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Post by zknsj on Apr 1, 2006 14:17:40 GMT 12
apparently it has been confirmed that a raaf f-111, will wing its way over the ditch for warbirds over wanaka, it cant land at wanaka so may come via christchurch or ohakea or even direct, should be a good sight to see
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Post by mumbles on Apr 1, 2006 16:34:51 GMT 12
Be nice if it was at the Ohakea open day next week....
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Post by phil on Apr 1, 2006 16:41:38 GMT 12
'Open day' is a relative term, it is going to cost $5 per adult to get in.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 1, 2006 16:58:23 GMT 12
$5 is not a lot to pay really - I see it's $2 for kids and $10 per family. Cheap compared with some airshows and many events. The RNZAF Open Days have always charged a fee, with proceeds going to welfare funds etc.
As for the F-111, great news. This must be the first such overseas Air Force airshow appearance in a very long time.
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Post by phil82 on Apr 2, 2006 10:32:56 GMT 12
From memory, the determination of a small charge to cover costs to the base of running the Open Day was made many years ago, and is quite legitimate. It is, in any event, a very small amount; less than the price of a beer! I think the Base Welfare Fund benefits a little, and so it should. A lot of people are losing their weekend.
F111s are frequent visitors to New Zealand. They spend a bit of time looking up at hills apparently, as opposed to flying over the Australian GFA, which is largely featureless. I have photos of the F111 which committed 'hari kari' at Ohakea if anyone is interested!
I'll be there, weather permitting. Try me on 0210401211 if it's on!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 2, 2006 11:27:09 GMT 12
What I meant was, it's been a long time since an F-111 has displayed at an airshow here, isn't it?
Yes, that's correct that many airmen and airwomen will be giving up their day off for the show. I recall one particular Wings and Wheels at Wigram in 1991, naturally on a Sunday, co-incided with one of the most spectacular games played by NZ in the Cricket World Cup. The CWC was being played in NZ at the time and NZ's performance had been stunning, but on this day they were at their best. Luckily someone had set up a tent with a TV in it for us poor baggies to visit often and check the score, and i was fortunate to see the openiong when Mark Greatbatch had his finest one-day innings. Massive sixes everywhere. There were a lot of guys peed off they were working during the game, from memory it was being played at Lancaster Park and we'd have been there otherwise, or in the bar at least watching the big screen.
As for paying, the 1953 Ohakea Air Force Day programme cost 6d. The 1964 Ohakea Air Force Day charged for the programme and car parking, funds going to the RNZAF Welfare Fund. The 1977 programme cost 50c, I don't know if there was an additional gate charge. And Harrir Day at Ohakea (date unknown but sometime between 1982-87, cost $1.00 with the money going to the RNZAF Museum.
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Post by turboNZ on Apr 3, 2006 20:44:38 GMT 12
Be awesome to see the Pig !!!  |
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Post by mumbles on Apr 4, 2006 23:09:42 GMT 12
So does anyone know if said Pig will be operating out of Whenuapai, Ohakea, or Woodbourne? Or how long it will be here? Somewhat embarrassed to be this enthusiastic, but this is what I am reduced to, having no fast jets of our own to chase  . |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 5, 2006 10:36:54 GMT 12
I was told yesterday by someone who knows one of the pilots (he says two F-111's are coming) that they'll be operating from Queenstown. Is the Queenstown strip long enough?
There will be some other fast jets at Wanaka too, the Hunter (awesome), dragonfly and two Vampires it seems) - not to mention the 757...
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Post by phil82 on Apr 5, 2006 11:26:44 GMT 12
Queenstown eh! That ought to rattle a few dags!
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Post by Bruce on Apr 5, 2006 11:55:41 GMT 12
I'd have thought queenstown would be very marginal for an F111 - it also has fairly tight approaches and is really close to residential areas. I think the Hunter might base there, but that is considerably lighter than an F111. Christchurch sounds a better bet. (mind you, the F111 does have a high lift wing config - maybe it doesnt need that much room)
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Post by amitch on Apr 5, 2006 12:27:27 GMT 12
In the past the Hunter has been based at Dunedin.
As for the F-111, I would guess Christchurch or Ohakea.
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Post by redkiwi on Apr 9, 2006 1:03:52 GMT 12
I believe the F-111's will be flying out of Christchurch. The other RNZAF heavies (Orion and 757) will also be based out of there.
Any Christchurch members not making the trip inland should see some interesting arrivals and departures over the weekend.
The Hunter is currently parked at Dunedin so I assume it will fly form here as last time it attended the Wanaka show.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 9, 2006 12:12:22 GMT 12
Wow, imagine flying low level across Otago from Dunedin to Wanaka in a Hunter!
I too thought Q'town would be margnal but I've never seen an F-111 so don't know how much runway they need. I know they were designed for carriers so maybe not that much?
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Post by Bruce on Apr 9, 2006 17:52:34 GMT 12
The naval F111 was never built and I believe it would have had a different wing - it also quite definitely need catapault launching off a carrier (Would need a big carrier to hold the thing too....). Standard F111s, nevertheless do have a serious array of multi - slotted flaps and slats, so they arent bad in low speed config. I have seen F111s displaying Whenuapai in the 1980s, and they certainly are impressive - and extremely noisy! (Should wake the Cantabs up coming out of Christchurch....). Look for the fuel dump and burn trick..... I wonder if they use "acoustic lift technology" where the loud noise vibrates the air molecules above the wing.... As alledgedly used on the Britten Norman Islander!  |
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Post by redkiwi on Apr 10, 2006 21:32:12 GMT 12
I first saw the F-111 as part of the RNZAF 50th Anniversary celebration in Christchurch and apart from the dump and burn routine wasn't all that impressed. However the RAAF have put on some truly wicked demonstrations at the 2001 and 2006 Avalon Shows I've attended.
Unfortunately we will not get to see the impressive rapid takeoff and sharp bank employed to start the Avalon demos but Wanaka's landscape provides some really opportunities for a ground hugger to show what its made off.
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Post by zknsj on Apr 13, 2006 21:27:52 GMT 12
well it arrived in chch today, apparently had an emergency landing as a result of a hydraulic systems failure, so a maintenance crew is on the way tomorrow to fix it
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Post by Bruce on Apr 13, 2006 22:59:18 GMT 12
saw it on Tele - looks awesome! Hope they fix it in time......
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Post by zknsj on Apr 14, 2006 15:39:50 GMT 12
just been out to see it, what a sight,
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 14, 2006 20:05:37 GMT 12
It practised twice today. AWESOME!! Just amazing. Apparently one of them had mechanical failure yesterday and had to return to Chch toot sweet.
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