This video is from 1958 as Buckmaster and the others had departed for greener pastures long before 1964. I was an aircraft mechanic [instruments] at Ohakea from 1958 to 1965. It is definitely at Ohakea as Wigram never had concrete runways. The video is of a practice for the air display in celebration of the 21st Anniversary of the formation of the RNZAF on 1st April 1937. Vampires definitely had de Havilland Goblin engines. Rolls Royce Avons were used in the English Electric B[I]12 Canberras.
@wazza1939 can only take your word for that, I would've put 1964 as it will be on the video credits. I have heard of Goblins being standard issue for Vampires, the avon would be a lot bigger for the canberra? they're a nice-looking aircraft, have a good one on display at wigram museum.
@tweetingsparrow Hi, yes, I understand why you said 1964 - I mean no disrespect. Vampires definitely had DH Goblin engines, RR Avons were used in Canberras and wouldn't fit in a Vampire, but if they did it would go like a rocket and probably fall apart with the resultant stress. I went to the Wigram Museum opening in 1987. If I remember correctly, the Canberra on display there is an Ex RAAF B20.
Trust me on this I spent a few years as an aircraft mech In the RNZAF working on Vampires as part of my apprenticship, the Avon engine was fitted the EE Canberra B(I)12.. I was a child when my father took me to see the vampires arrive little expecting to be working on them some years later.
@drachenkinder1 That's dating you then Dragonchild. I should have recognised Ohakea long ago, from Waikane and any time I was up that way would always stop in and see what was flying.
@drachenkinder1 Yeah eventually realised my mistake with the location. Goblin sounds about right for the engine, but have too go on what others say in this regard.
@bazwabat1 Ah, I will have seen it then but not realised. had areally good look around there about 3 years ago. Hopefully everything's in good order there still with all the shaking.
I really enjoyed this video...I even laughed out loud when I realized that the RNZAF had a better, more capable line-up of aircraft in 1964 than it it does in 2011...dear 'o' dear
@Ford4gd Whereabouts is that? There is a fella near here, in Mapua, who has a Mosquito in his shed. I don't know what sort of state it's in now, apparently he has a few other planes. Must be some odd things scattered around the country, my father-in-law helped chop up some Mustangs when the airforce got rid of them, people only wanting engines and so on for running water pumps.
Great video. Excellent flying from the RNZAF aerobatics team back in '64 in those whistling wooden wonders, the de Havilland Vampire. The NZ armed forces produced real quality.
Yes indeed. I guess it was Wigram, most of which has now been turned into a housing estate :-( with a small airstrip still in existence. Does have a good boutique brewery there though :-)
You're right you know - I'm an idiot for not recognising the runway and landscape. What makes it even worse is that I grew up about 60 miles away and used to go there anytime an airshow or such was on.
The Magister got 140 gph average, our Provost Mk-4 and 5 did 200 gph. My Bede Jets were best at 44 gph-lol. Have a friend Pete in Miami ex brit SAS-bad ass dudes
Reply to Tweeting sparrow e mail-I acquired two Aussie DH-35's that were brought to the us years back-I traded a Christian Eagle for both with famed us air racer Alan Preston-eventually sold one and traded the other for a Finnish Magister jet. Very nice flying aircraft they were, but a bit heavy on fuel, and it was only a dollar a gallon back then. Averaged 300 gph- the Magister was better with about 140 gph average
Thanks Sparrow, I used to own and fly two Aussie mM-35 vampire jets, here in US. Such nice flying, 500 mph birds. Later we got some t-3,4,5 and a t-52 Provosts and a Folland Gnat. Love those Brit jets.
Met some New Zeland army guys in a hotel bar in Phoenix at Garmin HQ. Cool guys, loved their Guinness beer. You guys all water patrol nowadays I see. Makes sense.
Was always my favourite aeroplane when I was young, had one as a gate guardian at Ohakea base, about 60 miles from home. Is one flying again in NZ but yet to see it. How'd you get to own one? You still airbourne?
Forces here do a lot of search and rescue, coastal patrol and peacekeeping, although we do loose troops - soldier got killed in Afghanistan couple of weeks back, couple more lost in Timor. Our SAS gets into some funny places though, very hush-hush to the public.
WOW-nice opposing tuck under rolling break!! Great job with the two seater keeping in tight with the single seaters. Nice throttle work by him. Those Goblins make a distinctive sound even from inside the cockpit.
Yeah, certainly some great skills - long time before fly-by-wire even if somewhat slower. A lot of the pilots from this era had served in WW2 in Europe and the Pacific so I guess they had the practical experience behind them. In more recent times we had A4's doing the same displays, now we are down to a few Orions and C-130's. No jets:(
I really want to get hold of your footage, im currently compiling a video of RNZAF historic present and future air craft. Do you have a website or is there any way we could organise getting it sent out to me
No problem. Have a few like this I'll get on bit by bit, are a good record of how aviation developed in NZ. You might want to see the one on the Vulcan too.
