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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- RNZAF Douglas A4 Skyhawks based at Ohakea Air Base North Island New Zealand attending Matakiri Exercises in 1998. New Zealands Strike Force was disbanded in 2001 with the Skyhawks put up for sale. At this time, January 2011, no buyers have been found and the aircraft will end up in Museums with some scrapped. Update. Several in local museums & 7? flying in the USA. Protest at scrapping Video • RNZAF Skyhawk Cancella...
![[4K] A-4N SKYHAWKS Start-up and Takeoff at Wittmundhafen Air Base (ETNT)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/D4CocbSyNYU/mqdefault.jpg)
When New Zealand was NZ. no thanks too you, Miss Henry Clark!
JC- still no strike Force! Mike
r.i.p rnzaf 1937-2001
We still have an airforce. But its all martitme and tactical lift aircraft
Labourstrikes again
with no fighter planes or bombers New Zealand Airforce is now as flightless as a Kiwi bird
We can still fly.But that's pretty much it.
Yeah but we.... nah, I have nothing...
We need a close support aircraft like the A10 I we going to be army based military
@@jonathanmckeage8222 are we, or because we really only deploy SAS who use allies air support and then we deploy training groups who don't need air support. I would think being surrounded by water, we need aircraft that can support the Navy.
@@kiwionarope yes but we need to be able to do things by ourselves the stuff up in Afghanistan was not just us it was the person flying the aircraft and that's why we tried to keep it quiet
The RNZAF had a mighty history over the years. Only to have its wings clipped by a power hungry woman with no interest but her own. Thanks Uncle Helen....
Nation did promise to reinstate our Strike Force. Just look at my Video off the Queen Street Protest March some time back. many thanks for your comments, Mike - AirflowNZ
Uncle Helen and his bearded Wife.
Brings back the memories of working the flight line on 75. Stunning.
Thanks for you comment, belated Mike
14 Sqn here (macchi days), we need a combat wing back 100% yes but highly unlikely given Labour just wasted 100billion on nothing.
Your rite in a way! I think NZ should go after the ex-R.A.A.F. F/A-18's! They are C/D models. Which like our A-4K (under the Kahu program) Skyhawks. Were upgraded too almost the same Avionics/Radar & Weapons systems as the F-16C/D. My problem is the fact that (rite after 9/11) Labour continued with this 'get ride of our 'Strike Force' Program. "we are a 'Peace Keeping' nation". So is Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Norway etc. We are the only 'Western' Nation too rely on others for Defence!
Waiting for the new fighter squadron...still waiting...
DA, our jets may be ordered from the US several hours after strike on Darwin by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
The next buget will have us with F/A-18's from the R.A.A.F! At basement bargin prices. Mr Clark fcuked up, with everything!
Hopefully one day you'll be right
I am an American, but instead of giving countless millions to countries that hate our guts, I would rather see the US give New Zealand a full squadron of F-16's or F-18's. I'm in :)
TD7S, many thanks for your comment. One of the best I have had in many a while! I have a video on this channel that covers the return of the American Troops to New Zealand after 50 years. It shows our fondness for the USA. Cheers, Mike - AirflowNZ
Kind of you to say. Unfortunately its a political issue, the NZ government is one of the few in the OECD to run a "surplus" for the last 8 years years straight, and has low overall debt to GDP ratio among developed nations, so its not a case of NZ can't afford it as often reported by the NZ but Australian owned media.
Usa actually offered us 28 block C F 15, and Labour PM at the time scrapped that idea too,even after a deposit was made! instead Us state dept sold them to Pakistan.
A lot of our pilots went on to serve in Australia, British, and even US airforce afterwards.
@@snapdragon9300 I don't think the F16s were sold to Pakistan, despite first being built for them. What happened was the US congress stopped the sale of weapons to Pakistan after they and India carried out a series of nuclear tests in the late 90's. This left 28 F16s that had been ordered and built just sitting there with nowhere to go, so they offered them to us at a bargain price. I was looking forward to seeing them in our skies, then Labour came to power, and Helen stuck to her policy of canceling the deal saying the A4s still had life in them, then less than a year later she got rid of them too.
