The Wings Over New Zealand Forum 2006 Awards

[Dave Homewood]

As we draw towards the close of 2006 I thought it'd be nice to have a little thought about the achievements of both the aviation world and of this forum throughout the year.

So, nominations are sought here for what you think are the best or worst in the following categories. Feel free to nominate additional categories too.

We're talking about the year of 1st of January 2006 till now

Forum Awards for 2006:

Best Thread of the Year

Best Post of the Year

Best Photo by a member seen of the Forum

Forum Personality of the Year

Most Stunning Thing You Learned From the Forum This Year

Best model seen on the Forum



Aviation Awards 2006

Best NZ Airshow of the Year

Best Overseas Airshow of the Year

Best Fly-in of the year

Your favourite Flight of the Year

Best Ongoing Restoration Project

Best Return to Flight in NZ in 2006

Best Aviation Moment of 2006

Best coup in NZ Aviation 2006

Best Aviation Film or DVD You've Seen this Year

2006's Greatest Loss to NZ Aviation

Favourite NZ Aircraft of the Year

NZ Aircraft Lifetime Hall of Fame Nominee

Best Aviation Company You've Dealt With

Best Aviation Personality of the Year

Best Aviation Magazine of the Year

Best Model Aircraft Release of 2006

Best Aviation Books you've read in 2006

Best Aviation Museum

[Dave Homewood]

My Initial Thoughts, these may change or be added to as more come to me...

Forum Awards for 2006

Best Thread of the Year
Still thinking

Best Post of the Year
Among many great posts, my pick is Barnsey telling us about his amazing experience of ejecting from his Skyhawk, just amazing to read.

Best Photo by a member seen of the Forum
So many to choose from. So many good photographers. I have to say I really appreciate having a wealth of great photographers as memebrs here, I always love to see the work of the likes of Alex Mitchell, Colin Hunter, Gavin Conroy, Glenn Alderton, Peter Finlay and the rest of you, but also the older aviation photos from the archives of Peter Lewis and Marcus Bridle are fascinating and wonderful to see. I will see if I can single one out.

Forum Personality of the Year
Everyone who contributes to the forum, especially the regulars - it's you guys and girls that make it so good!


Most Stunning Thing You Learned From the Forum This Year
Lots, will have to think about this one

Best Model seen on the Forum in 2006
Toss up between Bruce Cooke's Orion, and Anthony Galbraith's J-Force Corsair



Aviation Awards 2006

Best NZ Airshow of the Year
Warbirds Over Wanaka, hands down

Best Overseas Airshow of the Year
I never attended any but photos on other forums tell me Flying Legends at Duxford in July was the best

Best Fly-in of the year
Though I couldn't make it in the end, definately Bruce's Black Sands fly-in looked wonderful in the photos. I'll make it there next year!

Your favourite Flight of the Year
Thunder Mustang, no doubt! Thanks again Simon!!!

Best Ongoing Restoration Project
Difficult when there are so many great restorations happening here in NZ, but the one I'm most excitied about and followed most thanks to Stuart's webpage for AvSpecs is the Mosquito

Best Return to Flight in NZ in 2006
Either the Swissair DH89 as I love that type, or the Proctor that Ryan and the Croydon team have restored.

Best Aviation Moment of 2006
A few nominees here.
Watching both the displays by Richard Hood and by Doug Brooker at Tauranga, both were stunningly superb. Richard - how dd you make the smoke balls???

Watching Jergus at Wanaka, breathtaking.

One of the best moments this year and all too brief, the three P-40's together in the air at Wanaka, with the Corsair (on the Friday and the Sunday). Magic.

The LA-9 and L-39 together in an aerial ballet at Wanaka. Superb.

The final flypast at Wanaka with missing man for Ray Hanna, it was very moving.

Abroad, seeing photos of the three genuine Bristol Fighters flying together at Old Warden, one of which is now in or on its way to NZ.

Best coup in NZ Aviation 2006
Peter Jackson and his team getting the go ahead to remake Dambusters, which will see several replica Lancasters built in NZ. Awesome!

Best Aviation Film or DVD You've Seen this Year

Hmm, the Sport Avex DVD was pretty good for newcomers (ie me and my mate...)

2006's Greatest Loss to NZ Aviation
In terms of aircraft, the selling of Spitfire TB863 across the Tasman, and announcement of the AFC winding up.

