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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 16, 2006 21:49:45 GMT 12
Some of you may not be aware that in 1990, during the period known as Operation Desert Shield, the RNZAF was planning to send No. 75 Squadron to Bahrain or Saudi to join the British forces. They were extremely close to going, right up to the point where all the personnel had jabs and stabs, etc, and were doing weapons training 'in case'. The hand to hand weapons courses were run at hbsonville where I was based - I'm unsure if they were just 40 Sqn guys now, or if 75 Sqn came up for the courses too before that, but I do recall them running around with pistols playing war, whilst we went about our daily business and marched through them!
Suddenly Geoff Palmer's government came over all Labour and decided to send 40 Squadron to war insatead, with a medical team. I guess Helen had a word to the boss...
Anyway, I was thinking, based on the amazing Gulf War colour schemes that evolved on Tornadoes, Buccaneers, Jaguars, etc, imagine what might have happened to 75 Squadron's Skyhawks. The green and grey scheme would be too distinct for combat ops, and I'm sure they'd have gotten a respray in the RAF Desert Pink colours.
Is anyone keen to come up with a model? I'm sure the common practice of cartoon nose art may also have spread. I wonder what Kiwi cartoons may have been likely candidates for A-4K nose art. Footrot Flats was still popular then. Bogor too perhaps?
Over to the jet modellers. What do you think?
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Post by mumbles on Jul 16, 2006 22:12:18 GMT 12
Don't forget the kiwi with a taiaha cartoon you see at sports events as well. I have pondered this from time to time, given that only one official special scheme (zaps don't count) ever appeared on an A-4 to my knowledge. 20th, 25th, and 30th anniversaries of service appear to have been opportunities missed or discouraged. Some of my what if ideas: An all red Kahu with four yellow diamonds across the underside, similar theme on the fuselage, yellow 75 over full colour tiki on fin. An all Black Kahu with Taiaha stretching from nose to tail, silver 2 on fin. National markings in silver. Black Kahu with sweep of Black/yellow checks starting at intakes and enlarging to encompass rear fuselage and fin. Grey Kahu with Harpoons or Penguins inboard, Amraams outboard. Almost worth buying four 72nd Hasegawa A-4's for  . |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 16, 2006 23:24:45 GMT 12
"Black Kahu with sweep of Black/yellow checks starting at intakes and enlarging to encompass rear fuselage and fin." Well, you get and idea and you run with it... this is not what you're thinking about, but I have created a stylised version... just a quick little doodle really  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2006 0:10:13 GMT 12
Not quite like the RAF scheme I envisaged in my original post, but doesn't this two-tone scheme I created suit the Squawk rather nicely?  |
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 17, 2006 0:16:14 GMT 12
Dave, that 2SQN scheme is pretty cool.
I have to agree, Mumbles; the RNZAF certainly missed quite a few great opportunities to paint those "clapped out jets - that no one uses" in anniversary colours.
Maybe they're waking up slowly though because of that wonderful tail on the P-3K? Hopefully there will be more to come.
Bloody hell, the RAAF paint aircraft up all the time in some fancy scheme, and have just added to the list with an 90th Anniversary of 3SQN tail on an F/A-18.
I'm surprised they never did a Mirage IIIO in an underarm bowling scheme! :-)
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2006 0:45:25 GMT 12
Craig, did you see the 3 Sqn Iroquois 40th scheme yet? There are photos in the modern RNZAF board from about a month ago.
I don't know why 40 Sqn mised their 40th anniversary, especially as 40 is their number.
The RNZAF's 75th Anniversary is approaching, 2009 (or 2012 if you go by the 1937 date...)
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Post by smithy on Jul 17, 2006 13:01:06 GMT 12
That's an interesting thought about the Skyhawks and if they had have gone to the Gulf in '91. I suppose the RAF Desert Pink would have been used.
Now there is a modelling project for someone and I like the idea of the nose art!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2006 14:36:23 GMT 12
There was a lot of contemporary nose art on the RAF stuff, such as Viz magazines "Two Fat Slags" on a Hercules, and the same comic's "Buster Gonads" too.
We never had anything quite so near the knuckle here then, but I'm sure Dog and Wal might have made an appearance. Dog was worn on an Orion previously in the year for Fincastle.
The Kiwi and Taiaha is a good one too. Being 75 Sqn they may have used a stylised Tiki too.
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 17, 2006 15:01:15 GMT 12
Dave, must be old age setting in: I'd forgotten about the Iroquois 40th tailboom already.  Anyway, there should be more of this kind of thing as it has to be good for service morale as well as a good recruitment tool. Hey, the 'desert' scheme looks great on those Skyhawks too. You just need to add some nose art - maybe Clark's face with the words "Clapped Out" underneath. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2006 19:41:07 GMT 12
Here's a quick attempt at the RAF style 'pink' scheme.  |
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Post by mumbles on Jul 17, 2006 20:16:27 GMT 12
Actually Dave that's pretty close to what I had in mind. There'd be a legend on the nose in yellow/gold describing the occasion as well.
You get the drift anyway.
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Post by smithy on Jul 17, 2006 21:33:05 GMT 12
Nice one Dave, so that's what they would've looked like.
Nose art wise, the Jag with "Buster Gonad" on her was great, although I think I like Corsair's suggestion even more ;D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 17, 2006 22:05:29 GMT 12
Actually Dave that's pretty close to what I had in mind. There'd be a legend on the nose in yellow/gold describing the occasion as well. You get the drift anyway. Like this maybe? 70th Anniversary of No. 2 Wellingyon Squadron  |
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Post by Bruce on Jul 17, 2006 22:38:07 GMT 12
Great artwork Dave - that "desert pink" machine looks like its a long way up though!  |
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Post by corsair67 on Jul 18, 2006 9:48:45 GMT 12
"Red 1 to Red 2, just passing Angels 80, and still climbing" ;D
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Post by caromeg on Dec 7, 2006 8:57:42 GMT 12
Reminds me of the old chestnut -US Air force XXXXX talking to a Female flight controller in UK - Request clerance to FL65 - answer: (in a flippant tone) yes you can have FL65 - if you can get there! Thank you ma'am Air Force XXXX descending to FL 65.
Don't you just love the blackbird.
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