Remember 18 years ago when I was 10, my uncle telling us bitch Clark was scrapping the Air Combat Wing, Uncle was a Flight Sergeant at the time, worked on the Skyhawks in the 80's as a technician, later when't on to P-3's & C-130H I believe, he's still with the RNZAF as a civilian, a very loyal air force man
Thanks for the upload, interesting bit of history there. I remember the Skyhawks use to do exercises down this way about once a year, and they would fly over at little more than tree-top height....the local area (inland from Timaru) must have been a low fly area. They may've been old aircraft but they were still impressive when doing those low, fast fly-overs. Also, one day in the mid 90s I heard what sounded like far off explosions, then that night on the news they showed the Skyhawks doing live weapon drops up at Tekapo, including laser guided bombs....they were very capable aircraft. I remember when we were going to get the F16's, and thinking that we may be a small country but it's great that the Air force is going to have a more modern multirole aircraft, and one that could go super-sonic too, I couldn't wait to see one fly-over. Then Helen came along, as opposition leader she said the F16's were too expensive and she'd cancel the deal if they came to power, which I thought was crazy as everyone knew it was the deal of the century, but she kept her word....I didn't like most of her policies, but to this day the one I disliked most was firstly the cancellation of the F16's, then the disbanding of the strike wing, it was just crazy.
I can remember sitting in my classroom at school in a small town in Otago, which must have been around 1983 and then hearing a scream that sounded like an 18 wheeler rig going completely sideways at 100mph. The teacher put her hands over the back of her head and bent down - and I think we were all expecting a big truck to come crashing through the classroom wall, only for the scream to turn into a big whoosh has two Skyhawks pulled up out of a dive right over the school. We could see them climbing up through the big windows on the other side of the room. I will never forget that sound.
Thanks for that :) Was really interesting and well put together. Having lived in low fly zones most of my childhood the Sky Hawks always captured my interest . Especially as they streaked over the house rattling the china
During your deployment to Singapore when yhe towers came down I was working for a subcontractor on base cutting trench's into the concrete floors inside the hangers for the fire suppression systems. Remember that like yesterday.
At 34:50 the shot of the first G to K conversion. That is me on the tail plane, fixing the fin flash that some eager groundie had messed up by using MEK to clean the bird poo prior to press release.
Thanks for that Don. I flew A-4Es in Vietnam attached to VA-94 aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard 1968 - '69. This brought back a lot of great memories. We flew twice a day for two 9-month cruises. We flew the pants off our A/C and then the bombing halt came about in '69 and I was given the option to get out so I did. I took a look at RNZAF Ohakea on Google Earth and it doesn't look there is much activity there; I don't even see cars parked anywhere. Is it completely closed now?
Google must have got them in the weeekend. More details here : www.airforce.mil.nz/about-us/where-we-are/hq-and-bases/ohakea.htm although 3 Squadron don't operate the Iroquois any longer.
Ohakea is still alive and busy. It's home to No. 3 Squadron (NH90 and A109 helicopters), No. 42 Squadron (Beech Kingairs) and No. 14 Squadron (Beech Texan II's) plus the Central Flying School of the RNZAF among other units.
Excellent ! The day the A4s left Nowra (83) a hastily typed poem went with them. There were four verses. The first verse: From its roundel the roo is sayin why, "why, whying. The Kiwi is saying My My Mying, For today at noon to NZ the hawks will be flying, The moral of the fixed wing FAA a dying. The last. Now NZ had much Sense, Top aircraft for a great defence, If a threat against us is made. Will NZ come to our aid? (been a while since I saw it) Ironic and a bit prophetic when 2 SQN were back a few years later
@ lol. 35 years ago I was having an absolute ball with the challenge of keeping these flying and traipsing around SE Asia on various exercises. Yeah I miss it, but I miss the people that were around me at the time more.
Remember 18 years ago when I was 10, my uncle telling us bitch Clark was scrapping the Air Combat Wing, Uncle was a Flight Sergeant at the time, worked on the Skyhawks in the 80's as a technician, later when't on to P-3's & C-130H I believe, he's still with the RNZAF as a civilian, a very loyal air force man
Yup, I was in when Uncle Helen was chasing her UN seat. It was a demoralising thing she did...
Thanks for the upload, interesting bit of history there. I remember the Skyhawks use to do exercises down this way about once a year, and they would fly over at little more than tree-top height....the local area (inland from Timaru) must have been a low fly area. They may've been old aircraft but they were still impressive when doing those low, fast fly-overs. Also, one day in the mid 90s I heard what sounded like far off explosions, then that night on the news they showed the Skyhawks doing live weapon drops up at Tekapo, including laser guided bombs....they were very capable aircraft.
I remember when we were going to get the F16's, and thinking that we may be a small country but it's great that the Air force is going to have a more modern multirole aircraft, and one that could go super-sonic too, I couldn't wait to see one fly-over. Then Helen came along, as opposition leader she said the F16's were too expensive and she'd cancel the deal if they came to power, which I thought was crazy as everyone knew it was the deal of the century, but she kept her word....I didn't like most of her policies, but to this day the one I disliked most was firstly the cancellation of the F16's, then the disbanding of the strike wing, it was just crazy.