Favourite NZ Aircraft of the Year
The Thunder Mustang

NZ Aircraft Lifetime Hall of Fame Nominee
Supermarine Spitfire TB863

Best Aviation Company You've Dealt With
Trademe ;D ;D

Best Aviation Personality of the Year
Tough one. Some names that come to my mind are Svetlana Kapanina, Jurgis Kairys, Peter Jackson, Sir Tim Wallis, Simon and Bryan Gault, Richard Hood, Doug Brooker, the crew of the F-111 and the Hunter pilot at Tauranga... so many have contributed to a great year in aviation

Best Aviation Magazine of the Year
Classic Wings, followed closely by Pacific Wings

Best Model Aircraft Release of 2006
It must be the Kiwi Resins Vincent and Vildebeest - I haven't seen one yet as I'm waiting for the 1/48th version, but any model of those beauties deserves an award

Best Aviation Books You've Read
Hurricane Tim by Neville Peat
Fighters by Leo White

Best Museum of 2006
The RNZAF Museum, followed closely by the NZFPM, Wanaka who're second only because they don't have a Hudson

[Dave Homewood]

Is no-one else keen to make some nominations then??

I thought this would be a popular idea.

[corsair67]

Dave, I am interested in this idea, but I'd have to sit down and have a real think about the winners in each category.

Maybe there are too many categories, which has scared some people off?

[Dave Homewood]

You don't have to fill them all in, just those where you want to nominate suggestions.

[corsair67]

Okay then, I'll see what I can come up with over the weekend.

[flyjoe180]

Okay I'll have a go, got some spare time...

Forum Awards for 2006:

Best Thread of the Year:
The Skyhawk sale thread, lots of different views on the matter and there was much I didn't know about the whole episode. Informative with good research from a wide range of people.

Best Post of the Year: ?

Best Photo by a member seen of the Forum:
So many, but one that really stood out was Glenn's P40 nose shot. Angry and emotive, awesome.

Forum Personality of the Year:
I'll give it to you, Dave, as the forum creator and moderator person. A great job on this forum, well done. I enjoy this more than any other aviation forum I've tried, and all members have been great.

Most Stunning Thing You Learned From the Forum This Year:
A lot of NZ aviation history that I otherwise wouldn't have either known or even considered.

Best model seen on the Forum:
I really loved that RNZAF Friendship model (my memory won't allow me to recall whose it was, but really awesome work)

Aviation Awards 2006

Best NZ Airshow of the Year:
Wanaka, although I didn't go to any shows in '06, the posts provided here have been a good alternative.

Best Overseas Airshow of the Year:
The Richmond show looked to be a great one with lots of aircraft from different eras.

Best Fly-in of the year: ?

Your favourite Flight of the Year: I've enjoyed all my flights this year, have'nt flown anything like in a Thunder Mustang like you Dave. I did enjoy my hour in the Citabria though, thanks to Andrew. Very refreshing and different.

Best Ongoing Restoration Project:
Mosquito at Avspecs, Ardmore.

Best Return to Flight in NZ in 2006:
A P-40 coming out of the shop at Pioneer, Ardmore, and firing up for the first time in god knows how many years at dusk. Flames and spluttering followed by the growl of an Allison.

Best Aviation Moment of 2006:
Seeing that restored P-40 fire up at dusk for the first time.

Best coup in NZ Aviation 2006: ?

Best Aviation Film or DVD You've Seen this Year:
Dark Blue World

2006's Greatest Loss to NZ Aviation:
The Wanaka Spitfire going to Australia.

Favourite NZ Aircraft of the Year:
AFC's Hawker Hurricane

NZ Aircraft Lifetime Hall of Fame Nominee:
NZ aircraft? Hmm, bit limited here, but if you don't just mean NZ made, then the P-40 would have to take the prize here.

Best Aviation Company You've Dealt With: ?

Best Aviation Personality of the Year ?

Best Aviation Magazine of the Year:
Classic Wings Downunder

Best Model Aircraft Release of 2006: ?

Best Aviation Books you've read in 2006:
Ghosts in the Air by Jack Currie, Nine Lives (Al Deere), Hurricane Tim by Neville Peat

Best Aviation Museum:
Wanaka's AFC Fighter Pilot Museum. Haven't visited for a long time. Close second would be MOTAT's Keith Park Memorial Airfield Museum, Western Springs. Love the Solent.