The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Guests: Geoff “Polly” Polglase, Evan Allen and Terry “Gnome” Austin Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 6th of October 2021 Released:  7th of February 2022 Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes 20 seconds This episode is the fourth in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations. This episode is a little different from those previously in the series, where it is from the perspective of some of the Safety And Surface Technicians who maintained the equipment to make an ejection successful. The Safety And Surface trade is an engineering trade in the RNZAF which encompasses a wide range of specialist and highly technical skill sets, from spray painting and sign-writing to upholstery and canvas work to maintaining flying clothing and helmets. And a big part of the role is maintenance of the parachutes, life rafts, life preservers, survival packs and other equipment carried by aircrew or within the aircraft in case of the need of an emergency escape in the plane. In relation to ejection seats, the guys discuss the parachutes, life rafts, survival packs, life preservers and other important safety equipment used by pilots in the McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks, the BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk. 88’s, and the Aermacchi MB-339CB Macchis of the RNZAF. Quick Links: • Great Escapes 1 – Geoff Hubbard • Great Escapes 2 – Pete Lindsay • Great Escapes 3 – Phil Barnes • Great Escapes 5 – Sean Singleton-Turner Note: Be aware there is a couple of swear words in this episode, nothing unusual for seasons S&S Workers. Note: The music used in this episode is Hazy After Hours, from Mixkit A mock-up of the Skyhawk’s ejection seat. The pilot is Damien Gilchrist. Photo via Don Simms Geoff “Polly” Polglase Evan Allen Terry “Gnome” Austin Another view of the Skyhawk ejection seat, this time showing the parachute on the pilot’s back, and the life raft and survival pack that was sat on. This photo also shows the dummy wearing the Mk. 22 Life preserver, the harness with Quick Release Fitting (QRF), the Alpha helmet, the G-suit, and the oxygen mask that were also all part of the Safety and Surface Technician’s kit. The pilot is Damien Gilchrist. Photo via Don Simms The parachute in the Skyhawk ejection seat of a Skyhawk also acted as the cushion. Photo via Don Simms A demonstration of the moment before touching down while under the parachute. The pilot would release the survival pack and life raft, the latter which inflated as it dropped. Photo via Don Simms Safety and Surface Technician Adrian Bennie with a SS Mk. 15 life raft, as packed into the seats they sat on in the jets. Also seen is his now inflated RFD Mk. 22 life preserver. Once he’d climbed into the raft he would manually inflate the orange canopy around him for both protection from the elements and for higher visibility. Photo via Don Simms The Mk. 22 Life Preserver had a lot of items that would aid survival attached to it in pockets, etc. Photo via Don Simms The RSSK Escapac survival pack which contained the raft and survival aids. The ballistic spreader on the Skyhawk’s parachute to aid a near instant opening of the parachute, no matter what speed and height the aircraft was travelling. In the foreground are the neatly stowed rigging lines. Photo via Don Simms A photo taken in 1985 of a Strikemaster’s MBEU parachute on the packing table. Photo via Terry Austin. The fully packed MBEU parachute in 1985. Photo via Terry Austin. An MBEU parachute and the ejection seat handle and blind from Terry Austin’s personal collection. Photo via Terry Austin. The ejection seat handle and blind from Terry Austin’s personal collection. Photo via Terry Austin. Terry says the ejection seat handle and blind fit his 4WD nicely. Photo via Terry Austin.

Guest: Max Speedy Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 13th of December 2021 Released: 14th of January 2022 Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 11 seconds This is the third and likely final interview with Max Speedy. Born in Levin, New Zealand in 1944, Max moved with his family to Australia when he was five years old. He joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1962 on a course to be one of the first Observers trained to fly as crew in the new Westland Wessex 31A anti-submarine helicopters. He trained initially at HMAS Cerberus, before being attached to the Royal Navy’s Hal Far Observer School, at HMS Falcon, in Malta. There he being flying training in the Percival Sea Prince. On completing that period of training and returning to Australia he joined No. 725 Squadron and got to grips with flying as an observer in the helicopters.  He and his fellow trainees spent time onboard HMAS Watson and its anti-submarine sonar training school. Max was then posted to No. 817 Squadron aboard carrier HMS Melbourne and undertook his first operational cruise to Singapore where the aircraft carrier worked alongside the Royal Navy in the region. On returning to Australia, Max was preparing for the next cruise on Melbourne with the squadron in 1964 when, on the night before they were to sail, the carrier collided with HMAS Voyager and cut her in half. He and his fellow helicopter crews were heavily involved in the rescue efforts, which delayed the sailing till Melbourne was repaired. They then completed another operational tour in South-East Asia. In 1965 Max underwent a course to become an observer in the Sea Venom, learning to use the air interception radar. At this time he was also accepted for pilot training, and was posted in 1967 to RAAF Point Cook to become a pilot. He ended up flying as pilot back in the Wessex helicopter. But he was not on the Wessex for too long before he ended up being chosen to be the 2 i/c of the second RAN contingent to fly Hueys in Vietnam. Max talks a fair bit more about his Vietnam experiences with some great additional detail to compliment the excellent stuff from the previous episode, WONZ 251 Max Speedy’s Vietnam War. Max talks about his career after Vietnam, spending three years in Britain attached to the Royal Navy on exchange, training new helicopter pilots with No. 705 Squadron RN at HMS Culdrose; and then a return to Australia and more flying of RAN Wessex 31B helicopters with No. 725 Squadron RAN. He was then posted to No. 723 Squadron RAN, serving on HMAS Sydney. He did a course learning to drive the naval ships, and ended up as Executive Officer aboard a destroyer HMAS Vampire. He talks about being the Equerry to HRH Prince Charles who was visiting Australia in late 1973, and he remembers working as part of the relief effort in Darwin after Tropical Cyclone Tracy destroyed the city on Christmas Eve 1974. And much more over a long RAN Fleet Air Arm career. Today he lives on his farm and vineyard in rural Victoria, Australia, and he keeps his hand in flying as a gliding instructor. Quick Links: •  Max Speedy on the Royal Australian Navy’s website • Max’s Previous Episode WONZ 251 on his Vietnam War Experiences • Max’s earlier Episode WONZ 249 on his father Ian Speedy’s Pacific War An 817 Squadron Wessex closely monitors the launch of a S2 Tracker from Melbourne’s flight deck. L-R: Chief Petty Officer George Swanson, Max Speedy and Lieutenant Peter Adams following a sortie in an 817 Squadron Wessex, circa 1963. A Sea Venom fighter on the flight deck of HMAS Melbourne (II) A close call for pilot Barrie Daly and Max Speedy as they ‘bounced’ over Melbourne’s arrestor wires, gaining an ‘unwelcome’ view of Melbourne’s port anchor as the aircraft clawed its way skyward. Max (centre) with that navy beard during his tour in Vietnam with the 135th Assault Helicopter Company. Lieutenant Speedy, DSC, RAN in the company of his grandmother and wife on the occasion of his investiture at Buckingham Palace in October 1970. Commander Max Speedy DSC, RAN rtd.

Guest: Max Speedy Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 23rd of November 2021 Released:  28th of December 2021 Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 56 seconds In this episode, Royal Australian Navy Vietnam veteran and historian Max Speedy starts off by giving an overview of the background history of the Vietnam War, and how the Australian and New Zealand forces ended up there. He then details the Battle of Long Tan, which involved the Australian and New Zealand armies versus the North Vietnamese, and some of the No. 9 Squadron Iroquois RAAF crews. Then Max moves into his own personal story of flying UH-1 “Huey” helicopters as a Royal Australian Navy pilot, posted in 1968 as 2iC of the RAN Helicopter Flight Vietnam with the US Army 135th Assault Helicopter Company. During his year-long tour in Vietnam, he flew 1250 hours on combat assault missions with American and South Vietnamese troops. He was 1st Slick Platoon Leader for about 4 months (leading 10 Slicks in combat assaults) and later Air Mission Commander directing the Slicks and Gunships from the Command & Control aircraft. He flew most of the aircraft that were in Vietnam in that period, but mostly the UH-1H Slick and the UH-1C gunship. Max was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross which was presented by HM The Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. He also has 12 US Air Medals and two Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry. A Delta rice paddy LZ. 135th Assault Helicopter Company Hueys at a Delta LZ in Trail Left: LEUT Max Speedy and SBLT Rick Symons on their departure from Australia for South Vietnam. Right: Leut Speedy behind the controls of a Huey as an Air Mission Commander. Max Speedy with a pistol and knife. A Huey laying a smoke screen, as described by Max. Max Speedy these days. Members of Helicopter Flight Vietnam following the presentation of Unit Citation for Gallantry with the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency The Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, AK, MC (Retd); Minister of Defence Personnel, The Honourable Darren Chester MP; and Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. *** Local Caption *** The contribution of 196 Royal Australian Navy members as part of a combined Australian and United States helicopter unit during the Vietnam War has been recognised at a ceremony at the Australian War Memorial. The helicopter pilots, gunners, aircrew and support staff were part of Helicopter Flight Vietnam, integrated with the US Army’s 135th Assault Helicopter Company (AHC) flying helicopters in both utility and gunship configurations. They transported around 250,000 troops per year into and out of battle over a four year period. Members of the Royal Australian Navy Helicopter Flight Vietnam (RANHFV) were presented with a Unit Citation for Gallantry at the ceremony. The presentation was conducted by the Governor General of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) along with Minister for Defence Personnel, the Hon Darren Chester MP and Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN, representing the Chief of Navy Australia. An idea of the landscape often flown over. Figures on Bell UH-1 Numbers and losses. Photos kindly supplied by Max Speedy. Quick Links: •  Max Speedy on the Royal Australian Navy’s website • The No. 9 Squadron RAAF Unit History sheets Operations Record Book – Forms A50 and A51, Jun 62 – Nov 71  •  Huey Vets 135th AHC •  Australian War Memorial

Guests: Max Speedy, Marty Irons, and the late Geoffrey Fisken Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 22nd of Nov 2021 (Max Speedy, and Marty Irons) and 16th of Sept 2009 (Geoff Fisken) Released: 7th of December 2021 Duration: 2 hours 51 minutes 47 seconds This special episode is a three-part special commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Pacific War. On the 7th of December, NZ time, Japan forces started it attack into the Pacific by striking Malaya, and on the 8th of December (or 7th, local time) they attacked the US Navy and Army bases at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. With the entry of Japan into the Second World War, this also brought the USA into the fight. The latter became major Allies of New Zealand, who had already been fighting the German Navy in the Pacific, and would now join the Allied forces in defeating the Japanese expansion into the Pacific. The Pacific War and Ian Speedy’s part in itIn this episode Dave Homewood presents three separate interviews. The first is with former Royal Australian Navy Commander Max Speedy, a New Zealand born naval aviator, who gives an overview of the Pacific conflict, and tells the story of his father’s war. Max’s Dad was Ian Speedy, an RNZAF fighter pilot who served with No. 17 (F) Squadron on Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks and Warhawks, including three tours in the Pacific. He then served a further tour in the Pacific with No. 22 (F) Squadron, flying Chance Vought Corsairs. Above: Commander Max Speedy Ian Speedy during his training in WWII No. 17 (Fighter) Squadron pilots involved in the first bomber assault on Rabaul. Ondonga, New Georgia. L-R: Pat Bradley, Ian Speedy, Doug Jones, Don Williams, Peter Worsp, Johnny Mills, Guy Newton, Alex George (partly obscured), Bruce Thomson, Robert Covic, Jack Edwards, Bruce McHardie. Above: A map of the area of operations discussed by Max in the segment. This is the first in a short series of episodes that Max will be appearing in, the next episode down the track will cover his flying during the Vietnam War. To read more about him, see this link: Commander Max Speedy Corsair DownThe second segment, starting at 1 hour, 13 minutes, features an interview with Marty Irons of Vermont, USA, who has just written a new book called Corsair Down: Tales of Rescue and Survival During WWII. The book is a collection of stories, many first hand accounts, about Corsair pilots who found themselves shot down or forced down into the water or the jungles of the Pacific war, and requiring rescue. Among the stories are not not US Navy and USMC pilots, but also New Zealanders who flew Corsairs with the RNZAF, and also Kiwis among the rescuers with No. 6 (Flying Boat) Squadron, flying the “Dumbo” rescue missions in Catalinas. New Zealanders can order this book through Mighty Ape – CLICK HERE Australians can order through Booktopia – CLICK HERE And for the USA and the rest of the world there is Amazon -CLICK HERE Above: Marty Irons next to a Corsair. Another photo of Marty with a Corsair. Geoff FiskenIn the final segment, starting at 1 hour 40 minutes into the show, Dave dips into the archive to produce a very special and never before heard interview he did in 2009 with Geoffrey Fisken DFC, New Zealand’s and the British Empire’s leading fighter ace in the Pacific War. Geoff talks about his early life and his time in the RNZAF before he went overseas. He discusses his time in Malaya flying initially Short Singapores and Consolidated Catalinas with No. 205 Squadron, then he transferred to fighters. He became the leading Allied ace in the Singapore-Malaya campaign, flying Brewster Buffalo fighters with No. 243 Squadron RAF. Following the defeat of Singapore and his return to New Zealand, Geoff joined No. 488 Squadron, which a month later was renamed No. 14 (Fighter) Squadron. He talks about flying with this famous squadron at Masterton, and at Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal. He talks about his combat with the Japanese in both the Malayan and the Solomons theatres, and life in general, plus his feud with his commander Stan Quill. At the time of this interview Geoff was approaching the age of 95, and whilst his memory was vivid for most things there are a couple of points that have become muddled. His aircraft, NZ3072 – the Wairarapa Wildcat – was not one of the P-40’s that ended up in the sea. It was in fact damaged by another aircraft upon landing at New Caledonia on a separate ferry flight north. Geoff was not involved with that so he can be forgiven for the muddle, and that is where his memory of the aircraft being “cut in half” comes from. It was repaired and allocated to Geoff, and though he will be forever associated with that aircraft, he actually only flew it nine times. Geoff was invalided out of the RNZAF due to the injuries he suffered, which he described. He passed away on the 12th of June 2011, aged 96, after an illness. This could quite possibly be the

