RNZAF 75th Anniversary
 

Nice paint job!

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...5thArtwork.jpg

...and the tail!

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...757Artwork.jpg

The destination for some, but not all of the "Seedcorn" crews

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...henuapai44.jpg

Sadly, the RAF A330 MRTT scheduled for the airshow on the 31st appears not to be coming!

And the Hunter from Tauranga will be there to do its display, was with it on Saturday and they were hoping to get it all wrapped up in time.

Kiwi Air Force 75th
 

Congratulations to our RNZAF allies across the ditch on 75 years of service to the Land of the Long White Cloud. Good flying friends.

Looking forward to the Air Show

Yes, I'll be there:ok:, very early!

The weather is forecast to be perfect!

I'm personally disappointed that, given the long relationship between the RNZAF and RAF,there will be no RAF presence, but then I guess so are the powers that be.

Well there'll be at least me and another ex-RAF (now RAAF) guy!

But yeah pretty lame but more indictment of the UK forces over-commitment at the moment :(

Given the legendary Kiwi hospitality I assure you that if we could be there, we would!:ok: I trust you'll manage to drink all the beer? Happy Birthday RNZAF:D

Not all of it, but we'll give it a go!:ok:

How was the airshow? Did the RAF attend in the end? Anybody got any photo's?

No attendance from the RAF, although I did spot the RAF "Seedcorn" lot in flying suits, along with a Dutch Air Force Wing Cdr, a USAF 4-Star, a French Air Force chap, and another who was possibly Italian though he had so much gold braid he could have been an escapee from Gilbert and Sullivan! I should mention perhaps that those in the know in the world of air displays were hugely disappointed the RAF couldn't come. So be it!

Commentator was ex-RAF now RNZAF C130 Capt Sqn Ldr Kate ? now Bint [her married name, not her occupation!] She really does a good job and the English accent is a definite improvement on some of our own I can tell you!

There will be some excellent photos later, from my son who has a much better camera than mine!

The weather, on the last day of summer, was superb, very little wind, and warm enough.

The Aussies did us proud by turning up in force, and putting on excellent displays with the F18 Hornet. The solo display was brilliant!

But, for me, the privately owned Hunter, blue note and all, was great!

Air New Zealand turned up with a new B777 painted in All Black colour scheme, and that is one huge aircraft, almost dwarfed the USAF C17 nearby.

You can buy great coffee too, and it didn't used to be....

Attendance was allegedly 70,000 though I doubt that.
RNZAF Base Ohakea on pre-show day.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...BaseOhakea.jpg

There were two DC3s present, both selling short sightseeing flights because they can do it in NZ as, unlike the EU we happen to think the aircraft are quite safe.[sic]....and of the early morning queue to get in this photo is unique in that it shows my son in said queue!

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...at/OHqueue.jpg

Happy Birthday RNZAF. I spent the best 5 years of my life and made life-long friends. I was also No 1 Sqn no 1 Flt supernumery officer on the Great Golden Jubilee Parade in 1987 - another glorious day!

Clearly the RNZAF couldn't hold on to you!:D

The traffic management was a disaster, although not the fault of the air force who contracted it out to a traffic management company who failed miserably to appreciate that when public notices announced 'gates open 0800' many enthusiast will arrive before then.

Ohakea is rural, with not many access roads, and the photo above of my son in a jam is not a main road!

Samuel,

The big traffic issue seemed to be the throughput of cars into parking. We were 2.5 km south of Sanson at 0900. Three and a half hours later we had moved 4 km with another 5 km to run to get to the parking area via the tortuous route. However, without that route the SH1 queue would have been back to Paraparaumu!!!

We went home. Family gutted as it was their first opportunity to see the RNZAF since we arrived in the country in 2005 as my role has been to work out of Wellington so no base life for the family.

Samuel,

Quite right, they didn't. I was recruited in 1990 to the 93,000 strong RAF. I'm till in (just) but 60,000 colleagues are not.

Great Day Despite Traffic.
 

A truly great day out. I arrived at work at 0715 to a small queue. Heard all sorts of nightmares of traffic delays but if you knew the back roads it was better. I don't think the organizers could have foreseen the fantastic response from the public, enhanced by some great late summer weather. A real privilege to display to all who were there. Thanks to all who turned up. Hopefully if there is a next time the traffic management will be up to it !!

I left Wellington at 0600, with an unknown passenger from Nelson who wouldn't have otherwise made it!

I arrived at the Ohakea turn-off [400 meters from the gate!] at 0750, only to be told I'd missed an unsignposted turn-off! Diverted back to the now signposted detour, and went around the back roads of the base for 25 minutes to arrive at the same point I was diverted from but from the opposite direction!

Should the RNZAF pay the clowns who organised the traffic plan it will be a serious miscarriage of justice!

Having said that, all the parking on the airfield itself was directed by enormously cheerful airmen and airwomen doing a difficult job which probably isn't in the job description they signed on for, yet to their credit they did it with unfailing good humour. They did a superb job. I'm in awe of the young New Zealanders in the RNZAF of today!

There were, however, some wonderful moments. An elderly gentleman, clearly WW2 vintage, with an escort of his daughter, who wore a set of pilot's wings, a DFC and and AFC, surrounded by a bunch of ATC 16-year-old's. Awesome!

I was admiring the C17 and the ANZ 777, and turned away and knocked over a little blonde girl in USAF uniform carrying a huge camera. I picked her up and apologised profusely, but then became mesmerised by her apologies for parking right behind me, all delivered in a South Carolina drawl. We had a good laugh and a coffee, my shout!!:ok: