Warbirds over Wanaka - who's going

[sAsLEX]

Actually, ask the government why American aircraft don't visit...

umm they do all the time, Antartica is next stop from CHCH so you see the big guys at CHCH all the time!

But the reason we dont play with the real toys is well a stupid decision made way back when

[Jantar]

Easy, it was the 25th anaversary of the Skyhawk.
They may be old, but not that old. Yes, I knew it existed. There is also a good photo of it in Bulls Mcdonalds (along with others), if you are ever stopping there.

Well they are almost that old: The A4 was designed as a carrier based ground attack aircraft in the mid 1950s. They were first deployed on active duty in 1959 and saw combat in Vietnam. When NZ decided on the skyhawk in the late 1960's we received the A4K model.

[R6_kid:Me]

Easy, it was the 25th anaversary of the Skyhawk.
They may be old, but not that old. Yes, I knew it existed. There is also a good photo of it in Bulls Mcdonalds (along with others), if you are ever stopping there.

actually, it was the 50th Anniversary of the Air Force, 1937-1987.

Bulls is technically my home town. My aunty owns what was the 'Bulls Bridge Cafe' has changed the name though, its where i stay when im doing track days at Manfield.

[R6_kid:Me]

Well they are almost that old: The A4 was designed as a carrier based ground attack aircraft in the mid 1950s. They were first deployed on active duty in 1959 and saw combat in Vietnam. When NZ decided on the skyhawk in the late 1960's we received the A4K model.

technically we got A-4E's, ex USN ones i think. Then we got the Aussies ones that they didn't want which were G models from memory. Our government just likes to put K's in, however they earnt it with the Kahu upgrade, which has subsequently become the reason the americans are making them hard to sell - they have a kickass avionics suite.

[Jantar]

Oh dear, now you've set me a task for tomorrow to look back through my old log books and technical notes. However even before I do that I am still sure, from memory, that we got the A4Ks and TA4ks initially. The ex Aussie ones were A4Ms.

It didn't take as long as I thought, the original ones were indeed A4Ks.

[smokeyging]

I cant remember the year, but anyone remember seeing the Bleriot replica's fly?
Man it was awesome, the pilot even took both hands of the yoke to wave, both aircraft looked flimsyer than a kite.

2000 airshow

[quickbuck]

Oh dear, now you've set me a task for tomorrow to look back through my old log books and technical notes. However even before I do that I am still sure, from memory, that we got the A4Ks and TA4ks initially. The ex Aussie ones were A4Ms.

It didn't take as long as I thought, the original ones were indeed A4Ks.

Well actually, when we got them there was a 22 year old protester who lay in front of the tractor pulling them off the boat... Na, can't continue with that story, as I now work for her (Ultimately).

NZDF called them A4K's (K for Kiwi), just like the P3K Orion.
They are in fact A4E's, and TA4G's. as pointed out.

I think the only TA4M is sitting in Christchurch Museum. I could be mistaken, as I didn't really care when working on them, because as far as we were concerned they were all the same (or tried to keep them all the same).

Will find out more over the next couple of days to clear things up.

[quickbuck]

actually, it was the 50th Anniversary of the Air Force, 1937-1987.

Bulls is technically my home town. My aunty owns what was the 'Bulls Bridge Cafe' has changed the name though, its where i stay when im doing track days at Manfield.

Ahh, yes you are correct.

I will have to catch up with you at my faviourite playground one day.

[quickbuck]

umm they do all the time, Antarctica is next stop from CHCH so you see the big guys at CHCH all the time!

But the reason we dont play with the real toys is well a stupid decision made way back when

The American Aircraft at Harewood are not at play with the NZDF at all.
Yes, it is the closest port to Antarctica, but have NOTHING to do with us in a military sense.

I did neglect to mention that 5 Sqn have been playing with the Americans in recent times.

And that decision made way back when, would be about the time that the deal of the century got canned.

[Jantar]

...just like the P3K Orion.....

I have never flow in the Orions, although that was what I really wanted to pilot all along. From memory though, our orions were P3Bs. Certainly until I left the RNZAF we always referred to them as Bs and I can never recall referring to them as P3Ks.

[nadroj]

I cant remember the year, but anyone remember seeing the Bleriot replica's fly?
Man it was awesome, the pilot even took both hands of the yoke to wave, both aircraft looked flimsyer than a kite.

Pics I took at Masterton airshow.
I've been up in the Yaks doing formation aerobatics but would love to go up in the Vampires that have been practicing over New Plymouth this weekend along with the Yaks.

[quickbuck]

I have never flow in the Orions, although that was what I really wanted to pilot all along. From memory though, our orions were P3Bs. Certainly until I left the RNZAF we always referred to them as Bs and I can never recall referring to them as P3Ks.

P3K's since a project update, I can't remember exactly what one. They have been known as P3C's aswell (Or maybe NZ4206 was a P3C). NZ4206 was the one we got off the Aussies.

[nudemetalz]

So is there any informal KB'ers meetings at WOW ?

[R6_kid:Me]

P3K's since a project update, I can't remember exactly what one. They have been known as P3C's aswell (Or maybe NZ4206 was a P3C). NZ4206 was the one we got off the Aussies.

yeh same as the skyhawk K bullshit again... bought as P-3B models... then called P-3K models when they all had some work done to them.

The one we got off the Aussies would have to be a C model, because thats all they have ever had... now called an AP-3C - and very good looking if i dont say so myself.

[sAsLEX]

Well actually, when we got them there was a 22 year old protester who lay in front of the tractor pulling them off the boat... Na, can't continue with that story, as I now work for her (Ultimately).

not called Helen by chance?