NZFF

Hey Guys,

I was up the PM tower yesterday and while I was up there I saw numerous RAAF F-111's on the radar screen going into Ohakea... I heard today that they are here for some sorta exercise..? Anyone got more info?

Ill try make my way out there this arvo but no guarantees.

~ZK-KAG~

Airshow Bro this weekend huh Join the dots and what have you got

The one at Whenuapai?

I didnt expect to see em here as the last airshow at Wp didnt have any overseas visitors...

Righto... I see now at http://www.airforce.mil.nz/

Damn I wish I was there!!!

Looking at the pdf brochure I do believe I see a C17 parking spot allocated.
Never been up close to one of those, might be forced to brave the crowds come Saturday

Ill try make my way out there this arvo but no guarantees.

Well I kept true to my word and I made my way out to Ohakea...

I got this shot of the F-111's:


Now It was cool just to see em, but I thought id go further down the road and see what I could find in the way of viewing spots...

Nothing much so I walked over to the security guard at the main gate and asked where I could take some pics from... He just said where I had just taken the last one from, but If I phone the PR lady I might be able to get a pass inside. So I phoned the number but no luck she had already gone home. So he just put me through to the main switchboard at Ohakea, and I explained the situation and that Id like to get some photos of the F-111's... She said, "Hold on a moment I will put you through to Wing Commander Martin"...

Now the guard asked who I had been put through to, so I told him and he said "Wow you've been put through high up..." "In fact you're gonna talk to the Base Commander"... So now I am thinking holy crap Im talking to the big guns!!! Eventually he came on and asked what it was that I wanted... the reply went something like this, "Uh ok. Umm. I'll see what I can do.....(pause).....Yep I'll send someone down to pick you guys up...."

So yeah a guy came and picked us up in a van and we escorted right to the planes.... Have a look:








I love this one with the CT-4, F-111 and if you look closely you can see a P3-K



And some other planes while I was there:




And of course just to prove it really was me...


And yes Charl, there will most definatly be a C-17 at Whenuapai on Sat .If anyone doesnt want to brave the crowds...then head to WP tomorrow at around lunchtime to see the practice performance. For those in the Manawatu head to OH at 4pm to see the arrival of the C-17 and the famous dump-and-burn by the F-111's as well as a pretty neat airshow so Im told.

~ZK-KAG~

I love them wings o nthe f-111

wow - excellent score ZK-KAG

Wow you are so lucky KAG! Well done on seizing the opportunity to get in there, I envy you 100%

I saw the F-111's parked up (from a long distance) at RAAF Amberly near Amburly in January, never got to see them in detail like those photographs. I also so the C-17 doing circuits there- can't wait to see it up close on Saturday *click click*

The blighter's gone and stolen a march on us!
I hope we can get as close this weekend.
Well done KAG!

LooK at those Bueaties Don't we love Australia Great Pics KAG

here goes a very detailed programme for the whenauapai open day and also the f111's doing practice tomorrow at whenuapai at 10.30am

EVENT ON OFF TET Add Amendment 10 280829 FEB 07
REMARKS

Runway 21
PR PRIZE WINNERS TANDEM DESCENT
HERC T/O 0955 1000 00:05 Climb to 8000ft
HERC TANDEM PARACHUTE DESCENT 1015 1025 00:10 HERC lands after parachutists.

SEASPRITE DEP TO PICK UP IRISH CAF TBA
SEASPRITE ARR WITH IRISH CAF TBA Land at 6SQN
KINGAIR ARR WITH CAF/ACC 1030 Kingair then becomes Static Display aircraft

NZ WARBIRDS DISPLAY
HARVARDS AND DH82 T/Oand POSITION 1050
DH82 T/O and POSITION 1055
THUNDER MUSTANG T/O and POSITION 1057

ROARING FORTIES HARVARDS 1100 1110 00:10 Land. Time includes landing
THUNDER MUSTANG DISPLAY 1110 1116 00:06 Land. Time includes landing
DH82 AROBATICS 1116 1122 00:06 Land. Time includes landing
ME108 T/O (under DH822) 1118
P40, P51 T/O and POSITION 1123
ME108 GUN RUNS 1125 1129 00:04 Two passes
P40/P51 PASS 1129
ME108 LANDS 1130 Land.
P40 KITTYHAWK DISPLAY 1131 1138 00:07
P51 MUSTANG DISPLAY 1138 1145 00:07
GILES T/O and POSITION (under P51) 1140
DC3 T/O and POSITION 1145
FIGHTERS LAND 1147 Land.
DC3 DISPLAY 1149 1154 00:05 Land. Time includes landing
DRAGONFLY T/O, DISPLAY and VACATE 1155 1203 00:08
GILES AEROBATIC DISPLAY and VACATE 1203 1211 00:08
YAKS T/O (under aerobatic display) 1204
DRAGONFLY BREAK AND LAND 1212 Land.
YAK 52 TEAM FMN AEROBATICS 1214 1224 00:10
YAK 52 TEAM LAND 1225 Land.
GILES LANDS 1227 Land.