New Zealand should buy some new Gripen fighter jets or maybe buy some of the old F-18's from Australia. Norway has some 40 year old mid life uppdated F-16's on offer if they are interested. New Zealand has about the same population as Norway and considering the increased tensions in the region, New Zealand should consider getting some fighter jets. Love New Zealand. Visited a few times and hope to be back and see more of it. Great people !
CTA, great comment, I agree on us getting updated F-16’s, we need a strike force. Trust you can revisit here when COVID knocked out for a six! Cheers, Mike
Hi nztitirangi - thanks for your comment. I hope to upload the full protest march against the scrapping of the Skyhawks up Queen Street soon. regards, Mike AirflowNZ
Our country, New Zealand, is such a cool place, these things are no longer in service and it is such a legendary sight
They still have fond memories for any aviator.
It is tough when you have to decide to retire the only fighters you have without replacement. But then you have to take into account a country's needs.
@andrewgraham7659 Andrew, it was a decision by a Labour Government to cancel a great deal to purchase 35 F-16’s destined to Pakistan at a bargain price. We have an obligation to support other Nations in the Pacific, no doubt the alliance we now have with NATO will have influenced our decision to lift defence spending from under1% of GDP TO NEARER 2%. Cheers, Mike
This is an awesome vid. Thanks for the upload, mate. I did 3 years in the New Zealand Air Training Corps, so this brings back a lot of great memories. Cheers again for the upload.
@@BH-ro4ly I think he just looked at them
Just viewed this video for the first time today, 6/2/18 and frankly it saddened me.
I'm an old soldier and a Labour supporter, and I remember clearly when the decision was made to disband the Strike Wing. I was extremely concerned at the folly of this decision which would leave New Zealand wide open to any potential invasion on our shores. We are now left without any protection over our skies. I felt back then we had just lost our first line of defence, a force which had the ability to deal with any invasion threat many hundreds of miles away from our shoreline giving the rest of NZ Defence Force time to prepare for battle here on our homeland, not to worry, the Aussie's and the Yanks will back us if we need help, if they can.
God Bless New Zealand.
I am an old soldier too and NEVER voted/supported Liebour. thus, I and others then can blame you for this and every other decision Liebour have made that has reduced this country to the state it is in today. And before you scream "national was no better" - I agree, that's why I have never supported National either. Same faeces, different sock.
That touch-and-fo at 6.32 is sheer poetry. The Air combat wing will rise again.
GWD, those were magic times, hopefully when we realise China’s intentions we may get off our backside and get some surplus F-16’s, cheers, Mike
@@AirflowNZ Exactly. But we'll probably just beg America and Australia to help like in 1942. Apparently the J-39 Grippen is a great value-for-money light fighter, but I can't see us buying that.
And Labour will stall, crash and burn
Surely there are some older model f-16 somewhere out there in storage in an American desert that could be donated or leased to nz? 😅
It must nof been a sad day for NZ when they retired these jets. Too bad NZ didn't purchase a replacement for them. Hopefully NZ will soon enough.
I truly hope that we get surplus F16’s from the USA to build a strike force again.
The RNZAF should have a small air-strike capability (similar to the ADF) comprised of a small fleet of attack helicopters, armed recon drones and fighter bombers, primarily in support of ground forces. The main argument against this is that there is no strategic threat to NZ, however what about when our forces are deployed on operations? Combat Air Support is critical to success on the modern battlefield and yet NZ Army soldiers can only be transported to, from and around the battlefield without any aerial protection or significant intelligence gathering capabilities.
Random Guy No, it would be damn near impossible. For one, there is next to no political or public support for a reestablished ACF, especially since other areas of the defence force would likely suffer as a result. New Zealand at one point had some exceptional fighter pilots and rebuilding an ACF to that level again would take not only decades of work, but also exorbitant amounts of cash and political willpower, neither of which is available currently.
Thereddwarf 1 with how much New Zealand is taking in sconomically i doubt they actually have financial issues.....lets be honest here if NZ wanted f35 they could even get them
Fixdeluxe Parsons nothing small about the AUS raaf or Military we’re tripling the size of it.
@@lenardmalcolm8800 75 F-35's is worth more than the entire NZ GDP :) If there is still an ANZUS treaty can NZ even meet its obligations.
Well Done !!! Worked on Marine A4C Skyhawks in West Pac and Viet Nam 1964 - 1965. Long Live The Scooter !!!
