Aviation Milestones

Aviation has been and still is the corner-plank of my life interests and it's no joke the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) came into being on the 1st of April 1937. A short few years later New Zealand's fledging Air Force was fully engaged in WWII, initially alongside Briton in the European theatre and then throughout the Pacific campaign. 

By the time I left high school and enlisted in the New Zealand Air Force in January 1963 it was well and truly a mature organization with a proud fighting history. That milestone was nearly 50 years ago, when aptly termed a 'Boy Entrant', I assembled with a disparate bunch of other 'kids' for the first time at RNZAF Base Woodbourne. Many of us plan to gather again at Woodbourne next year to commemorate the occasion. 

Commemorating historical milestones is an important aspect of our being…and so it was on the 31st March the Royal New Zealand Air Force commemorated it's 75th anniversary with an open day and air display at RNZAF Base Ohakea. This anniversary air show was a 'must-attend' occasion on the Bazflyer's calendar. Not only was it a significant historical milestone but in my youthful years, immediately prior to training as a pilot, I resided in barracks on Ohakea Base while working as an electrical fitter on 14 Squadron. Back in those days the squadron operated Canberra bombers. Later on when flying UH-1 Iroquois helicopters I often landed at Ohakea to refuel. 

We flew BAZ from Taupo to Ohakea and landed within the assigned 2-hour period along with some  other 130 light aircraft. Yes it was a very busy arrival but flying-in turned out to be more preferable to arriving by vehicle. When the flight displays commenced at 10 am vehicle traffic was still backed-up 30 kilometers in every direction. More than 70,000 people made it to the venue but many were thwarted by the traffic chaos and unfortunately missed a magnificent day. 

The sky was blue and the Air Force treated spectators to a 5-hour non-stop aerial show that featured nearly every aircraft type ever operated by the RNZAF. There wasn't a Canberra bomber but my old helicopter unit, No.3 Squadron, was well represented.  When I flew helicopters the squadron was based at Hobsonville but nowadays it's permanent home is Ohakea. In a manner similar to 'grandfather's axe'  the very same UH-1 Iroquois helicopters I flew in the early 70's are still doing sterling service but not for much longer. No.3 Squadron is presently re-equipping with brand new state of the art Augusta 109 LUH and NH90 helicopters. As expected my old squadron and today's youthful aircrew put on a masterful display featuring both the old Iroquois and their smart new fling-wing aircraft. 

As we taxied onto the runway for our flight back to Taupo, the controller in Ohakea tower cleared BAZ for take-off and as the Comanche gathered speed I wondered, just briefly, what he would have thought if he knew the pilot and his airplane respective both began their aviation careers 50 years ago……!