Nope, not me!

I don't start with RNZAF til 21st January - and I can't wait!! :}

Joining the RNZAF next month
 

Ah, Blenheim in the height of summer!

The heat shimmering above the Waimea plains. The really intense heat radiating off the parade ground and seeping through your boots as the ultra-violent rays of the unshielded sun pour through the Ozone Hole above you and the sweat runs down your back sticking your shirt to your skin.

The long, warm evenings. The murmur of conversation, the quite badinage and the knowledgeable exchanges of technical insights. The smoky aroma of the winery BBQ, freshly-caught venison leg steaks grilling to perfection as you sample yet another delightful Marlborough Sauvingnon Blanc. Well, not you actually ... while the instructor NCOs enjoy this hedonistic lifestyle, you will be confined to an oven-like barrack block, shining your recalcitrant boots to a mirror-like finish before ironing knife-edge creases in pre-wrinkled shirts.
:}


Good luck, Kiwi Chick, enjoy the delights of RNZAF Woodbourne, it's not quite as bad as that!

Hahaha!! :D :D

Great story Kiwi Grey, had me at my desk alternating between laughter and quiets sobs, haha!

Hmmmmm.... need more info on which instructors to bribe :E

Be nice to your instructors
 

First rule: if he/she's got stripes on their sleeve, never call him/her "Sir" or "Ma'am". Use "corp", "sarge" or "flight", or you'll get a bollocking "Don't call me 'Sir', I work for a living"

Second rule: Your Steyr is a 'rifle', not a 'gun'

Third rule: Never, ever tell the recruits too much. The glorious uncertainty of it all is part of the pressure cooking which removes all traces of civilianism and turns out the finely-honed military machines which are today's Air Force.

Damn. Told you too much. Now I'll have to kill you :)


Oh, and if your profile is accurate, you'll be 'Grandma' or at least 'Mum' not only to the other recruits but some of the instructors too :eek:

Woodbourne! I remember it well. I was a civvy on station about 1967. I had parked my car (a 1952 Riley 2.5 litre) outside the barracks and left the oil to drain out while I went into Blenheim on the bus to buy a filter.

That was the day some silly beggar set fire to the barrack blocks! It fact he started fires in about 3 of the blocks and the building where my car was got well ablaze.

A quick thinking person saw my car had keys in it and they started it up to tow other cars out of the way.

By the time I got back the engine was in a very sorry state! But they did not let me down, next 'sports afternoon' they took it across the road to the engine shop, ground and balanced the crank, made new main bearings, honed the bores, fitted the new pistons I had bought and by meal time it was running again.:ok:

I remember 'Grandpa' Mcgee. An ancient old crock of nearly 29 years. It was he who took the squadron cherry boy 'Mini-Dope' on the bones in Penang during an Exercise Moonflower to Butterworth; an experience that turned the poor wee fellow into a raving sex fiend ever after.

Its good advice to beware of old troopers - but then isn't it you they have to beware of kc?

Hmmm.

The P-8A would replace the Royal Australian Navy's fleet of P-3C Orion aircraft.

First Ive heard of Navy P-3Cs. Up to last week The RAAF was driving them, the Navy only has Choppers.:rolleyes::cool:

KC
 

Definately not you then,sorry for the question.
She did enjoy her 4 months but ran up a huge overdraft trying to keep up with the Brit drinking habits.
Do the Kiwis still drink purple death? I remember one Fincastle where i actually got to enjoy it - needless to say i was the party crew and didnt have to worry about bottle to throttle.
If anybody in Kiwi land runs into "Erik" from Kinloss, say hello and tell him the escapee who lives in Maine was asking after him.

1771, are you really really old? Hope you are enjoying the snow will have a cold beer and think of you as we sit on the the beach:ok:.
KC most of you instructors are softening up with old age which covers most of 5 SQN:} Anya new toy must be coming soon if the boys in USA have been working and not hitting Hooters too much, might pop over for a bit of winter fun soon.
Charlie sends

Hi Charlie
Your right, its bloody freezing and the snow is getting deeper by the day, running out of places to put it now.
Hope all is well with you down there, have a large one on me in a couple of days time:)

Before your time Kiwichick, but the RNZAF P3s were structurally modified some time ago. New wings and tailplanes I recall.

Google is your friend :8
http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/orion.html
Replaced the Sunderland!
IIRC a P-3K eng told me that they got the new wings off the end of the ROK P-3 production line.
The spams obviosly don't know how to produce a new MPA. Surely it would be better to buy some 30 year old 737's, "zero life" the airframe, put new wings on and then get a few different companies involved to complicate the proccess, then drastically reduce the order just to keep within budget. They haven't even renamed it yet! How about MMA 2012? :p

Some new targets for RAAF/RNZAF P3 crews
 

http://www.naval-technology.com/proj.../scorpene1.jpg
DCNS Delivers Royal Malaysian Navy's 1st Submarine

Today, DCNS delivered the Royal Malaysian Navy's first-ever submarine. This on-time delivery follows Malaysia's decision to set up a submarine force comprising two Scorpene-type conventional-propulsion boats.


(Toulon, January 27, 2009) -- The Royal Malaysian Navy took formal delivery of Scorpene submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman at today's official handover in Toulon. The guests of honour included RMN Chief of Staff Admiral Dato'Sri Aziz Hj Jaafar.

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is the first of two Scorpene submarines ordered by Malaysia in June 2002 and developed jointly by DCNS and Spanish naval shipbuilder Navantia. In addition to the submarines proper, the contract calls for associated logistics and training.

This major milestone for the RMN follows the completion, in late December 2008, of KD Tunku Abdul Rahman's final sea trials demonstrating remarkable operational and combat system capabilities. These trials included successful firings of Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes and missiles.

KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is scheduled to arrive in Malaysia early in the second half of 2009. The second of the series, KD Tun Razak, is scheduled for delivery in late 2009. Manned by Malaysian crews of just 31, the boats offer an endurance of 45 days for a displacement of 1,550 tonnes and a length overall of 67.5 metres.

Scorpene represents the state of the art in submarine design and construction and benefits from the latest technologies developed for nuclear-powered classes operated by the French Navy, particularly as regards acoustic discretion and combat system performance. Excellent endurance makes the Scorpene one of the few medium-displacement designs suitable for extended ocean patrol duties. The modular design can also be readily tailored to each customer's specific mission profiles and other requirements.

Source : DCNS

SSK Scorpene Attack Submarine - Naval Technology

Pssssttt.

A little clue for the clueless... Indonesia is the one Australia is worried about.

Malaysia is friendly.

Targets?