The Classic Flyers Museum, Tauranga, Thread

[Dave Homewood]

That hostess's uniform is classic! Did they have cabin crew on the Herons in service, out of interest?

[davidd]

Cabin crew on NAC Herons? Somehow I doubt it, but can anybody REALLY give us the good oil on this rather interesting point? Herons are fairly, errr, cosy in the cabin department. Probably like Dominies in days of old (which I flew in on scheduled services in the mid-1950s, to Nelson (but not NAC, either SIA or TIA), just pilot (two in a Heron?), plus passengers. Lockheed 10A Electras and Lodestars did not have cabin crew either SFAIK, neither did DH 86 pre-war, but there was always the co-pilot who could see how passengers were getting on, and I think he was tasked with generating the famous little "progress reports" which were passed down the cabin to identify points of interest along the way. Only pre-war (actually WW2 in NZ) "airliners" to carry cabin staff in our part of the world were the flying boats across the Tasman, although these were always male, and were called stewards, based on the Mercantile Marine philosophy of how these things should be done. I think IAL and PAA operated on similar principles on their large flying boats around the globe. The first female air hostesses in NZ were those employed by NAC from 1956, although TEAL may have used them on international services prior to this.
David D

[camtech]

May 24, 2017 15:37:55 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

That hostess's uniform is classic! Did they have cabin crew on the Herons in service, out of interest?

I can clearly remember that uniform while travelling on NAC during the 70's?

[kiwithrottlejockey]

I seem to recall it was known to the general public as the lollypop uniform.

I'm not sure when it came into use, but hostesses definitely weren't wearing that uniform during the August school holidays in 1968 when I flew from Napier to Christchurch via Wellington (Fokker Friendship on the first sector, then Vickers Viscount on the leg to Christchurch). However, I suspect it may have been introduced with the Boeing 737s later that year. I'm fairly sure they were still wearing it when the Wings Over The Nation livery was unveiled on NAC's airliners in the 1970s.

[planewriting]

The Lollypop uniform was introduced in July 1970 when NAC hostess course 82 graduated and commenced flying duties. In the 1950s NAC began operating scenic flights and on these "one-off" occasions hostesses and stewards were used. Miss A M Winefield served as hostess on Heron ZK-BEQ on 6 January 1954 when the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh flew from Rotorua to Gisborne. Prior to that, there were ground hostesses employed at the main centres and male stewards on the DC-3 short regional service to Norfolk Island and back and also on the long DC-3 regional service terminating in Rarotonga. The male stewards were also employed for a while on the main trunk services between Whenuapai, Paraparaumu and Harewood. In December 1956 the first air hostess course graduated in preparation for the introduction of Viscounts which at that stage were to be introduced in 1957 but were delayed until 1958. Suzanne Gunn, who later married Heron pilot Jim Pavitt, did crew on a Heron on one occasion.

[planecrazy]

Just a question re the pic's of the Heron, so all the NAC Herons had fixed gear?
Wonder what the difference in performance was like between the fixed and
retractable versions? I have to say that fairing over the front wheel is beautiful!

[planewriting]

All four NAC Herons had fixed gear; they were Heron 1As but NAC modified them to overcome some problems and were then redesignated as 1Bs. They were serial numbers AYV 14001 (first production one), BBM 14011, BBN 14012 and BEQ 14033.
Wikipedia gives a good description of type development and performance and records the first retractable example as 14052.

[kiwi285]

Here are a couple more photos from the 24th

[camtech]

Who are these luminaries?

[Dave Homewood]

Second from left is Andrew Gormlie, CEO of Classic Flyers Museum. And right of him is John King of Aviation News. I am not sure about the other two gents.

[camtech]

Those were two I knew the faces, but couldn't pick the noses.

I know - pretty old that one!

[kiwi285]

Graham Lister on the left (organiser of the NAC event) Andrew Gormlie, John King and the gentleman on the right was the pilot of the Air Chathams DC-3 on the day.

[skyhawkdon]

The DC-3 pilot looks like Keith Mitchell

[John L]

Herons are fairly, errr, cosy in the cabin department.

I flew on a Fiji Air Heron, Suva - Labasa and back some days later. They were snug, with the main spar across the floor just before the cockpit, if I recall. Fun plane though

[xbaggy]

Definately Keith Mitchell skyhawkdon. My old Boss from Whirlwide Helicopters in the 70s-80s.

[planewriting]

Looking back at the photo of Messrs Lister, Gormley, King and Mitchell; if you look carefully there are several aircraft in the background. The yellow nose in the hangar belongs to Messerschmitt Bf108/Nord 1002 Taifun ZK-WFI, alongside it facing the camera is Devon ZK-KTT (NZ1808), the blue Tiger Moth behind Keith's shoulder is ZK-BSN (NZ1415) and to the right of that is the starboard wing of Harvard ZK-ENJ (NZ1098) and that long structure from the right extending to behind John is the port wing of ZK-AWP (NZ3543).

[planewriting]

Yesterday when I was locking up at Classic Flyers Archives I was amazed to see that the Heron was missing! It had been there two hours previously but now all to be seen were the recently refurbished ex NAC steps. This evening when looking at Sun Live I solved the mystery.

Have a look at www.sunlive.co.nz/news/157016-fatal-plane-crash-scenario-at-airport.html Note no de Havilland Heron aircraft were harmed in the process of making this video.

[Dave Homewood]

Mike Feisst of Classic Flyers NZ Museum has sent rhough the following update"

"I am currently helping Dave prepare the F-86 Sabra for a repaint and thought that some of the members might like to see a few photos of the old girl as she gets her birthday present. She will be moved into the restoration hangar next week and we can finish the preparation work.

Perhaps you could put these onto the Classic Flyers thread (unless you want to start another) and I will write a few notes as we progress.

The first photo was of the aircraft at USAF base Osan

Cheers Mike"

[Deleted]

Nice to see the old photo of the Sabre! Seems she's had an interesting life?

The Sabre's canopy was one of the very few components I could easily ID in the restoration hangar during my recent visit:
Untitled by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Now...what are the odds she'll join the Avengers, Macchi and Kittyhawk as a runner?

[Mustang51]

Its big enough............. and certainly heavy enough !