The Tour Rolls South
Tuesday March 13 saw the commencement of what must have been one of the most ambitious tours undertaken by the R.N.Z.A.F and its McDonnell Douglas Skyhawks. This deployment would see them operating from a number of civilian airfields with no military facilities under circumstances that would require the aircraft to be maintained to top standards for their daily performances.
Tuesday the team made a very welcome arrival at Invercargill storming in after a one and a half hour flight from Ohakea with a short 'hello' to the Southland city and on Wednesday morning, despite heavy overhead cloud the team shattered the early morning peace as the rumble of six J-57 engines reverberated beneath the cloud as the team departed for half hour tiki tour of the district. Along for the ride was a reporter from the Southland Times who was to later report brought the short display over Balclutha had brought the entire town to a halt.
The cloudy conditions persisted as the team departed Invercargill Airport for the lunch time display, regrouped over Bluff to arrive in over the crowd to execute the flat display. Following the final fan break of this routine the team regrouped and headed further south in a real PR gesture for an often forgotten part of the country. To the small community of Stewart Island a short but spectacular cameo performance. Returning to Invercargill the bonus reserved for the gathered crowds at a Kiwi Red landing, a buzz and break followed by a series of circuits and bumps.
Wednesday they bid farewell to Invercargill and headed for Dunedin via a Tiki Tour of the Central Otago and Coastal Otago before a short appearance over Dunedin city and landing a Dunedin Airport.
Prior to leaving Invercargill NZ 6204 went unserviceable and in a quick change of arrangements Red 3 joined Red 1 in NZ 6252 for the trip to Dunedin. Rapid maintenance by the ground crew enabled Flt Lt Jackson to bring ‘04’ to Dunedin later in the day as FO Nicholls delivered ‘08’ down to Dunedin.
Problems with 04 forced a delay in the 12:30pm planned performance in Dunedin and the unsuitability of the advertised venue a further short delay. But by 2:00 pm the thousands lining the St Kilda / St Clair beach front could see the black dots grouping to the south before moving to the west behind them in 'delta' - sliding into cardinal as their smoke came on - racing across the city over the crowd and up into the clear blue sky, perfect conditions for another full display. Red 5's low pass provide a real highlight of this performance, as the aircraft passed down the beach front almost level with many of the crowd gathered on the adjacent sandhills.
11:05am March 16, the team departed Dunedin and weaved their way up the island to Christchurch. Once again ‘04’ went u/s with low and fluctuating oil pressure prior to departure, necessitating Red 3 to transfer to ‘04’ for the flight north.
Arriving over Wigram Air Base at 11:50 Kiwi Red was able to present a special performance before the Royal Air Force Chief of Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Harding who was currently on touring the country. Good news travels fast so they say, and this was proven as numerous members of the public lined the security fences to catch this additional show.
Later in the day Flight Lieutenant Keightly made a return journey to Dunedin to deliver a small part that was able to get the stranded ‘04’ airborne again. Flying Officer Nicholls delivered the troublesome aircraft to Christchurch later that same evening.
Saturday March 17 Base Woodbourne hosted the 'Ultrascan Appeal Airshow' and once again Kiwi Red was to provide the star turn of a very polished R.N.Z.A.F contribution to this community fund raising event. The anticipation and warmth of welcome being evident from the moment the team stormed up the valley mid-morning close on the heals of Air New Zealands special flightseeing 737 also from Christchurch.
Sunday March 18 was a big aviation day for Christchurch with the arrival of the 'Southern Cross' replica and an escort of R.N.Z.A.F Airtrainers to Base Wigram to perform a reinactment of the first historical landing by the original. In the afternoon Wing Commander Bates led the Kiwi Red team in another superb display over the New Brighton beach front and a cameo performance over Lyttleton.
‘04’ was again proving troublesome requiring addition work before receiving the all clear on Monday the 19th.
Also accompanying the team on this day was NZ 6255 flown by Flying Officer Nicholls and passenger Mr McLeod of ProVideo to obtain air-to-air action for the planned video documentary ‘KIWI RED - Six Of The Best".
Monday saw a scheduled stand down, for the aircrews at least before returning to public displaying on Tuesday March 20 as the team presented cameos and flypasts in Northern Canterbury in the morning and Lower Canterbury in the afternoon. Wednesday 21st the support crews for the team redeployed to Base Woodbourne.
Meanwhile Kiwi Red undertook a cameo display over Hokitika and South Malborough before landing at Base Woodbourne. In the afternoon Kiwi Red returned to the West Coast for a ten minute display over Westport. An interesting feature of the Westport display being the use of a large mirror by retired Squadron Leader Bob Reynold to signal his position to the pilots. The Westport display was followed by cameos over Takaka and the Marlborough Sounds before returning to overnight at Base Woodbourne.
Final display of the South Island tour was a cameo display over Nelson harbour at 12:15pm on Thursday March 22.
Tuesday the team made a very welcome arrival at Invercargill storming in after a one and a half hour flight from Ohakea with a short 'hello' to the Southland city and on Wednesday morning, despite heavy overhead cloud the team shattered the early morning peace as the rumble of six J-57 engines reverberated beneath the cloud as the team departed for half hour tiki tour of the district. Along for the ride was a reporter from the Southland Times who was to later report brought the short display over Balclutha had brought the entire town to a halt.
The cloudy conditions persisted as the team departed Invercargill Airport for the lunch time display, regrouped over Bluff to arrive in over the crowd to execute the flat display. Following the final fan break of this routine the team regrouped and headed further south in a real PR gesture for an often forgotten part of the country. To the small community of Stewart Island a short but spectacular cameo performance. Returning to Invercargill the bonus reserved for the gathered crowds at a Kiwi Red landing, a buzz and break followed by a series of circuits and bumps.
