Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 4, 2023 20:19:05 GMT 12
I had been under the impression that the first pilot to fly the Westland Wasp in New Zealand was the RNZN's Lieutenant Warren Devlin. However on Friday I discovered in fact that the first pilot of the RNZN Wasps was my friend then-Flying Officer Ted Creelman, RNZAF. He had just finished his helicopter training on the Sioux (having previously been one of the last two Sunderland pilots trained in the RNZAF), and he found himself posted to support the RNZN by flying their first Wasp for ten months until Lt. Devlin had finished his training. He was still doing his PTS course when Ted got the job. Ted was flying it in support of the crews on the frigates, especially the radar guys, who were learning the ropes of working with helicopters.
He said he very nearly got sent to the UK to do the full conversion course that would have allowed him to land on ships, but in the end that was canned as the RNZN pilots were coming. So he would fly right up to shops but was not allowed to actually land onboard. He did, however, do a landing on HMS Ajax with its own Wasp pilot when it was visiting New Zealand.
Ted was posted to Iroquois next, with No. 3 Squadron. And after a while was then posted to No. 9 Squadron RAAF in Vietnam. He's a great guy, with some good stories. He spent many years later with Air New Zealand.
He said he very nearly got sent to the UK to do the full conversion course that would have allowed him to land on ships, but in the end that was canned as the RNZN pilots were coming. So he would fly right up to shops but was not allowed to actually land onboard. He did, however, do a landing on HMS Ajax with its own Wasp pilot when it was visiting New Zealand.
Ted was posted to Iroquois next, with No. 3 Squadron. And after a while was then posted to No. 9 Squadron RAAF in Vietnam. He's a great guy, with some good stories. He spent many years later with Air New Zealand.