Guest: Phillip Barnes, aka Barnsey Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 4th of October 2021 Released:  5th of November 2021 Duration: 47 minutes 5 seconds This episode is the third in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations. In this episode Phil Barnes tells the story of his ejection from McDonnell Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk, NZ6256, on the 20th of March 2001, over the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia. While dogfighting other RNZAF Skyhawks in a Royal Australian Navy training exercise, Phil found himself in an unrecoverable spin. He was forced to eject, and spent time in rough sea in a tiny raft before he was rescued. The music used in this episode is Hazy After Hours, from Mixkit Quick Links: • Great Escapes 1 – Geoff Hubbard • Great Escapes 2 – Pete Lindsay • Great Escapes 4 – Safety And Surface • Great Escapes 5 – Sean Singleton-Turner The following photos have been kindly supplied by RNZAF Skyhawk historian Don Simms: Flt Lt Phil Barnes on steps of an A-4K Skyhawk NZ6213 with his name on the side. Skyhawk NZ6256, the aircraft that Barnsey was forced to eject from. NZ6256 in better times, in the RNZAF 50th Anniversary gold scheme. An actual photo of Phil Barnes in a Skyhawk low over Cook Strait An action shot of an actual ejection from a Skyhawk, this one being with the Royal Australian Navy The headknocker on a Skyhawk’s Escapac ejection seat A single seat raft as used by Skyhawk pilots and passengers, and a deployed life preserver vest. This is from a Wet Drill training exercise but is exactly the equipment that Phil Barnes used for real. The orange canopy of the raft is yet to be manually inflated. A Mk. 22 Life Preserver and all the survival equipment it carried.

Guest: Peter Lindsay Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of September 2021 Released:  29th of October 2021 Duration: 39 minutes 19 seconds This episode is the second in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations. In this episode Pete Lindsay tells the story of his incredible ejection from a BAC167 Strikemaster Mk. 88, NZ6367. He was on a cross-country exercise while training with No. 14 Squadron RNZAF on the 3rd of July 1985. While attempting to beat up the farmhouse of his wingman’s parents, he struck high tension power cables strung across a valley. The aircraft was put instantly into a spin from around 100 feet. Pete ejected a split second before the jet struck a hillside and exploded. This is one heck of a survival story. The music used in this episode is Hazy After Hours, from Mixkit Quick Links: • Great Escapes 1 – Geoff Hubbard • Great Escapes 3 – Phil Barnes • Great Escapes 4 – Safety And Surface • Great Escapes 5 – Sean Singleton-Turner Air to air view of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6367, flown by Pilot Officer DP Barham flight over Cape Reinga, during exercise Falcons Roost 17 at Kaitaia Airport. This photo was taken on 26/04/1983, two years before this very aircraft was involved in Pete Lindsay’s incident. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo OhG878-83 Wreckage of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6367, after a wire strike caused it to crash near Waiau, North Canterbury. Pilot Officer Peter Lindsay, ejected and survived. This was the first Strikemaster to be lost by the RNZAF. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo Wg-G679-22-85 Wreckage of No. 14 Squadron Strikemaster NZ6367, after a wire strike caused it to crash near Waiau, North Canterbury. Pilot Officer Peter Lindsay, ejected and survived. This was the first Strikemaster to be lost by the RNZAF. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo WgG679-23-85 The wreckage of Pete Lindsay’s Strikemaster NZ6367 after it was recovered to the No. 14 Squadron RNZAF hangar at Ohakea, Another Strikemaster sits to the left, and a preserved Vampire on the right. Photo kindly supplied by Terry Austin. The photo montage wall at the Martin Baker factory in London. It represents the ejection by RAF pilot Martin Pert from a Hawker Harrier on the 14th of May 2009 at Kandahar, Peter Lindsay photo. The photo montage wall at the Martin Baker factory in London. The names are all people who successfully ejected using Martin Baker seats. Peter Lindsay photo. A close up pf Pilot Officer Peter Lindsay’s name on the photo montage wall at the Martin Baker factory in London. Peter Lindsay photo. Below: Photos from Strikemaster owner Charles Davis which show the canopy detonation cord, thanks to Charles for the photos. A set-up for a public display in an RNZAF Base Ohakea hangar of how an ejection seat works. Note this demonstrates the earlier method of the canopy being released before the seat rocket motor fires. Had Pete have been flying a Strikemaster with this set-up he would have undoubtedly not have had time to eject. Photo from Charles Davis. The warning symbol on each side of the Strikemaster for those aircraft with the canopy detonation cord. Charles Davis photo. Below: Three newspaper articles from Charles Davis’s scrapbook on Pete Lindsay’s crash and ejection. Thanks to Charles for these.

Guest: Air Commodore Geoffrey Hubbard OBE, RNZAF Retired Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of October 2021 Released:  22nd of October 2021 Duration: 53 minutes 27 seconds This episode is the first in a series called “Great Escapes”, which will delve into some intense stories of pilots, aircrew or passengers finding themselves in grave danger in the air, and have managed to have their lives saved by means of an ejection seat, or other means. This episode features Air Commodore Geoff Hubbard, who served with the RNZAF from 1953 till 1990. On the 3rd of July 1957 Geoff found himself in an inverted spin over the Malayan jungle in de Havilland DH.112 Venom FB.1, serial WE409, and was forced to “bang out” using the ejector seat. He tells the second by second story of that incredible few minutes in his life. He also details what it was like to fly the Venom as a young fighter pilot, and he talks about the reason why he and No. 14 Squadron RNZAF were there, the Malayan Emergency. He also tells what happened in the very first RNZAF ejection, also a Venom flown by Mike Palmer, who was on the same squadron. Air to air view of No. 14 Squadron Venom WK428 over RAF Station Changi, Singapore. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. Original RNZAF negative number TENG366. Portrait of then-Group Captain Geoffrey Hubbard OBE in 1977. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo WgG525-77. He later attained the rank of Air Commodore. A Martin Baker Mk. 2F ejector seat, the type used by Geoff Hubbard in his ejection. Photo kindly supplied by Jason Mills. The de Havilland Venom Mk. 1 instrument panel from the Pilot’s Notes. Photo kindly supplied by Jason Mills. A photo of a Martin Maker 2F seat being fitted to a Venom, scanned from the book “Singapore Sojourn -the story of No. 14 Squadron RNZAF flying the Venom in Singapore ” by Stewart Boys. Scan supplied by Jason Mills The music used in this episode is Hazy After Hours, from Mixkit Quick Links: • Great Escapes 2 – Pete Lindsay • Great Escapes 3 – Phil Barnes • Great Escapes 4 – Safety And Surface • Great Escapes 5 – Sean Singleton-Turner

Guest Speaker: Denys Jones Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of October 2016 Released: 17th of October 2021 Duration: 46 minutes 43 seconds This episode is a recording of a fantastic talk given by Denys Jones of Ferrymead Aeronautical Society in Christchurch at a Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet held at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand on the 30th of October 2016. The topic is the rare ex-RNZAF Lockheed Hudson NZ2035 owned by the society, who have been slowly restoring it to its former glory. The restoration continues even at the time of the release of this episode, and you can follow weekly updates from the Ferrymead team about the Hudson and their other projects on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum, at the link below. The photos on this page are some of those used by Denys during his presentation. Lockheed Hudson NZ2035 started life as AE503, built by Lockheed at Burbank, California for the British Purchasing Mission contracts. Diverted to the RNZAF, it was shipped to New Zealand aboard the vessel Manuel, and Brought On Charge by Unit 1, RNZAF Station Hobsonville on the 29th of October 1941. It was assembled by No.1 Aircraft Depot at Hobsonville, and then assigned to No. 1 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron at RNZAF Station Whenuapai. It patrolled the coastal regions of the upper North Island, escorting Allied shipping and convoys, and watching for any enemy or suspicious surface craft or submarines. It would go on to serve with No. 2 Gunnery Training Flight at RNZAF Station Gisborne in 1943, then it returned to Whenuapai to continue in the bomber reconnaissance role with No. 9 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron (Detached Flight). By February 1944 it had moved to No. 3 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, at Ohakea. It returned to Whenuapai again by March 1944, serving on No. 14 Servicing Unit who were providing aircraft for No. 1 (BR) Squadron. An overseas duty followed in May 1944 when NZ2035 joined No. 13 SU, which maintained the Hudsons for No. 4 (BR) Squadron at Nausori, Fiji. The aircraft was ferried back to New Zealand in December 1944 by a No. 8 (BR) Squadron crew. It ended up stored at the end of WWII, and was sold by the War Assets Realisation Board by tender 9205 from Woodbourne to Mr. Edwards on the 9th of May 1949. From there, the remains went to the Holdaway brothers of Blenheim. It was then secured by Warwick Bint, who hoped initially to get it flying. But it ended up back with the Holdaway family, who sold the remains to Ferrymead Aeronautical Society. The RNZAF assisted in transporting the aircraft to Christchurch, arriving at the museum on the 27th of September 1973. At the time of publishing this episode NZ2035 remains at Ferrymead Museum, under active restoration. Quick Links: • The Ferrymead Thread on the Wings Over New Zealand Forum • Ferrymead Aeronautical Society • Ferrymead Aeronautical Society on Facebook • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand Above: Hudson NZ2035 on the Holdaway farm near Blenheim in the 1960’s. Photo via Neville Mines. Hudson AM591 making the first Lockheed Hudson flight in New Zealand on the 19th of May 1941. It soon was renumbered as NZ2003. Air Force Museum of New Zealand photo. NZ2035 on the Holdaway farm. Photo Neville Mines. NZ2035 on the Holdaway farm. Photo Neville Mines. NZ2035’s cockpit when it was on the Holdaway farm. Photo Neville Mines. NZ2035’s wings being used as a makeshift roof of a shelter. The RNZAF Mechanical Transport section from Woodbourne moving NZ2035 to the base. The RNZAF Mechanical Transport section from Woodbourne moving NZ2035’s wings to the base. Unloading the fuselage at Harewood, Christchurch, from Hercules NZ7001. On the truck for delivery to Ferrymead. “Like a beached whale”, Hudson NZ2035 after arrival at Ferrymead in 1973. The museum’s R4D Antarctic Dakota in the background. The centre section and wing from NZ2039 recovered from Angus Cameron’s farm. Working on the centre section. The interior paint as applied by the RNZAF during WWII, with the blueish hue. The interior repainted with the correct Lockheed factory applied colour. Denys Jones giving his talk in 2016.

