Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand - News and Events

[Dave Homewood]

EXTRA ANZAC DAY FLYPAST ADDED
The Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand are excited to announce an additional flypast program for this coming Anzac Day, Tuesday 25 April.

To be conducted by our Harvard NZ1037, this flypast will complement that of the Spitfire and Beechcraft T-6C Texan IIs detailed elsewhere on this page.

The Harvard is the critical enabling aircraft type in our fleet, as it is through use of the more readily available Harvard hours that our Avenger and Spitfire pilots can maintain their proficiency. The Harvard was designed to train World War II fighter pilots, and it remains the preferred choice for this task today; it is not referred to as "The pilot maker" for nothing!

Please note that the event is highly weather dependant, however rest assured that we will do all that we can to achieve the flypasts as listed. Note also that the flypasts will be conducted in accordance with Civil Aviation Rules and will therefore be no lower than 1000 feet above the ground. Whilst the Harvard will not be low nor fast, we hope that you enjoy its undeniable presence and character!

Those that wish to follow our progress with flight tracking software will find us as HVD37

Be sure to comment with your pictures and video!
1026 Sanson (SH1/3)
1029 Rongotea (War Memorial Cnr. Thames and Mersey St)
1034 Himatangi Beach (Hunia Terrace)
1036 Foxton Beach (Beach)
1038 Foxton (Cnr. SH1 and Union St)
1042 Shannon (War Memorial Te Maire Park)
1045 Levin (War Memorial Remembrance Park)
1048 Manakau (SH1)
1051 Otaki (Cnr. Old SH1 and Mill Rd)
1052 Te Horo Beach (Cnr. Rodney Ave and Granville St)
1055 Waikanae (War Memorial Park)
1057 Paraparaumu (World War I Soldiers Memorial, Memorial Park)
1104 Upper Hutt (Trentham Memorial Park)
1110 Featherston (War Memorial)
1114 Greytown (Soldiers Memorial Park)
1116 Carterton (Memorial Square)
1510 Eketahuna (War Memorial Hall)
1516 Paihiatua (War Memorial)
1520 Woodville (Cnr. SH2 and SH3)
1523 Ashhurst (Post Office Corner Reserve)
1528 Feilding (Feilding Town Clock)
1530 Halcombe (Cnr. Stanway Rd and Willoughby St)
1534 Marton (Cnr. High St and Broadway)

The Harvard is operated by the Biggin Hill Trust
www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[Deleted]

It was pretty special to stand with my Dad in my parents' Whanganui front yard this morning, a few houses away from where Al Deere once lived and close to the secondary school he and I both attended, watching the magnificent PV270 fly in formation with three Texan IIs. The photos aren't great but the experience is what I'll treasure. Bravo to the crews for flying tight and bang on time!
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

A few minutes after TEXSIL flew over we were treated to the sight of an A109 and two NH90s flying down the main drag. Again the photos aren't great (I rather like the last one) but it was a neat experience to share with Dad.
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
ANZAC Day 2023 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

[Dave Homewood]

FRIDAY FLYDAY

Our pilots have been out and about today enjoying the crisp autumn weather in Harvard '37. Residents around Ohakea and Dannevirke may have noticed its distinctive sound.

The Harvard is a critical aircraft type for the Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand as it is through maintaining proficiency in this aircraft that our pilots can perform their display duties in the more exotic types such as the Spitfire and Avenger.

The Harvard is operated by the Biggin Hill Trust.https://www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[Dave Homewood]

The Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand (AFHF) were honoured today, 22 September 2023, to be a part of the Change of Command parade for the Chief of Air Force. Outgoing Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Andrew Clark, was pivotal to the establishment of the AFHF and it was therefore appropriate that T-6C Texan IIs of both 14 Squadron and the Central Flying School were joined by the AFHF Spitfire for today's event.

Incoming Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Darryn Webb, is a highly respected and experienced aviator; the AFHF look forward to serving under his command.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=627410726240837&id=100069157451258&mibextid=Nif5oz

The Spitfire is operated by the Biggin Hill Trust. www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[Dave Homewood]

FAREWELL SIR TIM

The RNZAF Black Falcons were privileged to be able to honour Sir Tim Wallis with a missing man flypast at his funeral, today, 28 October 2023.

Sir Tim Wallis' achievements are almost beyond description, and any attempt to provide a summary in this post would not do him justice. It is, however, no exaggeration to say that what he achieved will live on, not only in Aotearoa New Zealand but internationally as well.
Tailwinds Sir; you made a difference.

[Deleted]

The flying programme for Warbirds Over Wanaka 2024 (link) includes this on Saturday and Sunday:

1415 Air Force Heritage Flight of NZ – featuring Texans, Spitfire and the P-51D Mustang - NZ2423

[Damon]

Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons will be conducting flypasts over the length and breadth of the country on Thursday, 25 April 2024 to commemorate Anzac Day.

Air Force Heritage Flight of NZ

One T-6C Texan II, Spitfire PV270 and P-51D Mustang aircraft.
0950 Base Ohakea
0951 Sanson
0952 Rongotea
0955 Himatangi
0957 Rangiotu
0959 Longburn
1000 Clock Tower, Palmerston North
1003 Ashhurst
1005 Pohangina
1009 Apiti
1014 Hunterville
1021 Aramoho Cemetery
1023 Queens Park Memorial Cenotaph, Whanganui
1030 Marton Park, Marton
1032 Halcombe
1034 Feilding Clock Tower
1037 Bulls

See www.nzdf.mil.nz/media-centre/news/anzac-day-flypasts-2024/ for more details on other flypasts.

[oj]

Looks like the length and breadth of the Manawatu to me!

