Carry Me Back

[Dave Homewood]

I watched that gem of a kiwi comedy, Carry Me back again last night. Dad taped it back in the 1980's and I hadn't watched it for years. I was surprised to be reminded that not only does a yellow and white Fieldair DC-3 appear (including some lovely air to air shots of it flying from Wellington to Blenheim), but also RNZAF Base Woodbourne is featured. You see the main gate in several scenes, and one of the hangars was also used.

Do any of our members recall them filming these scenes?

Here is the film
www.imdb.com/title/tt0083721/

[helikiwi]

yes i remember it well
pilot is mike cronin (flew daks out of woodbourne and masterton for a number of years - then moved to an office job with fieldair - had the distinction of flying most of the retiring daks back to palmy to rot outside their hangar)

not sure if he still flies

he topdressed out of callairs, agwagons, beavers, fletchers, crescos, agcats, dc3's, and thrushes.

great movie!

[sniff]

I remember Mike. Nice guy.
I had just finished my Dak conversion at Ohakea and was picked to be the Flight Safety Officer at the annual ATC flying camp at Masterton. We got chatting and I ended up doing a few flights with him, watching the ag operation - single pilot - operating what is essentially a 2 crew aircraft by himself. I got a few take-offs and landings, and a bit of ag time too. I think we both both learned a bit off each other over that couple of weeks. Flying low level in the valleys with no horizon in a 'heavy' was a real eye opener - a special breed of aviator!

[Dave Homewood]

Welcome to the forum helikiwi. Indeed, those ag Dakota pilots were certainly amazing flyers.