Wednesday they bid farewell to Invercargill and headed for Dunedin via a Tiki Tour of the Central Otago and Coastal Otago before a short appearance over Dunedin city and landing a Dunedin Airport.
Prior to leaving Invercargill NZ 6204 went unserviceable and in a quick change of arrangements Red 3 joined Red 1 in NZ 6252 for the trip to Dunedin. Rapid maintenance by the ground crew enabled Flt Lt Jackson to bring ‘04’ to Dunedin later in the day as FO Nicholls delivered ‘08’ down to Dunedin.
Problems with 04 forced a delay in the 12:30pm planned performance in Dunedin and the unsuitability of the advertised venue a further short delay. But by 2:00 pm the thousands lining the St Kilda / St Clair beach front could see the black dots grouping to the south before moving to the west behind them in 'delta' - sliding into cardinal as their smoke came on - racing across the city over the crowd and up into the clear blue sky, perfect conditions for another full display. Red 5's low pass provide a real highlight of this performance, as the aircraft passed down the beach front almost level with many of the crowd gathered on the adjacent sandhills.
11:05am March 16, the team departed Dunedin and weaved their way up the island to Christchurch. Once again ‘04’ went u/s with low and fluctuating oil pressure prior to departure, necessitating Red 3 to transfer to ‘04’ for the flight north.
Arriving over Wigram Air Base at 11:50 Kiwi Red was able to present a special performance before the Royal Air Force Chief of Air Staff , Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Harding who was currently on touring the country. Good news travels fast so they say, and this was proven as numerous members of the public lined the security fences to catch this additional show.
Later in the day Flight Lieutenant Keightly made a return journey to Dunedin to deliver a small part that was able to get the stranded ‘04’ airborne again. Flying Officer Nicholls delivered the troublesome aircraft to Christchurch later that same evening.
Saturday March 17 Base Woodbourne hosted the 'Ultrascan Appeal Airshow' and once again Kiwi Red was to provide the star turn of a very polished R.N.Z.A.F contribution to this community fund raising event. The anticipation and warmth of welcome being evident from the moment the team stormed up the valley mid-morning close on the heals of Air New Zealands special flightseeing 737 also from Christchurch.
Sunday March 18 was a big aviation day for Christchurch with the arrival of the 'Southern Cross' replica and an escort of R.N.Z.A.F Airtrainers to Base Wigram to perform a reinactment of the first historical landing by the original. In the afternoon Wing Commander Bates led the Kiwi Red team in another superb display over the New Brighton beach front and a cameo performance over Lyttleton.
‘04’ was again proving troublesome requiring addition work before receiving the all clear on Monday the 19th.
Also accompanying the team on this day was NZ 6255 flown by Flying Officer Nicholls and passenger Mr McLeod of ProVideo to obtain air-to-air action for the planned video documentary ‘KIWI RED - Six Of The Best".
Monday saw a scheduled stand down, for the aircrews at least before returning to public displaying on Tuesday March 20 as the team presented cameos and flypasts in Northern Canterbury in the morning and Lower Canterbury in the afternoon. Wednesday 21st the support crews for the team redeployed to Base Woodbourne.
Meanwhile Kiwi Red undertook a cameo display over Hokitika and South Malborough before landing at Base Woodbourne. In the afternoon Kiwi Red returned to the West Coast for a ten minute display over Westport. An interesting feature of the Westport display being the use of a large mirror by retired Squadron Leader Bob Reynold to signal his position to the pilots. The Westport display was followed by cameos over Takaka and the Marlborough Sounds before returning to overnight at Base Woodbourne.
Final display of the South Island tour was a cameo display over Nelson harbour at 12:15pm on Thursday March 22.
Final Displays
With the highly successful tour of the mainland behind them, Kiwi Red departed Base Woodbourne to undertake the final performances of the 1990 tour. Weather permitting, this would include a presentation of the display to the capital city.
Deploying back to Ohakea the team and associated entourage were soon on the moved again, on this occasion to Gisborne on Sunday March 25 for the final airshow of the season. Arriving over the airfield the team slipped into their segment of the program treating the gathered crowds to another spell display in weather conditions that once again permitted execution of the full routine. Landing post display the team remained overnight prior to undertaking the forty minute flight to Ohakea.
Third time lucky the old saying goes and on this occasion it proved to be true. Determined to show the capital the spectacle of the latest Kiwi Red routine the team squeezed another display into their schedule on Wednesday the 28th. As the television news broadcasts were to later to report, the capital ground to a halt to gaze up at the aerial ballet. Television cameras at the Richard Hadlee Benefit Cricket match at the Basin Reserve turned skyward as the Skyhawks cavorted overhead, and international carillonist Milford Myhre was forced to postpone his performance for 20 minutes. Around the city every vantagepoint was occupied for a display which was described as the best yet, Wellington’s topography providing an excellent amphitheatre for the aerial extravaganza. On this occasion the weather was perfect, calm, clear blue cloudless skies providing the perfect canvas for aerobatic artistry - the wait being well and truly worth while.
Appropriately the final performances for Kiwi Red came on Friday March 30 over RNZAF Base Ohakea and then again on Saturday March 31st as part of the 75 Squadron Reunion, an opportunity for the modern day pilots of the 75th to display their skills to their squadron forefathers. As well as those gathered for this reunion the general public were invited on to the base to view this final performance, an opportunity that was not to be missed by many enthusiasts and 'Kiwi Red fans'.
After the final fan-break of the display, and ultimately that of the 1990 Kiwi Red Aerobatic Team, Wing Commander Bates called the team together again for a final fly past - the missing man formation - a tribute to a lost comrade.