Kiwi A4's?

[Woff1965]

I was on another board and the question of the fate of the upgraded Kiwi A4's came up.

No one seemed sure whether they have been sold, scrapped, are in storage or a combination of all three.

Does anyone know?

[Oz_in_oz]

They are still in NZ - some of them in storage with two kept in flying condition. Those flying are kept up to speed as demonstrators.

There was a fair bit of interest from ASTI I think, but once the war in Iraq started, things have slowed down a bit. At this stage there is nothing firm.

Cheers

[reynoldsno1]

I believe the only guy left who can fly them is an RAF exchange guy who is due to go home soon, which might be a bit of a problem....

[cribble]

:D
Oz,
Go back, get checked out (would you still fit?), then get me checked out (I'd probably still fit). Then we hire ourselves out to the RNZAF as display dudes. This would be a long-term job, since despite Helenovich's assertions, nobody will buy the jets soon.:ok:

[Ex Douglas Driver]

The RAF exchange pilot was flying the remaining A4s in case they were needed for a sales display, but he went home near the end of last year.

The pilot who flies them now was one of the drivers who got out, but is now in the reserves and flies for 1 week a month to keep his hand in.

The rest of the fleet is in storage in Woodbourne, covered in bird-doo, and looking in a very sorry state (in a comestic sense anyway).:mad:

[Fox3snapshot]

OK lads and ladettes, all throw in a few bucks, buy three frames, team up with the tens of dozens of groundies that meticulously and lovingly maintained The Douglas and join the airshow circuit.....sure winner! The screaching howl of a wound up model from crowd left, 50 aggles, 500 snots, will receive sponsership on the spot!

Kiwi Mob...shame you are not here in the sandpit, rubgy match today, NZDF V LOCALS, start time 6PM, temp yesterday at 6PM 40'C.....but thankfully the humidity is low, can't wait for summer!



:8

[BlueWolf]

....but, at least they're safe on the Mainland in Woodbourne.
This winter, when the Southern hydro lakes go dry, and the South gets power cuts so Dorklanders don't have to freeze in single figure temperatures (pooftahs), and we in the South blow the Cook Strait cable so they have to wake up and grow up and harden up and stop voting for Helen, and we become two republics not one, at least then the REAL New Zealand will have the basis for an Air Force, and the Aotearoans will have to learn things the hard way.

Federal Republic of South Zealand!!

[Woff1965]

Another question is that relating to loadouts. There have been a number of queries over typical loadouts of Kiwi Kahu A4's on the Harpoon 3 website.

Given the RNZAF is (probably) never going to use them again does anyone have details of loadouts - it can't be a national secret anymore.

Also what is a SULC pod? it is known to be carried on the A4 but no one seems to know what it was for or did.

Any help gratefully accepted

[Fox3snapshot]

SULC POD:

Broken down into its fundamental elements,

Used for deployments and an accronym for:

S - Sox and Jox
U - Uniform for the Dining In
L - Local language guide if deploying to Australia
C - Change for the Pokies at the Nowra Ex Servicemans Club

:E

OK sorry, too much sun again! EDD or OZ your turn......

:8

[Samuel]

I thought Mainland was a brand of cheese?

You hot-shots should read ex-Wing Commander Ted Arundel's book, in which he has some not very nice but very much to the point views on Helengrad!

[Fox3snapshot]

A Kiwi North Island V South Island lovers tiff.....

You guys.....move to the West Island, least you only have the Tasmanians who feel left out!

:E

[Ex Douglas Driver]

SULC = Skyhawk Underwing Luggage Container
Nothing too secret about that!! It was a converted LAU5003 rocket pod that was hollowed out and had a tray inserted for putting your bags on.

http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/images/main/01_whenuapai/01WHEN54.JPG

[Fox3snapshot]

So I wasn't far off the mark!

:E

[jungly]

F3SS..... obviously times are busy in the great sand-pit? Not quite like barreling down Himitangi beach anymore I suspect.
Trust that we will see you in Fragrant Harbour eventually too?

Wasnt the S in SULC for Speights and the M in MULC for Monteiths?
In all cases the C was most definitely [do-da] Coruba.

EDD - no news mate, drop me a line.

[Fox3snapshot]

Has been an experience that's for sure, though starting to wear a bit thin, there is only so much warry stuff a bloke can take!

Now as for the Fragrant Harbour......that was my normal ops stop en-route to my next wedding gig, I might wait till the SARS palava sorts itself out. Hope all is well there.

;)