NZ Airshow Display Teams

[Dave Homewood]

Do or did the following display teams have official team names?

- The 6 Squadron Seasprites as seen at Wanaka this year?

- The 14 Squadron Aermacchi display team?

- The Yak 52 display team

Apart from Trevor Bland, who were the other members of the RNZAF Vampire team the 'Jetobatics'?

Also, apart from those above and Kiwi Red, the Red Checkers, the Fletcher Display team and the Roaring Forties, have there been any other dedicated display teams in this country?

[xr6turbo1]

From memory the Macchi team were called the Black Falcons, not 100% sure on that though
Due to the number of nanchangs in the country the formation group have named themselves the Chinese Checkers, I am not sure if this is an official team though

[Dave Homewood]

Ah yes, I believe the Black Falcons is correct. That's what I'd heard anyway. I know nothing about that team - how many aircraft were in it? Who were the pilots? Where and when did they display? Anyone got details?

The Chinese Checkers, what a cool name!

[xr6turbo1]

The Black Falcons flew at WOW, in I think 2000 they were very impressive.
Only guys I remember were George Evans and Jimmy Turner and the team had 5 aeroplanes.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Gavin, that info is much appreciated.

[Dave Homewood]

I have found a reference to a team from No. 14 Squadron flying Vampires, called the 'Yellow-Hammers'. It states they flew Venoms too, but if so it must have been in Singapore, not NZ.

Does anyone know anything about this team please? When, where, who, why, any specific markings, etc?

[corsair67]

Wasn't Harold "Mo" Moss the leader of a NZ Vampire aerobatic team at one stage during the 1950s?

[mumbles]

From memory The Black Falcons were formed specifically for the 99-00 season as part of the millenium celebrations. Five aircraft in the team.

At the 50th anniversary Ohakea show I remember a three ship Hercules display. They may not have been a formal team but it was certainly impressive.

The current 40 Sqn 757/C130 formation demo has a name, but it escapes me at the moment.

The Yellowhammers were 75 Squadron, taking the name from the crossed hammers behind the Tiki on the squadron crest presumably. I don't think there were any specific team markings. Phil82 might know, he was around at the time, and I know he has some slides of a display stashed somewhere.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Sam.

Yes, I have now found that the Black Falcon's first display was at Gisborne for the dawn of the Millenium (1/1/00).

That three ship Herc team would be cool. One is awesome enough when displaying.

I never knew the 40 Sqn B.757 and C130 pair has a name. Anyone know what it's called?

Thanks for the info on the Yellow Hammers.

[mumbles]

Jeez Dave, do you ever sleep? ;D

I don't remember much about that Herc display, other than there were three aircraft, and it included an opposition pass by two Hercs banked toward each other. It was awesome.

[Dave Homewood]

Wow. Sounds great.

I have a feeling there was a video produced of the Wigram 50th Anniversary Airshow in April 1987, I wonder if the Ohakea one was shot too. Or if that htree-ship Herc team were also at Wiram a week or so before you saw them.

[lesterpk]

Hi, the 757, C-130 and P-3 display is known as Kiwi Thunder. Not sure about the 3 Herc team though.
You can add Andrew (Daff) Niles to the Black Falcons pilot list. I saw an article somewhere about them, I'll see if I can dig it up.
Les.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Les. Another couple of gaps filled.

[Dave Homewood]

More questions:

Would Flt Lt F.H. Parker of the 1980-81 Red Checkers be the now-warbird pilot Frank Parker by any chance?

Also, does anyone know what Wg Comm John Bates is doing nowadays? He used to command 75 Sqn and Kiwi Red when i was in the RNZAF. He also commanded the most extraordinary moustache in the RNZAF, very Jimmy Edwards style. Is he still flying today?

[Dave Homewood]

I have been doing some adding to the Airshow Display Teams page here
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Airshow_Display_Teams.htm

It's amazing how many names in the old military display teams are now very familiar to us as warbirds pilots.

I have decided to cut back a little on the scope of the project at the moment and concentrate purely on RNZAF airshow appearances and teams. So the site may adapt slightly as it goes along. Once I have staurated the site with military info and there's no more known gaps to fill or info drys up, I'll move onto warbird shows and aircraft. This way I won't be trying to do too much at once (like I am with my main website, too much for one person to handle)

Obviously there's loads more to add yet and i have a lot of info to go up soon, but please take a look at the link above, just the display teams page, and see if you can add any appearances, names, dates, etc in case I don't yet have it. Thanks.

[xr6turbo1]

The airshow site is looking good. Here are a couple of alterations you can make.
Jason Haggit flew one of the seasprites at Wanaka this year. He spent a few years flying the Huey then trasferred to the Navy.

Kiwi Thunder displayed at WOW 2004 from memory and Darren Webb flew the C130

I think the Black Falcons were an official team as I remember seeing a patch and special smoke generators were put on the aircraft.

The Wanganui Aerowork guys displayed at WOW 2000 and pilots were Richmond Harding, John Harding and Bruce harding

In 2000 the red Checkers were lead by Squadron Leader Andrew Greaves.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for the info, another update will come when i get a moment.

I have a problem though right now - I have seen a photo in a book of the CFS Harvard team displaying just after the war, in three Harvards that are tied together with rope. Each is in a different wartime scheme from memory, like one yellow, one camouflaged and maybe one silver. I have been looking through books but cannot find the photo at all.

Does anyone know where this photo was published? Which book? It's driving me nuts.

Thanks.

[Dave Homewood]

No panic now, I have finally located the photo - in Brendon Deere's Military Wings Volume Two, page 48. It has NZ1099 in yellow scheme just as it appeared on thw warbird circuit in the 1990's, with a camouflaged Harvard in what looks like Pacifc blue and Green (F)OTU scheme, with a third Harvard that's tied to '099 that's in a strange scheme. It looks like bare metal fuselage but the inner wings are a light colour and outer wings are darker - resemebling the 1970's grey/red scheme.