Hi , some of these Skyhawks are flying in the USA currently in an aggressor training role. regards, Mike - AirflowNZ
My Squadron, VMA-AW-224, was the first A-4 fleet Sqn. before I was born as VMA-224. It went to Vietnam and later transitioned to the A-6. I served 77-81. Many of our AirCrew and Senior SNCO's had served in the unit in that War.
The Dusty six, many thanks for sharing your experience, Mike - AirflowNZ
Bring back the A4K! A new Zealand icon That ruled out sky’s
Blair, even surplus F-16’s would be great! Mike - AirflowNZ
Beautiful Views of the old Douglas A4 Skyhawk. Check out Marine A4 Skyhawks in Viet Nam in 1965 on the VMA 225 You Tube Channel.!!!
poor nz lol
New Zealand should look at the recent T-50/FA-50 (KAI/Lockheed Martin project) combination which serves a dual purpose as an interim advanced fighter trainer and a light fighter/attack aircraft (South Korea has recently put into service their first FA-50 squadron of these with Israeli avionics and armed with M61 Vulcan cannon + AIM9X Sidewinders).
TFG< we may very well have to beef up our defences if DT says that we should better protect ourselves. Mike - AirflowNZ
Highly possible given how DT has been carrying on of late.
Sounds like a good aircraft to be honest, but would I don't think it would have much utility from a New Zealand context. In addition to this, as New Zealand has such a small budget for defence, there is no real room for 'wishful spending', such as reinstating an ACF, when other big ticket items need to be accounted for.
In saying that, once the RAAF receives its consignment of F-35's, the RNZAF might be able to buy, beg for, or downright steal the Aussies twenty-four Super Hornets.
Something to hope for, at least.
I only mentioned it as the South Koreans use the T-50/FA-50 in both training and strike roles in an economical fashion. T-50 is likely to win the US TX project with Lockheed Martin as lead vendor (Advanced Interim Trainer) so there is political and technological backing behind the project that NZ can leverage off without needing to pay for the research.
The RAAF retiring the older F/A-18A/B models (Classic Hornets), the newer F/A-18F SH & /EA-18G are retained in their force structure for strike and electronic jamming in conjunction with the F-35 JSF.
@SanAndreasVagos I dont mean to alarm you but NZ would be fairly easy pickings either way. Even if you restored your air force to its former power with some new block 60 f-16's or Rafales it wouldnt matter. You'd be over run by force of numbers. Doesnt matter how good your pilots are ( kinda funny how every country says they have the best, right? Especialy small ones) They just wouldnt have the man power. Your only Hope would be an Australian/u.s intervention.
The Singapore Air Force wanted to use Ohakea as a permanent base for training but we didn't have adequate facilities to house their fighter jets. This would have benefited NZ because they could have worked closely with our defense force or even recruited NZ fighter pilots. I remember on exercises in the army the Skyhawks would swoop down low on our camp.
Andrew, if the Chinese continue to rattle Australia you may find we will have to upgrade our strike capability, thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
@@AirflowNZ unfortunately defence spending will be even more tightened due to this pandemic and the recession. You're right though about China.
such awesome footage and great sound. miss seeing these jets
Cyrax, thanks for your comment. Mike - AirflowNZ
I remember hearing and seeing the A-4 Skyhawks in service with the RSAF in Singapore, while my dad was deployed there. Was lucky to see the tandem seater Skyhawk as well..
Christopher, thanks for sharing your memories, Mike
Splendid video! I worked A4s and F4s in the USMC. Brings back many memories!
Troy, Glad you enjoyed it, I bet you could tell a few great stories! Mike
semper fi
The day when Royal New Zealand Air Force still have a combat fighter jet. RNZAF almost got a F-16 but was cancelled , hoping that New Zealand will see the return of combat fighter jet in its Air Force some day.
we do not have any option but to contribute to the Pacific defence challenges!
What the Luftwaffe, Japanese Imperial Army and Navy Airforces failed to do - Clark, Hodgson and Goff did - eliminate one of the best strike air wings in the world
Phil, when (if) we ever hear what the two commo leaders talked about this week we may have to take 100 surplus F16’s from the US. Seems silly that we are giving kiwis over 8k to buy a Chinese electric car which could be scrap value if these two powers get up to their tricks! Mike
I wish we have new fighter jets
Marcel, your not the only one! Cheers, Mike -AirflowNZ
@@AirflowNZ you're*
Man I miss that sound @1:35 of the spool-up. A4M PC in the USMC 85-92
Those were the days. At least you can turn the volume up on my video!
