RNZAF Hercules "Concours d’Elegance" Award

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone know which Hercules this was? From The Press dated 2 June 1979:

N.Z. aircraft wins prize

PA Wellington

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Hercules C-130H and its crew have won the "Concours d’Elegance" award against 26 other aircraft from 14 countries for the best turned-out Hercules at the international air tattoo at Greenham Common, England. The award went to a 40 Squadron C-130H from Whenuapai. It was accepted by Squadron Leader T. Butler, of Morrinsville. Warrant Officer B. Peyton, of Brown’s Bay, Auckland, a 40 Squadron Hercules crewman for 11 years, received a trophy as the outstanding crew chief in the tattoo event.

Also, am I remembering rightly that a No. 40 Squadron Hercules won the "Concours d’Elegance" at RIAT in 1991 as well? Or was that the Iroquois that it transported over to Helimeet? Or both?

[camtech]

NZ7001, Dave. Reference NZ Wings August 1979.

No, it was the Iroquois that won Concours d'Elegance 1994, having previously won it in 1988 and 1990, I believe.
Two Hercules were also in UK, competing at "Bullseye", winning for the third time in 4 years! NZ Wings Jun 1994

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Les.

I think an RNZAF Hercules and possibly an Iroquois were also there in 1991, as the Hercules attended the airshow that celebrated the victory in the Gulf War, and the two MiG Fulcrums collided, with the wreckage of one nearly landing in the RNZAF Hercules, from what I heard.

[tbf2504]

As fate would have it our RNZAF photographer was facing the wrong way at the time of impact and missed it!!!
Of interest one of the spectators had taken a shot at the time and it was only some weeks later when he got the film developed that he realized that he had caught the pilot of one just as he ejected.
He went on to sell that photo for a small fortune!

The Iroquois won the Concours d'Elegance at Helimeet in 1988, 1990, 1994
In 1994 at the RIAT, our Hercules NZ7004 nearly won the trophy, but was beaten by a short number of votes.
A pit as the previous day we had spent many hours washing and polishing every inch of the outside of the Herc, only to have the pristine finish spoiled by a shower of rain!

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks. I definitely must have been confusing the 1990 Iroquois winner.

[nuuumannn]

NZ7001 was the Herc, in the fetching grey and white scheme with the blue cheatline. I recently researched this event for someone. IAT '79 was held at Greenham Common and it was a celebration of 25 years of the C-130. It's worth noting that the International Air Tattoo didn't receive its Royal Charter until 1996, the first RIAT.