I can remember sitting in my classroom at school in a small town in Otago, which must have been around 1983 and then hearing a scream that sounded like an 18 wheeler rig going completely sideways at 100mph. The teacher put her hands over the back of her head and bent down - and I think we were all expecting a big truck to come crashing through the classroom wall, only for the scream to turn into a big whoosh has two Skyhawks pulled up out of a dive right over the school. We could see them climbing up through the big windows on the other side of the room. I will never forget that sound.
Yeah they did the same in the late 90s when I was a kid use to sit on our farms hill and watch them fuck with the Australian and American jets
Thanks for that :) Was really interesting and well put together. Having lived in low fly zones most of my childhood the Sky Hawks always captured my interest . Especially as they streaked over the house rattling the china
THNAKS NZ SKY HAWKS FOR THE GREAT MEMORIES FROM JARVIS BAY AND NOWRA FROM MY CHILD DAYS. RIP MUZ NEILSON
thanks for sharing this great historical view
Wonderful video. I dont think most Kiwis will even forgive Helen.
During your deployment to Singapore when yhe towers came down I was working for a subcontractor on base cutting trench's into the concrete floors inside the hangers for the fire suppression systems. Remember that like yesterday.
At 34:50 the shot of the first G to K conversion. That is me on the tail plane, fixing the fin flash that some eager groundie had messed up by using MEK to clean the bird poo prior to press release.
Perhaps it is you that has his pants around his ankles, for coming up with a nonsense comment such as this.
Comments from the biggest waste of money of them all. Obviously either on the dole or a scarfie to tired to go out and make a living.
th-cam.com/video/-posGt8DthQ/w-d-xo.html
Ive been living in Canada for years but i grew up near Whenupai ..always remember the Skyhawks and Strikemasters flying overhead as a kid in the 70s
Thanks for posting this. :)
Good stuff.....cheers Dave.
Great insight, didn't realise how much work was done in-country for Kahu
Helen Clark must have put the country back 20 years.
Don't forget Lange before and the lot in at the moment...
Thanks for that Don.
I flew A-4Es in Vietnam attached to VA-94 aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard 1968 - '69. This brought back a lot of great memories. We flew twice a day for two 9-month cruises. We flew the pants off our A/C and then the bombing halt came about in '69 and I was given the option to get out so I did.
I took a look at RNZAF Ohakea on Google Earth and it doesn't look there is much activity there; I don't even see cars parked anywhere. Is it completely closed now?
Google must have got them in the weeekend. More details here : www.airforce.mil.nz/about-us/where-we-are/hq-and-bases/ohakea.htm although 3 Squadron don't operate the Iroquois any longer.
Ohakea is still alive and busy. It's home to No. 3 Squadron (NH90 and A109 helicopters), No. 42 Squadron (Beech Kingairs) and No. 14 Squadron (Beech Texan II's) plus the Central Flying School of the RNZAF among other units.
Dave Homewood as well as regular visits from the hercs
Good book a lot of work gone into it 👍
Excellent ! The day the A4s left Nowra (83) a hastily typed poem went with them. There were four verses. The first verse:
From its roundel the roo is sayin why, "why, whying.
The Kiwi is saying My My Mying,
For today at noon to NZ the hawks will be flying,
The moral of the fixed wing FAA a dying.
The last.
Now NZ had much Sense,
Top aircraft for a great defence,
If a threat against us is made.
Will NZ come to our aid?
(been a while since I saw it)
Ironic and a bit prophetic when 2 SQN were back a few years later
Helen Clark, Heather Simpson, and a deluded University beard scratcher downvoted this fine video.
You're welcome.
Sorry - it was actually "Alan Clark".... slave to the World Economic forum - yup Comrade Clark who single handedly defeated the NZDF
Well Done; N Z !!!
Love me some A4's...
Loving A-4K Skyhawk well done . Big disappointment no longer F-16 Falcon by Helen Clark. Should accept. ??
29:36 my school costs 95m and there gona have to demo it in 5 years because of Problems to do with it sinking
😢
im sure new zealand can afford to buy brand new Fighters jets...but why their parliament dont.
New Zealand had an old bag an old witch who sounded like a man. I am talking about Helen Clark
You're not wrong there!!!
@@brendondesbarres1023 Yes he is.
@@brendondesbarres1023 she had a love child I believe cindy
Crying.
Not the only one
@ lol. 35 years ago I was having an absolute ball with the challenge of keeping these flying and traipsing around SE Asia on various exercises. Yeah I miss it, but I miss the people that were around me at the time more.
@JohnQLamb 👋 is that you, Chops ?👋
@@simonmossman711 Ah Mr Mossman. Indeed it is. Howzitgoin!
Yep well done Clarke and the bloody Labour Party..