Being flown VERY gently by the looks. No mystery as to why . Lovely wee aircraft
T41, these guys were in the middle of exercises with RAAF Hornets on this day! thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
wow, haven't seen these in OZ since the mid to late 60s'....
the equivalent of flying an EH holden today
+bass buster actually, make that an FJ holden, first introduced in the same year
+bass buster They were operating in Oz (Nowra) until 2001.
th-cam.com/video/GDV9xhDL-kI/w-d-xo.html
An eh holden with an ls in it. (These had the f-16 avionics suite)
@@nzgunnie i remember those as a kid
The most dangerous enemy nz had then were Helen Clarke and the Wellington funny girls,not some mystical gulf of tonkin enemy
Francis and now China is going to make us pay for shaming them we had better get back quickly into ANZAS! thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
75 years of service? More like 63 years of service and 12 years of disservice. The RNZAF is a disgrace to New Zealand. It shouldn't even be called RNZAF. More like RNZFC: Royal New Zealand Flying Club.
A great reminder that we once had an airforce before a certain PM did more harm to it than an enemy ever did.
Bruce, have you viewed my later video on protest march for disbanding Strike Force? National said they would reintroduce it! Cheers, Mike
Love the Skyhawk Skin Color !!!
Nice comment, thanks (belated), Mike
Tell me please how many combat sorties were flown off of the Melbourne...
If you fly combat ops off carriers for 10+ years you're going to have casualties you muppet.
and to think we were regarded as some of if not the best pilots in the world.
Theres a reason out pilots were snapped up the RAAF and RAF straight away. They were extremely good. Apparantly they would often out fly the aussie f/a-18 pilots during training dogfights
Not to mention ground crew, including avionics wizards, engineering especially aero engine maintenance, and the guys who recycled and upgrade the air frames - world-renowned.
And the USN and RAN who used RNZAF A4s as the best Red ‘aggressors’ in joint naval exercises to drill anti aircraft weapons systems specialist crew et al., against especially low level run attacks (the Kiwi Skyhawks speciality).
Game theoretically we sank multiple Australian and American ships.
Don’t forget Singapore. The Americans couldn’t intercept them.
Just station RSAF F15SG as an interim measure
Dave great idea! thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
they needed to go but needed to be replaced. I don't reckon any government will make the decision to buy fighters because they'd rather keep the nzdf budget low.
Hi blindspottrs. Why not take up some F-16`s from long time storage in USA? We probably get them for next to nothing & our guys would soon get them up & running! Mike - AirflowNZ
F18F super hornet and Growlers would be better than F16.
F16 Falcons have only a few years left till they are totally outdated the F18E/F super hornets will have continued upgrades till 2045
Such a pitty the Kiwis will never see a combat capability again :(
AC, we can live in hope! Mike - AirflowNZ
I yearn for the day the Kiwi roundel is once more painted on the side of a modern strike craft.
Was so sad to read how the government really brought back the RNZAF's capabilities by not only cancelling the F-16 purchase but also planning to greatly reduce the capabilities (especially in anti-submarine warfare) of the Orions with the cancellation of Project Sirius (in fact there was significant talk about scrapping the Orions altogether, as without ASW capabilities there really was no use for them. The Orion's capabilities were only saved after 9/11 and the subsequent necessity for more advanced electronics and avionics so that the Orions could be operate effectively in a coalition environment).
National at the time argued that the spending going into the army - most notably in the form of the NZLAVs and the earmarking of funds for future projects - was a smokescreen while the Air Force was downgraded 'into some kind of freight service.'
20+ years on we can see how correct these comments really were
ACK, if you view my Skyhawk cancellation video you will see National promised to reinstate the Strike Force, they never did! Mike - AirflowNZ
In light of what is going on in the US and the rest of the world.....it might pay to investigate the bank accounts (offshore and onshore) of all the people in Government who were involved in those decisions....both left and right.
Where do their allegiances lie and why have they disarmed a potential prize, to a land strapped adversary...who wouldn't think twice about removing the population...... and repopulating with their own people.
