Ohakea Open Day Sat 8th April

[phil82]

The Sea Harrier [now withdrawn from service incidentally] wasn't the only RN visitor to Ohakea.I can't recall the year, but a number of Buccaneers spent a bit of time in the Ohakea hangars after landing from a carrier and being unable to get back immediately due to bad weather at sea. At least that was their story! Personally, I think they enjoyed the attractions ashore too much! That was my first close-up of a Buccaneer, and they were not only big, but built like the proverbial brick outhouse as are most naval aircraft.

[mumbles]

Dave, straying seriously off thread here, but the warhead size employed in systems like ASROC, and the depth charges I mentioned would be fairly tiny compared to strategic systems (probably 1-5 kilotonnes versus 150 kt for a small strategic warhead and up to 25 megatonnes of yield for the biggest warheads fielded). After all, the helicopter has to survive the explosion, and is somewhat limited in terms of available escape manouvres. The US at least tested this sort of thing in the early sixties. Both the RN and USN got rid of their tactical nuclear capability after the end of the Cold War, so these systems are no longer deployed.
And if these things had ever started being tossed around, I'm not sure environmental concerns would have been high on anyone's priority list!
(Don't ask me how or why I know about all this stuff, I just pick things up here and there.)

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Colin and Sam, interesting stuff indeed.

[phil82]

OK, depth charges, nuclear or not.I seem to recall that a depth charge works on killing a submarine, not by the amount of explosive set off, but by the incompressibility of water. It's all to do with water displacement. Water, to all intents and purposes, cannot be compressed. Hence a pattern of depth charges dropped around a target would actually crush it rather than blow it of the water. But subs could, and often did, survive long periods of attack by surface ships using conventional depth charges. The RN eventually beat the U-boat threat by creating sonar/asdic and more efficient means of depth-charging such as the 'Hedgehog' which fired a pattern of charges into the air which then dropped around the sub even if it was some distance from the attacking ship. Nuclear subs [powered and missile armed] were much more dangerous on the loose than conventional subs, and when they were positioned off the US coast as they were, the US determined a 'sure-kill' policy, hence the ASROC. A nuclear underwater explosion that was even close to a sub would really ruin its day. Now, remind me, the name of the film starring Richard Widmark as a neurotic US warship Captain who got into a cold-war battle of nerves with a Russian sub and which resulted in him firing an ASROC at it! [Alright, I've looked it up! It was "The Bedford Incident"] .

[phil]

Well back on topic again, here's the latest info on the Ohakea Open day.

It is still going ahead, that's the good news, also the good news is there is no charge at the gate.

Now the bad news, the reason there is no charge is that there is no flying! Weather is the reason, this is rather a shame, especially because they were going to drop countermeasures from the Herc. We are all hoping that if the weather turns out ok that they will do some flying, but I'm not sure that it will happen.

I'll be on the armament trade display most of the day in No 4 hangar (AMS).

[phil82]

Is that the official viewPhil?

Has there been any announcement to that effect?

I'm not going if there is no flying, nor on the basis that it's on again/off again, maybe/perhaps!

[Dave Homewood]

It's a pity, sorry to hear this guys.

[phil]

Yes it is the official view as at 1630 today. No Flying.

[mumbles]

So what is the go with Sunday then? It is listed as a rain alternate on the RNZAF website, and in the ad in yesterday's Dom.

[Dave Homewood]

A news article on the Open Day from yesterday is found here
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/manawatustandard/0,2106,3630686a6502,00.html

Hanging around in a flying machine
07 April 2006
By HELEN HARVEY

Hanging about in a plane while it flies upside down isn't something you get to do everyday.


And when the plane flips over, that's what you do - hang there. Held up by the seat belts.

Tomorrow is an open day at RNZAF Base Ohakea.

There are competitions and three winners will get to go flying.

Yesterday, the pilot of the Air Trainer was Squadron Leader Wal Thompson, executive officer of the flying training wing.

First thing he does is tighten the already tight seat belts.

Before the flight, instructions were given on how to work the parachute. It occurs to me that I can't remember a word, but this does not matter, because I'll never be able to undo all these seat belts.

We fly to Palmerston North, do a few loops around the Manawatu Standard office, and head back to Ohakea.

I have a turn at the controls. Any wobbling is due to the wind.

Back at the base it's time for the aerobatics. First a loop. The ground is missing in action. Only the sky is visible - no matter which direction you look.

