Ohakea Open Day Sat 8th April

[phil]

So whos heard anything about it, and who intends coming? This board has been rather quiet about our Open day, so I figure that:

a. You haven't heard about it, or
b. No one is interested....

Interested to find out which.

[phil82]

Depending on the weather, I'll be there

[Dave Homewood]

What is actually going to be on display and flown on the day Phil? The best i can find is that it starts at 10.00am and will involve "all RNZAF assets", which won't take long.

Will there also be Warbirds and other operators? Or is it strictly an RNZAF affair? Also, what's the cost?

For most people Ohakea is far too remote to get to I think. I certainly doubt I'll be making it along.

Will they fly a Maachi?
"

[phil]

I have no idea, except they definately will not fly a macchi. I know about as much as you do at this stage, it's only two weeks away and everyone is still mostly in the dark about the whole thing.

[phil82]

I think people will still attend air shows, but sad to say I think the days of 'the big ones' are over in New Zealand, which is why I'm planning a return to Avalon next year. It's the only place nearby, [well relatively!], where you can see a whole range of ancient and modern. I note Wanaka is advertising "overseas participation" but that won't be military, and "full participation" by the RNZAF is a bit blase these days.

[phil]

We are trying to organise the Herc display to include countermeasures (flares) and a smokey SAM launch as it comes in, but that decision will be made well above our level. The A4s always used to drop flares, and the herc does look pretty cool when it salvos them off. The idea is that we will launch four smokey sams (these are simulated SAM rockets used in training the Herc crews) and the Herc will dump it's flares. Getting this idea up the chain and into the program in two weeks might prove challenging though.

[corsair67]

I am trying to be there for the show, but all depends on transport. I've got as mate in Palmerston North who I'm going to try and convince it'd be a great event to go to!

Please arrange some good weather, Phil: I nearly got frostbite at Wigram on the weekend!

[phil]

I hope there is no chance of frost bite. It seems you will have to pay entry fee though, it's $5 per aduls, not sure what it is for kids.

[Dave Homewood]

Just for everyone's interest...

If you happened to have been at Ohakea for the 40th Anniversary of the RNZAF, on the 1st of April 1977, they had the Ohakea Open Day.

On that day you'd have seen the following aircraft on static display:

Airtrainer
Strikemaster
Skyhawk
Dakota
Andover
Aviation Sports Club aircraft
Gliders and Homebuilts

But more excitingly the air display included the following events:

12:00 - 75 Sqn commence weapons training on the bombing and gunnery range
13:15 - PTSU paradrop from Dakota
14:00 - Fire fighting practice
14:30 - 14 Sqn Strikemasters flying training
14:40 - Two Dakotas continuation training
14:50 - Skyhawk formation take off
14:55 - Airtrainer continuation training
15:00 - Iroquois assault landing and medivac
15:10 - Andover crew continuation training
15:20 - Orion from 5 Sqn arrives
15:30 - Assault landing and tactical unload
15:40 - Formation join by four Skyhawks with arrested landings

[Dave Homewood]

I would love a copy of the airshow programme if someone attending can please pick one up. I will reimburse costs of course. Thanks.

I believe the familiar trio of Hercules, Orion and 757 will be making an appearance low level in formation, because I heard a brief report on the radio news that they had been practising this low over Auckland this week. I think maybe someone complained or something, which made it newsworthy. Who'd complain at that site though?

[phil]

People will always complain. 3 sqn were down south a couple of weeks ago on exercise, doing night flying I think, and attracted complaints.

Funny that no one complained a couple of years ago when the same 3 sqn were rescuing sheep and delivering hay in the snow storm. People sure have short memories.

[JEden]

I'll be there for a few hours at least. Got a wedding to go to in Palmerston Nth at 4:00, so owing to the fact Ohakea just happens to be on the way....gosh darn it I guess I'll spend a bit of time there. Probably be the only civilian git there in a tie and shirt hehe

James

[Dave Homewood]

Some more historical context - earlier this time:

If you went to the 'Visitor's Day' at Ohakea on the 16th of February 1950 you'd have seen:

2.55 - Pyrotechnic display by Armament Section
3.00 - Supply drop by a Dakota of No. 41 Transport Squadron, RNZAF Station Whenuapai
3.10 - Formation flying by Oxfords of No. 14 Squadron
3.20 - Flying demonstration by an Auster of No. 42 Sqn
3.30 - Aerobatics by Mosquito aircraft of No. 75 Sqn
3.40 - Flying demonstration by a Devon of No. 42 Sqn
3.50 - Formation aerobatics by Harvards of No. 42 Sqn
4.00 - Formation flying by Mosquitoes of No. 75 Sqn
4.15 - Flying display by Harvards of No. 2 (Territorial) Squadron, Wellington
4.25 - Fly past of aircraft

STATIC DISPLAY
Meteor
Mosquito
Oxford
Dominie
Devon
Anson
Avenger
Harvard
Auster
Dakota
Aerovan
Tiger Moth

It's interesting to note that 42 Sqn had a Harvard aerobatics display team. Also the Meteor took off and flew to Whenuapai on this day, it's first flight in some time, and it's last ever.

[Dave Homewood]

More history...