[Dave Homewood]

80th ANNIVERSARY
The Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand (AFHF) today took the opportunity to mark the 80th anniversary since the original Grumman Avenger NZ2518 "Plonky" was lost with all crew whilst on operations in the Pacific theatre of World War Two. To mark this event, the modern representation of Plonky was flown on a local sortie from its home at RNZAF Ohakea. This flight doubled as an early "run-in" flight on the aircraft's new engine, therefore there was no published flypast route or detailed timings.

Royal New Zealand Air Force Grumman TBF-1C Avenger NZ2518 was shot down near Rabaul on the 5th of June, 1944. The aircraft was operating from Piva bomber strip on Boungainville in the Solomon islands on a strike on Vunapope airfield South East of Rabaul when it was hit by Japanese anti aircraft fire and crashed with the loss of all three crew.

The RNZAF squadrons at Bougainville had been involved in many of the near daily operations against the Japanese facilities in and around Rabaul on New Britain conducted with the US squadrons, particularly on the Japanese airfields at Vunapope and Tobera. The raids usually consisted of around 12 aircraft and operated when weather conditions permitted. The raids consisted of attacks on the anti aircraft positions by SBD Dauntless dive bombers followed by bombing of the airfield by Avengers and other bombers.

NZ2518 took off from Piva airfield at 1045 with eleven other Avengers but was hit by anti aircraft fire and crashed into the jungle. The crew lost that day were FLTLT Charles Prior (pilot), FGOFF Sydney Clayton (Navigator) and WO Theo Scarlett (Air Gunner); FGOFF Clayton being the great uncle of a currently serving RNZAF officer. The crash site was not identified until after the war and the three men are now interred at Bourail War Cemetery in New Caledonia.

NZ2518 was one of the Avengers received in 1943 to equip 30 Squadron which worked up at Gisborne prior to going up to the forward area. It had been taken on charge at Hobsonville on 15th December 1943 before being assigned to 30 Squadron at Gisborne and then leaving for the front on 24th January 1944. At the time many of the crews adorned their aircraft with various popular cartoon characters, often from the world of Disney. For NZ2518, its captain, Fred Ladd, came up with the “Plonky” artwork characterizing a flying barrel spraying beer on the Japanese (“plonk” being the slang term for alcohol at the time). NZ2518 was assigned to 31 Squadron and a new crew after 30 Squadron had completed its tour of duty.

The RNZAF operated 48 Avengers during the latter part of the war in the Pacific as conventional bombers carrying a bomb load of up to four 500lb bombs and retained four aircraft after the war for drogue towing well into the 1950s. Some of the wartime Avengers were modified to carry a ferry tank full of diesel which would be sprayed on the vegetable gardens established by increasingly isolated pockets of Japanese troops on islands the Americans had moved past. The gunner would then set the diesel on fire using incendiary rounds.

Most of the other RNZAF surviving Avengers were loaded onto a British aircraft carrier in Wellington at the end of the war and pushed over the side just outside the Great Barrier Reef off Australia – meeting the Lend Lease requirements.

The AFHF anticipates a return to published flypast routes with detailed timings once the run-in period is complete.

The Avenger is operated by The Biggin Hill Trust. Biggin Hill Historic Aircraft Centre, RNZAF Ohakea www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[Dave Homewood]

UPCOMING SUMMER DISPLAY SEASON

Although the RNZAF has made the difficult decision to curtail display flying this year to prioritise core outputs, thanks to support from the Biggin Hill Trust, the Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand (AFHF) will be able to attend some events over the display season.

"The delivery of military air outputs is our highest priority and so in the current financial environment, the difficult decision was made this year not to fund display flying from public funds. However, the support from the Biggin Hill Trust will enable us to present the Heritage Flight Aircraft to the public during the display season and both the RNZAF and public that will see the aircraft around the country this season are deeply grateful for that support," said AFHF Flight Commander Squadron Leader Sean Perrett.

The AFHF Team are currently working on a display that has never before been seen in New Zealand; we're sure that the viewing public are going to like it!

We will release details of specific events and flypasts here on this page when we can, so please follow us for the most up to date information.

Roll-on the Summer Display Season!

The AFHF aircraft are operated by the Biggin Hill Trust www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[ErrolC]

Ouch!

Looks like it will be a while before I see a P-8 then!
I'm assuming I will randomly see a C-130J flying over at some point, much less likely for a P-8.

[Dave Homewood]

ARMISTICE DAY FLYPAST

The Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand are pleased to announce that our P-51D Mustang will be conducting flypasts over Palmerston North and Marton on Armistice Day, 11 November 2024. The Mustang will be overhead the Palmerston North War Memorial Cenotaph, The Square, at 1100. Marton will see this genuine ex-RNZAF aircraft over the Marton Park War Memorial at 1120.

Armistice Day is remembered as signifying the end of World War One, with hostilities ceasing between the Allies and Germany at 1100 hours on 11 November 1918. Around 58 000 New Zealanders were listed as casualties by war's end, with approximately 16 000 of those being killed.

The flypasts are subject to weather and operational requirements, however the AFHF Team will do all that we can to present the aircraft to the public on this important occasion.

The Mustang is operated by The Biggin Hill Trust. www.facebook.com/groups/119982544710555

[Dave Homewood]

SPITFIRE FLYING TODAY
Residents in Whanganui, Marton, Bulls and Sanson can look forward to enjoying the sight and sound of the Air Force Heritage Flight of New Zealand Supermarine Spitfire at approximately midday today, Monday 4th November. The flight is in aid of post-winter maintenance and pilot currency, therefore there are no detailed timings or route, however the intention is to fly over the areas as listed.

The Spitfire is operated by the Biggin Hill Trust.
📷 Gavin Conroy