Guest: Cornelius James “Jim” Sheddan DFC, NZ412358 (3 March 1918-9 December 2010) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 19th of January 2010 Released:  17th of September 2021 Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 11 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood spoke with the RNZAF fighter ace Jim Sheddan in 2010. Jim was originally posted to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron on Spitfires but his time there was brief, and he ended up ferrying aircraft in all weathers, before being posted to No. 486 (NZ) Squadron on Typhoons, where he really found his feet. He talks about ditching into the English Channel in his Typhoon, and being rescued: crashing into a grove of trees; bailing out of another aircraft; shooting up trains, losing mates, air to air combat, shooting down V1 flying bombs in his Tempest, and a lot more. Jim was a real character. He rose to become the Commanding Officer of No. 486 (NZ) Squadron by the war’s end. He passed away in December 2010. Here is a video version of this episode: Image from the CJ Sheddan log book. Squadron Leader CJ Sheddan, Commanding Officer of No. 486 Squadron, sitting in the cockpit of his “personal aircraft”, Tempest SA-M. Unknown location in Europe. Aircraft fuselage markings are 5 1/2 swastika kill marks and a Squadron Leader’s Pennant with “486” added. Part of Tempest EJ672 SA-L visible behind. Air Force Museum of New Zealand ALB198236513001 Squadron Leader Jim Sheddan DFC Jim Sheddan, fourth from left, while he was briefly posted to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron on Spitfires. The tallest pilot on the extreme left is Les “Chalky” White, who Jim refers to in the interview, during the Tiger Moth incident. Air Force Museum of New Zealand ALB198236513035 Jim’s painting depicting his successful ditching in his Hawker Typhoon. Jim Sheddan, centre, and his two No. 486 Squadron mates Flight Lieutenant CJ McDonald, left, and Flight Lieutenant Ian ‘Tubby’ Ross pose on the wing of Jim’s Hawker Tempest SA-M. Air Force Museum of New Zealand ALB198236513003 NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Sydney Arthur Vincent (1924-2011) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of December 2009 Released:  3rd of September 2021 Duration:  38 minutes 58 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood has dipped into the archive and pulled out one of his early interviews, with the late Syd Vincent. At the time Syd was the President of the Fleet Air Arm Association of New Zealand, having served in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm during WWII as a Telegrapher Air Gunner. He trained on Swordfish and then went onto fly operationally as the TAG in a Grumman Avenger crew, operating from Ceylon in the British Eastern Fleet, and then aboard the fleet carrier HMS Victorious with the British Pacific Fleet. After the war Syd moved to New Zealand and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, spending 20 years as an Air Signaller. During that time he was involved in a Bristol Freighter accident at Mauripur, Pakistan, and he details this incident. He later served a further six years with the Royal Air Force. Being one of Dave’s early interviews he was inexperienced at the time and now wishes he’d asked a lot more, however as you will hear the interview was cut short by a phone call that ended the session anyway. However hearing Syd’s memories of serving in the Avengers and the Freighter are priceless regardless. Syd Vincent next to the mural depicting his Royal Navy FAA Grumman Avenger attacking a Japanese-held oil refinery which used to be on the wall at the Museum of Transport and Technology (Dave Homewood photo) Syd Vincent during WWII in his flying kit. (Syd Vincent Collection) An Avenger about to touch down on a carrier (Syd Vincent Collection) Avenger (Syd Vincent Collection) The results, a smoking oil refinery (Syd Vincent Collection) Syd, left, with his crew (Syd Vincent Collection) A telegram after the Freighter accident (Syd Vincent Collection) The following photos show the No. 41 Squadron Bristol Freighter NZ5901 after crash landing at Mauripur, Pakistan. Personnel on board were; Flying Officer JB Randle (Captain), Flying Officer DM Lyng (Navigator), Sergeant SA Vincent (Signaller), Sergeant JG Lockwood (Engineer). This aircraft was rebuilt and flown again until it crashed and was written off in 1956. The photos are Air Force Museum of New Zealand Official shots. AFMNZ 1983-158.3 AFMNZ 1983-158.4 AFMNZ 2008-093.7 AFMNZ 1983-158.6

Guest: John Lamont Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 14th of July 2021 Released:  20th of August 2021 Duration:  1 hour 23 minutes 57 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood caught up with well known and respected airshow pilot John Lamont, while they were both visiting Ardmore Airport. As a child, John lived next to the Omaka Aerodrome and he caught the aviation bug from a young age. He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1963, and trained on Harvards and Devons, and became an instructor at Pilot Training Squadron for two and a half years. He was then posted to No. 3 Squadron RNZAF, flying the Bell 47 Sioux first, and then later onto the Bell UH-1H Iroquois. Posted to Singapore in the early 1970’s, he then served with No. 41 Squadron there on Iroquois. And then when he came home from that posting he returned to Wigram at the Central Flying School. He decided to leave the RNZAF and joined Air New Zealand, flying the Friendship, the DC-8, the 737, the 767, the 747-200 and the 747-400. After he left the airline aged 60, he flew helicopters commercially at Wanaka for a while. John also got involved with NZ Warbirds in the early 1980’s, and was one of the original members of The Roaring Forties Harvard aerobatic team. In the early 1990’s he got the opportunity to fly WWII fighters with the Alpine Fighter Collection, and he later flew with the Old Flying Machine Company. John Lamont at Ardmore Airport, July 2021. (Dave Homewood Photo) John in the cockpit of the Spitfire Mk. XIVe ZK-XIV at Classic Fighters 2015 (Dave Homewood photo) John in the Spitfire Mk. XVIe ZK-XIV at Classic Fighters 2015 (Dave Homewood photo)

Guests: Captain Neville Hay and Peter Allen Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 13th of July 2021 Released: 6th of August 2021 Duration: 2 hours 32 minutes 35 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood interviews former TEAL and Air New Zealand aircrew members Captain Neville Hay and Peter Allen, inside the Boeing 747-200 simulator that is housed at MOTAT, the Museum of Transport and Technology. Nev Hay started with TEAL as an apprentice in 1957, and following his engineering training he was offered the position as a Flight Engineer. Peter followed the same route two years later. Both worked on RNZAF Short Sunderlands and TEAL Solents at Mechanics Bay as apprentices, and when they became Flight Engineers they flew on the Lockheed Electra, the Douglas DC-8, the Douglas DC-10, and the Boeing 747-200 fleets, and Nev continued onto the Boeing 747-400. Whilst Pete had continued through his career as a Flight Engineer on the Electra, the DC-8, the DC-10 and the 747-200 and then moved into a management role, Nev chose to retrain to become a pilot, and he flew the DC-8, DC-10, and both 747 variants. Both men ended up later in their careers as the top men in their trades, Peter as Air New Zealand’s Chief Flight Engineer, and actually was the last Flight Engineer the airline had. Nev was Chief Pilot on the Boeing 747-400. Both men tell some amazing and fascinating tales and memories of flying, such as the approach into Hong Kong’s famous Kai Tak airport, Peter witnessing the re-entry of the Apollo 8 crew, flying an Air New Zealand 747 into Wellington Airport, and Nev flying HM Queen Elizabeth in 1995 on her first ever commercial flight. Nev also talks about building and flying his tiny twin-engined Cricri homebuild that he used to own. They also tell loads of great technical information about the various airliners they had operated over the years. They also talk about what went into selecting, delivering and bringing into service new aircraft fleets, particularly the Boeing 747-200 which Peter was involved with, and the Boeing 747-400, which Nev was involved with. Quick Links: • Air New Zealand • Air New Zealand History • Museum of Transport and Technology Huge thanks to Steve Subritzky and the staff at MOTAT’s Aviation Division for their assistance NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud Above: Flight Engineer Peter Allen and Flight Engineer and Captain Neville Hay (Photo: Dave Homewood) Captain Neville Hay in the captain’s seat (Photo: Dave Homewood) Peter Allen in the 747-200’s Flight Engineer’s panel. MOTAT’s Boeing 747-200 Flight Simulator, in which this episode was recorded.

Guest: Aidan Cartwright, Gareth Cartwright, Scott Montagu, Derek Shipley and Ian ‘Iggy’ Wood. Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 10th and 24th of July 2021 Released: 24th of July 2021 Duration:  1 hour 9 minutes 48 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood spent a couple of days, two weeks apart, at Waharoa Aerodrome, Matamata, with members of the Piako Gliding Club. Interviewed are 14-year-old glider pilot Aidan Cartwright, his father Gareth Cartwright who is also a keen pilot, the club’s Chief Tow Pilot Scott Montagu, gliding instructor Derek Shipley, and club president Iggy Wood. Quick Links: • The Piako Gliding Club • Gliding NZ • Matamata Aerodrome (Waharoa) • See lots more photos from the recording days on Facebook, here The Piako Gliding Club’s president Iggy Wood, next to one of the club’s Puchacz gliders. Puchacz is Polish for Owl. (Dave Homewood photo) Left to right: Gareth Cartwright, Aidan Cartwright and Derek Shipley. (Dave Homewood photo) Chief tow pilot Scott Montagu with the Piako Gliding Club’s Piper Pawnee tow plane. (Dave Homewood photo) NB: The music at the end of this episode is Daedalus by Kai Engel