AIR FORCE DAY
February 21st 1953

Flying Programme

Air Race various types of aircraft - handicapped for speed

Slow Flying and Manoeuvrability Demonstration by Auster observation aircraft

Fly Past Aircraft in Review Formation

Height Judging Competition (orange and black striped Avenger, in competition that cost 6d to enter, to guess the height, proceeds to RNZAF Welfare Fund)

Formation Flying by No. 2 (Wellington) Territorial Squadron - Mustang fighter aircraft

Aerobatics - Mustang aircraft

Formation Flying by jet aircraft - Vampire fighter/ground attack aircraft

Low Level Airfield Attack - by Mustang aircraft

Supply Dropping - Harvard aircraft

High Speed Jet Flying - aerobatics by Vampire aircraft

Now that would have been a great show, especially the low level attack by P-51D's! I wonder if anyone got it on film (professional or 8mm home movie)

[Dave Homewood]

Another historical Ohakea show...

1st of April 1964

Present were:
The Royal Air Force
with
3 x Handley Page Victor bombers
1 x Bristol Britannia transport
1 x Armstrong Whitworth Argosy
1 x Blackburn Beverly

United States Air Force
6 x F105Republic Thunderchief fighetrs (was this a display team?)
2 x KB50 Boeing tankers
4 x C130 Hercules
2 x C118 Globemasters

RCAF
1 x Canadair Yukon transport

RAAF
2 x Lockheed Neptunes
1 x C130 Hercules

RNZAF
Canberras
Vampires
1 x Sunderland
DC6
Hastings
Bristol Freighter
Devons
Harvards

Events included:
Formation flypasts of Devons and Harvards (RNZAF)

Formation Aerobatics - Harvards of Central Flying School RNZAF

Flypasts and Handling Displays of
- medium range transports (Freighter, Beverley, Argosy)
- Long range transports (Yukon, Hastings, DC6, Brittannia, C130's)
- Air Attack aircraft (Canberras, Vampires, Victors, F105's)

Land Air Demonstration
- Paratoops free-fall from RNZAF Hastings
- Main drop of paras from Beverley
- Resupply drop from USAF Hercules
- Air landing of troops RAAF Hercules
- Air landing of troops RNZAF Freighter

During this, Canberras, Vampires and F105's carried out close support, simulating strafing, rocket attacks and bombing on enemy positions

Finally - Formation Aerobatics by four 75 Sqn Vampires

What a great show that must have been.

[Dave Homewood]

The last historical details I have (these all come from old programmes I purchased recently...)

Harrier Day
Date unkown, sometime 1982-87?

Present were Harriers and Sea King from HMS Invincible which must have been visiting NZ, plus RAAF F-111's, and the Red Checkers amd Skyhawks displayed. The day raised money for the RNZAF Museum, and the artist impression (by Maurice Conley) on the back of the proposed Wigram museum is a fascinating insight. It shows a building between and connecting No.s 6 and 7 hangars at Wigram, which had a tower like an air trafic control tower on top for observation. On the grass is a Vampire mounted on a pole as gate guard. The idea must have been visitors would drive right through the base to get there! Quite different from the actual result.

[mumbles]

The Sea Harriers were here as part of the "Orient Express" deployment of HMS Invincible to Australia and New Zealand (and presumably other UK friendly southern hemisphere places) in 1983-84. The New Zealand aspect of the deployment was detailed in the February 1984 'Wings' (where I'm quoting from). The date given for the Ohakea show is December 1st 1983. Invincible was tied up at the overseas terminal in Wellington during this time, Dad took me in to see it on a school day, much to Mum's displeasure! I think I may have been at home unwell anyway. We didn't make it to the airshow itself, you'll have to ask Phil82 why not. I would have loved to go, and I'm sure he would have as well.
In addition to Ohakea one of the embarked Sea King helicopters displayed at an airshow in Kerikeri of all places. It isn't mentioned if the Sea Harriers were at the same show, although there was RNZAF presence in the form of at least an Iroquois (all that is visible in the photo).
In the same article there is also interesting commentary on the exercise phase of the deployment, with the RN pilots claiming many Skyhawk kills (most of the pilots having experience of the real thing no doubt only 18 months previously), and an acknowledgement that 'our present attack equipment is somewhat dated'. The article was written before the upgrade/replace decision for the A-4's was finalised, and the options are briefly discussed.
Also interesting is that Invincible was refused permission to use an Australian dry dock after a propellor shaft failure, on the grounds of the RN's "refusal to comment on whether the ship was nuclear capable". Which of course it was, the Sea Harrier being able to carry the WE177 nuclear bomb, as well as the Sea Kings being able to deploy nuclear depth charges I think.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for all that Sam, it's really interesting. I will, in due course, scan the Conly impresion of the museum as it's an amazing concept.

Nuclear depth charges? I've never heard of this concept before and worry deeply about the idea - imagine the environmental effect, not to mention the tsunami it'd cause. Have these been tested?

[phil82]

It was! I was there, on duty, and there were aircraft everywhere. The parties were pretty good too! The thee Victors were from 100 Sqn, the "Tatty Ton", and I actually knew some of the lineys from my time in the RAF. The 105s weren't a display team, they were just a detachment of part of a squadron then based in Japan. The CO, a Col, later took his aircraft to Vietnam and became quite famous, although I can't recall his name now! I also recall one of those KB50.s clipped a boundary fence on his way in! The KB50 was, of course, a B29 with two jet engines in addition to the usual four props.

[phil82]

The US Navy equipped a number of surface ships with nuclear weapons designed specifically to kill submarines, the ASROC, [anti-submarine rocket] designed to drop a nuclear weapon in the vicinity. As nukes went they were quite small, but then they wouldn't need to be very big would they!