Would have probably been replaced with hand me down F16's plucked from the dessert Bae Typhoons is what you need
Ian, I fully agree on that. We had 31 new build on order - the US built them for Pakistan, UN canned deal so we got them cheap. Only problem a new Prime Minister scuttled our fighter squadrons! Mike 😔PS you will find a protest march and a promise from the opposition to reinstate -(they got in but never did!) on my channel.
I forgot how tiny they were.But the old Skyhawk was a great old plane !
Chris, even today being used as a training aggressor, by the USAF, thanks(belated), Mike
Awesome video, so miss that fast jet whine that was a regular around the Manawatu.
KD, thanks for your comment. Yes a sound that is now in the past. Mike - AirflowNZ
@blacksensations 20? We have 24 Super hornets and 71 Hornets. Where did you get 20 from?
We also have Tiger Helos and all kinds of support aircraft.
Barrel rolls? Another stupid assumption.
The Shornets are converting to Growlers when we pick up the F-35.
Wtf are you even talking about?
And no, the brits wouldnt get here first. With the sizable US presence in Japan and the south China sea, they'd be here long before the brits got here to honor their ANZUS obligations ( even though NZ doesnt)
Good quality video. Thanks for uploading. Miss this old warbird
Thanks (belated) for your comment, Mike
@SanAndreasVagos Im sorry to burst your bubble but so is every other army. Where do you guys think you get the training from? It's not even a matter of who's best at what, its numbers. Your army man power and vehicles ect are that low its not even listed on global firepower. Countrys like nepal have more power. You have 9 .7thousand personelle total. 1455 of wich are soldiers An attacking force can bring ten times that number in the first wave, use youre brain for gods sake.
Damn, why NZ has armed forces?
CM6, we really do need a strong Force now China is sword rattling, Mike
I wish we had jets again, I miss seeing them in our sky's
Jack, many of us share your views! Mike
I'm so hoping Singapore setup a base here how cool will it be to have fighter jets back in New Zealand
But will they be able to offer us any protection? Mike - AirflowNZ
AirflowNZ Oh yes, most definitely
NZ’s best hope is a British or American aircraft carrier sails close to NZ
In Argentina we still have A4s (in AR modernized form but it still is an A4) that are very near the end of its life (getting parts is becoming impossible and they have 20 years of use in this modernized form). We actually are in the same situation about what to buy according to the limited budget. FA-50 has been offered and it appears a good option (I know nothing about politics here), everything else is too used and old (Mirage F1, IAI Kfir, etc)
Juan, many thanks for your comment. Both our countries should go for some older F-16`s. They are still very competitive and there must be heaps in store in the US. regards, Mike -AirflowNZ
AirflowNZ the mig 29 would be a better option
Juan Baroli is that type 45s dinner?
only plane you can buy is FA17 from china now
RNZAF Skyhawks ! Courtesy of Australia 🇦🇺 for Nothing!!! Lol😂
RNZAF did purchase a few Skyhawks when Aussie ditched her carrier but the majority of our aircraft were purchased new from Douglas.
I love how they land just like they're trying to grab that 3-wire on an aircraft carrier deck :)
Hi - thanks for your comment! Mike - AirflowNZ
Bump and go...
related search: "american base christchurch"
Never seen a A4 Skyhawk use a Drag Chute !!!
Very small wheels means small disks to stop, thus chutes, Mike
bro you gotta admit it, our air force does suck.. but yeah the hercules are pretty cool
Thanks for posting that, I'm actually in that video.
NZG, thanks (belated) for your interesting comment, Mike
F18 at 4:59
A visitor from Aussie
Beautiful scenery to fly around - Sad their government F'd them up and did injustice to the Brave Men who flew them
I am hoping that the new Government will take positive steps with our Defence.Mike
5:17 'The sound of freedom'
JZ- nothing quite like it! Thanks (belated) , Mike
Great video thanks very much !!! Think NZ only way of defence now is to send Helen Clark out on a dark night !!! Lol
Peter, unless we can find another trade partner to take most of our exports we will just have to sit on seat and be quite to what is going North of us! Mike
Imagine if we had the F16s sale of the century.. 16 million would get 20 aircraft and spares.