Now, we'll go upside down, he says. This is where the seat belts come in handy. You just hang there. It's way cool.

The sickbag, part of the gear, was returned, unused, to Corporal Grant Sutherland.

He can give it out to one of the competition winners tomorrow.

But before they'll need the bag, they'll have to get changed.

Unlike some airlines the Air Force outfits aren't designed by a top fashion label - the look is more Top Gun than fashion week.

The clothes aren't designed to look good, they're designed to protect you if the plane catches fire.

Right.

Over the green flying suit, called a zoomer or a zoom bag, goes a green vest called a Mae West.

This little number weighs a bit, containing, as it does, everything the discerning flyer needs should they decide to leave the plane before it lands.

In one pocket are day/night flares, pencil flares that go up 150 feet, a pocket knife - in the open position, ready to to do . . . something . . . to the parachute if it's needed, and a boom box compass.

In the other pocket is a personal locater beacon.

"Don't touch, it'll cost you $5000," Cpl Sutherland says. His job is to ensure the gear is in good working order.

On top goes the parachute. This is also green. And big. And heavy.

Walking becomes a tad difficult.

The finishing touch is the helmet, complete with visor. Cpl Sutherland's mutterings about chicks and hair get lost as the helmet goes on. Hearing is now difficult.

Finally the gloves - also in case of fire.

Now, all that's left to do is waddle out on to the tarmac, and with all this heavy gear on, climb up on to the wing and get into the plane.

Ohakea's open day is on tomorrow from 9am to 4pm. Flying displays include the Red Checkers Aerobatic team, Iroquois Helicopters, C-130 Hercules and the Kiwi Blue Parachute team. Ground displays include bands, a fire display and Air Security dog handlers.

[corsair67]

Some piccies from the Ohakea Open Day. Pity about the flying being cancelled, but the ground displays were very good, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the show.













I really felt very sorry for LAC Ackroyd: he was working in the paint shop during the Open Day and some RNZAF guys were actually encouraging people to go and give him heaps about his handiwork!

[corsair67]

Here's more.....

[mumbles]

I was there too, also bummed about the non air display. While the reasons were fair enough, I was somewhat non-plussed about the Sunday being advertised as a weather alternative, then not being used.
Still, photos to come on the weekend once I've finished the film.

[corsair67]

Yes, if I'd been a little better organised while I was in NZ I was going to see if anyone else from here was going to be there on the day so I could shout them a beer at one of the pubs in Bulls.

If you saw some goose walking around in an Wallabies jersey during the day, well that was me! I saw Phil from the forum, but he always seemed to be busy answering questions, so I left him alone!

[Dave Homewood]

Interesting photos Craig. I never knew that there were still Hercules in the old camo scheme. It actually is refreshing to see, even though I really like the low viz grey scheme.

That is a really rare thing to see by the way, an aircraft being painted by the RNZAF as a whole. Usually complete repaints (which this looks like) were contracted out to the likes of SAFE or PAC even in my day. It's even more interesting when this is a leased civil aircraft. I wonder if it is actually civvies doing it, using the RNZAF premises and equipment. I geuss it's getting the new fancy artwork.

I also shuddered when I saw the Lindholme Mk 4. Great pieces of kit and really good for saving lives, but those containers were so difficult to close when you were packing the raft in, compared with the flat packs. I never looked forward to packing one of them when I worked in the Life Raft section.

Are they going for a new, sleaker look with the Iroquois now? 07 and 14 seem to be missing their rotors. Perhaps a noise reduction measure?

[Dave Homewood]

"one of the pubs in Bulls"

Is there more than one? I only recall the Rat Hole, a dank, dirty little flea pit where I spent many a drunken night. Are there others?

[phil82]

There are two [or were] 'hotels' in Bulls; the Criterion, and the Rangitikei

[phil82]

There were three generations of us there: myself, son [Mumbles], and grandson ! I was even greeted with an extended handshake and a "How the hell are you?" by CAF, John Hamilton, quite remarkable as I haven't seen him for 22 years and he was a Wg Cmdr at the time!

It's the face you know: unforgettable!

[phil82]

That Herc is the last one in the old colour scheme [actually borrowed from the Canadians I believe], and will be repainted if they ever get a chance! I heard this week the RNZAF accepted the offer of a Singapore Herc, currently in NZ, to do the 'shuttle' run as the only aircraft available!

[amitch]

Why was the flying cancelled?