Guest: Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd. Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 12th of July 2021 Released: 18th of July 2021 Duration:  16 minutes 32 seconds In this special mini-episode Dave Homewood does a walk-around the hangar with Paul McSweeny of Pioneer Aero Ltd., to give an update on all the projects currently happening and one one its way. The team are finishing up the P-40E for an Italian client, which will fly again post-restoration very shortly. They are working on the rebuild to flight of the ex-RNZAF P-40N-1, NZ3147, which will stay based at Ardmore with owner Brett Nicholls. They are also working on the wings of the John Saunders P-40E, having built the fuselage for that project which is already down at Omaka. And they are starting another P-40E for a Netherlands-based syndicate. Also on the water right now as this is published is the fuselage and centre section of Jerry Yagen’s Douglas SBD Dauntless, which will be restored to fly by Pioneer. Quick Links: • Pioneer Aero Ltd.’s Website • Pioneer Aero Ltd.’s Facebook Page The Video Photos NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: The late Andy Higgins(Andrew William Higgins – 13 September 1931 to 2 January 2020) Host: Dave Homewood with Nigel Godfrey Recorded: 19th of July 2019 Released: 28th of June 2021 Duration:  51 minutes 15 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood and Nigel Godfrey sat down with Andy Higgins to record what he remembered about his days working with James Aviation Ltd on the conversion of the Douglas C-47 Dakota ZK-AZL to become an aerial topdresser. Andy worked as the draftsman on the project and was most probably the last member of the team who was involved in the conversion of the very first DC-3 topdresser in the world. He also talks about his days as a pilot in the RNZAF, and working for other aviation firms. And he discusses his amazing collection of photos he took while with James Aviation, which were made available through the Wings Over New Zealand Forum. Andy was rather unwell at the time of this interview, and this was to be the last opportunity to get his memories recorded before his death. This episode is pieced together from that conversation. Andy Higgins Andy at the draft board whilst drawing up the designs for the C-47 conversion (Andy Higgins photo) DC-3 ZK-AZL being loaded (Andy Higgins photo) Above and below: The hopper conversion (Andy Higgins photos) ZK-AZL dropping a load of superphosphate (Andy Higgins photo) Above and below: The Fletcher accident as discussed (Andy Higgins photos) Quick Links: • Andy Higgins’ James Aviation Photo Collection NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Jack Godfrey (1931-2019), with Jack’s son Nigel Godfrey Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 10th of October 2021 Released: 3rd of June 2021 Duration:  1 hour 27 minutes 22 seconds Dave Homewood sat down with the well known and respected modeller and aircraft builder Jack Godfrey in October 2019. Jack talks about growing up in Auckland and the Hawkes Bay where he discovered aero modelling at a young age. While living in Hastings as a kid he haunted Bridge Pa aerodrome, and used to help the legendary Temple Martin in his aircraft restoration business. He worked for Aerial Mapping there too, before being called up for Compulsory Military Service where he became an airframes mechanic in the RNZAF at Taieri for three months. Returning to Aerial Mapping he could not settle, and so had a change of vocation and moved into an apprenticeship in newspapers. Jack moved to Hamilton to work in the printing business, but it did not work out and he ended up moving to a new job at Aerochrome Plate grinding cylinders for aero engines. This company became part of New Zealand Aerospace Ltd., which Jack continued with. After grinding cylinders for a few years, Jack progressed to a quality inspection role. He later went back to printing. Well know Hamilton-based aviation entrepreneur Ossie James brought Jack into set up a school programme at St Paul’s Collegiate to build a Murphy Maverick. Jack Godfrey with his Island Flyer rubber band powered model aeroplane (Photo via Nigel Godfrey) Next he built Jodel D.18 with Noel Bailey, ZK-JAC, which is still flying today. Noel Bailey’s Jodel D.18 which Jack Godfrey built with Noel. And Jack built a full sized replica of a Bristol Scout for the Armistice In Cambridge committee for a static display. Above: Three photos from Nigel Godfrey of the Bristol Scout replica that Jack built. Jack passed away on the 7th of December 2019. Quick Links: • The Murphy Maverick That Jack’s St Paul’s Collegiate Team Built NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: NZ Warbirds President Frank Parker Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 25th of April 2021 Released: 11th of May 2021 Duration:  43 minutes 04 seconds On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. The Harvard would become the main advanced trainer for the Royal New Zealand Air Force from then on, until retirement in 1977. And following retirement several Harvards became warbirds in private hands from 1978, and this continues till the present day. On Sunday the 25th of April 2021 the momentous first flight in New Zealand of a type that has become a firm favourite on the airshow circuit and holds many memories for generations of Kiwis in both RNZAF and NZ Warbirds service was marked by a special event at Ardmore. The Wings Over New Zealand Forum and NZ Warbirds Association hosted an event at Ardmore to celebrate the Harvard. This included guest speakers who talked about Harvards, and also about other specialist topics. In this episode we hear the final talk given at the event, by New Zealand Warbirds President Frank Parker. Frank learned to fly in the RNZAF in the Harvard during the 1970’s. He would later join and lead the New Zealand Warbirds Association’s Roaring Forties Harvard display team. He reminisces about some of his Harvard experiences over the years. Then Frank turns his attention to the NZ Warbirds’ collection of WWI replica aeroplanes. These aircraft were all in the hangar where the event was held and Frank tells the story of each of them, and gives insights into their characteristics. He also talks a little about some of the WWII warbirds that he also flies, and about the future project to restore Harvard NZ909 back to flight. Frank Parker This talk was also videoed by Stu Russell, so you can also watch it here. Quick Links: • New Zealand Warbirds Association Website • New Zealand Warbirds Association Facebook page NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: John ‘JK’ Kelly, Peter Layne and Gavin Trethewey Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 25th of April 2021 Released: 2nd of May 2021 Duration:  55 minutes 49 seconds On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. The Harvard would become the main advanced trainer for the Royal New Zealand Air Force from then on, until retirement in 1977. And following retirement several Harvards became warbirds in private hands from 1978, and this continues till the present day. On Sunday the 25th of April 2021 the momentous first flight in New Zealand of a type that has become a firm favourite on the airshow circuit and holds many memories for generations of Kiwis in both RNZAF and NZ Warbirds service was marked by a special event at Ardmore. The Wings Over New Zealand Forum and NZ Warbirds Association hosted an event at Ardmore to celebrate the Harvard. This included guest speakers who talked about Harvards, and also about other specialist topics. In this episode we hear three of the talks from the event. The first is given by NZ Warbirds Association Vice President “JK” Kelly. He flies as Number 4 in the Roaring Forties Harvard aerobatic display team, and he talks about his experience as a civilian-trained pilot getting into the Harvard. JK also talks about the Part 115 rides that people can purchase in the Warbirds fighters and trainers such as the Curtiss P-40N Kittyhawk, Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9, North American P-51D Mustang and the Harvard. JK is one of the rides pilots. lastly he talks about the excellent NZ Warbirds museum displays, which he has been very instrumental in creating, and leading the team that come up with the exhibits. Next we hear briefly from Peter Layne who reads an extract from his co-authored book about the rescue of a pilot whose Harvard ditched in the sea. And finally we hear from Gavin Trethewey, who have been flying Harvards for 62 years and is still the NZ Warbirds solo Harvard display pilot. Gavin flew as an instructor on Harvards in the RNZAF and he flew for many years in the NZ Warbirds Roaring Forties display team. He has some great memories of the type. He also talks about the current project he is very involved with as team leader, the static restoration of an English Electric Canberra bomber. Gavin famously flew Canberras during his RNZAF career, and was the RNZAF’s Canberra display pilot, among other roles with the type. Warbirds has acquired the Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s spare Canberra, and they are now in the process of restoring it to former glory, for eventual public display at Ardmore. Quick Links: • New Zealand Warbirds Association Website • New Zealand Warbirds Association Facebook page • The Canberra Support Group Facebook page John Kelly Peter Layne Gavin Trethewey The main talks were also videoed by Stu Russell, so you can also watch them here. NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Nick Sheehan and Keith Skilling Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 25th of April 2021 Released: 26th of April 2021 Duration:  47 minutes 28 seconds On the 25th of April 1941, the very first North American Harvard to fly in New Zealand, NZ901, took off on its initial test flight following assembly at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. The Harvard would become the main advanced trainer for the Royal New Zealand Air Force from then on, until retirement in 1977. And following retirement several Harvards became warbirds in private hands from 1978, and this continues till the present day. On Sunday the 25th of April 2021 the momentous first flight in New Zealand of a type that has become a firm favourite on the airshow circuit and holds many memories for generations of Kiwis in both RNZAF and NZ Warbirds service was marked by a special event at Ardmore. The Wings Over New Zealand Forum and NZ Warbirds Association hosted an event at Ardmore to celebrate the Harvard. This included guest speakers who talked about Harvards, and also about other specialist topics. In this episode we hear two of the talks from the event. The first is from Nick Sheehan, who is currently in the early stages of a massive restoration project to return the Harvard NZ1068 to flying condition. This aeroplane is one of the WWII aircraft that had been rescued and stored by the late John Smith of Mapua, and following John’s death Nick was able to purchase the Harvard in 2020. The second speaker is the well known and much admired display pilot Keith Skilling. Having served in the RNZAF and trained on Harvards in his early days, Keith has some great stories about them. He also became involved in the Roaring Forties Harvard Display Team, and went on to lead the team for several seasons. He talks about the Harvard with some wonderful memories, before moving onto the topic of flying with the Breitling Fighters warbird display team, with Ray Hanna and other elite warbird pilots. Keith Skilling talks about flying Harvards, and flying with the Breitling Fighters team Nick Sheehan talks about Harvard NZ1068 These talks were also videoed by Stu Russell, so you can also watch them here. NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: The late Malcolm Graham Campbell (5 Oct 1934 – 27 Nov 2020) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 12th of April 2013 Released: 14th of March 2021 Duration:  57 minutes 50 seconds In this tribute episode Dave Homewood releases an old interview he did with the late Malcolm Campbell, who was well known as a pilot, airline founder and owner, and aviation entrepreneur. Malcolm won a flying scholarship aged 15 while still a schoolboy in Palmerston North. He got a job with a computing firm, but was called up into the Air Force as a pilot under the Compulsory Military Training scheme of the 1950s and trained at RNZAF Station Taieri. On leaving the RNZAF he moved to Hamilton and became a topdressing pilot for James Aviation in Fletchers. However following an accident in a topdresser he gave away this somewhat dangerous career and went to the more stable role of instructing with Waikato Aero Club. In 1969 Malcolm and his wife Joan decided to start their own flying school, and they bought the famous Airtourer ZK-CXU, which Cliff Tait had just flown around the world, for this new venture – Eagle Flying Academy. The business grew from there till they had six aircraft, Cessnas, Piper Cubs and Piper Tripacers. They also registered the companies Eagle Airways and Eagle Air Maintenance, which would later become a big part of their lives. Malcolm tells the story of his involvement in Eagle Airways over the decades, and its expansion and buy outs. He also tells a few interesting and amusing stories from around Hamilton Airport. Note: Three years after this interview, Air New Zealand decided that Eagle Airways would cease to operate. The company disbanded on the 26th of August 2016. Above: Joan and Malcolm Campbell. My thanks to Steve Lowe of the 3rd Level New Zealand Blog for permission to use this photo. Quick Links: • Eagle Airways history on the 3rd Level New Zealand Blog • A tribute to Malcolm Campbell on 3rd Level New Zealand Blog • Eagle Airways on Wikipedia NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Wing Commander Bob Henderson, RNZAF, retired Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 5th of January 2021 Released: 17th of January 2021 Duration:  1 hour 45 minutes 33 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks with former RNZAF Wing Commander Bob Henderson, who was the Commanding Officer of No. 40 Squadron RNZAF from 1989-1993. Bob discusses his Royal New Zealand Air Force career, flying the Douglas C-47 Dakotas, Fokker F-27 Friendships, and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, etc. But a fair amount of the interview focuses on his experiences as the mission commander for New Zealand’s transport commitment to Operation Desert Storm. Under Operation Fresco, two of No. 40 Squadron’s Herk’s were working alongside five RAF C-130’s, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bob headed up one of the crews that flew the two RNZAF Hercules into the war zone on a daily basis through Operation Desert Storm. A fascinating and largely untold story of New Zealand’s experience in the First Gulf War. Bob also discusses his subsequent aviation career with Air New Zealand, and in world gliding circles. A note: Just confirming some dates that were questioned in the interview – the ground war finished on the 28th of February 1991 and Bob’s crew arrived back at RNZAF Base Whenuapai on the 12th of April 1991. This episode is available both as an audio podcast and as a YouTube video. It was recorded using Zoom, so the visual quality is not 100%. Above: Bob and his crew at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during Operation Desert Storm. No. 40 Squadron RNZAF Lockheed Hercules NZ7003 is behind them. L-R: Back; Flight Sergeant Bruce Melvin (Flight Engineer), Sergeant John Buchler (Air Loadmaster), Wing Commander Bob Henderson (Detachment Commander and aircraft captain). Front; Flying Officer Kevin McEvoy (Navigator), Sgt Ty Cochran (Air Loadmaster), and Flying Officer Mike Morgan (Co-Pilot). Above: “RAF Operations Desk” – the centre of operations for the RAF/RNZAF C-130s. This was Bob’s RAF ‘oppo’, Wing Commander Peter Bedford. Above: A Kuwait Desert Landing Strip – the view out the front window of the C-130 while sitting on one of the numerous 3000 ft long sand strips the RNZAF Herks used in the Kuwait desert to achieve troop changeovers. Above: Bob, left, on the ground at Kuwait International Airport with RAF Group Captain Geoff Simpson, 1st of March 1991. Above: The official homecoming at RNZAF Base Whenuapai. From the left are the RNZAF Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Peter Adamson, Bob’s wife Eileen Henderson, W/C Bob Henderson, and Air Chief Marshall Sir Patrick Hind, RAF. Above: Bob’s welcome home from his daughters Tanya (left) and Kelly (right) after he landed Whenuapai. All photos kindly supplied by Bob Henderson.

Guest: Squadron Leader Alan Harrison, retired Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 9th of February 2019 Released: 8th of January 2021 Duration:  1 hour 21 minutes 32 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood talks with Alan Harrison about his service in the Royal Air Force through the 1960’s, 1970’s and early 1980’s. Alan trained and served initially as an Air Signaller, and spent a considerable time on Avro Shackleton maritime patrol bombers. He then trained as a Navigator-Radar Operator, and following several courses he was posted to No. 101 Squadron RAF, flying as part of a crew on Avro Vulcan bombers. Alan talks in depth about both the maritime and the nuclear bomber roles, and what it was like to be part of the Cold War strike force. My thanks to Mike Cater who set up this interview, and huge thanks to Stuart Russell who helped with the sound quality with the recording. This episode is available as both an audio podcast episode and as a video, via YouTube. Alan Harrison (Photo by Dave Homewood)