With China in the Solomon Islands we may have to do something! Mike
28 f16s with parts and missiles for 1.7 billion dollars was a bargain pay 50 million to get out of the deal with a penalty clause those second hand skyhawks cost a million dollars each 1970 prices
Phyllis, very interesting, thanks, Mike - AirflowNZ
I wonder what will happen to them now that Draken International has been dropped by the USAF for its aggressor training?
BZMC, I guess because they had a huge following in the USA private pilots will probably grab them. Mike
This little plane has what can only be described as a cult following! Count me in!
Gutsy, Yes! cheers,Mike
if the hawks are still up for grabs and I get the money I will buy one
Sorry, all the birds have flown their nest. Some in NZ Museums, most to the US to fly again.
@@AirflowNZ damn
yes mike helen scrapped the deal in 2001 normaly oppsing parties dont abandon capital expenditure
PD we are getting Five new C-130’s for $1.5 billion, the delay in closing our border is costed out at near $300 billion! Mike AirflowNZ
ว่าสุดยอดเหมือนกันนะเพราะเขาอัพเกรดอุปกรณ์อยู่ตลอดเวลาเขามีแค่แบบเดียวก็จริงแต่เป็นสุดยอดเครื่อง a4 แถวหน้าคลองโลก
The Skyhawks had systems upgraded which prevented their sale to other countries. I have heard they have now been retired by the private US company that used to test regular plots in more modern aircraft as they were so manouverable. Mike
It's a crying shame that a country with a history of superb fighter pilots now has no fast jets.
We may not need nuc. Subs but we sure need a Strike Force!
4:52 ahhh, that sound! ;
Hi nh6central. Some of these aircraft are in use by a training company in the USA. They also took our Macchi trainers.
Indeed, it would be great to see them in use again. I have a playlist of old RNZAF A-4K videos on my nh6milhistory channel...
yes I remember back in the day, I lived in Feilding and miss the A4s
Noel many thanks for sharing, Mike (belated!)
What strategic importance would New Zealand pose? Well if you are looking at invading Antartica sure i could see New Zealand as being important but that would be as far as it goes. If New Zealand was to be invaded or taken over, I'm sorry to tell you, but the rest of the world would have turned to shit and there would be no point in resisting anyways!
Skyhawk number one!!
HC, thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
No Skyhawks. Also speaking of small countries, Sri Lanka is a tiny country, yet its airforce can boast a fleet of IAI Kfir C2/7s MiG-27s MiG23, F-7, C130s Mi-24 Attack helicopters, multitude of Hueys, more than 20 UAVs with a total fleet size of over 100 aircraft. (probably close to 200)... and they are a small "thrid world" country. Our (NZ) airforce would get its arse handed to it by those guys ...
@Antifaith29 it would be more like britain would come to our aid before the US. australian intervention? what with your 20 f-18 doing barrel rolls through the sky trying to scare an air force off. just remember you ozzies are pretty small on the whole scale of things to my friend
Ésas maquinitas son espectaculares y peligrosas si no me creen pregúntenle a los ingleses
Yes, small and nifty! Mike
@Antifaith29 well not really.
If they had a Navy like the US or simular in fire power wouldn't have to worry about an invasion right. well they don't and will more than never have that luxury. But I don't see NZ being overran by the Chines red army.
@SanAndreasVagos
HAHAH we never learn from lessons in the past mate. Just think, we the people of United States seemed to have forgotten that liberal progressives always love selling out there country.
when will new zealand buy new fighter aircraft and spend the right amount of money on our defence force
Richard, we will probably wait until China moves down near Australia. Thanks for your interest, Mike - AirflowNZ
i actually wish new zealand had proper defence forces better equipped navy with decent frigates and an airforce with better equipment come on kiwis wakeup to th real world
Probably "*NEVER*!!!"
TH-cam the tornados over Libya they have a better ground attack than the typhoon and they cost like 65m each.. Very reliable and wud be a great asset to NZ, the RN will have its carriers by 2018/2020 I sure they'll pay you guys a visit! Love from Britain
Now the New Zealand Air Force has no fighter aircraft
covoflyer, yes that is true but sad, Mike
@airasiax
Well I think the Phantom is still a reliable platform even today. Although it was really built to be a Naval attach bomber (just like the A4) it to serve in the USAF for decades before being replaced by the F-15E.
I recon the ultimate toy of the rich would be to own your own Jet War Bird. People really do.
