RNZAF and NZ Warbird Film Stars

[Dave Homewood]

I'm sure I started a thread about this when the forum first began but I can't find it anywhere and it seems to have disappeared!!

So, which aircraft from either the RNZAF or warbirds based in NZ have you spotted in films or TV programmes, or even adverts?

Yesterday I watched the NZ film 'Absent Without Leave' (1992), a true wartime film about a Kiwi soldier (Craig McLachlan) who goes AWOL to take his wife from Wellington to Auckland. In that, the SVAS Harvard from masterton, NZ1033, makes an appearance and proceeds to crash into trees near a farm where the soldier is working. It's quite a good piece of flying, and then when he gets to the crashed plane, there is a great mockup of the crashed Harvard. It must have been another non-airworthy Harvard, but it had a strange, taller canopy for some reason. The most impressive thing about this film was actually seeing how they made Wellington and some Wairarapa town look so authentically 1940's, with so many old vehicles and army trucks. The story itself is a bit weak, but worth a watch though.

Other appearances I've seen:
- Harvard and Auster in the NZ film 'Broken Barrier' (1952)
- Warbirds Dakota in Eta Ripples advert series
- Catalina in Lotto adverts
- Grumman Goose in Cold Water Surf adverts
- SAFE Air Freighter and RNZAF A4K's in Disney's 'The Rescue'

I'm sure there are many appeareances I've forgotten.

[corsair67]

How could you forget that 'wonderful' movie "Race for the Yankee Zephyr" with the DC-3 in it??

Another film with great A-4K and Iroquois footage is "Sleeping Dogs" - Sam Neil's first big movie break!

I still remember the Honey Puffs ad from the early-1970s with a Tiger Moth in it.

[corsair67]

Just remembered; there was Simon Spencer-Bower's Moth in some film about Stanley Graham (played by Jack Thompson?) running amok on the West Coast.

Apparently, the RNZAF actually sent a Vincent/Wilderbeast to assist the Police in tracking down Mr Graham, but for some reason it was a bit hard to find one to use in the movie in 1984-ish!

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Corsair - good calls

The movie about Stanley Graham was called "Bad Blood" - an excellent film it is too, made right where the true massacre happened.

Sleeping Dogs is also excellent, I'd forgotten the RNZAF involvement in that one. I don't really remember the Honey Puffs advert though - but it does faintly ring a bell.

Another aviation advert was for Twisties chips in the 1970's featuring footage of a Spitfire and the pilot Rupert Baddiley-Bent ;D ;D ;D

[Bruce]

The original thread was under "general" and its on the second page of the list....

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Bruce - that proves the forum's search facility ain't too good then. Here's the original thread

rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1112401010

[Parrotfish]

admin said:

I don't really remember the Honey Puffs advert though - but it does faintly ring a bell.

Corsair67 only remembers the Honey Puffs ad due to his early morning Muesli regime ;D See the ANU still doesn't have enough work to keep you busy Corsair67

[corsair67]

Hey, my morning muesli routine keeps me regular, and helps me to stay a happy little plane spotter!