Kinda sad that we had more airpower back then than we do in the 21st Century.
ginjaninja1988 2 weeks ago
Im sure I've seen this with Chuck Conner's introducing it when I was a at school in the 70's
andy1may 2 months ago
@andy1may haha don't know about that but I could imagine it.
tweetingsparrow 1 month ago
Remindes me of The Thunderbirds aha
MrMovie951 2 months ago
@MrMovie951 ha they just about have right haircuts - few strings and you'd be away.
tweetingsparrow 2 months ago
Aircraft designed by de Havilland, engine built by Hoover ...
GooseGreen82 3 months ago
@GooseGreen82 hahahaaa....
tweetingsparrow 3 months ago
This video is from 1958 as Buckmaster and the others had departed for greener pastures long before 1964. I was an aircraft mechanic [instruments] at Ohakea from 1958 to 1965. It is definitely at Ohakea as Wigram never had concrete runways. The video is of a practice for the air display in celebration of the 21st Anniversary of the formation of the RNZAF on 1st April 1937. Vampires definitely had de Havilland Goblin engines. Rolls Royce Avons were used in the English Electric B[I]12 Canberras.
wazza1939 5 months ago
@wazza1939 can only take your word for that, I would've put 1964 as it will be on the video credits. I have heard of Goblins being standard issue for Vampires, the avon would be a lot bigger for the canberra? they're a nice-looking aircraft, have a good one on display at wigram museum.
tweetingsparrow 5 months ago in playlist Aeroplane Stuff
@tweetingsparrow Hi, yes, I understand why you said 1964 - I mean no disrespect. Vampires definitely had DH Goblin engines, RR Avons were used in Canberras and wouldn't fit in a Vampire, but if they did it would go like a rocket and probably fall apart with the resultant stress. I went to the Wigram Museum opening in 1987. If I remember correctly, the Canberra on display there is an Ex RAAF B20.
wazza1939 5 months ago
@wazza1939 yep is an ex-RAAF one. Somewhere i read an article that one of the warbird groups either has an airworthy one or it is being rebuilt.
tweetingsparrow 5 months ago
Trust me on this I spent a few years as an aircraft mech In the RNZAF working on Vampires as part of my apprenticship, the Avon engine was fitted the EE Canberra B(I)12.. I was a child when my father took me to see the vampires arrive little expecting to be working on them some years later.
drachenkinder1 6 months ago
@drachenkinder1 That's dating you then Dragonchild. I should have recognised Ohakea long ago, from Waikane and any time I was up that way would always stop in and see what was flying.
tweetingsparrow 6 months ago
Sorry the venue was not Wigram but, Ohakea. The power plant is not a RR Avon but, a DH Goblin2.
drachenkinder1 6 months ago
@drachenkinder1 Yeah eventually realised my mistake with the location. Goblin sounds about right for the engine, but have too go on what others say in this regard.
tweetingsparrow 6 months ago
Sorry the venue was not Wigram but, Ohakea.
drachenkinder1 6 months ago
WOW what a great video! I love the sound of the old Rolls Royce Avon.
danmunro01 9 months ago
@danmunro01 yeah is a classic bit of footage, must be a few more like this surviving around the world.
tweetingsparrow 9 months ago
@danmunro01 see you've been at Wanaka? Have a poke around my vids you'll find some from Omaka.
tweetingsparrow 9 months ago
Nice, recognised one of the Vampires serial number NZ5757, she's suspended from the Air Force Museum's Atrium now!!
bazwabat1 11 months ago
@bazwabat1 Really? Is that at Wigram in Chch or somehwere else I'm missing out on?
tweetingsparrow 11 months ago
@tweetingsparrow Yep at Wigram.
bazwabat1 11 months ago
@tweetingsparrow Yes Wigram
bazwabat1 10 months ago
@bazwabat1 Ah, I will have seen it then but not realised. had areally good look around there about 3 years ago. Hopefully everything's in good order there still with all the shaking.
tweetingsparrow 10 months ago
What a gem.
MaverickOnTheMoon 11 months ago
I really enjoyed this video...I even laughed out loud when I realized that the RNZAF had a better, more capable line-up of aircraft in 1964 than it it does in 2011...dear 'o' dear
panzr 1 year ago
my uncle has one of these in his basement he's been rebuilding over many years
Ford4gd 1 year ago
@Ford4gd Whereabouts is that? There is a fella near here, in Mapua, who has a Mosquito in his shed. I don't know what sort of state it's in now, apparently he has a few other planes. Must be some odd things scattered around the country, my father-in-law helped chop up some Mustangs when the airforce got rid of them, people only wanting engines and so on for running water pumps.
tweetingsparrow 1 year ago
@Ford4gd I'm pretty sure I know who your uncle is lol. Does he do WRC NZ?
j1nx3d5 10 months ago
this guy came into my air cadet sqdrn th other day he owns one of these and he says hes unner givd the best cadet in our squadron a ride
iamiSniipezxX 1 year ago
Brilliant! Are a few around the world privately owned.
tweetingsparrow 1 year ago
@iamiSniipezxX sorry my grammar here was realy bad
iamiSniipezxX 1 year ago
Lovely and rare footage. I especially love the vacuum-cleaner-like sound of the Vampire.