P3 INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE 1230 1235 00:05

P3 INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE 1305 1310 00:05

MILITARY FLYING DISPLAY
HERC T/O 1310 1313 00:03 00:06 KIWI BLUE. Climb to 8000ft

ORION T/O 1320 1323 00:03 HOLD WHANGAPARAOA.

IROQUOIS (x3) T/O 1324 1327 00:03 HOLD HB
Have Troops onboard

KIWI BLUE JUMP 1330 1335 00:05 Herc descend and prepare for Airland (position BROWNS BAY)

IROQUOIS (x3) 1336 1339 00:03 1 x suppressive fire & 2 x Airland to secure LZ, then depart to HB. Troops provide protection for incursion from Golf Cse.
Troops wait for C130 to offload LOV (remain clear of RWY).

HERC 1340 1346 00:06 Airland and offload LOV.
Survivors exit LOV and posn by MS5.
HERC reverses A/R and departs to Eastern Sector.
On HERC departure survivors inflate, tether then enter MS5
Troops and LOV position against fenceline clear of DZ 1

P3 HOLD BROWNS BAY when vacated by C130

HARVARD T/O 1347 HOLD KUMEU

SEASPRITES T/O 1348 1349 00:01 1 to HOLD HB

ORION AND SEASPRITE SAR 1350 1359 00:09 At ON time survivors deploy Smoke. Orion depart Browns Bay as reqd for overhead after smoke.
Orion drops MADD on DZ then HOLD BETHELLS
SH2 winches survivor from liferaft and offload at HB prior to display.
Survivors and Troops remove MADD and debris from DZ (use LOV). All RTBase via perimeter road

HARVARD DISPLAY 1400 1405 00:05 Land

SEASPRITES (x2) DISPLAY 1406 1416 00:10 Land and park at 6SQN apron

757 T/O AND DISPLAY 1417 1425 00:08 HOLD WHANGAPARAOA

ORION DISPLAY HANDLING 1426 1434 00:08 Commence display from crowd right, then join B757 at WHANGAPARAOA

Iroquois depart HB during Orion display to HOLD RIVERHEAD. Note C130 transiting to KUMEU

C130 position from Eastern Sector to HOLD KUMEU. Note IROs at RIVERHEAD

RED CHECKERS T/O 1435 1437 00:02 HOLD COATSVILLE. Note IROs running in from RIVERHEAD. Right turnout and pass behind. Note C130 holding at KUMEU.

IROQUOIS DISPLAY HANDLING 1438 1450 00:12 HOLD HB

C130 position from KUMEU to RIVERHEAD when IROs depart

HERC DISPLAY HANDLING 1451 1501 00:10 B757 and P3 Fmn flypast as HERC reverses on RWY. Join THUNDER at WHANGAPARAOA

Red Checkers position from COATSVILLE to HOLD RIVERHEAD when vacated by C130

RAAF F-111 T/O, COMPLETE DISPLAY THEN LAND 1502 1511 00:09 00:02 From T/O max angle clb to 3000ft, position for full afterburner high speed pass (550kts/M0.9), reposition for fuel dump and burn, join CCT for initials, break and land. Add 2 min to allow back track to parking spot

RED CHECKERS DISPLAY and BREAK TO LAND 1514 1529 00:15

THUNDER FLYPAST AND LAND 1530 1545 00:15 From the East. Then join Ech for break to land.

Total Time of Display (Military) 02:15 02:00

BEAVER and DC3 LOCAL AREA FLIGHT 1546 1601 00:15 Tickets sold during the day

Well done KAG for taking the initiative, and well done the RNZAF for doing their bit for public relations

Well done KAG for taking the initiative, and well done the RNZAF for doing their bit for public relations

Yeah what I did in posting what happened is the kind of thing that the Airforce wants, and to be honest I thought I would as they did let me into an area normally off-limits...

Great stuff ZK-KAG!!!!!! good job getting out there air side!!!!!

Awesome KAG

The F111 is pretty awesome, for what role is it used?

Awesome stuff KAG, you must have used some sweet language on the Base Commander eh.

Alex

Awesome, you're really lucky to have been able to get that close to all three F-111s.

I saw the F-111's doing a little show for the base at Ohakea today!

Below are the pics:











I have some better photos of the dump and burn which I will post later tonight

~ZK-KAG~

About 10:10 am this morning, a heard a sound of a big fast jet getting progressively louder.....I was thinking....hmmm..????... Skyhawk stretching its legs?

But then a few seconds later an F-111 screams over head Whakatane at around 2000 ft and a few seconds after that another one joins from the right over Ohope beach. Both appeared to be heading to White Island/Volkner rocks (the old target range just to the west of White Island)

Anyone else see them?

It was good hearing and seeing a fast jet again! My brother (ex RNZAF Skyhawk pilot) always used to buzz our house in Rotorua.....good times