RNZAF 75th Airshow: That's all folks [for now...]

Well that's it for my coverage from the RNZAF's 75th anniversary airshow [unless I get really keen to publish a couple more photos in the coming weeks]. I hope you've enjoyed the pictures, thanks for your comments [and corrections at times!]. If you got there, I hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't, it was a good one :-)

One final picture - another photo of the USAF Boeing C17 Globemaster, 05-5147.

Enjoy!

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Pilatus 3000

A very very sleek and awesome looking plane was this "experimental" Hawker Beechcraft Pilatus 3000, N3000B. The first photo is at Ohakea and the second was taken on Sunday when it popped in to Wellington. Take a good look at the second photo - the very friendly rear-seater giving a wave as it taxied past!

Personally, I'd love to see a fleet of these flying around :-)

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Falcomposite Furio and PC-12

Two very sleek, but also very different, aircraft were the New Zealand designed and built Falcomposite Furio, ZK-LLG, and the Pilatus PC12/47E, VH-FMM.

The Furio did a brief flying display while the PC12 was on static display.

RNZAF 75th Airshow: DHC2 Beaver

One of the vintage aircraft to display was this de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, ZK-AZB. ZK-AZB is one of a handful of the very popular Beaver operating in New Zealand. I thinkt his is the first time I have seen one of these aircraft flying... very good to see!

RNZAF 75th Airshow: CASA CN235

The Armee de L'Air [French air force] sent one of their CASA CN235 transports along. It's a nice aircraft and the friendly crew gave us a good look around, including a sit down in the cockpit. Kai and I reckon we could have just about flown it if we had to [it would be frightening for all concerned though, I'm sure! :-)] after finding all the important knobs and switches :-)

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Lockheed C130 Hercules

Three countries send Lockheed C130 Hercules aircraft to the airshow, all on static display. The following pictures show Hercs from the United States [Marine Corp], Singapore and Australia. No cockpit photos of these ones - unfortunately my patience was slightly shorter than the lines :-)

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Spitfires and other WWII aircraft

A highlight of the show was seeing two of New Zealand's resident Supermarine Spitfires [is the third one on the register flying????] and a small number of other World War 2 types on the ground and in the air. Most of the good photos are of the aircraft on the ground, so that's [mostly] what you get...

Top to bottom are:

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX, ZK-SPI, resident at Ohakea airbase
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, ZK-COR, registered to a Masterton address
North American P51D Mustang, ZK-TAF, registered to an Auckland address
Douglas DC3 Dakota, ZK-DAK & ZK-AMY
3 x Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX, ZK-WDQ, registered to an Auckland address

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Iroquois and Sioux

In what is bound to be an unusual sight in future years, due to the replacement NH90 and A109 helicopters coming on charge, the RNZAF put up 4 Bell UH1H Iroquois and one Bell 47G Sioux helicopter up for a display.

RNZAF 75th Airshow: NHI NH90

A "first of type" for me was the RNZAF's latest heavy helicopter type, the NATO Helicopter Industries NH90, NZ3301. Apologies for the image quality - sunlight was not my friend, but you get the idea :-)

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Yaks, Harvards and a Trojan

Yakolev Yak 52's, North American Harvard's and Trojan are common sights are airshows around the country.  The New Plymouth-based Yakrobats and the Roaring 40's Harvard teams always put on a good display [even if I am a bit over the noise of the Harvards!].

The Trojan, ZK-JGS, is one of my favourite warbird aircraft - a large aircraft, tricycle under-carriage and an awesome sound. It really "looks the business" :-)

First two pictures are of the Yaks, next the Harvards and finally the Trojan.

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Air NZ Boeing 777

The largest visitor to the airshow was a Boeing 777-319ER, ZK-OKQ, registered to Air New Zealand. As you can see, this is the "famous" all black aircraft. It was really good to get up close to an aircraft of this size, and to have a look through and around it!

The paint job really does look awesome up close, the engines are huge, and the cockpit looked great. Having said that, I'm not sure that I would ever want to travel on one. For a start, I'd likely be in economy. Business premier looked great, premium economy looked good, but regular old economy looked awful! 3-4-3 seating, extremely narrow isles, and what appeared to be a really tight pitch. Another reason to look around for the best price I suppose...

Anyway, apart from that, it is a very impressive aircraft. Enjoy the pictures!

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Boeing 737 'Wedgetail'

Parked up next to the USAF C17 was this RAAF Boeing 737 Wedgetail, A30-004. Unfortunately there was no opportunity to go through it.

RNZAF 75th Airshow: RAAF F/A-18 Hornets

... and now from the smallest to the fastest, the RAAF Boeing F/A-18 Hornets!

The display was amazing - loud, fast and just all-round impressive :-) The RAAF sent 6 F/A18's, including the 5 shown in the first picture plus an additional one on the display line. Aircraft regos that I could decipher are: A21-46, A21-16, A21-20, A21-7.

RNZAF 75th Airshow: RNZAF CT4/E Checkers

From the largest aircraft in the show, to just about the smallest! The RNZAF's Pacific Aerospace CT4/E Airtrainers put on a polished display. I'm not sure if it is very clear in the photos, but the lead aircraft has had a special "75 Years" livery applied.

Aircraft in the formation appear to be NZ1986, NZ1993, NZ1988, NZ1991, plus one more [the lead aircraft].

RNZAF 75th Airshow: Boeing C17 Globemaster

There were 2 Boeing C17 Globemasters at the airshow. The one pictured below is a USAF model, 05-5147 and is the aircraft that later performed . The RAAF also sent one, but I don't seem to have any photos. This is one impressive looking aircraft!

Unfortunately we were busy preparing to leave during the display, but there will be plenty of good pictures and video of it I'm sure.