Guest: Harley Cadwallader Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 14th of October 2020 Released: 8th of December 2020 Duration:  1 hour 5 minutes 30 seconds Harley Cadwallader was a career topdressing and spray pilot. He learned to fly at his home airfield of Masterton with the Wairarapa Aero Club, on Tiger Moths. He started in the agricultural aviation industry as a loader driver with Wairarapa Air Services, working with a pilot who was topdressing with a Cessna 180. All the while he was working towards his own commercial pilot’s licence. On gaining his CPL he was sent by Air Services to Beryck Dalcolm’s topdressing school. Then on return to the company he began actual topdressing operations on a de Havilland Canada Beaver. He moved to Fieldair and continued to fly from Masterton’s Hood Aerodrome in a Beaver for them. Following a break from flying for a few months he then re-joined Fieldair as a pilot, not based at Napier. Harley remembers an incident where he was a passenger in Beaver ZK-BFN with Fieldair chief pilot John Riddell. They crashed on take off and were both injured due to the aileron cables being crossed during the aircraft’s overhaul. Sometime after recovering from that incident and continuing to fly his own Beaver, Harley was promoted to fly a Fieldair DC-3 topdresser. Harley lost his medical for three years as a result of the accident earlier causing issues, but he eventually regained his licence. By now there was a downturn in the industry in New Zealand, and so he took the opportunity to travel to Libya for a job training pilots how to spray crops. On return to New Zealand he worked for Fieldair at Dargaville for a couple of years, and then a big downturn saw Harley decide to return to Africa, this time spraying wheat crops in the Sudan. He did two seasons there, and whilst there the famous BBC television documentary ‘Into Africa’ was filmed, following the exploits of the Kiwi and British pilots who flew the Cessna Husky ag planes there. The next job was flying two seasons topdressing in Australia, based at Crookwell, NSW. Whilst there Harley trained up to fly as an aerial firefighter, in a PZL-Mielec Dromader, but never ended up fighting any real fires. Harley and his wife Juliette then purchased a motel, and they ran that for around five years. He continued to fly on call flying a Fletcher for Johnson Air Services. This was his last flying job. After selling the motel he worked for a surveyor for 10 years. Harley finishes the interview with a story of a fire onboard his DC-3 topdresser in the air! Above: Harley Cadwallader in November 2020, during the interview. (Photo Dave Homewood) Above: Harley in a Fieldair Beaver (Photo via Ryan Cadwallader) Above: Harley with a Beaver (Photo via Ryan Cadwallader) Above and below: Harley in the Fieldair DC-3 (Photos via Ryan Cadwallader) Above and below: Harley with his Fieldair DC-3, ZK-APK, which is now beside State Highway One at Maungaweka (Photos via Ryan Cadwallader) Above: Harley with a Husky in Africa (Photo via Ryan Cadwallader) Above and below: Harley ‘water skiing’ in a Cessna Husky on a canal in Sudan (Photos via Ryan Cadwallader) Above: Harley in the Dromedar in Australia (Photo via Ryan Cadwallader)Below: Harley in a Fletcher (Photo via Ryan Cadwallader) Below: The opening of ‘Into Africa’ gives a brief glimpse into the life of the pilots in the Sudan Thanks to Ryan Cadwallader for setting up this interview with his father, Harley. NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Karl Kjarsgaard Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 13th of September 2020 Released: October 2020 Duration:  1 hour 18 minutes 23 seconds In a slightly different topic from the usual WONZ Show in this episode Dave Homewood talks with Karl Kjarsgaard of Canada about his efforts to ensure the Handley Page Halifax bomber is not forgotten by Canadians, and the world. Karl is a former airline pilot who realised in the 1990’s that whilst many of the aviation museums in Canada have Avro Lancaster bombers in their collection to represent his nation’s huge part on RAF Bomber Command, in fact the aircraft that most Canadian bomber crews flew was the Handley Page Halifax. The Royal Canadian Air Force operated 15 squadrons of Halifax in their own No. 6 Group of Bomber Command, and Canadians also served in the type with other squadrons. There were also over 40 RAF, 3 RAAF, 2 French and 2 Polish squadrons operating the type across Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and Transport Command, plus some Special Duties units. With only one unrestored Halifax at RAF Hendon, which was recovered from a fjord, and a ‘bitsa’ restoration at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Karl decided to find one for Canada. He located and, with a team, recovered Halifax Mk. VII NA337 from Lake Mjosa in Norway. That aircraft was restored back to pristine condition and is now on static display in the National Air Force Museum of Canada, at Trenton, Ontario. Next Karl set about recovering a second Halifax, LW682, from a swamp where it had crashed in Belgium, to recover the bodies of the crew. And now his current project is to recover Halifax HR871 from the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden. The plan is for this aircraft to end up fully restored to taxiing (though not flying) condition at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada, at Nanton, Alberta. Work is already well underway on a centre section and a collection of Bristol Hercules engines for this aeroplane. Quick Links: •  Halifax 57 Rescue •  Rebuildshop on Facebook •  The Bomber Command Museum of Canada (Nanton) •  The Bomber Command Museum of Canada Curated Public Group on Facebook •  The National Air Force Museum of Canada (Trenton) •  The Story of Halifax NA337 •  The Handley Page Halifax on Wikipedia Fully restored Halifax NA337 in the National Air Force Museum at Canada with a line up of Halifax veterans (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) Karl on top of NA337 during its recovery (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) A colourised photo of a wartime Halifax with all its aircrew, ground crew, bombs and support equipment (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) Karl with the ingots from the Belgian swamp bomber (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) Halifax NA337 following initial recovery and before the restoration (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) The centre section for the Nanton Halifax (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard) The wall of names of all the Canadian casualties from Bomber Command, and the Lancaster, at the Canadian Bomber Command Museum, Nanton (Photo via Karl Kjasgaard)

Guests: Alistair Marshall, and Rodney Dahlberg Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: Al recorded 10th of September 2020, Rod recorded 13th of August 2018 Released: 24th of September 2020 Duration: 1 hour 39 minutes 15 seconds In this “MOSQUITO SPECIAL” episode Dave Homewood talks again with Al Marshall, the team leader of the exciting current move of the world famous Mapua de Havilland Mosquito NZ2336. The aircraft was saved and stored for six decades by John Smith. Following John’s death in August 2019, his family have decided the Mosquito should go on public display in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, Blenheim. Al has been put in charge of the team of volunteers who will be moving the precious Mosquito from Mapua, west of Nelson, the 180 km trek east to Omaka Aerodrome in coming weeks. He is also running the programme to clean up and repaint the aircraft to prepare it for public display. He talks about the project and also about their Omaka Warbird Rescue Givealittle fundraiser to help make this happen, and the new Facebook group where you can follow the events. Links to both are below on this page. This has different content from the last episode, though a little of the information is repeated. Following the brief chat with Al, Dave then presents an interview with former RNZAF pilot Rod Dahlberg. Rod joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in January 1949, and learned to fly Tiger Moths and then Harvards at No. 1 Flying Training School at RNZAF Station Wigram. During this period he experienced his first crash during night flying in Harvard NZ1064, writing it off on the 12th of September 1949. He was then posted to No. 14 Squadron at Ohakea for multi-engine conversion in Airspeed Oxfords, and then returned to Wigram for the final phase of his training at the Instrument Weather School, flying Oxfords and Harvards. On the 26th of July 1950 Rod was posted to No. 75 Squadron at Ohakea. An operational squadron, they were flying the de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber. During his almost two years on the squadron Rod had a couple more very dangerous incidents, including putting Mosquito NZ2329 on it’s belly, losing a gear door, and somehow recovering from a deadly spin from the top of a loop. On the 1st of April 1952 Rod moved to No. 14 Squadron, who were now flying de Havilland Vampires. He served with the squadron at Ohakea and on deployment to Cyprus for a Middle East peacekeeping in the canal zone. In Cyprus he also converted to and flew the squadron’s Gloster Meteors, and spent a good amount of time flying to and from Egypt. Returning to New Zealand in April 1953, Rod decided to leave the RNZAF and by September that year he was flying Tiger Moths with Airspread Ltd. or Tauranga. He continued to fly as a topdressing pilots for several decades till his bad back forced him to give up flying. Rod also co-owned an ex-RNZAF Harvard for many years, NZ1096. Above: Rod Dahlberg on the day of this recording in front of his painting of him and good friend Dave Cohu in their Mosquitoes. (Dave Homewood photo) The result of Rod’s first accident, Harvard NZ1064 which he hit trees in during night flying. Rod Dahlberg Collection Rod in a No. 75 Squadron Mosquito taken from F/Lt Annand’s aircraft.Rod Dahlberg Collection Rod’s Mosquito after the wheels collapsed. Rod Dahlberg Collection Please note: Currently this site is experiencing issues with the photo layout. I am hoping this can be rectified soon, and when it is, I’ll add a lot more of Rod’s photos. Quick Links: •  Omaka Warbird Rescue Givealittle •  Omaka John Smith Mosquito Project Facebook Group •  The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre NB: The interlude music is 05 January by Kai Engel, and the music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Alistair Marshall, and Sidney Arthur “Tony” Williams Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: Al recorded 10th of September 2020, Tony recorded 8th of August 2018 Released: 11th of September 2020 Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 29 seconds In this “MOSQUITO SPECIAL” episode Dave Homewood talks first with Al Marshall, the team leader of the exciting current move of the world famous Mapua de Havilland Mosquito NZ2336. The aircraft was saved and stored for six decades by John Smith. Following John’s death in August 2019, his family have decided the Mosquito should go on public display in the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, Blenheim. Al has been put in charge of the team of volunteers who will be moving the precious Mosquito from Mapua, west of Nelson, the 180 km trek east to Omaka Aerodrome in coming weeks. He is also running the programme to clean up and repaint the aircraft to prepare it for public display. He talks about the project and also about their Omaka Warbird Rescue Givealittle fundraiser to help make this happen, and the new Facebook group where you can follow the events. Links to both are below on this page. Following the brief chat with Al (which will continue in the next episode) Dave then presents an interview with Tony Williams, who joined the RNZAF in 1945. He flew ten hours in Tiger Moths before the war ended and he was demobbed. However he rejoined the Air Force in 1948 as a Navigator trainee. He completed training as a Navigator-Wireless Operator in Avro Ansons at the Air Navigation School at Wigram. He was then posted to No. 14 Squadron at Ohakea to continue operational training in the Airspeed Oxfords. In February 1950 Tony was posted to No. 75 Squadron where he would become a Navigator-Wireless Operator on the de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers. Tony remained with the squadron through till February 1952, when he then underwent an instructor’s course at the Air Navigation School at Wigram. He began instructing at that school in May 1952, but in July 1952 he joined the Devon Ferry Unit, who went to Britain to ferry one of the new de Havilland Devons to New Zealand for the RNZAF. He and F/O Innes ferried Devon NZ1806 From Hatfield in England to New Zealand. This took up July through to September 1952. More instructing at the ANS followed and then Tony returned to England for his second Devon Ferry, this time he and F/Lt Jeffs ferried NZ1813 to New Zealand. That took in January to April 1953. Following a brief return to ANS, Tony then got his original wish to return to training as a pilot. He was posted to the Grading School at RNZAF Station Taieri to fly Tiger Moths, and then the Flying Training School at Wigram on Harvards. On completing his flying training Tony was selected to become a flying instructor so did a Central Flying School instructing course, and then from July 1954 he was instructing at the Flying Training School. In April 1955 he was posted back to the Central Flying School, now as an instructor, to train pilots how to instruct others. During his time there he was sent to Australia to undergo a course at the RAAF’s School of Air/Land Warfare. In May 1957 Tony was posted to the Fighter Operational Conversion Unit at Ohakea to undergo a course on flying the Vampire fighter jet. And the following month he joined No. 75 Squadron on the same station, now flying Vampires operationally. He became a part time member of the FOCU staff too, training other pilots in between his regular squadron duties. In January 1958 Tony became one of the first two RNZAF pilots selected to fly the English Electric Canberra bomber. They travelled to England and underwent conversion at No. 231 Bomber Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Coningsby. Once he was trained up on the type Tony began the ferry flight of leased Canberra T.4 WD963 from the UK out to Tengah, Singapore, where with No. 75 Squadron RNZAF he was involved in the Malayan Emergency conflict. In January 1961 Tony became the new commanding officer at the Central Flying School in Wigram. When it looked like he would end up in a desk job eventually, he decided to leave the RNZAF where he moved to Air New Zealand. There he flew the Lockheed Electras, and the Douglas DC-8’s. An RNZAF de Havilliand Mosquito, low hard and fast along the coast Tony Williams at his Wings parade (Tony Williams photo) Tony Williams climbing into an Airspeed Oxford with No. 14 Squadron RNZAF (Tony Williams photo) A No. 14 Squadron RNZAF Oxford, AX-A (Tony Williams photo) No. 75 Squadron RNZAF Mosquitoes lined up (Tony Williams photo) One of the two Devons that Tony ferried to New Zealand (Tony Williams photo) Devon Ferry Unit members (Tony Williams photo) Quick Links: •  Omaka Warbird Rescue Givealittle •  Omaka John Smith Mosquito Project Facebook Group •  The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre NB: The interlude music is 05 January by Kai Engel, and the music at the end

Guest: NZ44090 Aircraftman Clifford Noel Taylor, Aircrafthand (Tech) Host: Dave Homewood, with Gary McGuire Recorded: 19th of November 2019 Released: 27th of August 2020 Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes 29 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood and Gary McGuire have a chat with WWII veteran Cliff Taylor of Pukekohe. Cliff was born in Palmerston North, and grew up in Wellington. He studied aeronautical engineering, and he got a job with de Havilland New Zealand Ltd shortly after they opened at Rongotai. He is quite likely the last living member of their wartime staff at the time of this podcast’s release. Cliff joined the Army and served for a while, but with the influence of his uncle Lew Taylor, who was a pre-war RNZAF pilot with some standing in the service, he managed to switch to the RNZAF. Eventually he got overseas and served in the Pacific on Green Island with a Ventura Servicing Unit. Cliff was a prolific athlete, representing New Zealand at the 1950 Empire Games were he won Bronze in the men’s six miles event; and also competed in the three miles event. He also boxed, and e raced cars well into later life. In fact he’d just finished a gym session before this interview, aged 96! This episode is a little different and less formal than the usual WONZ Show. It was recorded up on Pukekohe Hill Reserve, overlooking Pukekohe township – during a picnic lunch. There’s a bit of background noise from birds, the breeze, and race cars on the Pukekohe track. So please forgive the slightly different take on this show. Cliff Taylor during the interview recording. Photo Gary McGuire.

