RNZAF Sunderlands at Lauthala Bay, in full colour!!

[Dave Homewood]

I am really pleased to post this. Today I was given this newly digitised footage by Owen Jones - OJ here on the forum - which was filmed by his brother Barry Jones, of RNZAF Station Lauthala Bay in Fiji, and of No. 5 Squadron RNZAF's lovely Sunderlands in 1961. Well worth a look! Some lovely air to air footage

[johnnyfalcon]

FABULOUS!!

I spent much of the film stopping and re-winding to see if any of the people were my parents (I was born in Fiji while Dad was stationed in Laucala Bay). Great insight of the locale and fits with the stories my parents used to tell about the outings on the RNZAF launch to local beaches/islands.

Dave, who is Benny Gooman?

[Ian Warren]

Amazing piece of film, really makes things look so simple back then.

[Dave Homewood]

Feb 18, 2017 21:29:29 GMT 12 johnnyfalcon said:

Dave, who is Benny Gooman?

BUGGER !!!!!!!

[kiwithrottlejockey]

See this thread....

• New book on Laucala Bay by Bee Dawson.

I pre-ordered the book from Fishpond when that thread was posted, but had completely forgotten all about it.

However, the film reminded me about it, so I went and signed-in to Fishpond and went to My Orders, and there it is and showing as shipping on 27th February, which isn't too far away. Looking foward to receiving it about the end of this month, or shortly afterwards.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes, I sent the film link to Bee last night.

[oj]

By frame analysis of the air and water shots, the five aircraft at the time were code-numbered A, P, Q, U, and Z.
At that time (about 1962) that was the last occasion they had five Sunderlands in formation, and it wasn't filmed officially or by anyone else.
They closed the base a few years later, but never got five up together ever again, so it has some significance.

[oj]

I wrote the previous post before viewing the upload.
Now I want to say what a superb job was done by Dave in adding the music.
Makes it very evocative (though I was never there myself). Really sets it off beautifully.
Jeez that must have been harsh, being posted to Lauthala Bay!

And of course the excellent digital conversion done by the Tauranga facility.

[oj]

Ian,

I don't know just how simple it would be to get five Sunderlands in the air at once!
I think it must have been a magnificent effort.
There might have been a few red-ink entries in the odd Form 700.
How many spark-plugs is that, all singing on the same song-sheet at once?
I bet there was a raid on the Oil-store during the after-flight inspections....

[Bruce]

Looks like a Lauthala Bay posting would have been sheer hell!

[baronbeeza]

In those days the base would have been on the Eastern outskirts of Suva city. It was far from being in the middle of nowhere like some places tend to be. Indeed if you look at the top right you will see Nausori airport which was, and still is, the Suva airport. I would imagine the RNZAF would have maintained a presence there also.

Lauthala Bay is very pretty, Nausori not so....

It would have been a very popular posting I am sure.

***EDIT***

In this pic the base would have been about dead centre, the University and Stadium locations.

[alanw]

Great film, typically the idealic South Seas paradise

Like Johnnyfalcon, I kept looking to see if at least my Dad
was in there.

Life certainly was idealic, I recall my Dad telling me that after
finishing the electrical systems of the P&W R1830 Engines on a
particular Sunderland, he dove off the wing into the water below
just to cool off Where else could you do that?

Love the film.

Thank you Dave, so very much for posting it.

Vinaka/Ni Sa Moce (seems appropriate )

Regards

Alan

[Dave Homewood]

Wow. in just the first 24 hours that this film has been online it has surpassed 1000 views!

[camtech]

Cool film.
I'll be in Suva on Thursday, but probably won't get time to visit the University of the South Pacific - the old Lauthala Bay base.

Many years ago, while in Fiji with an Andover, operating out of Nausori, we drove thru the old base and it was looking quite delapitated.

[davidd]

What took my eye was that marine craft (W210 I think it was) absolutely groaning with looks like about 50 or 60 passengers aboard, off for a picnic at some idyllic island beach. Yes, those looked like the good old days all right. And yes, Lauthala Bay was a pretty spot all right.
David D

[Dave Homewood]

So far 1,639 views in two days for this film, that is amazing!!

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Yeah, well....it has been extensively shared around, including links sent to people I know, and links (or the embedded video) posted to other groups.

And I know most of the people I sent a link to have passed it on to other people.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes I know, I did most of the sharing. But other WONZ film and audio links that I have shared have not ignited interest as much as this film. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

[Mustang51]

What a magnificent piece of history. I too have just ordered the book and would someone over there tell me what else has been published and is still available on the bases. Would love to get hold of them for my NZ researches. Five Sunderlands........ wow. I remember very well being in the Sandringham for the filming of "The Ships That Flew" and watching the water rise up and over the window on take off. Magnificent flight low down Sydney harbor. But to see a Sunderland flying.......

[Dave Homewood]

Books on the RNZAF Bases (or Stations, in Lauthala Bay's case) include these three:

Wigram - by Bee Dawson
beedawson.co.nz/book/wigram/

Hobsonville - by Bee Dawson
beedawson.co.nz/book/hobsonville/

Lauthala Bay - by Bee Dawson
beedawson.co.nz/2015/08/laucala-bay-and-the-history-of-the-rnzaf-in-fiji/

I have "Wigram" and "Hobsonville", both books are fantastic. So many awesome, amazing photos, and some really great stories and memories in them. The new book on Lauthala Bay is currently in the post to me right now, I am really looking forward to it.

There was a book written on Whenuapai a few years back by a member of this forum, Christopher someone??