Hi, folks,
this is my first post here. I have enjoyed working my way through some of the threads, particularly this one.
I am very interested in Vulcan XH498, which hurt herself a bit during a touch-and-go at the opening of Wellington Airport, New Zealand, in October 1959.
The pilot (Sqn Ldr A A Smailes) touched soft ground about a foot short of the runway. He got her back into the air, and flew her trailing fuel from ruptured tanks back to RNZAF Ohakea, where he put her down successfully.
I saw the plane next day (I was 9), and I remember still the single-strand rope barrier around the aircraft, and also how close we could get to it.
I've been doing some research on this over the last three weeks, and am considering whether I could assemble enough material for a book about it.
The opening of the airport, the flying display (also, an RNZAF Sunderland scraped her bottom along the runway during a low flypast) was watched by 90,000 people, which was a lot of people to assemble in Wellington in 1959. The RAF, the RAAF, the USAF sent contingents of aircraft. Twhole affair was billed as New Zealand being at the forefront, or being of aviation progress. We were then very much part of the 'British' family and the 'Free West' family. XH498 was one of three Vulcans that came to New Zealand then. I think they were all from 617 Sqn, then based at RAF Scampton
If this incident has already been mentioned in this thread, then I'm sorry that I haven't seen it. My very good (ex)neighbour Samuel told me about this site and this thread only recently.
I just haven't got round to reading everything yet.
Anyway I would be interested in getting in contact with any of the crew of XH498 when this happened. Sqn Ldr Smailes retired from the RAF as a wing commander in July 1965 (that's according to The Air Force Lists, which are in our National Library). He would be 83 now. I understand one of the crew was a Bob Mitchell, whose name I found on another, Vulcan, site. He had an e-mail address, which bounced when I tried it.
Anyway, if any of you know anything, I would be grateful. I'd like to talk e-maily to the crew about this.
Thanks
KiwiJaegercat