V8'.
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Post by baronbeeza on Oct 9, 2014 9:15:10 GMT 12
I can remember a few of those guys. The names that come to mind were V8, Graeme Butterworth, Bomber Brown and S/L Carter.
They would have been the more memorable names for a variety of reasons. I only knew them socially but the 75 Squadron guys would have been very friendly with them. We have a young Razz on this forum, I know Troy introduced himself the other day but I think there is a young Snarf here also. Graeme Butterworth's son wrote on a forum not so long ago also.
There will be a few guys from 75 Sqn that were at Ohakea during early 1985 that should remember more details of that trip, I was elsewhere at that time. I did take a carload of Mirage pilots in to watch a rugby match at Lancaster park about then but I was imagine it was Winter and at a guess 1982 or 83. I see there was a test on 14th Aug 82 so I wonder if that ties up with a deployment.
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Post by juanita on Oct 10, 2014 11:23:59 GMT 12
I am new to the forum. Is there a way to send messages directly to other members? It would be brilliant to get the story from the NZ side, specially as they were credited with 'shooting down' Crunge.
It seems that V8 is well remembered and seems to be widely known. I am hoping to get in touch with him via ex 77 Sqn folks.
A3-54 was also at TRIAD 84 held a few months earlier. I've found photos of the stbd side of the aircraft but still trying to track down a port-side photo that shows the name under the cockpit...or at least proves a name was applied.
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Post by baz62 on Oct 10, 2014 11:39:48 GMT 12
If you click on the username of the person you want to Message it opens their profile and on the (near)top right is a "Send Message" tab.
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Post by juanita on Oct 10, 2014 19:09:08 GMT 12
Thank you
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Post by pieterjansen on May 11, 2019 11:29:21 GMT 12
did you get the info you needed? I love to know the serials of the Mirage 3's which were at Ohakea during this excercise. Does anybody these serials? thanks for all help. Pieter
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Post by davidd on May 11, 2019 15:28:01 GMT 12
I see that the exercise in question was Willoh 85-2, which took place between 4th and 14th February 1985. (from 75 Sqdn History Sheet, Form 540, copies of which are held at Wigram). In case you are not aware, the exercise designation "Willoh" is made up from first 4 letters of Williamtown (RAAF Mirage base) and first two of Ohakea (RNZAF Base) which were the alternate venues for these normally bi-annual (and friendly) exchanges. David D
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Post by mcmaster on May 12, 2019 15:44:37 GMT 12
Happy to be corrected but seems it was only 77sqn Mirages that made the trip over the Tasman, never 3sqn , 75sqn or 2OCU? Probably because they were based closest to NZ at Willy I guess, with 75 moving from Butterworth to Darwin and 3 returning to Aus later in the 80s.
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