Guest: Lou Larsen Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 17th of December 2019 Released: 18th of July 2020 Duration: 1 hour 9 minutes 43 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with Lou Larsen, the adopted son of the late Rukuhia scrap dealer Jim Larsen. The Larsen family owned the aluminium smelting business situated on the edge of former RNZAF Station Rukuhia, now Hamilton Airport, in the Waikato. Jim Larsen bought up over 500 surplus RNZAF aeroplanes – P-40 Warhawks and Kittyhawks, Corsairs, Hudsons, Venturas, Avengers, Catalinas, etc., and they were cut up and smelted to make aluminium ingots. Lou was a child there when this began and over the twenty year period of the operation he grew up literally amongst the old aeroplanes, and got involved in the smelting process himself. The following photos were taken by Dave Jenkinson, and were kindly supplied by Warwick Jones of the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Hamilton Branch. They depict scenes at the Larsen aircraft graveyard. NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: WWII veteran Cpl John Lawrence Ernest Hamlet (known as Laurie), NZ416754, RNZAF Instrument Repairer Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 30th of November 2019 Released: 5th of July 2020 Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes 24 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Laurie Hamlet, who was born and grew up in Auckland. Before the war he was apprenticed to an auto-electrician firm. In December 1941 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and was to train at RNZAF Station Harewood in Christchurch for his recruit training course, and then was posted to RNZAF Station Hobsonville, in Auckland, to undergo training as an Instrument Repairer. Following completion of his instruments course at Hobsonville he stayed on at that station at the Aircraft Assembly Unit, and worked on assembling aircraft that were arriving from overseas by ship in the Port of Auckland for service with the RNZAF. These included the last Hawker Hind to arrive in New Zealand, and he also worked on assembling Lockheed Hudsons and Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks. He was then posted back to Harewood where he continued to assemble Curtiss P-40’s which were now also arriving from the US factories via the Port of Lyttleton. Laurie’s next posting was to RNZAF Station Whenuapai in late 1942 to join No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron who were at that time preparing to depart for Tonga. They were the first RNZAF fighter squadron to deploy to the South-West Pacific. The squadron went up by ship and they took over an ex-USAAF squadron of P-40E’s, which had not been looked after very well. The Kiwis grounded the aircraft and gave them a good going over to get them up to RNZAF standards. The squadron then began training with the aircraft, and preparing to move over to Espiritu Santo. Laurie served with No. 15 (F) Squadron in Fiji, Santo and at Kukum Field at Guadalcanal. He was then returned to New Zealand and was posted to the Maintenance Wing of No. 2 Service Flying Training School, at RNZAF Station Woodbourne. He then spent short stints in the Instrument Sections at RNZAF Station Ohakea, and No. 1 Repair Depot at RNZAF Station Hamilton. Then another Pacific posting came, and Laurie joined No. 5 (Flying Boat) Squadron at Luganville on the Segond Channel at Espiritu Santo. However he was placed into the squadron detachment at Funafuti in the Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu). He was working on Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina flying boats in this squadron. Laurie’s last posting was to RNZAF Station Ardmore, and was working on Chance Vought F4U Corsairs there till the end of the war and into 1946 before being demobbed. He then returned to his auto-electrician trade. Then in 1967 he joined Air New Zealand. He worked on the Lockheed Electra, the Douglas DC-8’s, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10’s, the Boeing 747’s and the 767’s. He retired in 1989. The following photos are from Laurie Hamlet’s personal collection: A No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron P-40 somewhere in the Pacific Laurie Hamlet in 1942 Laurie’s course mates at Harewood during his Initial Training Wing induction Names on the back of the above Harewood course photo No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron P-40E’s and Harvards at Whenuapai One of the P-40’s that No. 15 Squadron took over in Tonga – see here dug in purposely in preparation for an impending cyclone 1943. Laurie Hamlet sitting in the cockpit, with ‘Doc’ Babb standing over him. Standing, l to r. Harry Aston, “Winnipeg”, Col ClevelendKneeling, l to r, Frank Bryers RAF, Jack Rodger. Jennings (Radio Technician, left) and Sgt Sam McMullan (Fitter, right) Maurie Rowntree, ‘Doc’ Babb, and Edwards, with Laurie in the cockpit Les Jackman, RAF Sgt Sam McMullen Woodbourne, November 1943 For more on No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron’s history I recommend David Duxbury’s excellent presentation in the recent WONZ Virtual Forum Meet here: NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Ian Slater, Cameron Wallace, Graham Allan and Martin Oldfield Host: Dave Homewood Recorded:  7th of June 2020 (6th of June 2020 in Canada) Released: 7th of June 2020 Duration:  1 hour 6 minutes 26 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood catches up with Ian Slater of Typhoon Legacy Co. Ltd in Canada and gets an update on the truly exciting restoration of the Hawker Typhoon JP843. Joining Ian in this episode are team members Cam Wallace (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer ), Graham Allan (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and research guru) and Martin Oldfield (Design Engineer). We hear about the progress that has happened since the last time the Typhoon project featured on the WONZ Show, and the current status and happenings. Quick Links: •  The Typhoon Legacy Co. Ltd Website •  The Typhoon Legacy Facebook Page •  The previous WONZ Show – Episode 108: Typhoon Legacy Hawker Typhoon JP843 Ian Slater – Project Lead Left to Right: Graham Allan, Martin Oldfield and Cam Wallace The fuselage fixture (Image Ian Slater) Fin rib production and tooling (Image Ian Slater) Monocoque frame sets (airworthy for JP843 and static for the Jet Age Museum in the UK). (Image Ian Slater) The Rolls Royce Merlin III, left, and the Napier Sabre(Image Ian Slater) Above and below:  The tailwheel assembly that Martin and Ian referred to in the discussion. Ian says, “The item we had problems with is the “T” extrusion shown in the second image, this little part saved the day, and we were able to match it to the profile from the Hawker standards.” (Images Ian Slater) Above and below: The wing that the team found thanks to a Facebook post after its arrival at the workshop. (Images Ian Slater) NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest Speakers: Mike Nicholls, James Kightly and Charles Davis Host: Dave Homewood, with Technical Support from Phil Treweek Recorded:  17th of May 2020 Released: 1st of June 2020 Duration:  1 hour 47 minutes 1 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood hosts the first ever WONZ Virtual Forum Meet, via Zoom, as a result of the Covid 19 lockdown. With everyone in isolation and major travel restrictions in place at the time of conception, the usual style of a WONZ Forum Meet was out of the question, but thanks to Zoom it can now happen online. In this experimental Virtual Forum Meet there were three main speakers with different topics. They were: Mike Nicholls (with John Saunders) on the John Smith Collection James Kightly on the Archaeological Survey of a Brewster Buffalo crash site in Australia Charles Davis on the history of the BAC167 Strikemaster, and on his own example There’s also a video version which is probably better to view than listening to the podcast, click below. The music at the end of the audio version is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud Quick Links: •  The John Smith Collection Thread on WONZ •  Buffalo Stories from Vintage Aero Writer • Strikemaster 72 on Facebook NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Edward Leaf, Air Gunner Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 6th of December 2019 Released: 2nd of May 2020 Duration:  53 minutes 24 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood chats with WWII Air Gunner Eddie Leaf, who served with the Royal Air Force in Vickers Wellingtons, Short Stirlings, Handley Page Halifax and Avro Lancasters. Eddie was born in the UK but grew up in the USA during the Depression years, and returned to Britain before joining the RAF. Postwar he moved to New Zealand. His daughter Christine also sits in to help Eddie with his fading memories. Eddie’s wartime bomber crew on No. 90 Squadron in the Summer of 1943: Left to right are Roy Mitchell (Mid-Upper Gunner), Harry Sherman (Wireless Operator), Eddie Leaf (Rear Gunner), Charles Corley DFC (Pilot), Bob Ludham (Flight Engineer), Arthur Beresford (Bomb Aimer) and Cyril Paul (Navigator). From Eddie Leaf’s Collection. Eddie Leaf during his RAF days. From Eddie Leaf’s Collection. A photo of the English-born members of the New Zealand Bomber Command Association who were treated to a trip back to the UK to tour museums and visit the Bomber Command Memorial. Here they were visiting the Avro Lancaster ‘Just Jane’ at East Kirkby. Left to right are Harold Panton, owner of ‘Just Jane’, Eddie Leaf, Des Hall, ?, Wally Halliwell, Harry Cammish and Doug Williamson. From Eddie Leaf’s Collection. Eddie Leaf, standing left, with his daughter Christine, talks with Ron Mayhill (back to camera) and Jonathon Pote, with Keith Boles DFC in the foreground at an NZBCA veterans morning tea in December 2019.Photo Dave Homewood Eddie greeting Keith, with Ron and Christine looking on. Photo Dave Homewood NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Neville Worsley Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 9th of February 2020 Released: 17th of April 2020 Duration:  51 minutes 4 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood chats with longtime pilot Neville Worsley about his long career in flying as a commercial pilot in aerial topdressing and tourist flying, and his hobby as a recreational pilot and sport flyer. Neville flew all sorts of topdressing aeroplanes including the early Fletcher, the Airtruk, the Beaver and the Douglas DC-3 all around New Zealand. In the tourism industry he flew out of Rotorua in the Tiger Moth and Pitts S2. He has also test flown a lot of aeroplanes among the 80 or so different types he has flown. He and his sons fly an Acro Sport II ZK-CAW these days. Neville is a keen member of the Sport Aircraft Association of New Zealand, the Hawera Aero Club and the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand. This was one of those recordings where the opportunity arose and we grabbed it while we could. The venue was the Hawera Aero Club rooms, where unfortunately there was a little background noise from other club members and visiting pilots. But it was worth getting Neville’s story recorded regardless. Here is a selection of photos from Neville’s career, thanks to Bernice Hintz and Les Worsley for kindly supplying them. All photos are copyright Neville Worsley. Neville Worsley preflight checking the Acro Sport II ZK-CAW Neville with de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth ZK-BCI Neville in Piper PA-18A Super Cub ZK-BOX at Stratford in 1962 Neville climbing into an Air Contracts DHC-2 Beaver Fieldair Beaver ZK-CZO in the snow Neville with DC-3 topdresser ZK-AWO at Woodbourne Neville with DC-3 topdresser ZK-APB Checking the oil on a DC-3 Neville dropping a load of superphosphate from ZK-AWO near Napier A Fieldair DC-3 dropping its load on a hilltop Neville in de Havilland DH89B Dominie ZK-AKY Neville, left, when flying tourists from Rotorua to White Island Neville with the Acro Sport II biplane ZK-CAW at Dannevirke Neville with Vans RV-4 ZK-RVG Neville with his sons and ZK-CAW at Taumaranui NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Speakers: Dave Starr, Gavin McIvor and Des Gyde Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 8th of December 2019 Released: 3rd of April 2020 Duration:  1 hour 34 minutes 19 seconds This episode features presentations made in front of a live audience at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Christmas Party, held at Te Kowhai Aerodrome, Hamilton. The speakers are: Dave Starr talking about topdressing Douglas DC-3’s, with a focus on the Te Kowhai resident DC-3 ZK-AZL. Gavin McIvor, a member of the team who are striving to preserve the very historic ZK-AZLDes Gyde, talking about his 50 years in aviation, including private flying, and his years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a Safety And Surface technician, then a Helicopter Crewman, and next an Air Ordnance technician, and more. Anyone wishing to help with the restoration of Douglas DC-3 ZK-AZL should contact Gavin McIvor at [email protected] Quick Links: •  Te Kowhai Airfield •  Te Kowhai Aerodrome on Facebook Photos below all courtesy of Phil Treweek Douglas DC-3 ZK-AZL Dave Starr Gavin McIvor Des Gyde NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Lucy Newell Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 18th of February 2020 Released: 29th of March 2020 Duration:  51 minutes 44 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood chats with Lucy Newell, a young Kiwi commercial pilot who is currently bush flying in Ontario, Canada. She is piloting Cessna Caravans off gravel strips and floatplane DHC-2 Beavers off lakes. Lucy began flying seven years ago and on gaining her commercial licence in Christchurch, she became an instructor at Wanaka for several years. There she loved the mountain flying and the challenging winds. She also was introduced to flying vintage aeroplanes there and she regularly flies Tiger Moths when the opportunity arises. In 2019 Lucy began working as a commercial pilot in Canada for Wilderness North Air, which has broadened her experiences as a commercial pilot with lot of interesting flying and adventures. Lucy is a member of the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand and also a volunteer with The Vintage Aviator Collection. Sadly since this episode was recorded last month, the Corona Virus crisis meant that Lucy will not get back to New Zealand in April, and the Wanaka airshow she planned to fly in has been cancelled. Lucy is still in Canada and continuing to fly the Caravan at the time this episode is released, and still plans to return to flying the floatplane Beaver in May 2020. Quick Links: •   Wilderness North Above: Lucy Newell next to the beloved DHC-2 Beaver that she flies in the Canadian summer. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: An example of the cargo being loaded into the Beaver by Lucy on one of the wilderness cabin trips. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: The Beaver with a kayak roped to the float struts. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: Beavers at the dock. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: One of the fishing cabins in the wilderness. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: The Cessna Caravan that Lucy is flying though the winter. (Photo Lucy Newell) Above: The Caravan. (Photo Lucy Newell) Below: The DHC-3 Otter, a turbine engined version, which also flies with the company. Lucy hopes to gain a rating on it soon. (All photos Lucy Newell) Lastly, the wonders of Ontario, Canada. Sunset on the lakeside. (Photo Lucy Newell) NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Ian Munro Sexton, WWII RNZAF Radar Mechanic, then Pilot (Ham Radio Call Sign ZL1PZ) Host: Dave Homewood Also Sitting In: Bevan Dewes and Paul Radley Recorded: 16th of March 2020 Released: 27th of March 2020 Duration:  1 hour 3 minutes 40 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood sits down 99 year old veteran Ian Sexton, who served as a Radar Mechanic with the RNZAF during WWII, and later in the war he remustered to train a a pilot. Joining the RNZAF in 1941 and training to be a Wireless Mechanic, on completion of his training in that field he was offered the opportunity to move into a top secret field, which when he accepted the offer turned out to be Radar. He trained as a Radar Mechanic and was posted first to the top secret Radar site at Piha, and after a time there he moved on to another new site at Maunganui Head. They were keeping watch over the Tasman Sea approaches Then Ian was selected to be part of a new team who were to be the first ground directed interception Radar unit at Guadalcanal, arriving there in February 1943. This unit was plotting the incoming Japanese night bombers and giving commands via a US ground base to the US night fighter pilots to aid their interception of the bombers. Their work greatly reduced the affect of Japanese bombing at Henderson Field. Next Ian was sent back to New Zealand to prepare a new Radar team who were to head up to New Georgia, but during this he became ill from the anti-malarial medicine they were given so he did not return to the Pacific. Instead In remustered to aircrew, and began training as a pilot. He gained his pilot’s brevet and completed his Service Flying Training School course on Harvards, but with the war almost over the RNZAF called a halt to training and he sat out the last month of the war waiting to be released. Ian remembers lots of incidents, both with radar and other happenings he witnessed, such as the B-17 crash on take off from Whenuapai, and the Hudson hitting the hangar also at Whenuapai. Postwar Ian picked up flying again from Pukekohe East for many years. He is also still a keen ham radio operator, and he compiled two volumes of memories sent in by around 50 ex-Radar operators and mechanics, members of the Radar Reunion Society. The books and called Radar Stories from the R.N.Z.A.F., 1939-1945 Vol. 1 and 2. Above: Ian Sexton in March 2020 (Photo Dave Homewood) Ian in a de Havilland DH82a Tiger Moth during his flying training (Photo Ian Sexton Collection) Above: Ian in a North American Harvard during his flying training. (Photo Ian Sexton Collection) Here is an excellent short film on the Piha Radar Station made by Auckland City Council NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Aaron Pearce, Aaron Patchett, and Fletcher McKenzie Host: Dave Homewood Insert: Grant McHerron and Doug Hamilton Recorded: 5th of February 2020 Released:  6th of February 2020 Duration:  1 hour 43 minutes 40 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood is joined by Aaron Pearce, Aaron Patchett, and Fletcher McKenzie in this semi-regular The Forum episode. Aaron Pearce is the Chief Flying Instructor and Manager at South Canterbury Aero Club, Timaru. He has a passion for instructing new pilots, and for aviation in general. He also runs the very popular Kiwi Pilots page on Facebook. He was recently awarded the Grand Master’s Medal by the Honourable Company of Air Pilots in London. Above: Aaron Pearce Aaron Patchett is a pilot based at Omaka, where he enjoys flying some of the classic aeroplanes such as the Boeing-Stearman Kaydet, the Yak 52, the Pitts Special and the de Havilland DH83 Fox Moth. Aaron also works for Classic Aero Machining Services, building all sorts of parts for aeroplanes, all the way up to complete Gnome rotary engines. Above: Aaron Patchett Above: Aaron Patchett in the Pitts Special, the memorable flight that he talks about (Photo Tracy Dixon) Fletcher McKenzie is a former advertising guru who set up Leading Edge Media making aviation themed films and DVD’s. He produced FlightpathTV which has been viewed in over 60 countries around the world. He has written a series of books called Lessons From The Sky, and he enjoys flying as a private pilot. Fletcher also has an aircraft parts business and is a board member of the New Zealand Aeronautical Trust. Above: Fletcher McKenzie Quick Links: •   South Canterbury Aero Club •   South Canterbury Aero Club on Facebook •   Kiwi Pilots •   The Honourable Company of Air Pilots Incorporating Air Navigators •   Classic Aero Machining Services •   PMH Aviation on Facebook •   FlightPathTV •   Fletcher’s Website Including the Books, TV work, etc •   Walsh Awards •   The John Smith Collection •   The 1/6th Scale Curtiss P-40N Warhawk Gloria Lyons •   The First by Terry Moyle •   No Glory Without Effort by Glyn Strange •   Mike Patey’s Youtube Channel • FlightChops Youtube Channel NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Charles Darby Hosts: Dave Homewood, Bevan Dewes Recorded: 19th of August 2019 Released:  31st of January 2020 Duration:  1 hour 3 minutes 47 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood and Bevan Dewes sat down with the legendary Charles