Yes, great idea! How do you get rich enough? Mike
Ask some of the owners that live in Wanaka. I recon getting rich in NZ is a major achievement in the first place compared to the rest of the world@@AirflowNZ
I remember this aircraft and featured in a New Zealand film called Sleeping Dogs with Sam Neil! Let's hope the RNZAF can go back to the reputation when they were flying Spitfires, Hurricanes and Lancaster's. Waiting the new fighter's to come!
B82, we need surplus F-16’s now! Mike
I was working there in 1998
Nice comment, thank you, Mike
NZ doesn’t need a fighter/attack jet. Change my mind.
Nothing like a low flying jet to aid recruitment!
If China has its equivalent of the “Co-Prosperity Sphere”,,,in mind,,,think again.
@@snowyowlz5992 NZ can’t afford to run enough planes to fight off one Chinese aircraft carrier. The money would be better off spent on land defence.
What NZ need right now is a pocket fighter/lightweight fighter such as F/A 50 golden eagle,Bae Hawk 200, and coin aircraft Embraer super tucano and also CN 235 MPA for maritime patrol....
WG, can’t agree more with you! Mike
WHY NZ !! did you get rid of your Air Force!!! I’m Australian and we’re fuckjn totally upgrading ours with JSF35s along with our hornets and so on these jets here look great up grade them and keep them flying. !
Lenard, the Helen Clark Labour Government of the time said they wanted to save the $500 Mil. annual costs to run the strike force. I have a video on my Channel showing a public protest march in Auckland. The then opposition Nation Party promised to reinstate the strike force but were in for nine years and never did! We spend more keeping 20 or 30 thousand you people to sit on their bums because they do not want to work. China is buying up all our houses and soon we will have more Chinese than Maori so we will not need a defence force because we have let them all in! Bugger! Mike - AirflowNZ
Cold war bird well past it's time but with upgrades in engine's, self defense (AA,ECM & EW), radar, communications and navigation equipment it might possibly still can be a dangerous airplane in the 21st century LOL
Windsor, I agree. Perhaps a few surplus US F- 16’s would fill our immediate need? Mike
Awesome video! I was ATC in NZNR from 96-2000. Loved it when the Skyhawks dropped by for a low and over.
Frank, so glad you enjoyed it! Cheers, Mike
Why is the volume so low? Semper Fi!
Hi Dustysix - is this the only video with this low sound - Mike AirflowNZ
No, I was being facetious. I am very hearing impaired from the P&W J-52's in the A-4,A-6 community.
Another species of birds extinct in our country.god defend New Zealand 🇳🇿.
Kelvin, we may be forced to change as the China problem escalates, thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ
Did the RNZAF fly F-16s for a time while the A4s were going a major overhaul?
Brian we did order some from the USA. These were A/C held back from export to Pakistan. This order was cancelled by an incoming Labour Parter lead by a Helen Clark. NZ forfeited a sizeable deposit and our future strike force capability.
Thanks for your comment. regards,Mike -AirflowNZ
Are these ex r.a.n Skyhawks?
MST, Our first Skyhawks were delivered by ship from the US & taken by road out to Whenuapai! When RAN decommissioned their Aircraft Carrier RNZAF took some of them to add to our fleet. When our Strike Force was disbanded some went to Museums with the balance now flying in the US for aggressor training. Cheers, Mike
by selling ur airforce what did u guys get in return?
Aaron, unfortunately we still do not have a Strike Force, Mike
@@AirflowNZ On a cost saving measure it makes sense to disband as combat A/C are very expensive to operate even as in the Scooters NZ operated. When i look at it however from my profession NZ has removed a critical security component from its defence triad, the Combat Air Element is and should always be the most potent as it is serves as the major deterrent. I could be wrong however as maybe NZ hasn't revealed that it could be planning a multi layered, multi mix networked Land Based A/D system as these are very cheap in comparison, very effective and very simple in relation to operate, crew, maintain and deploy in comparison to Sqn combat A/C?
Helen Clarke…enuf said.
KA, bring on the surplus F-16`s from the USA and soon! Mike
Would take several billions of dollars to rebuild a few squadrons of current gen jet fighters, not going to happen, unless a rival nations airforce or surface navy did so to us.
SD, probably not that much! Lots of F-16`s in storage in US we could get, many thanks for your comment, Mike - AirflowNZ