KratzUndBissfest 1 year ago
Thanks for that.
tweetingsparrow 1 year ago
I love the Jet pleans for the 40's and 50's
saib717 1 year ago
Yeah, with you on that one, was an era of great aviation development and research.
tweetingsparrow 1 year ago
Great video. Excellent flying from the RNZAF aerobatics team back in '64 in those whistling wooden wonders, the de Havilland Vampire. The NZ armed forces produced real quality.
elements550 2 years ago
Yeah realised later it was Ohakea. You'd think I know the place as used to go past often enough.
tweetingsparrow 2 years ago
1:48 - wicked. love that vamp whistle
yogicolonial 2 years ago
great video! is that from airbase outside Christchurch?
ambaiste 2 years ago
Yes indeed. I guess it was Wigram, most of which has now been turned into a housing estate :-( with a small airstrip still in existence. Does have a good boutique brewery there though :-)
tweetingsparrow 2 years ago
sorry but,
DANG THE MAORIS THAT TOOK WIGRAM FOR FRIGGIN HOUSES!
leow626569 2 years ago
Don't know if they did. Or did they? Dang the Labour Government.
tweetingsparrow 2 years ago
dang everyone that took down a part of aviation
leow626569 2 years ago
It's Ohakea, you can tell by the runway layout. Which makes sense as that is where 75sqn was based.
gdeaconnz 2 years ago
You're right you know - I'm an idiot for not recognising the runway and landscape. What makes it even worse is that I grew up about 60 miles away and used to go there anytime an airshow or such was on.
tweetingsparrow 2 years ago
The Magister got 140 gph average, our Provost Mk-4 and 5 did 200 gph. My Bede Jets were best at 44 gph-lol. Have a friend Pete in Miami ex brit SAS-bad ass dudes
johnnyjet33030 2 years ago
Reply to Tweeting sparrow e mail-I acquired two Aussie DH-35's that were brought to the us years back-I traded a Christian Eagle for both with famed us air racer Alan Preston-eventually sold one and traded the other for a Finnish Magister jet. Very nice flying aircraft they were, but a bit heavy on fuel, and it was only a dollar a gallon back then. Averaged 300 gph- the Magister was better with about 140 gph average
johnnyjet33030 2 years ago
typo-that's MK-35 Aussie Vampires. Modified two seaters with toe brakes instead of bias system.
johnnyjet33030 3 years ago
Thanks Sparrow, I used to own and fly two Aussie mM-35 vampire jets, here in US. Such nice flying, 500 mph birds. Later we got some t-3,4,5 and a t-52 Provosts and a Folland Gnat. Love those Brit jets.
Met some New Zeland army guys in a hotel bar in Phoenix at Garmin HQ. Cool guys, loved their Guinness beer. You guys all water patrol nowadays I see. Makes sense.
johnnyjet33030 3 years ago
Was always my favourite aeroplane when I was young, had one as a gate guardian at Ohakea base, about 60 miles from home. Is one flying again in NZ but yet to see it. How'd you get to own one? You still airbourne?
Forces here do a lot of search and rescue, coastal patrol and peacekeeping, although we do loose troops - soldier got killed in Afghanistan couple of weeks back, couple more lost in Timor. Our SAS gets into some funny places though, very hush-hush to the public.
tweetingsparrow 2 years ago
WOW-nice opposing tuck under rolling break!! Great job with the two seater keeping in tight with the single seaters. Nice throttle work by him. Those Goblins make a distinctive sound even from inside the cockpit.
johnnyjet33030 3 years ago
Yeah, certainly some great skills - long time before fly-by-wire even if somewhat slower. A lot of the pilots from this era had served in WW2 in Europe and the Pacific so I guess they had the practical experience behind them. In more recent times we had A4's doing the same displays, now we are down to a few Orions and C-130's. No jets:(
tweetingsparrow 3 years ago
Fantastic vid.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
gladspam 3 years ago
No worries, one day I may find a chance to post more as I've been promising.
tweetingsparrow 3 years ago
I really want to get hold of your footage, im currently compiling a video of RNZAF historic present and future air craft. Do you have a website or is there any way we could organise getting it sent out to me
civimiketaylor 3 years ago
Will contact you directly within the next day or two.
tweetingsparrow 3 years ago
classic stuff. great post.
primecreator 3 years ago
Thanks for that, I have quite a bit of similar footage but getting the time to sort it all is another matter...
tweetingsparrow 3 years ago
Nice bit of history - thanks for posting.
nighthawk006 3 years ago
No problem. Have a few like this I'll get on bit by bit, are a good record of how aviation developed in NZ. You might want to see the one on the Vulcan too.
tweetingsparrow 3 years ago