Darby at his home in Auckland. Charles has always had a passion for historical aviation since he was a child and used to spend a lot of time as a kid at the graveyard of WWII aeroplanes at Rukuhia in Hamilton. He would eventually be involved in the recovery of P-40E NZ3009 from there, an aircraft that went on to spend time in MOTAT before being restored to flight and becoming a regular on the British and then the New Zealand airshow scenes. Charles was invited by American tycoon David Tallichet to lead expeditions into the Pacific islands to locate and rescue WWII aircraft from there. He and Monty Armstrong recovered around 25 aeroplanes, including Bell Airacobras, Curtiss P-40’s, Bristol/DAP Beauforts, CAC Boomerangs and Supermarine Spitfires. Also discussed is Pacific Aircraft Restorations Ltd, a company that Charles set up with the late Jim Pavitt to restore P-40’s. That company later became Pioneer Aero Ltd which is still restoring warbirds at Ardmore Airport, Auckland. Charles also talks about his late friend John Smith, of Mapua, who collected several old aeroplanes and saved them from being scrapped. And of course Charles has written three books. RNZAF The First Decade is a classic, as is Pacific Aircraft Wrecks. And more recently he has written Australia’s Liberators. Above: A photo of P-40’s at the Rukuhia aircraft graveyard in the 1950’s or early 1960’s (Photo Dudley Payne, via the late John Scullin) Above: P-40E NZ3009 (ZK-RMH) which was rescued from Rukuhia, seen here at Classic Fighters 2017, with Stu Goldspink as the pilot (Dave Homewood photo) Above: ZK-CAG, the P-40N A29-448/A29-1050 recovered from Tadji, Papua New Guinea, in 1974 Above: A recent photo from December 2019 of Charles Darby, left, and Peter Wheeler, right, at MOTAT. Charles and Peter were both part of the AHSNZ Auckland Branch that recovered Kittyhawk NZ3009 from Rukuhia, and they were catching up here for the first time since those days. Photo Dave Homewood NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: F/Lt Malcolm Flack RAF, RNZAF (retired) Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of December 2019 Released:  19th of January 2020 Duration:  47 minutes 20 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood climbed into the cockpit of the Handley Page Hastings in the workshop of MOTAT – the Museum of Transport and Technology – in Auckland with 97-year-old Malcolm Flack, to record his memories of flying in WWII and postwar with the RAF and then the RNZAF. Born just south of London, Malcolm joined the Royal Air Force in 1942, and was selected to go to the USA and trained in the U.S. Navy system flying Stearman and SNJ’s, and he progressed onto flying PBY Catalina to complete his flying training. He then returned to Britain and converted to Oxfords, before going onto Wellingtons to complete his Operational Training Unit course. He was then posted to a Short Stirling squadron who were tasked with lowing Horsa gliders. The war ended before Malcolm was able to fly operationally with gliders, but he stayed on in the RAF. Soon after the end of the war he was posted to an Avro York squadron, with RAF Transport Command. When the Berlin Airlift began Malcolm flew as Second Pilot in Yorks operating into Berlin for a number of trips. After a break from flying working in a ground role, he did a captaincy course, and then returned to the Yorks now as a captain. He flew another 100 operations into Berlin during the Airlift as captain. When the Airlift finished Malcolm converted to the Handley Page Hastings, and continued to fly with Transport Command around the world as far as Singapore and Japan and back to Britain. Following an accident in the Canal Zone in a Hastings, Malcolm sought a change and became a instructor. He was training pilots on Harvards and Oxfords, and then on two-seat Meteor jets. When his time in the RAF came to an end in 1955 Malcolm decided to enlist with the RNZAF and he flew a further four years as a Hastings pilot, before retiring to become a school teacher. Special thanks to Charles Darby who set up this interview, and Steve Subritzky of MOTAT who allowed us to access the Hastings cockpit, allowing a unique place for Malcolm to reminisce about his Air Force days. Above: Malcolm Flack, 97, back in the cockpit of a Handley Page Hastings that he flew during the 1950’s. (Photo Dave Homewood) Above: Malcolm after the interview, standing under the DC-3, with the Hastings cockpit where the interview took place in the background. (Photo Dave Homewood) Quick Links: •  The Museum of Transport and Technology •   MOTAT on Facebook •   The Handley Page Hastings •   The Avro York • The Berlin Airlift NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Nathan “Barf” Bosher Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released:  12th of January 2020 Duration:  46 minutes 05 seconds In this final talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, the museum’s resident Safety And Surface Technician Nathan “Barf” Bosher talks about applying paint to the collection’s aeroplanes. Barf’s fascinating talk goes into the whys and wherefores, the methodology, the chemical principles, and the decision making and planning involved in a historical Air Force paint scheme, whether it’s for a static museum aircraft or a flying warbird. Above: Nathan ‘Barf’ Bosher during his talk on painting historic aeroplanes. (Photo Phil Treweek) Photo by Dave Homewood Photo by Phil Treweek Below are Barf’s slides from his PowerPoint presentation: Quick Links: •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Barry Lennox Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released:  4th of January 2020 Duration: 1 hour 1 minute 14 seconds In this talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, Barry Lennox gives a fascinating and very technical history of the design and science behind the atomic bombs used at the end of WWII, their deployment and their effect. Barry Lennox beginning his talk (Photo Dave Homewood) Barry Lennox during his presentation (Photo Phil Treweek) Barry Lennox during his presentation (Photo Phil Treweek) Below are Barry’s PowerPoint slides: Quick Links: •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Squadron Leader Paul Harrison (RNZAF, rtd) Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released:  1st of January 2020 Duration: 56 minutes 13 seconds In this talk given at the 2019 Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, S/Ldr Paul Harrison talks about his long and interesting career in Communications of varying types with the RNZAF, in Signals and in Public Relations. Paul is also a journalist, historian and author. Since 2000 Paul has been a regular correspondent for NZ Aviation News. Since his first published book in 1995, he has co-authored four books with Brian Lockstone and now with the publishing of SEEK AND DESTROY in 2018 has a total of 13 published works. Above and below: Paul Harrison giving his presentation on the day (both photos courtesy of Phil Treweek). Quick Links: •   Seek And Destroy – The History of No. 3 Squadron RNZAF •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website • The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Alexander Liggett Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released: 5th of December 2019 Duration: 38 minutes 3 seconds In this talk given by Alex Liggett, President of Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, at the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch, we hear about the de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI HR339. Alex gives an overview of the history of the aircraft in wartime and postwar service, it’s period languishing on a Canterbury farm and the project’s recovery and ongoing restoration to static condition. Quick Links: •  Ferrymead Aeronautical Society’s Website •  Ferrymead Aeronautical Society of Facebook •  Ferrymead News on the WONZ Forum •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page Above: Alex giving his presentation (Photo Phil Treweek) Alex used a Powerpoint Presentation with his talk and he has kindly provided the slides for listeners to see here to help understand what he’s talking about. NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Warrant Officer Keith “Buck” Harrison, RNZAF Retired Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released: 31st of October 2019 Duration: 51 minutes 51 seconds This is the third episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. We hear a talk given by Buck Harrison who joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1973 as an aircraft technician, and he worked on Dakotas, Strikemasters, Skyhawks, Iroquois and Airtrainers. He then decided to retrain as a Helicopter Crewman, which was an elite aircrew role. Buck talks about the intensive selection and training process that he went through to become a ‘Crewman’. He then details some of the more interesting missions he was involved with, from search and rescue to firefighting to Navy and Army liaison, and from police work to VIP flying in Antarctica to working with the Department of Conservation (D.O.C.). Quick Links: •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Website •  The RNZAF’s Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Twitter Feed •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Thread on the WONZ Forum Buck used a Powerpoint Presentation with his talk and he has kindly provided the photos for listeners to see here to help understand what he’s talking about. Warrant Officer Buck Harrison, Helicopter Crewman Buck working on a Strikemaster. Buck, left, working on a Skyhawk. Winching practice on the back of an Interisland ferry. The Iroquois winch. Low, hard and fast! Stretchers rigged three high in the helicopter, and troops unload or load equipment during manoeuvres with the New Zealand Army. A remote landing area during a search and rescue effort. Working with the Department of Conservation (D.O.C.). Carrying timber for a D.O.C. hut. Transporting a section of a prefabricated D.O.C. hut Working with the monsoon bucket and firefighters. A calf is winched out of the snow where it was trapped in the Big Snow of 1992 Hay bails stacked into an Iroquois during the effort to feed and relieve stranded livestock after the Big Snow in 1992. Relief effort after a cyclone in Fiji Helping locals with building materials to rebuild in Fiji after a cyclone, Buck helps to load the timber while pilot Brett King is second from left The cannabis wreath made by one of the policemen during the lunch break on a cannabis recovery mission “Mine!!” Buck Harrison Sir Ed Hillary and crew in Antarctica Antarctica In 1992 the RNZAF operated two Iroquois in Antarctica B..B…B…B… Bluebird’s the word Buck of the Antarctic The official party in Antarctica with Sir Edmund Hillary in the back row, centre, Prime Minister Jim Bolger, and Buck is on the right hand end in the black headband The twelve-ship No. 3 Squadron RNZAF Iroquois Formation to mark 25 Years of service for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois with the RNZAF NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guests: Loretta McGarry, Bob McGarry, Amanda Rutland, Jim Lawson and Keith Skilling Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 19th of October 2019 Released: 25th of October 2019 Duration: 56 minutes 43 seconds On the weekend of the 18th to the 20th of October 2019 the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand held a special commemorative Fly-In at Taumarunui Aerodrome, in the heart of the King Country. This event marked 50 Years since the club formed with its first Fly-In at the same airfield back in 1969. Dave Homewood was there and he took the opportunity to interview members of the club, to talk about the past, and the present and future of the club, plus some other aviation topics. We hear from Loretta McGarry who was one of the founders of the club, who talks about those early days, and also her background in aviation from catering at Whenuapai Airport to fabric work and engineering on topdressers and classics like Piper Cubs and Tiger Moths. Next up we hear from Bob McGarry who is another of the Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand’s founders. Bob talks about his memories of those early days too, and also discusses his life in aviation and the Simmonds Spartan that he rebuilt. Tiger Moth pilot Amanda Rutland talks about the upcoming Tiger Moth Safari that is being planned for February 29th till the 13th of March in 2020, all around New Zealand. And past president and well known engineer Jim Lawson talks about his experiences with the Tiger Moth Club if New Zealand and his background and lifetime in aviation. Finally, the President Keith Skilling talks about the club, and his experiences, plus a little about what he’s up to these days since he retired from Warbird display flying. Quick Links: •  The Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand Website •  The Tiger Moth Club of New Zealand Facebook Page •  The Taumarunui Aero Club NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Andrew Love Other Speaker: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released: 11th of October 2019 Duration: 35 minutes 19 seconds This is the second episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. We hear a talk given by Andy Love about aerobatics. Andy is a pilot and instructor with a passion for aerobatics, both flying them and the history of this medium of flying. He’s also an airshow display pilot, a warbird and classics pilot, a volunteer with The Vintage Aviator Collection, and a member of the team behind Warbirds Over Wanaka.Andy talks about the New Zealand Aerobatic Club and the various competitions that he is involved with organising and competing in. He also talks about the aerobatic competition scene around he world, and he gives a fascinating insight into the history of aerobatics and how various manoeuvres used in combat, competitions and airshow displays came about. Above: Andy during the presentation Quick Links: •  The New Zealand Aerobatic Club •  The South Island Akro Fest Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Twitter Feed •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Thread on the WONZ Forum During the talk Andy also screened a short promo film for the New Zealand Aerobatic Club. You can view a version of that below: NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Louisa Hormann, Archives Technician at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand Other Speakers: Dave Homewood and W/C Brett Marshall Recorded: 1st of September 2019 Released: 25th of September 2019 Duration: 39 minutes 50 seconds This is the first episode from the recent Wings Over New Zealand Forum Meet at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram, Christchurch. We hear an introduction from Dave Homewood, and a welcome to the crowd from Wing Commander Brett Marshall. And then the first speaker of the day was Louisa Hormann who works as an Archives Technician at the Museum. Louisa makes a fascinating presentation based on her research into The Guinea Pig Club, whose members were burn victims that were being treated using pioneering plastic surgery techniques at the RAF Hospital at East Grinstead. Louisa details the background of the surgical techniques and the club, and she talks about the New Zealand connections with all four of the main surgeons. She also gives some personal stories of New Zealanders who were members of the club. Also discussed is how the work of the surgeons and the members of the Club are remembered today in the museum context. Above: Louisa Hormann during her talk (Photo Phil Treweek) Above: Louisa Hormann during her talk (Photo Phil Treweek) Above: Among the club’s many social exploits was the monthly publication of The Guinea Pig magazine. The illustration in the Guinea Pigs’ thought bubble would change every issue. From the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Air Ministry Pamphlet for the First Aid and Early Treatment of Burns in the Royal Air Force (1944 above; 1956 below, first and second editions). From the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Above: Diagram from May 1944 first edition of First Aid and Early Treatment of Burns in the Royal Air Force. From the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Above: The McIndoe Memorial Statue at East Grinstead was designed by renowned British sculptor Martin Jennings and unveiled in June 2014. © Copyright Peter Trimming and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence. Above and below: Vernon Mitchell in the early stages of burns surgery and during reconstructive surgery, after an aircraft accident. From the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Above: Jack Williamson’s scrapbook contains photographs and notes about his treatment at Ely Hospital. From the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Quick Links: •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Twitter Feed •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Thread on the WONZ Forum •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Website •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Facebook Page •   Sir Archibald McIndoe on Wikipedia •   Sir Archibald McIndoe on New Zealand History •  The Guinea Pig Club on Wikipedia •  Henry Pickerill on Teara •  Arthur Mowlem on Wikipedia •  Harold Gillies on Teara •  Paddy Hartley’s page on the Faces of Battle WWI exhibition, as referenced in the presentation Note: The music is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Main Speaker: Des Underwood Other Speakers: Jack Best (Introducing the event), Greg Brownless (Mayor of Tauranga) Recorded: 6th of September 2019 Released: 15th of September 2019 Duration: 1 hour 25 minutes 52 seconds In this episode we hear a recording from the Fourth Annual Jean Batten Lecture, presented by Des Underwood to the Bay of Plenty Branch of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society. The venue was the Boeing Room of Classic Flyers NZ Museum. The topic of this year’s lecture was ‘The World of Jimmy Ward VC’. Des gives a background to the man, New Zealand’s first Victoria Cross recipient in WWII, awarded for his daring act in climbing onto the wing of a Wellington bomber while in flight to douse the flames of an engine fire. He covers Jimmy’s background and life before and in the RNZAF, the wing fire, and his sad death. Also Des covers the RAF at the time,the bombing war, and much more. Quick Links: •   Royal Aeronautical Society – Bay of Plenty Branch •   James Ward VC on Wikipedia •  Classic Flyers NZ Museum Website •  Classic Flyers NZ Museum on Facebook Jimmy Ward VC with his Victoria Cross medal ribbon Jimmy Ward in the cockpit of a Wellington bomber of No. 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF The foot holes made in the wing and fuselage by Jimmy when he ventured out to couragiously fight the fire in the starboard engine, whilst also fighting the freezing cold airflow over the wing Above: Des Underwood delivering his lecture on The World of Jimmy Ward VC Video VersionPart One Part Two Part Three Here are the videos that Des tried to screen and sadly had technical difficulties with: NB: The music at the end of this episode is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Wing Commander Brett Marshall RNZAF, Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 2nd of September 2019 Released: 5th of September 2019 Duration: 41 minutes 20 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood sits down with Wing Commander Brett Marshall, RNZAF, who was recently appointed to the role of Director of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Brett was previously the Executive Officer at the museum. In this interview he discusses a variety of topics ranging from his background as a transport and maritime pilot and a flying instructor in the Air Force, to current museum policy, and exciting ongoing projects on large and small scales. Also discussed is the role of the museum as an RNZAF unit, and its importance to the various communities it serves. Above: Wing Commander Brett Marshall at the 2019 ANZAC Day service held in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand (Photo: Air Force Museum of New Zealand) Above: Wing Commander Brett Marshall stands in front of the Roll of Honour in the Atrium of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand (Photo: Air Force Museum of New Zealand) Quick Links: •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Website •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Facebook Page •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Twitter Feed •  The Air Force Museum of New Zealand’s Thread on the WONZ Forum •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Website •  The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Facebook Page Note: The music is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud

Guest: Warren Denholm of Avspecs Ltd, aka Wal Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 19th of August 2019 Released: 24th of August 2019 Duration: 44 minutes 2 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood visits Wal Denholm in his office at Avspecs Ltd., the Ardmore-based warbird restoration company, to discuss the restoration and recent success with de Havilland Mosquito FB.6 PZ474. This Mossie served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force as NZ2384, and then went to the USA. When it was purchased as a project by Texas-based collector Rod Lewis it returned to New Zealand as what can only be described as wreckage. Over the past four years PZ474 was rebuilt back to its magnificent former glory – in fact better than it ever would have looked. It took to the air again at Ardmore on the 13th of January 2019, in stunning RAF Coastal Command colours, and after test flying it was shipped to the USA. In July PZ474 was one of the major stars of EAA AirVenture 2019 at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where the project won two awards, the Phoenix Award and the Grand Champion WWII award, the latter being the most prestigious of all awards at the world’s biggest aviation event. Wal talks all about the Mosquito’s restoration and the Oshkosh experience. He also gives an overview of what else they are currently working on, the Curtiss Hawk for Jerry Yagen, the Supermarine Spitfire XVIe for a US-based customer, the next Mosquito project which is still for sale, the Grumman Widgeons and the Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony. Quick Links: •  Avspecs Ltd’s website •  Avspecs on Facebook •  Lewis Air Legends website •  Lewis Air Legends on Facebook •  Classic Aircraft Photography Mosquito PZ474 over the Auckland coastline during its initial test flight in January 2019. (Photo courtesy of Gavin Conroy of Classic Aircraft Photography) The Mosquito PZ474 at the Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore in November 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood) Mosquito PZ474 at the Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore in November 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood) Mosquito PZ474 at the Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore in November 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood) Mosquito PZ474 at the Warbirds Open Day at Ardmore in November 2018 (Photo: Dave Homewood) Note: The music is Wild Flower by Joakim Karud