New NZ Airshow Website Underway

[Dave Homewood]

Well I mentioned this some time back and I think people thought it was a good idea. So I have begun the very early stages of trying to create a small website that will record the history of New Zealand Airshows.

Basically I am only looking at airshows with military content, Warbirds content and/or classic content like Tiger Moths and Dominies. There's just too much scope to cover every fly-in ever held, and little public interest in niche groups like the Microlighters or homebuilders, etc. I think.

On the site I hope to record the airshow's date, venue, contents and particpating aircraft if possible, display pilots if known, and other related info like if it was raising money for a charity or in association with some anniversary, etc.

So that'll be the main section, but i'm devoting other pages to:
- Display teams (military and civil)
- Airshow Pilots (currently a list of names, later I hope to add mini-biogs for many of them)
- Airshow Stars (the planes of course, like the Venom, Spitfire, A-4, etc)
- Upcoming events
- Links, including one to this forum
- Galleries for photos

Firstly, what do you all think? It will be a huge task to get it up to speed. Is it worth it?

Secondly, if you have any personal memories, details, or photos to offer from any airshow in NZ history, they'd be most welcome. I'm currently going through NZ Wings back issues which I have tons of, so the bulk is being filled out there, but there will also be other sources where i can find info. if you can point me towards any airshow, display or pageant, I'd appreciate it.

I'd also love to get scans of any airshow programmes (cover and display list if it's a big book), and especially the likes of Red Checkers and Kiwi Red brochures, etc for each year.

Anyway, all suggestions, thoughts and comments are welcome.
Cheers

Oh, here's the link (rememeber this is very new, very scant and almost a note forum of what i envisage, a first fraft...)
www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Airshow%20Archive%20Home.htm

[corsair67]

Dave, I have a few programs from the Wings and Wheels shows held at Wigram during the 80s; but as with most other aviation things of mine they're still sitting in Christchurch!

I'll see if any of my mates back home have anything they can supply.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Craig. There's no immediate hurry with this, it'll take a bit of a back seat to my other already demanding web projects, and build up gradually I hope.

[turboNZ]

I think I have some old stuff in the bottom of boxes as well I can dig up too.
Wings and Wheels, now you're talking old !!!

[stu]

Hi Dave,

I think I've got some old photos and a program from the 1992 Auckland International Airshow hidden away somewhere. Email me if you want me to hunt them down and send you some scans.

Cheers,
Stu.

[Simonjg]

very cool site Dave well done yet again

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Simon and Stu.

The photos would be welcome. I think the best way is for anyone who wishes to submit photos is post them here, and then I can transfer them from here. That way we'll all get a sneak preview. A scan of the programme would be great too. Cheers.

Simon, I love the new avatar mate!

[mumbles]

Great idea Dave. I've got a bunch of old programs as well, going back to the 1983 Whenuapai show. Plus photos from heaps of shows since the 80's.

Couple of comments after a very very brief scan:

You left out the four Vulcan B.1's of 617 Squadron that based at Ohakea for the Wellington airport opening in 1959. Probably worth mentioning the infamous 'ramp strike' by the Vulcan, and the agricultural efforts of the Sunderland at that show as well if you haven't already ;D

Some more for the list.
There was an airshow at Paraparaumu in December 1982
There was an airshow at Wanganui in February 1989
There was an open day at Ohakea in September 1989, featuring RAAF Hornets.
Airshows at New Plymouth (Jan 91), and Masterton (Easter 91)
Open days at Ohakea in March 1993, and 1998.
Warbirds over Waikato Easter 1995.
Warbirds over Wairarapa shows in 1998 and 1999 (Jan?), and on through 01, 03, 05.

All from memory, I have programmes for most so can come back with exact dates later.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that info Sam. I had not forgotten the Wellington airport opening, just haven't put it up yet - I have the programme from that show. I didn't realise there were four Vulcan's here at that time though - I assume only one attended the show and they were here for other purposes? Or did all four appear at he show?

A great list of airshows there, the photos and scans would be really appreciated when you find them. I'm sure most will be listed in Wings as i go through so the dates will be findable.

One interesting fact I've learned since starting this project is the first Wanaka warbirds show in 1988, called Warbirds On Parade, was scheduled for the 9th and 10th of January 1988, but they postponed it because the Spitfire hadn't arrived as expected. It went ahead in April, starting the late season tradition which probably helped its popularity, Funnily enough, the Spit still wasn't there. Several airshows advertised the Spitfire as coming but it never flew till almost a year later. Apparently it was damaged when being crated up for transportation to NZ, and the pressure of the UK season meant it had to wait in a queue for repair. That'd rip your kilt when you had bookings to fulfill.

[stu]

While sorting through some photos of the 1992 International Air Show I came across this little gem (taken by yours truly), a classic case of bad camera position and no zoom lens resulting in a strange juxtaposition.

Perhaps it should be titled "how head lice are REALLY transferred"?

Don't worry Dave, I'm sure I've got some usable ones somewhere .....

[Dave Homewood]

;D ;D ;D

[Dave Homewood]

I have added some more information to the pages on the site and done a few shuffles of layout, etc.

I am suddenly realising now after starting this, it's simply going to be a massive task to cover even just RNZAF-attended and Warbird-attended airshows. So it will have to be a slow back-burner job, but feel free to keep the programmes, photos and information rolling in.

I was almost considering today to drop everything else from the site and dedicate it purely to RNZAF teams, but then i just love the warbirds too much to do that. But I think I'll defiantely be leaving out anything outside those two parameters to save space and time, etc.

It's quite interesting seeing how airshows used to shape up in the olden days before NZ Warbirds evolved. If it weren't for RNZAF content there'd be nothing worth seeing for some shows. Look at the 1975 Tauranga show for example, detailed on the site.

[corsair67]

Dave, I recall there was an airshow at Timaru in about 1986 which was attended by the RNZAF. I think the Red Checkers were there, and a couple of Skyhawks did a display, but didn't land.

Again, I have the program in Christchurch!